tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45581704207769495512024-02-19T02:35:16.626+01:00Rushing Wind MinistriesLife and Reflection of a missionary in the Czech RepublicTom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-80520743489703199522015-03-24T18:03:00.000+01:002015-03-24T18:07:55.834+01:00Missions: All People to All People<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“For the foolishness</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of
God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of God is stronger than human
strength.” I Cor 1:25</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sitting in the church pew waiting to speak to a group of Chinese Americans in the San Francisco bay area, I once again reflected on the almost accidental and somewhat surreal events that led to this moment. Who would have guessed that <a href="http://go.efca.org/ministries/reachglobal" target="_blank">EFCA ReachGlobal</a> would help mobilize the Chinese church to come alongside Roma living in Europe? Who would even believe that <i>the Chinese</i>, of all people, would be called to serve alongside the Roma in Europe? Was it really only 5 months ago that we met with Chinese, Romanian, and American believers on a dark and foggy night in a Roma village in the mountains of Transylvania and began to see how we could work together for God’s glory among a forgotten people group? It was like I could clearly see individual pieces of the puzzle but they didn’t seem to fit together in any logical way. But it is evident that there is a growing clarity to the picture on the puzzle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Less than two years ago the staff of the Great Commission Center International (GCCI) read a few articles that <a href="https://balkanvoices.wordpress.com/author/wach/" target="_blank">Melody Wachsmuth</a> wrote about the Roma in Europe. They came to the conclusion that there was an unreached people group of 10-12 million people spread across Europe. Since that time they have organized a vision trip, a conference representing Roma in 16 countries, 3 mission/vision trips, and an outreach English camp in Hungary led by Chinese believers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">During this same time EFCA ReachGlobal Europe created the <a href="https://twitter.com/EuropeCatalyst" target="_blank">SERVEurope Catalyst Team</a> led by <a href="https://twitter.com/JimBakerAtEFCA" target="_blank">Jim Baker</a> and staffed by yours truly. Besides recruiting and growing our team, we were given the task of finding opportunities where God was working in Europe and reporting where ReachGlobal could uniquely join in. These opportunities were to fit into our mission’s overall goals. As a mission ReachGlobal Europe is asking God for:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>100,000 disciple makers </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>10,000 transformational churches</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>15 locations with Acts 19 results, including 5 Complex Urban Center (CUC) sites</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the areas of opportunity quickly identified itself as a “hidden revival” among the Roma. With a growing sense of excitement about tracing the story of this revival throughout Europe, the Catalyst Team traveled to Spain, Bulgaria, and Slovakia. And the ReachGlobal city team in Bucharest, Romania asked for our help to create a ministry description for Roma ministry workers. So we decided to travel to Bucharest from a conference in Budapest, Hungary. The historic <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI9QzvVHCTM" target="_blank">Roma for the Nations Conference</a> is where our paths converged with Chinese believers and GCCI. Right after the conference, we ended up on <a href="http://reachglobal.blogs.efca.org/the-long-road-to-bucharest/" target="_blank">"The Long Road To Bucharest"</a> traveling with Romanian and Chinese missionaries for 4 days over 800 miles stopping at 12 villages/cities to see how God was working among the Roma. After our trip SERVEurope Catalyst Team sat down with the members of the Great Commission Center International and shared impressions of the conference and the trip and to decide on follow up steps. One of the follow up steps was this church meeting. After meeting with GCCI representatives in the day the English speaking Chinese churches in the San Francisco bay area were invited to hear about God’s work among the Roma in Europe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a unique time in the history of the global Church and the movement of God among Europe’s 10-12 million Roma. It seems that God has uniquely equipped the Chinese churches to reach the Roma in Europe. They do not have the negative <a href="http://millpondporch.com/2015/02/12/why-are-leaders-from-a-church-planting-mission-in-europe-attending-a-conference-on-disability-in-l-a/" target="_blank">constructed images</a> that European nationals often have that lead to mistrust from both sides. Furthermore the Chinese are able to enter a relationship with the Roma without the real or perceived sense of the westerner’s power and wealth. And as Dr. Thomas Wang pointed out that evening the early history of Chinese Americans was one of migrating to the USA, working hard for very little money, being stigmatized and seen as an undesirable by the majority population.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The further I reflect on the movement of God among the Roma the more I come to see that God is putting seemingly random puzzle pieces that don’t seem to fit. But the more they come together the more I see a beautiful, multi-cultural, multi-generational picture that is not bound by geography, culture, or man’s lack of imagination. It is a beautiful picture and I feel privileged to be a witness to its’ creation. EFCA ReachGlobal is helping GCCI to mobilize the Chinese church to work among the Roma in Europe. But just as the Chinese have been uniquely equipped to work with the Roma in Europe, other churches around the world have also been uniquely equipped. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For now I will leave you with 3 recent quotes about God’s work among the Roma in Europe and the video of the Roma for the Nations conference. Or we can continue the dialogue. And if you are interested in</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> finding out more, check out <a href="http://go.efca.org/ministries/where-we-serve/europe" target="_blank">ReachGlobal Mission Needs</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> or write </span><a href="mailto:EuropeCatalyst@efca.org" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">EuropeCatalyst@efca.org</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“All of this conference, this convention, was started by Chinese because they felt a burden for the Roma people. So that’s kind of the “foolishness of God” because in the world it doesn’t go together. You know, the Chinese and Roma people. You know, how is that possible? But God is just, in his wisdom God is just pouring out His love into Chinese hearts.” Misha Bakic (Serbia)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I am amazed at Chinese people having burdens for the Gypsies. It’s wonderful! It’s a miracle!” Rene Zanellato (France)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“We pray that all Roma will turn to Christ and become soldiers of the cross. Hallelujah! May God’s will be done!” Dr. Thomas Wang-Great Commission Center International</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Roma For The Nations Conference Video</span><br />
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Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-62020346590983707772014-12-03T23:16:00.001+01:002014-12-03T23:16:27.896+01:00A Visit With the International King of the Gypsies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">I must
admit to being a bit overwhelmed when I first walked into the palace of the
<a href="https://news.vice.com/article/an-audience-with-the-king-of-the-gypsies" target="_blank">“International King </a></span><span style="background: white; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://news.vice.com/article/an-audience-with-the-king-of-the-gypsies" target="_blank">of the Gypsies”</a></span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> in Sibiu, Romania. The contrast between the poverty in the Gypsy
villages where I had been the last 3 days and the wealth of this palace was
quite stark. We walked into the communal living area where there was a living
room with a TV and a long banquet table.
The aquarium stocked with exotic fish was topped with what looked like a
brass crown. But the family’s warm welcome
and abundant hospitality, along with their energetic story-telling and genuine
care for the Roma people won me over quickly. We met his wife, his sister, his children, and saw one of the
twin grand-children. Adults, teenagers,
and children constantly passed through the room, some stopping to say hi, some
just heading upstairs. Conversation at
the table covered a wide range of topics.
Dorin told about a bet that he had made with a local TV newscaster that
he could lose a certain amount of weight.
If he won, he would get to be the announcer on TV for one
broadcast! Luminata shared a commonly
believed legend that the Roma are a “lost tribe of Israel”. Dorin’s wife brought out a wonderful dessert
(after a gourmet, 4-course meal) and stayed to talk with us. Very
early in the visit I sensed that this was a family that God wanted me and
others to pray for.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">It all
started a week earlier at the International Roma Consultation in Budapest,
Hungary. <a href="http://wordswithoutborders.org/contributor/luminita-mihai-cioaba" target="_blank">Luminita Cioaba</a>, sister of the
King and a well-known poet/author, was one of the participants. Her family’s
standing in the Roma and Romanian community allow them to minister in a unique
way and influence many Roma Christians. Because her church does many
projects to help the Roma people she was invited to the conference. Stops at her church and supper with the King were
added to our adventurous mission trip agenda.
That day, we had already met several Roma pastors and been in very poor
Roma villages. Arriving 2 hours late
(part of the adventure) for a worship service, we found out that the believers
had stayed the whole time waiting for us.
We were warmly welcomed by Dorin and Luminita and the rest of the
congregation. Even two hours late, they
still wanted us to speak and sing and then join them for supper. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Our visit
to the household started in Dorin’s office where we found out just how much
influence he has. There we learned that he is the the president of the <a href="http://internationalromaniunion.org/about-us/" target="_blank">International Romani Union</a>. We also
saw the courtroom where he presides as judge in local Roma matters. Dorin is a
lawyer by profession. (I would actually
meet a Roma pastor later who, earlier in life, had stood before Dorin and
received community service instead of jailtime.
He said that Dorin was a fair judge.) In his role Dorin has fought for
inclusion of Roma in EU countries and been a loud voice of accountability in
use of EU funds which he says have not been used wisely in many countries. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">After
supper, we had the opportunity to pray together and it was one of the most
meaningful times of the trip for me. I
was able to share a word of encouragement with Dorin and his wife that seemed
to resonate with something they had been praying about for a long time. I left the house with a lot to process and a
nagging question of how cooperative work could look like. There were some theological differences that
would be worth talking about and the kind of projects they were involved in
were just a little different than I had imagined. But one thing was sure. I left convinced that this was a family of
great influence among the people with whom I was called to love and work. So I committed to praying for them regularly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">God is moving among the Roma in Europe. ReachGlobal has city teams in Madrid, Sofia,
Prague, Stockholm, and Bucharest that are working among the Roma. Click here for <a href="http://go.efca.org/opportunities/ways-serve?loc%5B%5D=20&dur%5B%5D=12&dur%5B%5D=13" target="_blank">OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE</a> or <a href="mailto:thomas.becker@efca.org" target="_blank">WRITE ME</a>.</span></span>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-77395882055740388462014-11-25T15:54:00.000+01:002014-11-25T15:54:01.779+01:00The Fire of Revival in Romania<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0oqfRyHQbNf-KHZA9dM4cp4Rvrm8PzKiv2SYLGaLhz4ProkeC8XCLOXPijRMwU9pR5n2kTSGZeRZG95GW365qiH7YgLGW51qeLFWHCMa8049mbBnLkaFdYCNeMeuueSv2onJs5vuuVne/s1600/DSC08549+(Medium).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0oqfRyHQbNf-KHZA9dM4cp4Rvrm8PzKiv2SYLGaLhz4ProkeC8XCLOXPijRMwU9pR5n2kTSGZeRZG95GW365qiH7YgLGW51qeLFWHCMa8049mbBnLkaFdYCNeMeuueSv2onJs5vuuVne/s1600/DSC08549+(Medium).JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pastor Florin, with red on his jacket, fields a question about the gypsy revival in Romania</td></tr>
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"But how does it FEEL to share the gospel with other Gypsies?" The question hung in the air as a room full of Gypsy pastors in Romania absorbed it. This wasn't the normal methodological, missiological question that pastors are used to hearing, as evidenced by the long pause. <a href="http://millpondporch.com/" target="_blank">Jim Baker</a>, my colleague, had bypassed the intellectual/volitional path that we are used to and was looking for a heart level answer. These pastors had been sharing the following stories (and more) about God's work and the rapid spread of the gospel in their area:<br />
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<li>A dream that led a family to the church to be baptized. </li>
<li>A village where 70% of the population was attends church and the subsequent closing of all the bars in the surrounding area.</li>
<li>A vision to preach the gospel in the non-Roma section of their villages.</li>
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Pastor Florin paused at the question and the translator asked if he understood. "Yes, I understand." After a short pause his eyes lit up and he continued, <i><b>"It feels like a fire burning in me. I can not NOT share the gospel. People need to hear the good news and I must share it!"</b></i></div>
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He then continued to preach with energy (or descriptively "with fire") for several minutes about how the Gypsies needed to hear the gospel and the <b><i>Romanians</i></b> also needed to hear the gospel. "Yes, they have treated us badly. Yes, they have hated us and caused us great injustice but God tells us to love them and they need to hear the gospel. God is the God of forgiveness and so we must be people who forgive."</div>
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Later we enjoyed a home cooked meal at his house and saw the fruit of the fire he was talking about. He is building a church for the 60 members in one village where they will house a school for 30 kids who are served in an after school tutoring program. They have plans for similar building projects in two other villages. In one of the villages the local witch doctor lives next door to their land and daily throws garbage on the property while speaking curses. One of the highlights of this trip was praying with local believers on the site of this land. I can honestly say that I felt "the fire" that Pastor Florin was talking about manifested in a deep desire to see God's glory shining in this village where people were enslaved by the occult. </div>
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Meeting with Pastor Florin, hearing his vision for ministry, and experiencing he "fire that burns within". has changed me. It has caused me to ask myself why the fire that compels him to share the gospel sometimes seems more like an ember within me. It has caused me to be in awe of the depth of forgiveness which I hear from the Gypsies who are forgiving those who have hurt them because they want to share the gospel with them. It has caused me to wonder why God has chosen one of the most persecuted, despised people with a tragic history to ignite the flame of revival in Europe. I don't have all the answers but I am sure of one thing. God is at work among the Roma in Europe and I have a lot to learn from them. I will be writing more stories of God's work among the Roma in Europe so stay tuned. If you are interested in hearing how you can be involved, <a href="mailto:thomas.becker@efca.org" target="_blank">WRITE ME</a>. </div>
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Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-65991070039106808272013-12-02T23:57:00.001+01:002013-12-02T23:57:15.412+01:00The Question<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">"Was that God?" This was the first thing that Alice, a Gypsy teenager, asked after leaders of the English Camp prayed with her in the middle of the night. She had not been able to sleep because of anxiety and fear. During the prayer time she felt, in her own words, "a peace and a calm that I have never felt before". After sharing that she lived in almost constant fear and was involved in occult practices, she said she wanted to live a life without fear and accepted Jesus as her savior and peace giver. This was 13 years ago in our first year of working with the Roma Gypsies. We did not know at the time that the Lord was starting us on a path that would teach us greater dependence on Him, a boldness for sharing the Word in the power of the Spirit, and ultimately to our present role in ReachGlobal. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">During the last 13 years we have prayed with dozens of Roma in local ministry and in several eastern European countries. We have heard this question voiced after prayer time over and over. It came after concerted prayer for various addictions. It came after prayer for family members who were suffering. It came after prayer for a sick child who was healed. A variation (Is that how God works?) even came from 2 different Christian leaders who saw significant growth in ministry after a "call to prayer" went out and the American church got on its' knees. "The Question" became so prevalent that we began to expect it after prayer times and smiled when it came! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #505050; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">This path of learning has led us to a new role in ReachGlobal Europe directly supporting its' mission. Although the role (and the team related to the role) will be "officially" announced after the new year, I have already been working in it. After much discussion with ReachGlobal Europe leaders and others about the best place for this ministry, I will be part of a newly formed team of "catalysts" at the Europe level. I will be available to work with city teams and our strategic partners in Europe to mobilize prayer and Gospel impact among Europe's most marginalized people. This, of course, includes the Roma but also victims of human trafficking and others. We are looking forward to the challenge and seeing how God works through the new role. Wouldn't it be great if hundreds or thousands more in Europe asked, "Was that God?" after His people prayed in faith according to the Word and saw answers?</span>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-15375828116901056892013-11-22T17:37:00.000+01:002013-11-22T18:18:40.034+01:00Reverse Culture Shock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday I stopped by the local hardware store here in Indiana to pick up a few things. Every time I walk into a hardware store, I remember a classic language event from my time in the Czech Republic. I was walking with a Czech pastor friend to the hardware store to pick up a few things. We were having a deep, intelligent, theological discussion. Continuing the conversation, we walked into the local hardware store without a break in conversation. While we were still talking, the salesman asked what he could do for me. I turned to him and confidently spoke up, "I am hanging some pictures on a concrete wall so I need some...(awkward pause as I realize I don't know the word for "anchors" in Czech) those little plastic things that go into the wall...then the screws go into it". "Hmozdinky?", he said. "Yes!", I said. It was such a remarkable contrast between my aptitude in specialized work language and my hardware store language and I have told that story many times as an example of how long it takes to get to a "fluent" level of language even after you sound very professional to some people.<br />
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So fast forward 5 years to yesterday. I was happy to go to a hardware store in a country where I was born and grew up. Although I have never been known as a handyman, I can get some minor things done around the house. When the salesman asked what I was looking for I confidently spoke up and said, "I need some 25x16x1 inch air filters for my (awkward pause as I realize I can only think of the Czech word "kotel" for furnace) you know, heater...gas run...with air ducts that heats my house." "Furnace?", he said. "Yes!", I said. feeling quite inadequate and embarrassed. I know the word "furnace". It just didn't come as quickly as the Czech word and I think I got flustered because that's not supposed to happen in my "born and bred" home country. <br />
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A lot of things like this have tripped me up after living in the Czech Republic for 16 years and trying to adjust to life in the USA and I am sure there are still more to come... <br />
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<br />Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-59718467875994764892013-02-07T06:00:00.000+01:002013-02-07T06:00:48.299+01:00An Adult In Thailand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the midst of a dizzying array of new sights, sounds,
and experiences I am having in Thailand, one thing has really stuck out on this
trip. My son has grown up. This may sound simplistic to you but think
about this. Matt moved to Thailand after
high school graduation so I am seeing him live and work on his own for the
first time. It has struck me that I am
watching him live out his OWN faith and navigating the world apart from our
family unit. It has been gratifying and
produced a great amount of fatherly pride.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I had the opportunity to minister side by side with him
and Dora as he invited us to help teach family relationships in an English
Club. Our family has always had a high
value on ministering together. So from a
young age, our kids have considered themselves just as much missionaries as
Dora and I are. Our kids have always
joined in where they can with English camps, translating, and church planting
work. So to be joining Matt in HIS
ministry was gratifying and emotional.
This is a young man who is making a difference in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So when my jetlag woke me up this morning at 4:00 AM, I
found my thoughts wandering to the importance of living out faith in your
family. If the family unit contains the
closest relationships you will have in your life, then living out your faith
within that unit is arguably the most important thing you will do in your
life. If you are like me, that statement
has produced, at times, a low level anxiety because of the incredible
responsibility that gives me as a father and a husband. But by the grace of God, in my fallen-ness
and in spite of my many poor examples of how to live, my children have picked
up some good things. Fathers, continue
to fight the good fight and live out your faith within the family!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5 Related Thoughts:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1) Faith lived out within your family is a powerful
conduit for Christ-like transformation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2) Faith lived out within your family is sometimes
planned but most often expressed in regular, daily life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3) It is only by God' grace that you can be a living
witness of Christ in your family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4) God's call looks different for each individual but
transformation is a constant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5) On a personal note, I am VERY proud of all my
children. I need to express this to them
more often.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-80558240068087103992012-04-18T19:20:00.004+02:002012-04-18T19:30:59.869+02:00Prayer for Orphans<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeT9CBhCAWkVCWjPTqZonoq3AWWUPikzi29oZhyzeDHIt56Blik8U7T_sNr4sxPdpnFXg9hoVIsdxyTElgSKLlBJi3nnGnaCcL16d8JYs21Tjj_9VdGmzinuTVzjq0eH08tyAh37piPKb/s1600/OLTCH.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeT9CBhCAWkVCWjPTqZonoq3AWWUPikzi29oZhyzeDHIt56Blik8U7T_sNr4sxPdpnFXg9hoVIsdxyTElgSKLlBJi3nnGnaCcL16d8JYs21Tjj_9VdGmzinuTVzjq0eH08tyAh37piPKb/s400/OLTCH.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732793126633777650" /></a><br /><p>I can think of a hundred reasons why I shouldn't write this post today. All of them have to do with how this could be taken or how I will be seen when you read this. But I have been talking more and more lately about my "mystic" tendencies, so I will risk sharing this publicly. It is a true story about my encounter with God in prayer and an invitation to intercede for orphans in Haiti.<br /></p><p>Last night we had a marvelous visit with an American family living temporarily in Prague. We were amazed at how many seemingly random connections we had. One of the biggest ones was that he and his family had served in Haiti after the earthquake. They had been at Operation Love The Children of Haiti, the orphanage where I visited in order to connect a Czech mission agency to short term work in Haiti. Furthermore, they are adopting a child who I remember interacting with (not talking with...I don't speak Creole.) This family has a real burden for this child because he is older, has been an orphan for a long time, and the process of adoption is taking so long. We spent time in intensive prayer for this boy and the speeding of the process of adoption. </p><p>So, with this on my mind and my heart, I was shocked to see a Facebook post from TouchGlobal about a different child who just died at the OLTCH orphanage. The story tells of one volunteer's grief and frustration at losing a child. I was very moved and fell quite naturally into intercessory prayer for the children and workers of this orphanage and others in Haiti. I had turned on an Internet radio station when I came into the study that was playing Christian music. I don't know when it cut off but sometime during my prayers, I noticed the overwhelming silence. In the long silence I felt the burden of intercession and what I can only name as God's grief over the orphans of Haiti and the families who will adopt them. After some time, I stood up from where I was sitting on the couch. At that moment, two things happened. First, I stood up into the sunlight streaming through the window and had to close my eyes because it was so bright. Second, the radio kicked on again and Jeremy Camp was singing these lines: "Power in hand speaking the Father's plan. You're sending us out, light in this broken land. We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb. And the word of our testimony, everyone overcome."</p><p>And the tears came. And I literally got on my knees to worship the Lord. And I met God in a deep way. And I felt compelled to write this testimony to His greatness, His ability to speak to his children, and His care for the widow and the orphan. </p><p>Can I ask you to take a moment and pray for the workers at OLTCH and other orphanages in Haiti, as well as the families going through the long, arduous, unpredictable process of adopting internationally?</p><p><a href="http://asojourningsoul.blogspot.com/">asojourningsoul.blogspot.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.operationlovethechildrenofhaiti.org/">www.operationlovethechildrenofhaiti.org</a></p>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-13091006647544061552012-03-30T14:07:00.004+02:002012-04-10T12:05:19.923+02:00My Life As A Monk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRXMYbPCICEhqeV3Vivzkp8_lze0B4Oqu4jyXvUln7KyfQyTl8j-ijY9eP5tCihP_wBmdZadiEI2GJqalEVRfrX2YgmiRy-bbqUXqm7n0S0alWk87oyso6ywha4Dz6whzpGLc97LBSq1R/" target="_blank" style=""><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSRXMYbPCICEhqeV3Vivzkp8_lze0B4Oqu4jyXvUln7KyfQyTl8j-ijY9eP5tCihP_wBmdZadiEI2GJqalEVRfrX2YgmiRy-bbqUXqm7n0S0alWk87oyso6ywha4Dz6whzpGLc97LBSq1R/s500/iStock_000013468025XSmall.jpg" id="blogsy-1333091493258.4802" class="alignnone" width="320" height="375" alt="" /></a></div><p> Listening to God in prayer is a topic that obviously resonates with a lot of people! Since I posted my previous blog entry, I have been privileged to interact with dozens of people through Email, Facebook, and blog comments. Many of you shared personal examples of how you listen to God. Many raised great questions. Most have admitted to a daily struggle to take time and listen in prayer. And some have been curious about the year I was classified as a monk in the Czech Labor Office. This has prompted more thinking about "life as a modern day monk". </p><p>How does one live a life of solitude, reflection, and prayer as an evangelical Christian living in Western society in the year 2012? What do I write about a "monk's lifestyle" on my iPad, sitting in a room with 10 people, including my kids and their cousins watching the Czech television show "Pat and Mat"? Ask me if I spent an hour in prayer this morning and I will have to admit to "hurrying" so I could catch some of the kids before they woke everyone else in the house up. So how does one live in conversation with God both during intentional quiet times and during regular life activities? And maybe more importantly, is this something that God desires? </p><p>A quick survey of Scripture shows us that, yes, it is the norm for God to lead, guide, teach, remind of what Jesus taught, convict, and interact with his children in many ways throughout the day. It is also a good practice to pull away from regular, daily activities to pray. Just look at Jesus' example of spending time in prayer and seeking his Father's guidance Mark 1:35-39. Or how the Holy Spirit leads, speaks, or otherwise interacts with people in the book of Acts Acts 4:8, 4:31, 13:2,9, 21:11. </p><p>Many people have gotten inspiration on the topic of communicating with God throughout the day from the writings of Brother Lawrence, especially <u>The Practice of the Presence of God</u><em>. </em>Brother Lawrence was a French monk who lived in the 1600s and found that he could carry on a conversation with God during his daily duties, such as washing the dishes. As recorded in an updated English version of this book, <u>Practicing His Presence</u><em>, </em>he talks about this continual conversation with God. <em> "</em>I have found that we can establish ourselves in a sense of the presence of God by continually talking with Him. It is simply a shameful thing to quit conversing with Him to think of trifles nd foolish things. We should feed and nourish our souls with high notions of god which will yeld great joy."</p><p>Frank Laubach was a 20th century evangelical Christian missionary who developed a literacy program in the Philippines. He wrote a series of letters to his father which talked about conversing with God during the day. In a pamphlet entitled <u>The Game With Minutes</u>, he challenges Christians to develop the habit of thinking about God one second of every minute of the day. In his letters, it is clear that he struggled with this habit. "This concentration upon God is strenuous, but everything else has ceased to be."</p><p>My experience is that I need to work on two distinct but connected disciplines: getting away to be quiet and alone with God and communicating with him throughout my regular days. My times away with God help me refocus so that my conversation during regular days is enriched. And my conversation during regular days keeps me close to God so my times away start off with more of a connection. I have found the same to be true with communication with my wife. We need to get away from the kids and work responsibilities and spend quality time together. But we also need to grab some conversation throughout regular days. Otherwise when wet to "our time" away, we have to spend a lot of time just getting caught up on "business". </p><p>Maybe that is the biggest thing to realize. Communication and conversation flow out of a relationship. Just as with a friend, you must both listen and share in order to build your relationship. The more you build your relationship the more you will want to listen and share. God desires to listen to you and hear about your thoughts, dreams, and disappointments. He also want to share his thoughts, dreams, and disappointments. </p><p>Please keep the emails, Facebook messages and comments coming! How do you manage to find time to listen to God in prayer during the day?</p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">Quotes from <u>Practicing His Presence</u><em>,</em> Beaumont, Texas: Seed Sowers, 1973 pages 15,42</span></p>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-43063353851491179202012-03-24T13:35:00.006+01:002012-03-24T14:47:23.844+01:00Prayer And Solitude<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqOuqmyFRwCYJiH-BuzyPIRHkg-6uAhek8ps2RSBzGsuOIcfCkMejFIuA5clJT9fB5d4Kc3RcfCvztEco9INOzAjvTPAI9CD8CCZ9xyibO-3qIxuxz8P3Eb2ajsLphr5roca9nI-IWtpl/s1600/iStock_000015972687XSmall.jpg" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqOuqmyFRwCYJiH-BuzyPIRHkg-6uAhek8ps2RSBzGsuOIcfCkMejFIuA5clJT9fB5d4Kc3RcfCvztEco9INOzAjvTPAI9CD8CCZ9xyibO-3qIxuxz8P3Eb2ajsLphr5roca9nI-IWtpl/s400/iStock_000015972687XSmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5723445387394412514" /></a>Prayer is talking with God. How complicated can that be? We have conversations with people all day long and feel like we have communicated well. So why do we feel insecurity about whether or not God has heard us or that he cares? Why do we struggle over finding the time to talk with God and what to talk about? If God is so interested in me, why is it so difficult to connect with him?<div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div>I am convinced that LISTENING to God is becoming a lost art. Many struggle with their prayer lives because of this. One sided conversations become boring and rote to both the listener and the speaker. It is the same with God as with any human. </div><div><br /></div><div>During a church talk, I challenged people to find a quiet place during the next week and sit for one hour, praying however they wanted. If one was stuck, one could read a short passage of Scripture to get the conversation going...but reading the Bible should only take a <i>small</i> portion of the time. Six people told me how unrealistic this was because they were too busy. One even said they wouldn't know how to do this for ten minutes! The greatest discouragement for me was that <i style="font-weight: normal; ">one of these people was the pastor, one was his wife, and one was an elder at the church!</i> As I pried a little deeper, the issue for these people (as it is for most of us) wasn't finding the time. It was not knowing what to do with that time. I have no doubt that you or anybody could find an hour (or more) a day to sit quietly with a Bible and converse with the Lord. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">But in our efficient, productivity focused mindset that wears "I'm so busy" as a badge of honor, we have truly lost the art of listening to God. We are afraid of our failures, sinfulness, and the pain that will arise in us if left alone with only ourselves. Which shows us how little we are experiencing the true God. Therefore, our prayer lives are not about connecting anymore. They are about getting the right words out and praying for the right things. If this is all prayer is, then we would do well to re-learn how to listen to God in prayer. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">At the risk of sounding like a mystic (I was actually classified as a monk at the labor office for one year--true story), I propose that we MUST re-focus some of our prayer time on listening...not talking. This involves some of the classic spiritual disciplines of quiet, solitude, meditation, Lectio Divina, and reflection as a way to get to know God personally through prayer. These are some ways to help us get beyond the intellectual study of Scripture and the recitation of prayer lists. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">If you agree with me and want to make a quick start at this, here is my suggestion. Grab your Bible, find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed or distracted (a park, in the woods, in a locked room at home). Read a passage of Scripture and reflect on it for a while. Don't try to figure out the passage too much or remember the original Greek! Rather try to put yourself in the story. What do you hear? What do you see? What do you feel? Play with the story in your mind a little while. Then tell God what strikes you from the passage. Ask him how he felt about the event or where He was during that time. Remember that prayer is communication with the person of God. Just as we "share from our heart" with another person, we do this with God AND He does it with us. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">If you are interested in spending more time re-capturing the art of listening to God, I would suggest the classic "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard J. Foster. The first two disciplines he talks about are meditation and prayer. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">Would you consider leaving a comment or emailing me the answer to this question....How do you listen to God in your prayer life or your daily life? </div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "> </span></div>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-30179435168799539642012-03-18T12:08:00.003+01:002012-03-18T13:46:19.679+01:00Running<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzerg77C5dzxmLnnahFOXcIuVavnHA3gHIUuyyfLm8V5bHQx5NxG618s9diIi-ice0PzsjiIQMLvdEL2L_LV6RxCPhyB9RKYnMQFIf4DfwZ6K852BH9h24dP0DRV78_qGlNW7ZUu58UhG/s1600/iStock_000016993957XSmall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzerg77C5dzxmLnnahFOXcIuVavnHA3gHIUuyyfLm8V5bHQx5NxG618s9diIi-ice0PzsjiIQMLvdEL2L_LV6RxCPhyB9RKYnMQFIf4DfwZ6K852BH9h24dP0DRV78_qGlNW7ZUu58UhG/s400/iStock_000016993957XSmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721192703795713234" /></a><br /><div>I had 1 hour, 18 minutes, and 42 seconds to pray and think on Saturday morning. As my feet carried me on an 8 mile run through farmland and local villages, my thoughts and prayers wandered pretty far. But they kept returning to a 2 part question that has been burning in my heart: How is God reaching the Roma Gypsies across Europe and what is my part in this?</div><div><br /></div><div>For those of you who know me, this is not a new question along my journey. However, with some recent focusing my time, my direction is becoming clearer. As my direction becomes more clear, I am articulating it to others. My prayer is that, just as I am able to increase the distance of my weekly "long run", I will increase my ability to present a vision for Roma ministry. The Lord has placed a burden for this on my heart which demands that I make it a top priority. To this end, I have been interacting with colleagues, potential partners, and others in order to discern how God is leading. </div><div><br /></div><div>Please be in prayer as the Lord leads me to share my thoughts and develop more concrete steps for ministry. You will be hearing more concrete details and ways you can be involved soon. Maybe as soon as the completion of my next long run!</div>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-2229710636300760602012-02-15T18:01:00.007+01:002012-02-15T18:30:30.075+01:00Gratitude for God's work among Prague's Homeless<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aprKv_p3pqAvv5ULoheyBAIlbKqCOqj9KDVLtTFlKjh4ji7Jp3RKjtZtbNQshiIUtSRYs6Fmw7Wt7ensWWKZMvHkw3rMJ0CtuOos2bqZv_pmJrKgtDSTCvwULKuI64JKUM-D8PMjPkWB/s1600/iStock_000017172713Small.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aprKv_p3pqAvv5ULoheyBAIlbKqCOqj9KDVLtTFlKjh4ji7Jp3RKjtZtbNQshiIUtSRYs6Fmw7Wt7ensWWKZMvHkw3rMJ0CtuOos2bqZv_pmJrKgtDSTCvwULKuI64JKUM-D8PMjPkWB/s400/iStock_000017172713Small.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709414299348045458" /></a><br /><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><span ><br /></span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span >It has been two weeks since our family had a fateful breakfast conversation about the bitter cold and it's effect on homeless people in Prague. This conversation led to a decision to spend two strategic hours of work to help the homeless in Prague. These two hours led to more than our family could have ever imagined and created a full time job for me for the next two weeks. We are grateful for the continued prayers, encouragement, and help along the way.</span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span > </span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span ><br /></span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span >I have gotten to know real heroes for the homeless during the last couple of weeks. Many of them work for three Christian organizations: Nadeje (Hope), Caritas (Catholic charity), and the Salvation Army. I have watched while everyone I met with, from the directors of the organizations to the people who pass out clothes, food, and tea, has treated the homeless with honor and dignity. </span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span > </span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span ><br /></span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span >I have also gotten to know the heroes in churches, schools, businesses, and families in Prague who are conducting clothing/blanket drives. They are too numerous to mention here. Many people have set up "collection centers" and been willing to deliver clothing to the appropriate places. Churches and individuals in America have prayed for the homeless during this time. They have also sent money and even blankets! </span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span > </span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span ><br /></span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span >During a Roma church service on Sunday, I spoke about my experiences the last 2 weeks. I talked about how I had gone from complaining about the cold to thinking about others and being VERY grateful to God for what He has done in my life. Two of the men spoke very openly of their experiences living on the streets during winter. The group talked for almost an hour about how we are so easily caught up in our own lives, complaining, gossiping, etc. and how we forget to be grateful. We then had a very rich prayer time. During the prayer time, a number of our newer people who have never prayed out loud were giving God thanks for all that He has done and given to them. </span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span ><br /></span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span > </span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span ><strong><span _mce_style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline; " >Prayer Requests:</span></strong></span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span ><strong><span _mce_style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline; "></span></strong>Please continue to pray for the homeless in Prague. It is a little warmer...but still cold. Pray for the tireless workers of Nadeje (Hope), Caritas (Catholic charity), and the Salvation Army who are serving the homeless not only in the winter...but all year. And pray for the continued organization of clothes/blanket drives that will benefit the homeless not only now but in the future. My main responsibility in all this right now is coordinating pickups between those who are doing the clothes drives and the 3 organizations. </span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span ><br /></span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span >And pray that we would be sensitive to whatever opportunities God is giving us to show His love through this situation.</span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span ><br /></span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span > </span></p><p _mce_style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><span >And please take a moment (and a lifetime) to express your gratitude to God for all he has done for you spiritually and all you have materially.</span></p>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-2312267141013751502012-02-09T20:45:00.002+01:002012-02-09T21:25:58.200+01:00Live outside of Czech? START HERE<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>I want to express special thanks to all the people in the USA and elsewhere in the world who have encouraged us, prayed for the homeless, sent finances, and even sent blankets! It is a great testimony to the worldwide body of Christ when we cross geographic and racial boundaries to serve one another. What began as a small thing has turned into a big opportunity to show the love of Christ in prayer and action to the most needy people in the Czech Republic during the winter freeze.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">Temperatures are expected to stay well below freezing through February 20. Over 300 people are reported as dead due to the cold in Europe in one week. However, experts estimate that the homeless are not being counted precisely so the number is much higher. The municipal government of Prague is being criticized for it's slow response in setting up tents to help the homeless because of a fear that homeless from across the Czech Republic and Europe would come here for warmth. It is true that homeless are coming to Prague to find warmth and so the needs here are even greater.</span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>The Czech church is being mobilized to help out three organizations that are working with the homeless. The greatest thing that those who are outside of the Czech Republic can do are the following:</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>1) Pray for the Homeless<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>2) Mobilize others to pray for the homeless (in your churches)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>3) Give financially through ReachGlobal (directions below)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>4) Organize a financial collection (Sunday collection plates? At your workplace? Anywhere else?)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>5) Get the American media to focus on the plight of the homeless in Europe (and in your own city!)</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>HOW TO GIVE:</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>1) </span><span><b>Online</b></span><span>: </span></span><a href="https://my.efca.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=359&des=PARTNERSHIP%20FUND-2500-5831" style="background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">https://my.efca.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=359&des=PARTNERSHIP FUND-2500-5831</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p></p> <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>2) </span><span><b>Check</b></span><span> to: EFCA (c/o Donor Services) 901 East 78th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55420-1300 (write "Partnership Fund 2500-5831" in memo line)</span></span>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-73572449624640634562012-02-09T20:16:00.006+01:002012-02-09T20:44:30.920+01:00Live in Czech? START HERE/Žiješ v ČR? Zační tady<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>(Český text nasleduje anglický text)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>As you may know, the "arctic freeze" temperatures that descended on the Czech Republic are expected to stay through February 20th. The most at risk group for this weather is the homeless. Dozens of them have gotten sick and died in the last week. The organizations working with homeless in Prague are overworked and in great need of help! ReachGlobal in Prague is working with the following three organizations to help the homeless: Salvation Army, The Hope shelter, and the St. Theresa shelter for homeless and refugees (more information on each organization and concrete needs can be found in other documents). We are helping in the following areas:</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>1) Mobilizing Prayer for the homeless during the winter freeze<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>2) Mobilizing clothing/blanket drives<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>3) FundRaising<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>4) Organizing volunteers where appropriate</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Many churches, schools, and individuals are holding clothing/blanket drives and delivering items to the organizations we are working with.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">WAYS FOR YOU TO JOIN IN</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; white-space: nowrap; text-indent: -0.25in; ">Join Facebook Group: </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/363125753717065/" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px; white-space: nowrap; text-indent: -0.25in; font-weight: bold; ">Helping The Czech Homeless/Pomáháme Bezdomovcům v ČR</a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:12.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in;background:white"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "> <span>2) </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Know God? Pray for the Homeless<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:12.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in;background:white"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "> 3)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Attend church? Get your church to pray for the Homeless</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:12.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in;background:white"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in; "> 4) Want to do more? Organize a clothing/blanket drive in your school/church/neighborhood</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:12.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in;background:white"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "> 5) </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Have a car? Volunteer to pick up clothes from collection centers and get them to the homeless shelters<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:12.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in;background:white"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "> 6) </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Have money? Give to one of the three organizations (details in other documents)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:12.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in;background:white"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "> 7) </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); ">Have influence? (Answer: Everyone has influence when one believes in something.) Want to start a "movement of helping the homeless" in your dorm, city, denomination, organization?Go do it! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:12.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in;background:white"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "> 8) </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Got questions? Contact me on this page, email: thomas.becker@efca.org</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>============================================================<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Možná víte, že teploty ještě klesnou a ten mraz má trvát až 20.2. Hrozí nejvíc Bezdomovce v Praze a jinde v České republice. Mnoho je už nemocné a i mrtvé. Organizace, které pracují s bezdomovce jsou zapracované a májí velké potřeby! ReachGlobal v Praze spolupracuje s třemí organizací: Armada Spásy, Naděje, a Azylový dům Sv. Terezie. (Víc informací na jiné dokumenty). Spolupracujeme v nasledujících způsobech:</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>1) Zmobilizovat modlitby pro bezdomovce během tohoto mrázu<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>2) Zmobilizovat sbírky zimních oblečení a deky<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>3) Sehnání finančních dárů<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>4) Zorganizovat dobrovolniky kde je to vhodné</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Mnoho církvi, školy, a jednotlivci organizují sbírky oblečení a deky a vezou je na místě, kde organizace pomáhájí bezdomovcům.</span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>JAK MUŽETE POMOCT<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>1) Máš Facebook? Pozví přatele, kamarády, a známé do tohoto Facebook skupiny: </span></span><span><span style="cursor: pointer; line-height: 20px; white-space: nowrap;"><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/363125753717065/">Helping The Czech Homeless/Pomáháme Bezdomovcům v ČR</a></b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>2) Znáš Boha? Modlí se za bezdomovce<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>3) Chodíš do kostelu/sboru? Domluv se s vedoucím jak se můžete se modlit pro bezdomovce<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>4) Chceš dělát víc? Zorganizuj sbírku zimní oblečení a deky ve škole, církvi, anebo u sousedů<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>5) Máš auto? Domluv se s Tomem jak můžeš vyzvednout oblečeni a rozvezt je na místě kde je potřeba<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>6) Máš peníze? Daruj něco jednom z třech organizací (podrobnosti v jinéch dokumentéch)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>7) Máš vliv? (odpověd: Každý má vlív kdy věří v něčem) Pomoz začit "hnutí pomáhání bezdomovců" ve tvých kolejich, městě, sboru, denominaci, anebo organizaci. Tak jdi do toho!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>8) Máš otázku? Kontaktuj mi přes email: thomas.becker@efca.org</span></span>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-71927226558337597162012-02-09T20:12:00.004+01:002012-02-09T21:29:16.717+01:00Organization 1) Salvation Army/Armáda Spásy<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>(Český text nasleduje Anglický text)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>The top focus of The Salvation Army in Prague and other cities in the Czech Republic is to house the homeless in their shelters. They have a capacity for 770 people but during this winter crisis, they are topping out at over 1,000. Because of the increased amount of homeless needing shelter from the cold, their top need is for finances. It is costing the Salvation Army an additional 100,000 Kc.($5,250 USD/4,000 EUR) per week to run their shelters at above capacity. They are a large and well run organization that is servicing the homeless well. Their biggest need is finances to keep their programs running in this time of crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>In Czech (and EU states), you can give directly to their bank account:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><a href="http://www.armadaspasy.cz/dynamicke_show.php?clanek=660" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none"><span>http://www.armadaspasy.cz/dynamicke_show.php?clanek=660</span></span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span>For those that want to give through the American organization ReachGlobal, see giving instructions here: </span></span><a href="http://rushingwindministries.blogspot.com/2012/02/live-outside-of-czech-start-here.html">http://rushingwindministries.blogspot.com/2012/02/live-outside-of-czech-start-here.html</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">For more information in Czech, </span><a href="http://www.armadaspasy.cz/" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://www.armadaspasy.cz/</span></a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span>English Speakers can contact thomas.becker@efca.org. OR contact Salvation Army directly: fundraising@armadaspasy.cz</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; ">Use Facebook? "Like" their organization and share with others! </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/ArmadaSpasy" style="background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; "><span style="color:#3B5998; text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://www.facebook.com/ArmadaSpasy</span></a></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>===========================================================<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span>Armáda spásy je připravená v Praze a v jinéch městéch ubytovat bezdomovce. Májí kapacitu na 770 lidi ale slouží přes 1000. Kvůli tomu, že slouží víc lidi, mají finanční potřeby. V současné době, stojí týdně Armáda spásy 100,000 Kc. navíc.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">Armáda Spásy májí vyborné webovou stránky a můžete se podívat ne ně tady: </span><a href="http://www.armadaspasy.cz/" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span style="color:#3B5998; text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://www.armadaspasy.cz/</span></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "> Uvidíš všechny informace jak darovat přes bankovního učtu anebo přes SMSky na "Na Toto Chci Přispět" ale také koukej na to video se psem! Je to vyborné!</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Máš Facebook? (ano, jinak bys nečetl ten članek ;-) ) Koukej na <a href="http://ww.facebook.com/ArmadaSpasy"><span style="color:#3B5998; text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://ww.facebook.com/ArmadaSpasy</span></a> Klikni "to se mi libi" a sdilej dál.</span></span>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-55199766732072990662012-02-09T20:08:00.002+01:002012-02-09T21:30:18.349+01:00Organization 2) Hope/Naděje<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>(Český text nasleduje anglický text)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Nadeje is an NGO, founded on Christian principles that works with homeless, handicapped, and socially excluded (including Roma). Look at their English language web page here: <a href="http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/149" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/149</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">Their highest needs are:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">1) Financial gifts</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Information on giving through a bank account in the Czech Republic is here: <a href="http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/148" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/148</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>If you want to give through ReachGlobal, see here: <o:p></o:p></span></span><a href="http://rushingwindministries.blogspot.com/2012/02/live-outside-of-czech-start-here.html">http://rushingwindministries.blogspot.com/2012/02/live-outside-of-czech-start-here.html</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="background-color: white; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 12pt; ">2) Material goods: winter coats and clothes, blankets, shoes, men's underwear, and socks</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">If you are interested in organizing a clothing drive, you can arrange drop off at Nadeje's "clothes closet"</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Husitská 70, 130 00 Praha 3<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>222 783 957, 775 868 862<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>============================================================<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Naděje je občanské sdružení, založena na křesťanské principy. Zabývá práce s bezdomovci, handicapovani, a socialně vyloučeními (včetně Romů). Koukej na tu webovou stránu:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span><a href="http://www.nadeje.cz/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3B5998; text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://www.nadeje.cz</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">Největší potřeby jsou:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">1) Finanční dáry. Můžete přispevit přes bankovního učtu:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span><a href="http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/7" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/7</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">anebo přes SMSky</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span><a href="http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/75" target="_blank"><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://www.nadeje.cz/index.php?q=node/75</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">2) Materialní pomoc: Zimní kabaty a oblečení, deky, boty, mužské spodní prádlo, a ponožky</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">Chceš zorganitovat sbírku na ty věci? Můžete se domluvit kdy přivezt věci u Šatníku Naděje</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Husitská 70<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>130 00 Praha 3<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>222 783 957, 775 868 862</span><span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-8795981400675522602012-02-09T19:59:00.004+01:002012-02-09T21:31:49.888+01:00Organization 3) St. Theresa Homeless Shelter/Ayzlový Dům Sv. Terezie<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>The Catholic charity runs this shelter for homeless, refugees, and other at risk people. They provide a wide array of services for their clients. During the cold snap, they are focused on helping homeless get shelter, food, and medical attention. They are in need of finances, food, toiletries, and winter clothes. The winter clothes that are most needed are shoes, winter coats, socks, and anything else that will keep a person warm.</span><span style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span>Donations can be dropped off at:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Azylový dům Sv. Terezie</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span>Pernerova 20</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>186 00 Praha 8-Karlín<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>224 813 413</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">pernerova@charita-adopce.cz</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">HOW TO GIVE:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">1) By transfer to bank account: 749011/5500</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>2) Cash gifts at the shelter<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">For more information in Czech: </span><a href="http://praha.charita.cz/pomahejte/financni-dar/" target="_blank" style="font-size: medium; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none;text-underline: none">http://praha.charita.cz/pomahejte/financni-dar/</span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>If you want to give through the American organization ReachGlobal, see instructions here: <o:p></o:p></span></span><a href="http://rushingwindministries.blogspot.com/2012/02/live-outside-of-czech-start-here.html">http://rushingwindministries.blogspot.com/2012/02/live-outside-of-czech-start-here.html</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>==================================================<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">Katolická Caritas poskytuje pomoc pro klienty v nouzi jako bezdomovce, uprchlíky, a dalších. Během tohoto mrázu, pomáhájí bezdomovcům získat ubytování, jídlo,a lekařskou pomoc. Potřebují finance, jídlo, hygenické potřeby. a teplé, zimní oblečení jako boty, zimní bundy, ponožky, a cokoli jiné teplého.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span>Věci můžete nechat viz. adresa nahoře.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">Tady je informace jak darovat finance přes banka anebo SMSky: </span><a href="http://praha.charita.cz/pomahejte/financni-dar/" target="_blank" style="font-size: medium; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; "><span style="color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">http://praha.charita.cz/pomahejte/financni-dar/</span></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: 12.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; background-color: white; line-height: 12pt; ">Chcete dozvědět víc? Napíš email: thomas.becker@efca.org</span></p>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-37358765423552282952011-10-17T13:54:00.004+02:002012-01-17T09:49:38.437+01:00Bglobal Studies students hear about Roma Situation in Czech Republic<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black;background:white"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black;background:white">Ivan and Jana Beranek, our close partners in Roma ministry spoke with about 25 American business students who are in Prague with</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> Bglobal Studies <a href="http://www.bglobalstudies.com/">www.bglobalstudies.com</a>.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;background:white"> They spoke on how their faith is transforming society. In their respective jobs as an owner of a construction company and a school principal, both Ivan and Jana use their God-given gifts and abilities to make a difference in the world. Ivan hires other Roma and teaches them job skills and responsibility. Jana has received funds to bus Roma students to her school where they can get resources and a good quality education. Renee McLean and I also spoke about the situation of the Roma in the Czech Republic.<span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;background:white">Recent outbreaks of violence and protesting against Roma in the Czech Republic have really highlighted the need to actively speak out about Christ’s plan for reconciliation.<span> </span></span><a href="http://aktualne.centrum.cz/czechnews/clanek.phtml?id=713883">http://aktualne.centrum.cz/czechnews/clanek.phtml?id=713883</a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black; background:white"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black; background:white"> </span></p>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-836191368786028562011-10-17T11:23:00.002+02:002011-10-17T11:50:49.762+02:00When Americans Join Czech Roma for a Work Project<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfilkdW3TSTPGDXNECK2EehZN4CZc-2t-bpd_BImeXhEaNTYMbRZZ2X4zYcFWATfvigStCXRWANBkIArZ_xmrQG72FG1Isu-dMzr5nap5sYy85sSjkYYG4diJZx_qSaTXjD-GsyN-p17R1/s1600/Eugene+assembles+furniture+after+painting+done.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfilkdW3TSTPGDXNECK2EehZN4CZc-2t-bpd_BImeXhEaNTYMbRZZ2X4zYcFWATfvigStCXRWANBkIArZ_xmrQG72FG1Isu-dMzr5nap5sYy85sSjkYYG4diJZx_qSaTXjD-GsyN-p17R1/s400/Eugene+assembles+furniture+after+painting+done.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664393395326541570" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><i>E Clark assembling furniture after the painting was finished</i><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNC0TbWKLrHSuCnJoPht1B56d2zqoYd7SyA76fARue2IsTFglQLuQLnCY9sJJXfJJ1ZqKFI2zteVH43JZJkcuNwhXckgwDAee2vSzwWw81CCI4nMLpp4i8oUXFqvo0BPP3yBr0l9WkOOa/s1600/Pat+and+Pavel+assemble+stove.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnNC0TbWKLrHSuCnJoPht1B56d2zqoYd7SyA76fARue2IsTFglQLuQLnCY9sJJXfJJ1ZqKFI2zteVH43JZJkcuNwhXckgwDAee2vSzwWw81CCI4nMLpp4i8oUXFqvo0BPP3yBr0l9WkOOa/s400/Pat+and+Pavel+assemble+stove.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664393280039607634" /></a><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><i>Pavel and Pastor Clarey (on right) assemble a children's stove</i><br /><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">Vlasim Roma had a lot to say about Country Christian EFC’s own Pastor Clarey and E. Clark after spending several days working with them and getting to know them. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“It was great that they came to WORK side by side with us”</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“They asked for specific prayer requests and WROTE THEM DOWN to <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>bring to their congregation”</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>“They shared about their family, their church, and even their struggles.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal"> Among other opportunities, these two men were able to experience: </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">* Prague City Team Prayer Day</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">* CB pastor who wants to work with Roma</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">* “Preaching” outdoors at a picnic table during Roma Sunday service</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">* Watching PCT member C. Mobley teach English at Evangelical Theological Seminary</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">* Hearing the vision for Roma ministry in the Czech Republic</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:normal">* Hearing how much people would love for them to keep in touch and come back again!</p></div>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-4603168772264715962011-08-05T21:50:00.006+02:002011-08-06T10:52:58.379+02:00Life Priorities 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6x79EDZaUy3rg4E7z561dKd_-SJRqIZu6oJzSBMivTdOiHtLcnmrWI6uvx5a3cWqgVYaR8kDxyAtZDW4cNfBzEVmi3vwIUzFKf1RiDMmoUJdyuytZHzMLrQF0DZtCF5jvHce9lWrKxKD7/s1600/iStock_000003105864XSmall.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6x79EDZaUy3rg4E7z561dKd_-SJRqIZu6oJzSBMivTdOiHtLcnmrWI6uvx5a3cWqgVYaR8kDxyAtZDW4cNfBzEVmi3vwIUzFKf1RiDMmoUJdyuytZHzMLrQF0DZtCF5jvHce9lWrKxKD7/s400/iStock_000003105864XSmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637663112838635570" /></a><br /><div>Running through a grain field today was a great way to clear my mind after a couple of busy days and a flu that went through our family like wildfire. Hearing birds and seeing blue sky gave me a chance to "come up for air" and gave me a fresh perspective. As I looked at the grain, I couldn't help but think of Jesus' words as recorded in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4:34-36&version=NIV">John 9: 34-36</a></div><div><br /><div><br /><div> <div style="text-align: left;"><i>"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together."</i></div><div></div><div><div><br /></div><div>I have been reflecting about my life priorities. Therefore I have been thinking about how "scattered" my ministry has felt. In my last post I mentioned several high priority areas and promised that I would write more detail about them if people were interested. There seemed to be a lot of interest. But since then I have been even convicted to focus even more. </div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus lived a life of focused priority. The Scriptures do not use these exact words...but he lived it by example. In this passage Jesus' "food" (reason for being) is to do God's will (follow HIS leading) and finish his work. This assumes that there is concrete work for him to do. Jesus shows how this work is clearly evident in the world. And this work leads to eternal life. What am I doing that leads to eternal fruit in others and in myself? What things am I doing that are NOT leading to eternal fruit? I am convinced that a large part of ministry MUST be focused on sharing Christ with individuals and teaching them all that Jesus taught. But in such a way that they do things that bear eternal fruit in others. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have become aware of the danger to get very program oriented and focused on methodology in the church. The danger is that we lose focus on the individual and his particular needs. There is a danger of losing sight of what eternal fruit looks like because it is easy to quantify a program or an activity. But eternal fruit in an individual comes through something else-disciple making. Disciple making requires time, energy, and focus on an individual and his particular needs. Disciple making does not come so much from a book as from a life on life relationship that shares openly, suffers together, and cries out to God in brokenness together. </div><div><br /></div><div>So this means that I must carve out much time to be involved with broken people (We are all broken.) Therefore I must be careful not to get over scheduled, over programmed, and over activity-ed. I must learn to hear God's voice and see who he has put in my path to live life with. Some of my greatest mentors have been people who spent time with me, believed in me, and proactively invited me into their lives. I want to do the same for others. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the next post I will share why I am being drawn to one area of ministry that will become a much greater focus in the next several years. </div></div></div></div></div>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-38957490745803336292011-07-13T07:46:00.005+02:002011-07-13T21:51:17.681+02:00Life Priorities 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeGTY-VsNp5PMV6K1YeC5-wiIj4stwtA4eNKITRoGdWrU8uc8KEZTcbMzmrA6o9Vh2a6ASRiimKAcB9JCEeaYj6kafabPtO3ItvI1GvqIom2CpMR4FZwWXj_j4ak2hiJcZ6l290uBOQjo/s1600/IMG_1186.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeGTY-VsNp5PMV6K1YeC5-wiIj4stwtA4eNKITRoGdWrU8uc8KEZTcbMzmrA6o9Vh2a6ASRiimKAcB9JCEeaYj6kafabPtO3ItvI1GvqIom2CpMR4FZwWXj_j4ak2hiJcZ6l290uBOQjo/s400/IMG_1186.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628709914013353170" /></a>Někdy je méně více--Sometimes less is more. This Czech phrase sums up a strong, recurring theme in my life and work. Since returning to Czech this term, I have been on a quest to cut distractions out of my work and personal life. I am trying to focus on those most important things in life and ministry. I want to do a few things well rather than a lot of things in a mediocre way. By nature, I am a specialist so my attempt at re-focusing is really a "return" to being true to myself. The question of why a specialist would become unfocused is material that could fill a dozen blog entries. I will likely tackle that later.<div><br /></div><div>So, what exactly am I trying to focus on, you ask? Good question! I am a work in progress, thanks to God, but there are several areas that give me a compass for making decisions on what to do. The general areas that I have specific goals for 2011-2012 are the following:</div><div><br /></div><div>Spiritual Health</div><div>Physical Health</div><div>Financial Health</div><div>Partnership Building</div><div>Professional Development</div><div>Prague City Team Ministry</div><div>Roma Ministry</div><div>Church Planting Ministry</div><div>Holistic Ministry</div><div><br /></div><div>For each of these goal areas, I have an overarching objective and a number of concrete goals or projects. The ministry goal areas that I will devote the most time to in 2011-2012 are the following:</div><div><br /></div><div>Partnership Building</div><div>Professional Development</div><div>Roma Ministry</div><div>Prague City Team Ministry</div><div><br /></div><div>I won't bore you right now with further details of concrete goals/projects under each of these areas or about how they fit into the ReachGlobal grid of Key Result Areas. But I will flesh them out in another post if I get positive feedback. (Most feedback from this blog comes in the form of email. Keep them coming! I love the interaction.) In any case, you should see the realities of these goal areas played out in my regular communications. As always, questions, comments, or other interaction is most welcomed. And prayer is asked for!</div>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-55389026189554091692011-07-11T21:20:00.005+02:002011-07-11T21:43:31.585+02:00Summer Camps!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6EDGFBrAyxabszWdyJmTBGRY7fv4-3Tl5uz_hZZm39GpIHtHAZ9jjgQBK9Fcp6aWiW7-47hFLYkwcO8LVZOvFJirUuDtGRAVqwiTxWdnc2QXGvghdBRD7gbVZBOW6CTGf5fmcRdqDo4x/s1600/IMG_3806.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6EDGFBrAyxabszWdyJmTBGRY7fv4-3Tl5uz_hZZm39GpIHtHAZ9jjgQBK9Fcp6aWiW7-47hFLYkwcO8LVZOvFJirUuDtGRAVqwiTxWdnc2QXGvghdBRD7gbVZBOW6CTGf5fmcRdqDo4x/s400/IMG_3806.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628180358245124834" /></a><br /><div>Aaah, the lazy days of summer are here! No school for the kids, a different rhythm of work, vacations, days off, ice cream, sunshine, and long bike rides all give refreshment to the body, mind, and soul. Another great thing about summer is summer camp. Memories of Indian Guide camp, Boy Scout camp, family camp, and family camping trips can still transport me back to childhood for just a moment. Now, as an adult who has organized and taken responsibility for camps, I see them in a different light...they are a LOT of work for someone (or a lot of someones). Missionaries with the Prague City Team and our national partners are involved in a lot of camps this summer. A quick rundown of the summer camp activities is as follows:</div><div><br /></div><div>Children's day camp-RZ church <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>July 11-15<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div>Family Camp at RZ church plant<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>July 17-23<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div>Club Rachel Roma family camp<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> J</span>uly 23-30<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div>Zizkov CB church camp<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>July 30-Aug 6</div><div>Hope Praha English Camp<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Aug 20-27<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div><br /></div><div>As Prague City Team members and national partners organize and run these camps in order to share the love of Christ, please pray that they would follow the Lord's leading and bear much fruit. Please pray for Caleb, Renee, Mobleys, and Trcas. The Beckers will be at the Roma family camp and the Hope Praha English Camp. </div>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-22194720592065908092011-04-20T09:25:00.002+02:002011-04-20T10:07:56.163+02:00A Missionary's Departure-Part 4: Arrival and Adjustment!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKX9PhyLzlXrDIWKTt2jKFBfMORuLbLBQvPYtirqnlCEtDL3TMT5BSbn4sU5e_kKrLGT-6-4JPOQIDDmN3d4K2O16FmKbAKNDEcbvrkH6r_Ub-_1Q2pJrxheAvOC1lbGYE5OSRVlpVRqv9/s1600/IMG_3804.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKX9PhyLzlXrDIWKTt2jKFBfMORuLbLBQvPYtirqnlCEtDL3TMT5BSbn4sU5e_kKrLGT-6-4JPOQIDDmN3d4K2O16FmKbAKNDEcbvrkH6r_Ub-_1Q2pJrxheAvOC1lbGYE5OSRVlpVRqv9/s400/IMG_3804.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597564607190139426" /></a>In hindsight, my previous 3 posts were pretty depressing! Departure from the USA was quite difficult and the adjustment to being in Europe has been somewhat difficult. However, it has been with a strong sense of God's leading and calling and the adjustment has taken place quite quickly. So, now I would like to write about the best part of departure from the USA....arrival in the Czech Republic! Every good bye is a hello somewhere else and it has been a joy to re-connect with old friends and ministry partners and make new ones. On this first term as a full time missionary to the Roma I am able to use my time quite differently than before and it has been wonderful.<div><br /></div><div>Where should I start? Club Rachel is the Roma ministry closest to my heart so I will start there. The best way to describe what is happening there is to say that structural conditions have changed in such a way that the Holy Spirit is free to work. Ivan and Jana have accepted the role of leadership in a church that has grown from a club for children to a place where the parents sit and hang around to an informal prayer/praise time to a church with three meetings per week and a lot of pastoral visits. The Becker family is definitely helping out but keeping the focus on the lay leaders of the church. (This is not hard to do because everyone loves the Beraneks and naturally follows them). Our role includes continued building up of the leadership within the church, seeking holistic ministry strategies (one of the prime concerns in unemployment among the Roma), and pastoral visits. There are a lot of joys and a lot of challenges in any church plant so please keep this little church in your prayers. </div><div><br /></div><div>And God is working in other Roma churches in the Czech Republic. I have re-connected or connected anew with Roma Christian workers in Decin, Plzen, Brno, and here at home in Prague. In the next few months I will be visiting quite a few different Roma churches and talking with other ministry leaders. There are a lot of Roma Christians who are strong in their faith and want to expand God's kingdom among their own people. These people are the key to my job here as a missionary. As I work to develop, empower, and release these workers, their influence will be farther reaching than mine alone could be. For a Roma church movement to take root in Europe, it will take networking and partnering with other groups who are following the leading of the Holy Spirit. </div><div><br /></div><div>Two questions are occupying me greatly these days in regards to Roma ministry:</div><div><br /></div><div>1) What is the best way to raise up Roma Christian ministry leaders?</div><div><br /></div><div>and</div><div><br /></div><div>2) What is the best way to do holistic ministry among a poor, marginalized people group that lives in the middle of an industrialized nation?</div><div><br /></div><div>In the next months and years, I will be enjoying the challenge of finding answers to these questions.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is good to be back!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-76391342614391098342011-03-02T17:07:00.007+01:002011-03-11T17:54:06.387+01:00A Missionary's Departure-Part 3: General Mayhem<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWcEiTVPOKxFPSxMXN1ImjWGpFW5cNPNHrw5ErINNa8IgFwmMcKKfx0Wg8R3w0O7BFMim2kIvvnWIlHK1v_0euIq8aRFSg0UCETzXkA3MN3CH2EtRjo5AlNBrcMk4q7cS7m4VwJQNq0F6/s1600/iStock_000010556491XSmall.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 347px; height: 346px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWcEiTVPOKxFPSxMXN1ImjWGpFW5cNPNHrw5ErINNa8IgFwmMcKKfx0Wg8R3w0O7BFMim2kIvvnWIlHK1v_0euIq8aRFSg0UCETzXkA3MN3CH2EtRjo5AlNBrcMk4q7cS7m4VwJQNq0F6/s400/iStock_000010556491XSmall.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582863677440505058" /></a><br /><div>Just as I was about to post the last blog entry, my computer started acting very funny and some strange warnings started popping up. To make a long story short, I had a rootkit on my computer (a program that a hacker installs which allows him to access information on a computer without being detected). This is not what you want to see three days before moving overseas. I will admit that I am very dependent on my computer. In the midst of switching over phone plans, packing and taping boxes, returning library books, answering the phone and talking with well wishers, and a hundred other things that needed to happen before heading back to Europe, this was a very unpleasant surprise. Most of the data on my computer is safe...but it will take some time to "re-assemble" all the data. And in the meantime I am changing online passwords and watching for suspicious movement. One consequence has been that I did not continue my series on departure. Now I have a lot of writing material! Another consequence is that I am behind on email and other computer related projects (I told you I was dependent on my computer!)</div><br /><div>But God is good and, all in all, our departure for the Czech Republic went well. The flights over were uneventful and we arrived at the airport in time. Thanks to our friends/colleagues we arrived home with all our belongings well ahead of schedule. Sometimes jetlag takes a long time to get over and sometimes it goes quickly. This was a "long time" jetlag for all of us. Nathanael was up for 3-4 hours for 4 nights. Mom and Dad split shifts with him. Therefore, I have gotten another virus...this time a physical one that is causing a very painful sore throat and 4 medicines being taken variously throughout the day. I guess when it rains, it pours. </div><div><br /></div><div>During the first few days back, we used the opportunity of unpacking to do some spring cleaning. We are getting rid of a LOT of stuff at the Christian International School of Prague "garage sale" called March Madness. This has felt good to downsize a little bit at the start of our time here.</div><div><br /></div><div>We are looking forward to going to Vlasim Roma church on Sunday and re-connecting with everyone there. I am also setting up calls and meetings with other ministry partners as we get used to life and ministry in the Czech Republic. Thank you for your prayers and support.</div><div><br /></div><div>PS Good news on the visa front. I have successfully obtained a work permit and turned in all necessary paperwork for the work visa. Rarely do they accept all the paperwork and then deny the visa....but keep praying! We will go in on Tuesday to turn in the applications for the rest of the family which should be pretty straightforward.</div>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-45248586042937021952011-02-26T15:18:00.010+01:002011-02-28T00:34:11.350+01:00A Missionary's Departure-Part 2: Visa Woes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWPbXrSwHRMZRCnXs10B5Y1y-EXOl6dbeZ2YzjzZ3kuijKuxzUKsbqlKdEiZeSypLOasDZZd7Qe_WA7H6L8B55LAAzaV8f4bSNe6m2n3DoSRHxLOMbMEgy82dWv319SD_61mMUYNhzhRe/s1600/photo%25282%2529.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWPbXrSwHRMZRCnXs10B5Y1y-EXOl6dbeZ2YzjzZ3kuijKuxzUKsbqlKdEiZeSypLOasDZZd7Qe_WA7H6L8B55LAAzaV8f4bSNe6m2n3DoSRHxLOMbMEgy82dWv319SD_61mMUYNhzhRe/s400/photo%25282%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578510609083315394" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Wanted: One Work Visa. Will work long hours and pay a lot for a little sticker in my passport.<br /><br />I sometimes wonder how many hours I have devoted to keeping one little sticker up to date in my passport. Since 1997 I have had to have this sticker in my passport and the passport with me at all times in the Czech Republic. Each member of my family has also needed this sticker. Children's passports are valid for only 5 years so we have had a number of new passports issued...but please send our old ones back! We need the sticker!<br /><br />For almost a decade, the process of obtaining or renewing a work visa took some running around to offices but was not complicated. In our first few years, I actually obtained a student visa which was easy to get. Then my regular visits to the foreigner's police in Kutná Hora were very cordial with coffee, chat, and interaction outside of the office. Visa Renewal was always pleasant.<br /><br />Then we stayed in the USA longer than a year and we lost our visa status. When we came back, the laws had changed (a common theme in this story) and we needed to apply for the visa at a Czech embassy outside the country. So we set off for Bratislava where we have family. The office there dealt with hundreds of requests per week and was neither efficient nor helpful. But that was just a warm-up for dealing with the authorities in Benešov county who didn't understand our job ("starting an American cult") nor our housing situation (renting a house we were trying to purchase) and actively set up as many roadblocks as possible for us.<br /><br />Some less than fond memories of the dark period of visa renewals includes:<br /><br />* having to stand in line in front of the embassy for over 2 hours in 20 degree, windy weather and then NOT get one of 12 tickets they issue at the door to receive applications. (Back again the next day at 6:00 AM and even colder weather-but got a ticket!)<br /><br />* driving the 4 hour trip from Bratislava to Prague AND then back again because Dora's bank statement didn't have her middle name on it.<br /><br />* hearing that the foreigner's police were looking for me and threatening to arrest our friends for "falsifying living accommodations" paperwork. That night our doorbell rang at 2:00 AM and I was positive I was on my way to jail. (No one was there. It could have been intimidation or it could have been a coincidental mistake)<br /><br />* having a couple of bags packed and a plan to move to Bosnia because our visa was in process but the Schengen Laws only allowed us in the country 90 days and no more without the visa. An 11th hour decision by the Czech government allowed us (and many other ex-pats) to stay in the country until we had the visas in hand.<br /><br />Now, wouldn't you know it, the laws have changed again! The laws have been simplified in response to poor implementation and pressure from the European Union to actually make it desirable for foreigners to live in the Czech Republic. The laws will definitely simplify the process once implemented. But there has been a major re-organization of who handles the process and the offices are learning how to do it.<br /><br />In addition, I attempted to get a work visa without a work permit. This did not work and resulted in my friend and colleague Jan Lukl doing many hours on my behalf to obtain the necessary paperwork. But the paperwork from the labor office did not arrive in time so I lost my application. Therefore I will have to re-submit the application when we get back. There is some time left so I am not too worried about it. But there area always so many "unknowns" along the way. Please be in prayer for each of our visas as we return to the Czech Republic.<br /><br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4558170420776949551.post-39123866920145058532011-02-24T15:22:00.003+01:002011-02-24T16:01:23.477+01:00A Missionary's Departure: Part 1-Leaving A Sick Sister<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVoVCLhih1dtCyo0All9KxIHK0I487gx1UrSuFiE3qZN2OYY5Jr0WfbKy8oVrFS_iiD5OAAnvxlukO8LRi3aXEDnObpSeU8D4AuupmpiquqW6K9jrebthvbiSrcAuHXCAGnAVmcMA6Xkg/s1600/Mer+2011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVoVCLhih1dtCyo0All9KxIHK0I487gx1UrSuFiE3qZN2OYY5Jr0WfbKy8oVrFS_iiD5OAAnvxlukO8LRi3aXEDnObpSeU8D4AuupmpiquqW6K9jrebthvbiSrcAuHXCAGnAVmcMA6Xkg/s400/Mer+2011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577261377952048082" border="0" /></a>Anyone who hears the statement, "I have cancer" knows that it changes your life and the lives around you immediately and significantly. My youngest sister, Meredith, made this statement just a short time ago, in December. Shortly after Christmas, she began a series of tests and doctor visits that led to a treatment plan. The first stop on the journey was surgery-a full mastectomy on one side with re-construction. Now she is healing from the surgery and scheduling more treatment: chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. Although numbers don't tell the story of an individual, they can help focus prayer. Meredith is in stage IIIA breast cancer with a prognosis of 5 year survival. She is doing well and according to the doctor, her "cancer has all the right characteristics for being susceptible to treatment."<br /><br />Meredith is an amazing person and her strength is showing in a unique way during this journey. She is staying positive and doing well. She is surrounded by people who care for her and help her. She has people praying for her from all over the world. Her husband and young children are showing their love and caring for her in ways that continue to amaze me and make me proud of them. I have been glad to support her and encourage her in whatever small ways I can during the last couple of months.<br /><br />But I am leaving for the Czech Republic in a week from today. I must admit that I am struggling with "leaving a sick sister". I suppose it is the older brother in me that wants to do my part in protecting her and being with her through this part of her journey. <br /><br />My sister and I have not been the closest but definitely close through the years. We have many fond, childhood memories and I have pictures to prove that we got along, for the most part. Whenever we are in the States, we get together semi-regularly for family meals at my parents' house. She lives close and our younger kids love to play with their kids. Our kids will miss their kids a lot and Dora and I will miss their family a lot.<br /><br />We will miss talking face to face during the upcoming battle. With modern technology, we will certainly be able to stay in touch...but it is not the same as meeting face to face. This is hard on me. As I struggle to find my place in Meredith's journey, one week before I leave for the other side of the world, I realize that one of my contributions to her story will be to motivate people to pray for her. As a missionary, I have developed somewhat of an ability to report on what God is doing in order to marshal prayer.<br /><br />Since I wrote about my sister's illness, I have been grateful for the outpouring of encouragement and prayer. So many of you have said you are praying and added Meredith to different prayer lists. Thank you! As an older brother leaving for the mission field, one of my departing gifts to Meredith is a gift of prayer. I have been praying and will continue to pray for her. I ask that you join me in this journey on her behalf. I will definitely be reporting on Meredith's journey in my communications but if you are interested in hearing directly from her, you can follow her Caring Bridge site at: <a href="https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/meredithn/createorsignin">https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/meredithn/createorsignin</a>Tom Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04893899378664779203noreply@blogger.com1