end-of-year celebration

English club ended well. We began the year with a handful of mostly churched kids and ended with 2 roomfulls of mostly un-churched kids. Who could ask for anything more? The kids are awesome and looking forward to returning next year. We ended with a special program with their parents and were able further relationships and point them to Jesus. Some of the kids will be at the English camp we are helping with in August. Please keep them in your prayers.

Kids singing "This Little Light of Mine"

(from LtoR) Robin, Vicki, Pamela, Kristina, Veronica, Nora

Parent's ordering food from the "English restaurant"

Precious Ukrainian family (From LtoR) Larissa, Nora, Esther, Robin, Karina, Tolea (David in the background)

Teaching staff and helpers: (LtoR) Debbie Hammer, Katka (translator), David Pearce, Lauren Pearce, Anya James, John and Alvine Routh, Me, Carol Hawkins, Iveta (translator), Shirly Whittington, Evelyn Williams

Prayer Person of the Week

Meet Radek David. He is a friend of Jessica and Andrew. He has been coming to English Club with us on Sunday nights and is hearing God's Word for the first time! When Jessica first met Radek she overheard him talking to friends about how stupid it was to believe in God. Today, he gladly accepted a bible from Jessica. Please pray for Radek. Pray that he will read the bible and understand it. Pray that others in his family will read it as well. Pray for the salvation of the David family.

Burn Her!

I always thought of "mother nature" as a kind woman who distributed flowers, fed them with rain and dried them with sunshine (I am speaking from a purely child-like perspective, not dealing with the theological issues of much greater importance). Well, here in the Czech Republic where religion is a mixture of traditional Catholic, confusing superstition, new-age philosophies, and old-fashioned paganism, Mother Nature gets a bad wrap. My friend April sent me this photo of a "mother nature" dummy that was made by her children's class at pre-school. At a welcome party for Spring, the kids sing a song, catch the dummy on fire and throw her in the river! And they say America promotes violence!

I am including her a portion of April's letter about their ministry in Olomouc to give you a picture of Czech people. Please be in prayer for their salvation.

"We ask that you pray for the children. They are growing up in a Godless society. They are taught that absolutes do no exist and gratifying and satisfying ones self is the reason they exist. They grow up in homes where the mother is the primary caretaker and their Dad's work, go out at night, and often have girlfriends on the side. Pornographic magazines and pictures are at eye level, out in the open, and easily seen by little boys walking into certain shops and gas stations. They are confronted with pornography from the very beginning of their tender lives. Pray that girls will live to be more than objects, but people created in God's image. Pray for their parents and their salvation! Pray that God would move in the hearts of men who would then lead their families to the cross. Pray for lighthouses of hope and grace throughout Czech. Pray for our children as they seek ways to share with their friends the truth about Christ."

I would echo those requests and implore for your intercession as well. It is not uncommon here for girls and boys to be sexually active in their early teens. Doctors even teach girls that it is best for their health to have as many partners as possible. Marriage is all but an institution of the past. Most people now live together and get married only when they get pregnant, for financial reasons. Czechs are the biggest beer consumers in the world and most kids are already drinking at 14-15. Please pray for this country and for these children.

Andrew met a new friend at the park yesterday and he came over to play today at our home. His name is Tomas (Thomas). Please pray for us to get to know his family and share Christ with them.

In Him,

Karen

17 Years of Marital Bliss

Pres and I celebrated 17 years on March 31st. It's hard for us to believe we've been married that long. But when we look at our 16-year old son, we're sure its true. Preston is in Poland and I'm here in Prague--the first time we've been apart on our anniversary, but I must say that we are more together in spirit than ever before. I am so grateful God brought us together. Wrinkles and all, growing old together is fun!

Phew! Glad That's Over!

The 1/2 Marathon was this past Saturday. It was a real challenge, but I made it and I didn't come in last! It was such a personal testimony for me because when I was diagnosed with Asthma 8 years ago I was afraid I would not be able to run anymore-something I had enjoyed since high school. 8 years ago, 3 miles was a long way for me. This past weekend I ran 13 without a problem. I am so grateful for God restoring my health!

I'm Home

My trip to Macedonia was really good. We got great interviews and video footage of the Roma people and heard stories of how God is at work among them in South Europe. Macedonia is a fascinating place with ruins that date back to Jesus' time. The city is now divided by a river with mosques towering over one side and an Orthodox cross over the other. The Roma are nominally Muslim but have never really given their hearts to any religion. They are one of the few people groups who have never had a significant religious revival in their history. We are praying for one now. Please pray with us.

I was accompanied on my trip by Kara and Krystal from Campbellsville Universtiy in Kentucky. Kara is a professor and Krystal is a student. They did great work and managed to survive a rough couple of days in an apartment with little heat, a clogged up tub and an challenging toilet. We were all tired and ready to get back to Prague, but we saw God use us, so it was very good.

It's Over

SC Training is winding down and it was truly a great month. It is so exciting to talk to these missionaries who are strategizing, praying, fasting, planning, and anxiously awaiting for all God wants to do. I, Karen, got to sit down with each family and talk about the things God is doing in their fields. One of the greatest blessings was a leader in Hungary who had come to present a leadership seminar. He told me that his 10-year-old daughter is eager to win her friends to Christ. She has, on her own, started a bible study with friends from school. Isn't that awesome! I love that.

Another leader who was here from Russia to present some material shared with me some very difficult news about the state of things in Russia. He truly believes that the door that was opened with the fall of communism for missionaries to come freely into the country is definately closing. New laws on the books are making it harder and more expensive for a foreigner to live there and are imposing steep fines for the Russian organizations that host them. Last year alone he saw two missionary teams kicked out of the country and two volunteer teams arrested. Rules that govern evangelism and church planting are also stringent. The good news is that the Russian believers are really catching a vision for church planting and have even begun a type of home-missionary offering in one part of the country to help send their own people out as home missionaries. We praise God for the work he is doing. Please pray for these people and our missionaries who are there serving them.



Another benefit of SC training is that a group of volunteers come to teach and love on the kids that are here with their families. Jessica and Andrew also get to go and hang out with the "grandmas." They take trips to the zoo, the museum, sea world, etc. Plus they get great time with other MKs and do bible studies with kids their age.


David and Lauren help out when they are needed. This past week David delivered 25 happy meals to the hotel on Valentine's night while the parents were out on a date. Lauren helped transport babies from one location to another. Thank you all for your prayers over the last 3 weeks.