My last post was 7 days out from our Christmas trip to the Czech Republic, and now here we go again! I'm feeling spread way too thin as the departure of our team approaches. But the Lord is graciously preparing me mentally as my thoughts engage in the ministry that lies before us. While Ken's at Costco getting last minute supplies and getting an ink cartridge filled, I got the camper evaluation completed to help us place students in the appropriate English class. Still have to print our prayer cards and prepare a culture talk on Groupon.
We've been praying for campers. There are 85 people enrolled in the camp at this point--please pray with us that 15 more would sign up in the next week. We want the camp to pay for itself. But even more important, please pray that the Lord would bring campers that He is drawing to know Him.
We will be back at Nectiny this year. It is a 16th-17th century zamek (a castle-like chateau, rebuilt in the 1800s) which ceased being a privately owned estate under communism. Now it's a university during the school year, but available to rent during the summer months.
Last summer Nectiny was going through renovation, so our camp was at a Penzion in the Ceske Svycarsko region near the northernmost German border. We loved the location last year, but are looking forward to being back at Nectiny this year. About 1/2 mile from Nectiny zamek, on a hill behind it, there are ruins of a hrad (fortress-castle) that dates back to a much earlier time.
Please pray with us in the following way:
- For the curriculum we will be using at camp to be completed in time for us to review and for Marcus to get it printed for campers. Pray for Jeena, the curriculum writer, who is on the team coming from California.
- For sweet unity among the teams coming from Spokane, Orange County (CA) and Michigan and for sweet fellowship with the two Czech churches represented at the camp.
- For missionaries Marcus and Amie Denny as they host the family of Peter Smith (the former missionaries, currently pastoring a church in Michigan). Pray that God's grace will lead in all the final camp preparations as the Dennys head into the last week before camp.
- For the camp to fill up--100 total would be great, but what's more important is that God draws the people He wants there.
- I saved the most important prayer for last: That the gospel would be honored by the Christians at the camp and that God would open the hearts of those who don't know Him.
Thanks for standing with us,
Becky, behalf of the Czech Team from Christ Our Hope Bible Church in Spokane.
