Mark's Missionary Notes February 2008
News about what God is doing in Slovakia
Ahoj and Greetings from Slovakia.
February has been an interesting month with comic and frustrating
moments. There were
moments when the month seemed to take forever and moments when it seemed
to fly by very
fast. This marks about the mid-point of my year here, it is hard to
believe. Thank you all for your
continued prayer and thoughts. Please pray for all the other people who
are serving in various
places around the world as well.
And as usual I have been writing some other updates on my Blog for those
of you who are
Internet savvy. The address is http://www.moltron.net/blog/
I also have many more pictures
available at http://flickr.com/photos/themoltron
For me February is usually the month where things seem to drag on and
you feel like somehow
that the great new beginning of a year had in January is long gone. For
me this month has been a
time when many of cultural frustrations are starting to come to the
surface. I'm also realizing that
it is about that time I have to start considering what I will do when I
get home. Despite all these
things this month has been fun.
February has been interesting because we've been catching up on the some
of the smaller projects around the village. The Kulturny Dom (Civic
Center), which is being renovated, is full of junk and old clothes. We
have cleaned, burned or thrown away most of these things making it
easier to get some of the larger work done. In the process we have found
old newspapers and others antique things. It is interesting seeing how
the village and cultural has changed. In the Stara Škola (Old School)
where we live, we have been doing some small repair projects that
involve some electrical work. Much of the stonework around the
church is starting to fall apart this includes the front steps to the
church. We have been working making some to concrete steps. I am not an
expert but we take our time and think things through we end up making
really nice work. When projects are more of a mental challenge it makes
the work that much more enjoyable.
The youth group has been going well, although sometimes we ended up
planning things at the last
minute. One of these last minute plans was the week before Valentines
and we talked about what
it means to love and what love is. Discussion is not a very popular
thing in Slovakia for some
reason. So our conversation was somewhat brief but I think they got
something out of it. We then
made Valentines for people they might not usually give Valentines to. We
encouraged them to
not just say love your neighbor but show it. As much as I want the kids
to get out of youth group,
I find planning and preparing a source of spiritual renewal.
The following weekend I had the opportunity to take a mini-vacation to
Velky Slavkov and Hybe where some of
the other American Volunteers are. It was great to see them and see some
other Slovak faces than the ones in my
Village. One fun thing we did was visit and Wild West Tavern in Poprad.
(On a side note: Most of what the
Slovaks know about the Wild West is from German author Karl May who was
never actually in America.)
Nothing like the Wild West in Slovakia. In Velky Slavkov I visited the
home for Gypsy Boys. I
helped Kristen and Jessica (the volunteers working there) with an
English class and had some interesting
conversation. In the area I live there is not a very large gypsy
population. So it was interesting to interact with
them. Getting to know them as people instead of just those Gypsy boys.
After my short trip it was back to work. This particular week the
students we out for vacation. Because of this we were
invited to several families to eat lunch instead of going to the school.
I don't think I have ever been more stuffed in my life.
Slovaks enjoy eating and feeding people. One of the other Volunteers
hears quite often "Food is for eating" implying you
should eat even when you're not hungry. It was an enjoyable week
visiting and talking with the various families. I feel like
I'm getting to know the village more and sense of appreciation for the
work I am doing here.
As I've mentioned before Language is a constant struggle. I am learning
something new everyday and the more I learn the
more I find I don't know. The struggle now is trying to learn and
communicate beyond just getting by. Some days I just
don't want to speak Slovak, some days I do. One of the things I'm
learning is that this year for me has been an exercise in listening.
Learning to understand and really listen even when I don't have a strong
desire to so.
One of my other struggles is related to Alcohol. They have a very
liberal view of Alcohol and
generally most people drink in moderation. It is not uncommon for
everyone to have a shot of
Slivovica (Plum Liquor) before lunch or dinner. The struggle I have is
with how they treat and
ostracize members of the community who are Alcoholics. It happens in
America too but here
because Alcohol is such a commonplace thing for everyone being an
Alcoholic is common and to
find recovery or help of any kind is non-existent. One such man is
Ivanko; he is unemployed and
works at the church doing various things on occasion. The other
Volunteers and I have tried to be
his friend and encourage him when he sober. There is really little else
I can do. I pray that he
finds hope in the situation and that my actions will make others see how
to love their neighbors.
One of the small things I do on occasion is assist (or should I say
lead) the Kid's Church. The Pastor has asks us to fill in when he can't
find someone at the last minute. It is difficult but, we try and the
kids seem to enjoy it. During the sermon the kids leave the church and
have a small lesson for about 30 minutes or so. It is quite a struggle
to keep about 15-20 kids entertained and
teach a bible lesson when you don't know the language. Many of the kids
we know from teaching school or from guitar and drum lessons, so they
help us. For all of you who say they can't lead a kid's bible study try
doing it in Slovak.
As I am passing the mid-point I can't help but think of home more often.
One of the many things
that give me a sense of home is music. Especially one particular song
during my times of struggle and longing.
"So if I stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through
And if I can't let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you
If I sing let me sing for the joy that has born in me these songs
But if I weep let it be as a man who is longing for his home"
This Chorus from a Jars of Clay song has spoken to me and given me strength.
The last line particular speaks to me especially, I am here enjoying my
time and serving the Lord
but I am a man longing for his home. I am thinking about and craving for
the familiar. Hot Dogs,
Peanut Butter, Baseball, Family, Friends, English Language. I began to
think about what home
means to me. It's not just a place. It is people, small things and
cultural quirks. It is a feeling of
being accepted and loved for who you are. I then began to think, what
about our Heavenly home?
Do we as Christians have a sense of what our Heavenly home will be? One
Vision of heaven is
described in Revelations,
"The main street was pure gold, translucent as glass. But there was no
sign of a temple, for the
Lord God – The Sovereign-Strong – and the Lamb are the temple. The City
doesn't need sun or
moon for light. God's Glory is its light; the lamb is its Lamp! The
nations will walk in its light and
earth's kings bring in their splendor. Its gates will never be shut by
day, and there won't be any
night. They'll bring the glory and honor of the nations into the City.
Nothing dirty or defiled will
get into the City, and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose
names are written in the
Lamb's book of Life will get in." Rev. 21:21-27
What a description of Heaven. A whole City in the presence of God. We
should be people who
are longing for a heaven home, a place of God's Presence. A place of
love, forgiveness and grace.
When the early immigrants came to the United States they set up
communities to reflect a sense
of home. You can see it in the China Towns and Little Italys. It just
feels like you are walking
into another culture sometimes. This sense of making a home in a foreign
land is reflected in the
bible during Israel's exile in Babylon. God commanded the Israelites to
make homes in the place
they were. "Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's
welfare, Pray for her wellbeing."
- Jeremiah 29:7 Later Jeremiah announces "[God] will show up and take
care of you as
promised and bring you back home" in verse 10. Jesus showed us how to
live and through his
death and Resurrection made it possible for us to be citizens of heaven.
God's command is not to
twiddle our thumbs but, to make a heavenly home here on earth so that
when he comes in full
glory we will be that much more familiar, that much more prepared.
What are we doing to reflect a sense of our Heavenly Home? How are we
conveying Forgiveness
and Grace? I am realizing this longing I have for home is a reflection
of a deeper desire for my
heavenly home and deeper desire to see God's Presence Reflected no
matter where I am.
Lord,
Let us be people who long for our heavenly home,
Helps us Pray that it will come sooner
But, that we would build reflections of your hope
Here and now in the places we live and work
Amen
God's Blessings and Peace be with you,
Christ’s Servant in Slovakia
Mark
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