The Soon to be Polish Adventures of Amber and Matthew

On the Move

2010-09-03T22:23:00.001-07:00

We've moved our blog to www.thepricepost.com. Visit us there to stay updated. We appreciate you taking the time to connect.

Pray for Bratislava

2010-08-30T08:01:00.001-07:00

Bratislava, Slovakia's capital city, was shocked today when a man went on a shooting spree that left 8 dead and the death toll expected to rise. It seems to be a racially motivated attack as the victims were all members of a Roma (Gypsy) family. Across Europe the Roma people are a marginalized group that are treated with mistrust, and Slovakia is no exception.

Pray for the families of those who lost someone, for the people wounded and in hospital and for the people of the city. When there is great need, Christians should rise to respond. The Peace of Pressburg, signed in 1805 in Bratislava (Pressburg), is a historical reminder that this city has been a place of violence and peace. It is our hope that a new peace would be present in Bratislava.

For more information on the shooting, click here.

"Wiza" Success!

2010-08-23T19:47:00.003-07:00

Visas - we've got them! Shiny, new and all ours; these visas make this transition very real. Valid until July 2011 (2 months shorter than we had applied for), our visas were the last logistic in getting to Poland (now we just need to move our stuff, find a place to live, scrounge up some furniture and...well, this list could go on for awhile).

Thanks for praying about this with us. Keep praying as the next few weeks will be "transitional".

I Love my City 2010 Begins

2010-08-20T09:19:00.003-07:00

The project begins today and both teams from Canada have arrived safely. The Canadians and Slovaks will have a day of orientation before the work begins. For up to the minute information about this year's project visit the Twitter page.

Mozaika Still Loves Nitra

2010-08-13T15:27:00.001-07:00

I Love my City 2010 begins exactly one week from today. It is odd to think about not being there for it. We are so proud to have been part of starting something that has outlived us and it gives us serious joy to see people making it their own.

We have been praying, and will be praying harder as the project gets closer, and ask you not to forget the people of Mozaika, the people of Nitra and the great potential of this project.

Step Three and a Half

2010-08-03T13:16:00.003-07:00

This morning we were able to submit our visa paperwork in full. There was a bit of a twist as Amber went to submit the documents for both of us only to be told that we both had to be present. So an unexpected motorcycle ride and a trip on the SkyTrain had Matthew downtown Vancouver just in time for him to simply hand them the forms.

The Consular seemed positive that he would grant our visas, but for about 2 months less time than we were asking for. So it is out of our hands now and we're asking you to pray with us that we'll have our visas in our possession 2 weeks from now.

The Bed Count - July

2010-07-31T14:50:00.003-07:00

We've been counting beds since February as a way of tracking our time in transition since departing Nitra, Slovakia until we have a place to call home in Włocławek, Poland. Here's the running tally:

February = 6
March = 5
April = 10
May = 5
June = 6
July = 6
Total = 38

Suddenly 40 is not seeming so hard to obtain.

Step Three (almost)

2010-07-31T14:38:00.003-07:00

As the hoop jumping continues in our journey towards Polish visas, we thought we saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Turns out we were mistaken. Step One was getting everything required to apply for a university Polish language program (it was more involved than we had originally thought). Step Two was our acceptance to the university, which we thought would expedite our visa process.

On July 14th we thought we had everything we needed (pictured above) to successfully apply for our Polish visas. We went into the consulate for a review of our papers. It turns out some of our paperwork was not exactly what they wanted. Some was not "official looking enough" (actual quote). Some requirements had not been listed on the paperwork or online. The shiniest moment was when they told us that we had completed the wrong application form...an embarrassing blow since we both had reviewed it and thought it correct. So, maybe this process is not as linear as it first seemed.

We've got most of the newest requirements covered and our goal is to have our final applications in (which means giving up our passports for a few weeks) during the first week of August.

We wonder what a nice, fresh, Polish visa will look like in our passports.

The Newest Language

2010-07-13T14:05:00.003-07:00

With life in Poland getting closer by the day, we've returned to one of our tried-and-true methods of vocabulary acquisition: labeling as many objects as we can! This picture is a simple, yet handy, example. We bet you can learn this word in no time! Slovak and Polish are both Slavic languages so we've got a good base for learning Polish grammar and our language course will be a huge boost in this area, but we'd like to arrive in Poland with a few basics under our belt (foods, directions, pleasantries, numbers etc.) so that we can at least speak in Slovak with a few key Polish words included.

Part of learning any language is keeping a good sense of humour and we're already interested to see what linguistical mishaps may await us as we learn Polish.

3 605.1 kms (that's 2,240.1 miles for the kilometer-challenged)

2010-07-02T17:45:00.003-07:00

On the 30th we returned from our last major speaking trip during our time in Canada. 3 605.1 would be the number of kilometers we racked up on this trip alone. A significant portion of the last few months has been spent speaking and connecting with people both near and far. We really get a kick out of sharing the lessons we've been learning, meeting new people, and answering questions. Connecting the European and Canadian church is something important to us and we're all for engaging Canadians in missional living.

It isn't all roses and puppy dogs. There comes a point where living out of a suitcase becomes less-glamorous and personal space becomes a valued commodity, but we balance it with the fact that we get to see more places and more people and more churches than most (that probably includes you...just saying). After all, we did see 6 brown bears, 1 grizzly, 2 deer and 3 foxes in the past 11 days. Life, work, visa applications and correspondence does not stop when we are out and about and so we have taken-up temporary residence in coffee shops around the country (like this one in Terrace, BC).

The good Christian thing to say is that "there is no coincidence, only God's plan", and we've been reminded of that often throughout our travels. There have been so many times where we seem to arrive just as a friend or stranger needs someone. It's been a real privilege to see how God has got our calendar filled with meaningful encounters.

We have felt so loved and welcomed everywhere we have gone; in fact, we often don't feel like we deserve such hospitality. We continually pray that God would help us build meaningful connections, and each time we are surprised at how thoroughly he comes through on that front. We've covered a lot of ground, but it's been absolutely worth it.

The Bed Count - June

2010-06-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

If you're not quite sure what The Bed Count is, we've decided that rather than tracking the number of places we visit, kilometers we drive, days we are here or numbers of nights we sleep in Canada, we would measure our time by counting the number of beds we have slept in. Here is the running total:

February = 6
March = 5
April = 10
May = 5
June = 6
Total = 32

Step Two

2010-06-21T14:40:00.003-07:00

We've hit another milestone in our process towards life in Poland. We are now officially students in the Polish language and culture faculty at Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika (University of Nicolas Copernicus) in Toruń, Poland. These acceptance papers will help streamline our visa application process as we will be entering Poland on student visa's to start with.

We are now working on our visa applications and will be submitting these to the consulate at the beginning of July when we are back in the Lower Mainland.

And so, life in Poland becomes an even closer reality.

Happy Anniversary to Us

2010-06-09T10:47:00.002-07:00

3 years ago today the rain was pouring and we were saying our "I do's" in a short ceremony surrounded (literally standing around us) by the people who know and love us best. We took some time to celebrate this milestone and kept our tradition of reviewing the last year together and setting a goal for this year.

Last year we focused on communicating in the moment. We worked hard on this and we can see some great progress in this aspect of our marriage. This year we are going to work on being more purposeful with having some fun and building memories. We're realizing that our lives can be so full, that unless we're purposeful about the things we enjoy, we'll quickly miss out on what things that are life-giving.

Here's looking forward to another year. We've said it before and we'll say it again: we're better together.

The Bed Count - May

2010-05-31T14:08:00.001-07:00

This month we still spent a lot of time on the move, but we were able to use some key places to launch from (and not be in a different place each night). At this point in time 30 is looking like a guarantee - 40 seems maybe a little out of reach as we hope to slow down towards end of July and August. Here are the numbers:

February = 6
March = 5
April = 10
May = 5
Total = 26

Historymaker 2010 : Fearless

2010-05-25T20:23:00.004-07:00

Historymaker (HM) is the annual youth conference for students from across British Columbia and the Yukon. We were involved in the planning and organizing of HM in May of 2008 and figured since we were in BC for this one, we'd get involved. It's not very often that we are in Canada to assist Canadians first-hand.

Admittedly, when we volunteered we were thinking that we'd help with Security or maybe set-up some chairs, but there was a need for some help on a coordination level and so we were involved in overseeing hospitality for bands and speakers (we had a lot of excellent help in this area), First Aid, Security, Parking, some of the volunteers and side stage artists, food services and Dispatch. We were able to do the bulk of the organizing via the phone and e-mail while on the road.

Over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the May long-weekend, 3,000 students (not including their leaders) filled the Langley Events Center. We won't lie - there were long days, a lot of running around and on-the-spot problem solving, but it was awesome to see students participate in worship through music, listen to challenging speakers and learn in smaller workshop settings...not to mention eat a lot of junk food and have a lot of fun (there might have been a few buses that were "redecorated").

We both can remember our days of attending youth conventions and some of the milestones in our lives that took place there. It is great to think that we were able to be a part of this event because who knows what milestones were reached in other people's lives.

General Conference 2010

2010-05-19T09:44:00.004-07:00

2,600 kilometers in 8 days. Here is the visual: we're driving a Plymouth Breeze, How to Learn Polish tapes (yes, an actual cassette) playing loudly, windows down, hair blowing in the wind, cooler full of V8 and nuts in the back - for almost 40 hours!

Every 2 years PAOC has a General Conference where pastors, global workers, support staff etc. come together from across Canada and around the world. This was the first one we've ever attended. For an organization that is so geographically spread-out, it is amazing how unifying a little time together can be.

This conference was in Edmonton. We shared on a Sunday morning, drove home, had lunch and then began the drive to Edmonton. It is a little overwhelming to be in a place with so many people you know, kind-of-know and might have seen before. Sometimes walking down a hall felt like running the conversational gauntlet. It was great to see friends, have some time with Matthew's dad, tackle some practical business with reps from Head Office and listen to the thoughts of our main leaders. It is surprising how sitting in services, meetings, workshops and then talking to people can be quite exhausting. We absolutely missed the directness of the Slovak language as English speakers seem to have a way of saying the same thing 4 consecutive times, but in different ways.

On the Sunday following the conference we were able to connect with a great Christian community, have lunch all together and then began the 10 hour drive back to Surrey (which we somehow did in 8.5 hours).

Overall, we got to connect and re-connect with good people and interesting thinkers, see the scope of what our organization is doing, cover some beautiful terrain and make some new Canadian memories.

Good for a Laugh and a Think

2010-05-19T00:39:00.000-07:00

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Step One

2010-05-08T11:07:00.002-07:00

In September we'll be attending a language course for foreigners who want to study in Polish at a Polish University. By the end of the 8 month course we should have university level skills in speaking, reading and writing. We'll be attending the Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika (University of Nicolas Copernicus) in Toruń (about a 50 minute drive from our soon-to-be home in Włocławek).

Our applications are in the mail. This is the first step in obtaining our visas, and already we can tell it is going to be a long process:

-application forms
-bank transfer of application fee's to the university's account
-doctor's notes
-our degrees legalized by the Polish Consulate
-a notarized copy of our degrees

Once we are accepted as students, our entrance letters will help us in the visa process.

This process is a tangible marker of the beginnings of our life in Poland.

EMERGE South Bend... An American Whirlwind

2010-05-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

I’ve always thought of myself as an independent and self sufficient girl, but over the past two years Matthew and I have grown quite close and spend almost every waking hour of the day together, so my four days away for the South Bend EMERGE conference were going to be a stretch. I was really anticipating attending the South Bend EMERGE conference as I had been asked to lead two workshops and moderate a panel discussion. I was eager to practice my facilitation skills that I’ve acquired over the past two years, but nervous about being without Matthew for those four days.

Matthew and I have definitely learned to function as a team. I understand why God created marriage; Matthew and I truly are better together. It has been so amazing to have a partner and support with me over the past two year and now it’s hard to imagine life any other way.

Across the miles I know that Matthew was thinking of me and praying for me while I was away in South Bend. I had the privilege of leading a workshop on the “Dynamics of Influence” and had the opportunity to interact with interesting women of all ages. I felt like the workshop and panel discussion were stretching for me and yet very successful. I walked away feeling more confident in the skills God has equipped me with and excited to be a part of what God is doing to equip women around the world.

The Bed Count - April

2010-04-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

With our change in location out to BC, the numbers this month are up. We spent a lot of time on the road and got our rest on air beds, regular beds, bunk beds and under-sized futons.

February = 6
March = 5
April = 10
Total = 21

Volcanoes are Never Convenient

2010-04-28T13:14:00.001-07:00

What Comes After a Tragedy

2010-04-14T12:05:00.002-07:00

With a total of 96 dead, Poland's political, military and religious infrastructure has been left with a large gaps. With funerals still pending and bodies still being identified, Polish officials are already working on filling in these leadership voids. Elections are expected to take place in mid-June.

Imagine how different Poland will be as a new batch of leaders take the helm years before they would if the political process would have progressed normally. Poland could be looking very different in the near future.

It is odd for us to feel connected to an event that happened so far away, in a nation we barely know, and yet we do. Watching the news we've seen images of thousands of people lining up to pray and kneel beside the coffins of the president and first lady and our hope is that in the midst of the tragedy and the search for answers, that people discover a very real God.

Tragedy in Poland

2010-04-10T09:06:00.003-07:00

Today a plane carrying the Polish President and 80 other prominent government officials crashed in Russia while making their way back to Warsaw to mark the 70th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre (where thousands of Poles were killed by Soviet forces during WWII). The Polish Prime Minister has declared this the greatest national tragedy since WWII and has established a week of mourning.

For more information you can visit the BBC's report by clicking here.

We do not live in Poland yet, but they are already on our radar, in our thought process and now we keep them in our prayers.

For Mozaika

2010-04-06T11:21:00.002-07:00

Mozaika has been trying to purchase a piece of land in a developing part of the city. This would give Mozaika roots within the community and make it clear that they are there to stay. Over the last year Mozaika has been in negotiations with City hall regarding this parcel of land that would put them in the middle of a growing, family oriented area.

We spoke with our friend and church planter, Miro, in Nitra this week. He shared with us that City Hall has denied their request to purchase the land. The Vice Mayor, who we befriended during the I Love my City project, fought for us, but a particular party voted down the application.

Mozaika has changed locations 5 times (often not by choice), has been rejected from numerous rental applications and now this. Nitra consistently roles out the "unwelcome mat". Pray that people would not become discouraged and that God would give Mozaika and it's leadership momentum as they move forward from this.

The Bed Count - March

2010-03-31T17:11:00.001-07:00

The count has not grown as high as we thought it would by now - but we are ok with that. The count got a good boost with Amber speaking at EMERGE in the USA and Matthew still in Canada.

February = 6
March = 5
Toal = 11

Cliches About Cliches...How Cliche!

2010-03-10T09:09:00.002-08:00

With our upcoming transition to Poland, we've been thinking about what are the essentials of church. Our mandate is to start a community centre, but more than just pick-up hockey, it must be a place where people can come encounter God and develop a relationship with him. The question on our minds has been how do we transport the essentials of a Christian community and allow them to take shape in the context of a community centre?

By now we've all heard the expression "think outside of the box" (a cliche about cliches that has become cliche - what a kicker). Within modern Christian culture there seems to be a stigma attached to anything in the box. Personally, we are grateful for Hillsongs, Billy Graham books, the present day church and programs. After all, they helped get us to where we are today. Christians are part of a subculture with our own celebrities, vernacular, and community practices. All of these things are "in the box", but none are necessarily bad. The real challenge of thinking beyond our borders is how to take the core elements of our faith and move them outside of these now commonly found forms.

We posed this question while speaking at a youth group and it was a good dialogue - we're not pretending like we have this all figured out. Within 15 hours of this talk, God put our own words to the test as Matthew had a great time with a self-proclaimed "orthodox atheist" (because modern atheists have gotten soft and he is from the old school of atheism) and Amber shared about life and understanding God's plans with a Pakistani Muslim lady living in an arranged marriage.

Admittedly we are working on the answers to the question "what is church?", but what is clear is that God is going to take us up on this question.

The Bed Count - February

2010-02-28T13:58:00.001-08:00

As we leave Slovakia we know that a lot of our life for the next 6 months will be lived out of bags and on the road. Rather than counting kilometers traveled or towns visited, we've decided to count the number of beds we sleep in.

Of course there are rules. We will begin counting the beds starting with the first night not in our bed in Nitra. We will keep counting until we have a home in Poland. Also, there will be no double counting a bed, even if there are weeks in between when we sleep in it. We'll provide an ongoing total at the end of every month.

February = 6

Hello Canada

2010-02-21T12:01:00.002-08:00

One week ago today was our farewell Sunday at Mozaika. Amber delivered a power solo and Matthew got to speak. We were so thoroughly encouraged by the show of support and appreciation in the form of gifts, prayer and kind words. It was affirming and life giving...and tearful.

We've been in Canada just less than one week now and it has been great spending time with Matthew's family and connecting with friends (not to mention overcoming our old friend jet lag). This coming week will bring a change of pace as we hit the road to connect with partners and churches. In some ways the reality of leaving Slovakia has not hit us. There has been so much to occupy us - packing, goodbyes and conferences in Slovakia kept us going strong right to the end and here in Ontario there have been people to see, rest to catch-up on and a whole lot of favourite foods to eat. Right now it feels like we are simply taking an extended trip. Eventually the reality of the life shift will find us, but we have yet to feel the disconnect.

Not to play to stereotypes, but we've had a few moments of "oh right, this is how it's done in Canada". It has ranged from meaningful things to small realizations (like soda bottles are a different shape here). We ask that you pray for us as we adjust to living out of suitcases here in Canada, while processing the last 2 years and preparing for what comes next.

FYI

2010-02-17T14:00:00.002-08:00

It has been an intense few weeks and we'll share further about them shortly, but for now, we just wanted you to know that we are safely back in Canada.

Our Totally Shallow List of Things we'll Miss

2010-02-01T04:01:00.008-08:00

Over 2 years ago we moved to Nitra. What was once so unfamiliar is now a part of the everyday (though, admittedly, the post office still confuses us...and most Slovaks too for that matter). In celebration of our 2 years here in the Slovak Republic, we'd like to share some things we'll miss - and these are not the deep profound things like friendships, life changing moments and favourite places to watch the sunset - no, this our shallow list of the little things that serve as the icing on top of the cake that we call life:

DRIVING IN SLOVAKIA

In a country where the posted speed limit is 130 km/h, drivers here have a liberal understanding of the rules of the road and truly know how to use the gas pedal and high beams (to warn you to clear a path). We love it! The true beauty of the dance of passing other cars takes place on the smaller regional roads where no corner is too blind and no hill too steep to stop someone from passing that transport truck.

PARKING IN SLOVAKIA

The true genius of Slovak drivers is seen in their ability to park a car anywhere - literally. While we feel we hold our own driving amongst the Europeans, we cannot park like them. They seem to have an inherent sense of where they can get away with plunking their car. Sidewalks, lawns, corners, meridians and building entrances are simply parking spaces in the making. Now throw in that they fit 2 cars in spaces smaller than a single SUV.

TRDELNÍK

Traditionally made at Christmas time (though there is a year-round booth outside of the mall entrance), trdelník is dough wrapped around a metal cylinder, cooked and then coated in your choice of toppings. We like them hot, fresh and covered in cinnamon and sugar.

LANGOŠ

We've encountered some debate over whether this food is Slovak or Hungarian, but regardless of who made it first, we love it. It is basically extremely oily, friend dough covered in garlic, tartar sauce, cheese, kolbasa, onion and ketchup - though you can mix and match as you please.

OUR APARTMENT

After blindly picking it through a website and signing our contract before ever stepping foot in it, our apartment has become our home. We love it - where it is, the layout, the ability to host people, the view.

AIR RAID SIRENS

Leftover from the wars, Nitra still tests the air raid sirens the first Friday of every month at noon. Now it is done as a fallout precaution for the nearby nuclear powerplant. The first time it went off we were concerned as we had no idea what was happening (looking around us no one seemed concerned so we took it in stride). It's great to have out-of-town guests here when it the sirens sound...there is fun to be had.

AIR SHOW PRACTICE AND GLIDERS

There is a small airfield located in a tiny village just outside of Nitra. It is home to gliders and stunt planes that use the airfield to practice for airshows. So from our back windows we get a summer-long free airshow and chuckle at pedestrians as they duck at the sound of the gliders wooshing in from overhead to land.

PRODUCT NAMES

There are no giant mistakes when Slovak companies use English - inevitably everyone who's traveled has encountered some funny error. Here in Slovakia it is more of the unique naming of things that we enjoy. Like Party Power, a competitor to Red Bull.

Welcome to Włocławek

2010-01-14T05:01:00.000-08:00

Our move from Nitra, Slovakia to Włocławek, Poland will transition us 600 kilometers north (however due to lack of infrastructure, it is a 10 hour drive or 12 hours by train).

The first written record of Włocławek appears on a Papal Bull in 1148 (we Canadians just don't understand history in the same way). Located on both sides of the Wisła River, Włocławek seems to have made it's living from industry. In 1999 it lost it's role as the administrative centre for the Włocławek Region.

Situated approximately 500 kilometers east of Berlin, Germany, Włocławek sustained damage in both World Wars. During the Nazi occupation of World War II, Włocławek was renamed Leslau and would regain it's name following the cessation of the war. Włocławek had a thriving Jewish population who owned and operated many of the local industries. Being the first place in Europe to force Jews to wear the Yellow Star of David, the Jewish population was largely deported to the Łódź Ghetto and then onward to the Chelmno Concentration Camp.

In the fall of last year we were able to spend a few days in Włocławek as we were researching and praying through our options. Entering Włocławek by car we came through a large national park. We caught our first glimpses of the town as smokestacks peeked out from above the trees. We had been told that we'll never see a post card of Włocławek, and as we broke through the treeline we understood why. Most European towns are marked by steeples, but Włocławek's smokestacks rise higher than it's steeples.

As we drove through the forest we were surprised to see prostitutes standing on the side of the road (no real highway system in Poland yet) as early as 10am. Driving past we would see tents pitched in the forest. Upon arriving we decided to walk off our 10 hour drive. It was not hard to find drug and alcohol abuse as we walked through the town square. The formerly Jewish owned buildings are literally falling apart while the EU courts decide their future. Squatters have moved in and it was not uncommon to see port-a-potties outside these structures without power or water.

We spent a solid 48 hours walking A LOT, talking to people, praying and simply soaking in the surroundings. As we drove home to Nitra a few things were clear to us:

there is a lot of good that can be done in Włocławek
there are very few English speakers and our Slovak got us further than our English (gotta love Slavic languages)
even though Włocławek is lacking infrastructure now (highway access, main shopping area etc.), there is change coming as the 3rd largest mall in Poland is under construction and the new highway will pass right by in 2012 - now is a great time to connect with a city in motion
Nitra is more cosmopolitan (relatively speaking) than industrial Włocławek, but Włocławek pays attention to details with nice parks and gardens and we could have a good life there

We are confident that this is where God thinks it is best for us to be. Home is where we are together and where God asks us to be. Włocławek, here we come!

For more information, you can visit Włocławek's webpage by clicking here.

What Comes Next

2010-01-14T02:31:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe as it may seem, our 3 year Missions Apprenticeship officially concludes on January 29, 2010. For months we have been praying, asking you to pray, dialoguing with our bosses, fasting, journaling, obsessing, talking with friends and family and staying up late at night in order to ascertain what comes next. There was a time when we were focused on these next steps in an unhealthy way. God had to remind us (rather strongly) that He's got this under control (which is challenging for us as Type-A planners who are most comfortable while in control). Since then, we've had a deep confidence that God would let us know what we needed and when we needed to.

Over the past few months we've had a wide range of offers (including an invitation to stay in Nitra by the local leadership - which was highly affirming for us). There has been months of research and processing each offer to accompany the aforementioned praying and dialoguing. In the summer we were invited to be a part of a new project that, in all honesty, when we were first told about it we promptly laughed it off. However, the more we learned about the project, the more sense it seemed to make. Beyond being an excellent fit for both our dreams and gift mixes, we believe this is what God is asking us to do:

600 kilometers north of Nitra is a town of 120,000 people on the Wisła (Vistula) River. Włocławek, Poland is a highly industrial town whose history still impacts life today. Following the Nazi occupation in 1939, Włocławek became the first town in all of Europe to require Jews to wear the Yellow Star of David. The once thriving Jewish population, which owned a large amount of the local industry and prominent housing, was deported to the Łódź Ghetto or sent to the Chelmno Concentration Camp. To this day the buildings once owned by Jews remain unclaimed as the European courts decide their fate. Meanwhile, what should be the historic core of Włocławek, sits decaying and is occupied by squatters with no water or power, but port-a-potties. During a two day visit to Włocławek we were surprised at the visible amount of drug and alcohol use and prostitution. It is a made of brick, blue collar, hard working kind of town.

As far as we know there is little evangelical Christian presence in Włocławek. Our goal is not to create a modern version of a church in Włocławek (especially in light of the inseparable nature of being Polish and being Catholic), but rather to create a space in which to build a community based on kingdom values. To do this we have been asked to start and operate a social enterprise. More than just a community centre with drop-in programs, a social enterprise is to be a source of regeneration. We want to see art, business, learning and relationships come together to create positive change within Włocławek. Of course all of this is rooted in sharing God's love while in proximity to people who may never otherwise come into contact with genuine Christianity.

This social enterprise will be connected to a waste-to-energy project that goes online later this year. This company takes solid municipal waste and converts it into gas used for energy and alagaes used for bio-fuel while separating recyclable materials and reducing the mass of the waste. This company will be governed by kingdom based business principles and will play a role in funding the social enterprise (we should note, that this does not impact our fundraising as we will still need to cover our costs of living and other ministry costs, such as Amber's work with EMERGE womens leadership development). Together, the company and social enterprise, will take a holistic approach to helping God's people and planet.

The Plan:

January 29 is the official end of our apprenticeship but we are involved with two regional conferences that will keep us involved until February
our last day in Slovakia will be in mid February
from mid February to the beginning of September we will be in Canada. This time will be used to: complete our exit interviews and transition from Apprentice to Full Missionary Status with the PAOC, debrief our apprenticeship, spend time with friends and family, connect with partners, share about what we've learned in Slovakia - we believe we grow together, eat borderline unhealthy quantities of Jr.Bacon Cheeseburgers from Wendy's, complete all of the necessary legalities of moving to Poland (quite the process)
in September we will be moving to Włocławek and attending the nearby Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Here they have a language course for foreign students wanting to study in Polish. University level Polish sounds like a good place to start and we will be in this program for 2 semesters.
while studying we will be building our understanding of Włocławek and investing in relationships. Amber will also continue her work with EMERGE as there are 3 European conferences taking place this year.

There is the summary. We look forward to sharing more about this as this adventure continues. If you've got questions - we'd love to hear them.

Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. We would not want to do it alone.

A Surprise in Nové Zámky

2010-01-12T07:20:00.003-08:00

Quick context: Nové Zámky is a town of 18,000 about 40 minutes from Nitra. The "mother church" that started Mozaika is located there. In July of last year, the Nové Zámky church won a bidding war, with a Social Services Agency, to buy the building they have rented and renovated over the past 12 years. The church was given 18 months to secure the financing and was already given permission to renovate part of the building formerly occupied by a night club.

Last month the company that was selling the building asked for the keys to the former club to be returned so they could perform restorations before the sale was complete. Last week the leader of the church was visited by the head of the Social Services Agency and the head of the company that owns the building. They informed him that they had sold the building to the Social Services Agency and the amount was paid in full on December 29, 2009. Seeing as both the Agency and the company that sold the building are owned by the government, we're guessing there was some extra cash to be used before the end of the fiscal year. The Social Services Agency intends to turn the night club, Centre for Mothers and the church into their archives.

The church's contract there is slated for another 2 years, but we are not sure what decisions the new owners may make. People in Nové Zámky have invested heavily of their time, energy and money into making that building, and the church's relationship with the surrounding community, an excellent one.

We are confident that good will come from this, right now we just want people to be encouraged and know that God's got this one.

The End of a Decade

2010-01-02T07:13:00.004-08:00

2010 - sounds quite futuristic and yet here we are.

December was a blogless month for us - sorry about that - but still a full one. There were some great personal highlights for us as we were able to spend time with some of Amber's cousins as they visited a nearby part of Europe, connect with some Slovene friends, and gain the honourary title of "Aunty and Uncle" as good friends of ours had their first child.

Here on the homefront things were still full steam ahead. We were able to wrap-up PotichuNahlas for the semester with a Christmas party before university students took their winter break. Also, Mozaika's "I Love my City: Christmas Express" was able to further our connections and impact within Nitra. Whether it was cleaning up after city Christmas events or running kids programs, Mozaika was able to make a positive difference. Along with his friend James, Matthew was able to go and collect over 100 gifts donated by Samaritans Purse to use at Mozaika's kids programs in a community centre and a girls home. Amber also performed as part of a small ensemble on stage at the downtown Christmas market singing Christmas and worship songs. Mozaika also had a Christmas lunch and Christmas Day service (a staple tradition here in Slovakia). Matthew's scabs are still healing from cutting out the decorations for the lunch ("Merry Christmas" in 9 different languages seemed like such a good idea before all of the cutting and laminating).

Christmas also brought the unexpected for us. At 2am on December 18th our phone rang letting us know that Matthew's Nana had passed away. There was not much sleep to be had after that and we had invited almost 30 people over for a Christmas party. So we hosted our party (the last guests departed at 1am), booked a flight, packed (more like dumped things in a suitcase), showered and Amber drove Matthew to the Vienna airport to fly to Toronto on the most overpriced ticket we hope we ever purchase.

We wavered over whether we were doing the right thing, but as soon as Matthew opened the front door and hugged his Mom, he knew the right choice had been made. Nana was a huge influence on our lives, and the lives of many. Few people can say they read about their Nana while studying the history of the Pentecostal church in Bible College. In all honesty, there is still a lot of processing to be done - it was such a whirlwind trip. 4 days in Canada flew past and Matthew's only suitcase arrived the evening before he left for Slovakia. Matthew's Dad, who had been preaching in Nain, Newfoundland, was prevented from attending the funeral by bad weather, but Matthew was able to have lunch with him before he returned to Slovakia. It was the first time since our wedding that all 5 members of the family had been together in one place.

Matthew was home by 3pm on Christmas Eve and we celebrated traditional Slovak Christmas that evening with friends. We spent the remainder of the holiday season surrounded by friends. We especially love New Years Eve here as Slovaks are a firework loving people.

We can only imagine what adventures God has for all of us in 2010.

Tattered Tiaras

2009-12-03T02:52:00.002-08:00

A good friend of ours, Kimberlee Moran, has launched a dynamic organization, Tattered Tiaras, that will bring positive change to young girls across Canada and internationally. Currently the Aviva Community Fund is searching for community initiatives to invest in. You can be a part of this change by voting for Tattered Tiaras [click here]. It is quick and simple and you can vote once everyday.

For more information about Tattered Tiaras visit their website.

EMERGE Women's Conference... COMPLETE!

2009-11-25T05:42:00.000-08:00

Over the past year I (Amber) have taken on the role of European Conference Coordinator for Next Level International's WD (Women's Development) department. The goal of WD is obvious, to develop women in leadership across Europe. This is done through three phases of the EMERGE conference where women are encouraged and challenged to be exactly who God made them to be and fulfill the calling that God has placed on their lives.

I had the privilege of working alongside Marta Tóthová (a member of our lead pastoral team here in Nitra) while planning this conference. We chose the hotel, picked the food, handled all the registrations and finances, had pages of teaching material translated, and even more pages printed. We hosted the Short Term Missions team from the U.S.A. together and we also both had the opportunity to teach a workshop. Working alongside Marta has been one of the many highlights of our time here in Slovakia. She's an incredible woman and a great friend.

As mentioned, I taught a workshop at the EMERGE conference. Anna Armitage and I lead the workshop on the "Fundamentals of Influence" together. It was a great chance for both of us to further hone our teaching skills and a fun opportunity to collaborate. The workshop went well, garnered positive feedback, and I'm finding that I'm gaining confidence in my teaching ability with every opportunity I have.

I did find it quite challenging to plan the conference and write a workshop simultaneously. It turns out that two very different parts of my brain are used for these two purposes and I found it hard to engage them both at the same time!

I count it a privilege to be involved in the EMERGE conferences. It's so amazing to see women come together for the purpose of seeking God, His plans, healing, and relationship. To be a small part of what God is doing in the lives of women in Europe is an honour.

There are 5 EMERGE conferences planned for 2010. I can't wait to see what God is going to do in and through the women that gather.

We've Been Rev'd

2009-11-18T07:08:00.003-08:00

The annual Eurasia Regional Conference is a time for international workers to get together, talk shop, build community, tackle some house keeping matters, and encourage one another. It is a highlight for us every year and being part of community is a high value for us. We know that for some workers, in isolated contexts, this conference is even that much more life-giving.

This year the conference was held in Tunisia - the Slovak contingent was spoiled with a flight time of 1 hour and 45 minutes and no time change. There was a different feel this year as our Regional Director was not able to attend for health reasons (from which he is recovering nicely) and several big personalities have transitioned into the newly formed region for workers in restricted access countries. Moreover, Tunisia is a highly Muslim country and the law forbids religious activities outside of religious facilities. So while at the hotel we had to limit our Christian-speak (which is OK with us), but it did limit our ability to share and worship together. Bibles and schedules had to be hidden, even inside our hotel rooms. The reality of this was driven home when the religious police came to ensure we were adhering to the rules.
30 minutes on a bus not only showed us how people actually live, but got us to the nearest place of Christian worship: a Catholic Church. The acoustics were bouncy and the murals plentiful, but this was the site of our ordination. We were both ordained in one service - apparently it is a rarity for husband and wife to do this simultaneously. It was remarkably encouraging and we were thrilled to be surrounded by friends and people who genuinely want us to succeed.

Sincerely,

the reverends Price (we have to milk it while it is still novel)

Revolution

2009-11-17T07:05:00.005-08:00

Today Slovakia celebrates, with a national holiday, the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the end of Communist rule in what was then Czechoslovakia. The Gentle Revolution, more widely known by it's Czech name, the Velvet Revolution, began on November 17, 1989 when a group of students gathered to commemorate the murder of Slovak students (50 years earlier) on International Students Day. The Communist government responded harshly and their use of force catalyzed a sentiment that had long been brewing. In the following weeks peaceful protests and mass strikes led to the resignation of the regime and the first democratic government in over 40 years.

During our time here in Slovakia people have shared with us what it was like before the revolution - the secret police, the informers, the shortages, the air raid sirens, the hiding of faith. They have also shared with us what it was like to stand in the main square of Bratislava in 1989 and sing songs, join hands with people, waive flags: what it was like to change history. The look on people's faces - the refusal to actually let the tear run down their cheek - as they describe what it was like to sing songs about Jesus publicly for the first time in their lives.

As a Canadian it is a reminder that freedom is precious.

Today the Slovak Central Bank issued a unique 2 Euro coin bearing the words "17 November. Freedom. Democracy. Slovakia." with a picture of keys on it. During the protests people jingled their keys to symbolize the unlocking of freedom.

For more about the Gentle Revolution visit The Slovak Spectator, Wikipedia or for images from the protests visit a website dedicated to the day.

Rozhodnutie (yes, it's a Slovak word)

2009-10-26T11:02:00.002-07:00

Decisions.

This is not going to be a ramble about how to make the big decisions in life.

Keep an ear open to God. Communicate honestly. Move away from thinking that His will is something He holds in a closed fist that you have to pry open. Keep listening. Read the Bible (we cheapen our intentions when we say we want to "hear from God" and then ignore what He's already said). Trust that you are never taken through a process to come out in a worse condition. Have confidence that when you put God first, everything else will be put into place.

Sooner, rather than later, we owe the Powers that Be an answer to the question, "what comes next?". For a while it felt like we were staring down the barrel of this loaded question, but we now have an extreme confidence that we will know what we need to, when we need to.

We are not afraid of missing the "will of God" (aka the plan that He knows is best for us), because we invest a lot of time and energy in pursuing it and He has a lot to say. Our focus is on living it with excellence.

Clocks are ticking. Fuzzy things appear in greater focus.

Pray with us.

Irish Food for Thought

2009-10-22T08:09:00.002-07:00

In keeping with the video theme we seem to have going, here is Bono's speech that he gave to the NAACP.

It is food for thought.

NLI EuroSummit 2009

2009-10-14T01:22:00.003-07:00

Last week we attended NLI's biannual EuroSummit Conference in Spain. The conference is designed to promote what NLI is doing throughout the 48 nations of Europe. We've linked two of their videos to this post which capture both the need and what NLI is doing in Europe (admittedly, they are commercial-esque).

There was work to be done as Amber serves as the European Conference Coordinator for EMERGE (women's development), but it was great for us to connect with people working across the continent. Though there were many North Americans and Australians, there were nationals from France, Bulgaria, Italy, Slovakia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Poland and more. It was eye-opening to have such a comprehensive perspective on Europe.

It was a great reminder for us that mission originates with a spiritual need. Often, as Westerners, we associate mission with assisting the impoverished and disenfranchised; and though meeting physical needs is a divine imperative, our practical aid must come from a spiritual origin. There is a dangerous misconception surrounding Europe that it is not a valid place for mission - oh sure, maybe in the poorer Eastern countries, the formerly oppressed block, or in the Balkans, the birthplace of modern war, but not in the rest of Europe...they're too rich for mission.

The response to this mentality is simple - where there is a spiritual need there is a need for workers, spiritual investment and steps toward change. Europe, more than ever it seems, is at the frontline.

Mozaika - the Host with the Most!

2009-10-13T10:05:00.001-07:00

The Apostolic (Pentecostal) Church of Slovakia [ACS - the acronym works for the Slovak and English translations] holds an annual conference for all of the ACS churches across the country. This year Mozaika was selected as the hosting church - a huge show of confidence in our growing church. With programs prepared, a hall rented, speakers from the Czech Republic and the UK, and a host of details attended to, Mozaika welcomed over 700 people to Nitra (more than we thought would come).

The afternoon session was broadcast live (an interesting logistical experience) on Slovak Televsion [STV]. It was amazing, powerful and simplistic, to hear people speak of how a meeting like this could have never taken place just 20 years ago. The church in Slovakia has grown from secret meetings and Bible smuggling to a nationally televised broadcast and a strong representation of local churches; but this conference was not focused on where we have come from, but where we must go.

This is Not One of Those Stories

2009-09-30T05:28:00.003-07:00

We're not sure how much we have mentioned this, but for the last few months we have been babysitting a friends car as they are out of country. Like all babysitting gigs this has come with some sweet perks - like mobility, an easier time grocery shopping, the ability to help others be mobile and hauling a variety of things for Mozaika - and a few moments of stress.

This morning we took the car in for an oil change. To be completely transparent, neither of us knows that much about cars or feels super confident strolling into a garage and knowing what needs to be done...toss in a whole new set of Slovak vocabulary that we certainly do not use on a daily basis. With the aid of a cell phone, two friends and the internet, we now understand that our simple oil change has grown into a list of essential repairs.

This is not one of those miraculous stories from overseas workers where the skies open up and a new car (with Matthew sized leg room and excellent fuel mileage) falls from the heavens.

As we left the garage (over six-and-a-half hours ago), Matthew asked God to keep the price range around a specific number we knew we could handle. From our estimations we are currently over double that number. Here's the kicker - recently we were given some fun money from friends and family. We had squirreled it away and Matthew started to dream enjoyable, memory making methods to spend it; Amber however had tucked away a previous lesson learned (yes, Amber is often a step ahead). Past experience has taught us that when we get a little disposable income it usually means there is an unforeseen expense coming our way. Even with the use of our fun money, this repair bill will still end up being a "put on the credit card and pay off in installments" kind of scenario - but we are not broken.

We are learning that God does care about our dreams and the small perks that enrich life; but beyond what we want, He is taking care of what we need - even before we know we need it.

So, is this a miraculous story? Yes.

Will Hollywood make a movie of it? No.

Is it a foundational lesson in trust? You better believe it.

I Love my City Report - Klokočina Fair and Kids Programs

2009-09-14T08:37:00.003-07:00

The Klokočinský jarmok (Klokočina Fair) is one of the 3 largest annual events in Nitra and it is estimated that 10,000 people attend each year. The I Love my City team went bright and early (like very early) on Saturday morning to clean the entire fair grounds of Friday's garbage. The organizers were shocked that we actually showed up to do this, despite our repeated promises to be there. With the grounds cleaned and skies beginning to shower, we set up our I Love my City booth - in prime territory right next to the main stage. We were ready to go with hundreds of hot dogs and drinks to give out for free (paid for by Convoy of Hope), free coffee donated by Nescafe and free food parcels for families in need (provided by Convoy of Hope). We also had face paint and balloon animals a plenty for the kids. ACET, an AIDS and drug awareness program, was also present and had a display at the booth. We were ready - and so was the rain. It poured for the first portion of the day, but the show must go on!

We had been given a 1 hour time slot on the main stage and so Mozaika put on a kids presentation that talked about Jesus as our friend. Later that day the skies cleared and the crowds came. The hot dogs, drinks, coffee and food parcels all made it to the masses. On Sunday we were given another performance time on the main stage and then rushed to the Main City Park where the performance took place again as part of the city's summer kids program. The weather was in our favour on Sunday and the time in the park was a highlight as it was not transient foot traffic, but people came specifically to see the show and stayed for the whole presentation. We are excited to see where these new connections take us.

I Love my City Report - Connecting Points

2009-09-07T09:59:00.005-07:00

Making a visible impact on the city was a high priority but having points of connection was equally as important. We built in times where people from the teams and people from Mozaika could build relationships with people from the community. We ran ads in the local newspaper, put posters on doors, had posters placed on the city events boards, handed out flyers and had a press release for the radio advertising two big connecting points. One of the ways in which we connected was by hosting a Canada vs. Slovakia sports night. Slovakia emerged the victor by a single point in the soccer match (for which Matthew played for Team Slovakia...though with his lack of skill it might have been more helpful for Team Canada). We were not flooded with people, but there were new relationships made with the people that did come.

The other community connection point was a Picnic in the Park evening. We hosted this in the main city park near the stage (where later in the week we would put on a kids performance). Again we were not overwhelmed by people, but there were new connections made with those who did come and we are so thrilled by this - we do not base our success on numbers. Past experience has taught us not to underestimate these first steps.

Following our week of prayer we kicked-off the project with a night of praise and prayer. We had worship in both Slovak and English and there was such a sense of energy, excitement and fullness in the room. It was one of those moments where it was impossible to be still. On the Sundays Pastor Kim (from Liberty Pentecostal Church in Bowmanville ON) and Pastor Ryan (from Bethel Community Church in Edmonton AB) shared honest and encouraging thoughts with Mozaika. We appreciated what they had to say. The Alberta team was also able to plant a Maple tree in the main city park to honour their friend and youth leader, Mike Abma, who passed away shortly before the project. As they shared stories about Mike we felt like we were benefiting from his influence on the team.

Another large aim was to build Mozaika's connection with the City. Through our service at the Community Centre and our assistance at the Klokočina Fair we made quite a splash with city officials. The most notable was the Vice-Mayor of Nitra who surprised us all by attending Mozaika last Sunday. Considering we had trouble getting a meeting with City Hall last year, the growth in this relationship is amazing.

I Love my City Report - Work Project

2009-09-07T07:30:00.008-07:00

Komunitné Centrum (literally Community Centre) is an organization that serves as host to several social programs housed in one building. With their municipal funding completely cut over a year ago, the two directors have faced many challenges to keep the facility running. Located in Klokočina, Nitra's most populous sector, this facility is surrounded by apartment blocks full of children and young families. The actual building and grounds have fallen into disrepair as the majority of this former school building is completely abandoned and has become a place where drug users, homeless people and kids who are bored and want to smash stuff come to spend time. Matthew was given his own private tour of the building by two local boys, Adam and Peter (maybe 8 years old), over broken windows and bottles, around needles, through the part they set on fire, and stealthily through the part where the homeless people live. The surrounding yard and play spaces were overgrown with thistles and tall grass, not to mention the garbage, glass and needles. With Mozaika looking at buying property in Klokočina, it seemed like the perfect place to start building a relationship.

We did a little pre-work before the teams arrived to make sure there was some usable outdoor space before the kids camp began on Monday. The teams then set to work, everyday from Monday to Friday, making this space a usable one. There was garbage, glass and needle clean-up. Followed by weeding (which turned into only getting the ones with spikes once we realized how many weeds there actually were). There was a lot of weed whacking (until both weed whackers died...and then we kicked it old school with 2 sheaths) to get the grass down to a manageable height. It then took at least two runs with a lawn mower to get everything to look like a lawn. The holes in the yard were filled in with dirt. There was also the trimming, and sometimes accidental removal, of trees. This all sums up nicely, but it took 15 people several days to do this.

With the yard ready for action, we were also able to smash out the broken windows (admittedly, it was fun to break stuff) and then board up those windows and doorways to make the area around the yard safer. We also painted lines on the basketball court and put the Mozaika logo at centre court (we love the fact that it is the only place in Nitra where our logo is permanent and sealed with 3 coats of varnish). The teams brought some colour to the centre by painting a large portion of the fencing and the events board. We also dug up the play structures and poured cement bases for them to prevent further theft. The inside signage for the centre was also given a new look by the team.

With our bright blue "I Love my City / Mozaika" shirts we attracted a lot of attention (we had quite the audience from surrounding balconies). With our event banner prominently displayed there was no question of what was going on. It was empowering when people would stop and express their amazement at what was being done. The directors of the centre repeatedly expressed their thanks. The Vice-Mayor of Nitra even visited and got involved in some of the work. One of the goals of this project was to gain visibility for Mozaika: check!

I Love my City Report - Kids Camp

2009-09-06T07:58:00.005-07:00

The kids camp, entitled "A Journey Full of Adventure", ran daily from Monday to Friday. The core team running the camp were people from Mozaika. Each day some of the Canadians helped out and did English lessons. Attendance peeked at just over 30 children, which is excellent seeing as Mozaika is 50 people. It was a good mix of children from the church and children from the surrounding apartment blocks. There were games, stories, crafts, face painting and a fun introduction to Jesus and the Bible.

On Thursday and Friday, Athletes in Action came with their inflatable bouncy castle and we transformed the yard into a series of games and challenges. With music and invitations to join the fun playing from our speaker system, there were lots of smiling faces. There was also a dance workshop and the kids had a chance to perform at the final event on Friday. With parents there to watch it was a great chance for Mozaika people to connect with families by giving out info cards and through conversation. Overall, it was an activity filled afternoon for the campers and kids from the neighborhood.

On Saturday September 5th, Mozaika hosted a follow-up event at the community centre. We have committed to doing a monthly kids event there in order to keep building on the relationships made during the I Love my City project. 16 children came to this event including 2 new children from the apartment blocks.

The school year has already begun here in Slovakia and we are glad that we have built new connections through this camp and we are excited to see how they grow throughout this year.

I Love my City - it's go time!

2009-08-20T14:02:00.003-07:00

As this is being written we have unleashed the teams for the Amazing Race: Nitra Edition. We're hoping they have lots of fun and become more familiar with the city (we're also hoping we see them again in a few hours).

After all of this planning, praying, and organizing, it is all happening and Thursday night at prayer we were reminded of one more key thing - we have taken this as far as we can. It is now up to the Holy Spirit to take us the rest of the way.

The project is just beginning, we admit to being tired already, but we have this confidence that something great is going to come out of the next 10 days.

I Love my City Prayer Week

2009-08-17T01:33:00.002-07:00

With all the big things in place, these past weeks have been full of details. Our days have sped by propelled on little detailed-sized rockets!

Tonight marks the start of our week of prayer. With teams arriving at the end of this week and the I Love my City project beginning on Saturday, Mozaika will be praying nightly for the success of this initiative (6pm in Slovakia is 12 noon in Toronto and 9am in Vancouver). We welcome you to pray too.

She Remembered Us

2009-08-08T08:14:00.003-07:00

We met Joan Gimson only a handful of times; her daughter and grandson have been great friends since our college days and we went to the same church in Ft.Langley.

Having served in Africa, Joan was a champion for missions. Within the walls of her British body was quite a passion for people and a belief in the power of prayer. At the end of last month, Joan passed away rather unexpectedly.

Joan assured us that she prayed for us often; and we never doubted that. While assembling Joan's things, Joanne (Joan's daughter and our friend) found a small note attached to the bathroom mirror that read "Matthew and Amber". When we received an e-mail about her small reminder to pray, it was a simple, yet meaningful moment.

Whatever we accomplish is undoubtedly a result of God hard at work, but he has decided to include us in the action. We are all in this together - regardless of what continent we are on. For as much time as we contribute here on the ground, we are so grateful for people around the world who put time in through prayer. It is essential.

So, we take a moment to remember all that Joan did for us, even from the other side of the world. Her contributions will continue to build a legacy for years to come.

I Love my City Update

2009-08-06T11:26:00.002-07:00

The I Love my City Project is just over 2 weeks away now. We're working hard to be as prepared as possible, but it's becoming more and more clear that there needs to be some serious prayer to back up our actions here on the ground.

Last Tuesday we had a great meeting that started with an hour of prayer - really good, God speaking, honest conversation. Please continue to pray for this project - we have a genuine feeling that God has more planned for it then we do.

Please also pray for the people involved with ILMC. There has been unexpected loss as one team coming from Edmonton, Alberta had a team member pass away last week through tragic circumstances. Pray for the family, the team and the church as they celebrate a friend and youth leader. They have decided to still come and we are honored to have the opportunity to serve with them. Here in Nitra there has been challenging circumstances as Sheldon and Anna Armitage, our missionary mentors and part of the team for this project, had their car stolen and Anna's grandfather passed away. We're not out to overspiritualize, but we need to be praying not only for the success of I Love my City, but for strength, protection and excellence for everyone involved.

For as hard as we are working on the ground, we are convinced that prayer will be a determinig factor this month.

Milujem Moje Mesto - I Love my City

2009-07-21T00:00:00.001-07:00

If you get our e-newsletter [the Ongoing Adventure of Matthew and Amber] or follow this blog, it is likely that you have heard us talk about the I Love my City (ILMC) project. With the project starting one month from today, we would like to share with you more about this project as we believe it is already serving as a turning point for Mozaika.

Throughout our first year here we found that the leadership team here often dreamed about what we would like to do in the city, but we were limited by our lack of visibility, influence and permanent address. We could keep this pattern going, but it is obviously time for a change. ILMC is the bombastic beginning of that change. ILMC is a city-wide project with a focus on children and families that is designed to increase Mozaika's visibility within Nitra, build new relationships with people in the community, and increase our connectivity with city hall.To do this we have several international teams and Slovak volunteers from surrounding cities coming to join Mozaika. We will be running a kids camp in the most densely populated borough of the city rife with wee ones looking for summer fun. In conjunction with the City Works Department, we will be sprucing-up parks and public spaces across the city. In partnership with Athletes in Action we will be hosting 2 Family Fun Days. We have been given a performance time at the main stage in the city park for the summer kids program. ILMC volunteers will assist with the running of the Klokočinský jarmok (Klokočina festival where an estimated 10,000 people attend), performing on the festival stage and running a free BBQ and food parcel distribution provided by Convoy of Hope. Also, there will be events that allow Christians and non-Christians to connect in neutral spaces such as the Picnic in the Park evening and Foreigner vs. Slovak sports night (at which we expect the Europeans to dominate in soccer).
The project will be preceeded by a week of prayer. Already we have seen the benefits of this project as City Hall has expressed their amazement at a church wanting to do something for them (and not the other way around). We believe that by serving the city we will see their mindset towards us grow into that of a partnership (click here to read more about the city's shift in perception).

We want as many people as possible praying for the success of this project - we invite you to be a part of ILMC from wherever you are in the world. Check this blog during the event for updates. You can also join the Facebook group "I Love my City - Milujem moje mesto", to get current information and show your support.

Slov-insert-name-here

2009-07-13T04:51:00.006-07:00

Not to be outdone by the universally popular "euro" prefix (euro-trip, euro-style, euro-chic etc.) or the rapidly innovating "i" prefix (iPhone, iPod, iLife etc.), we would like to draw some attention to the nationally popular "slov" prefix.

Slov-air: was a national airline for Czechoslovakia but dissolved in 1990
Slov-matic: a soccer club in Bratislava
Slovakryl: a company that manufactures acrylic paint
Slovnaft: a chain of gas stations
Slov-Alex: a company that produces custom rubber stamps
SLOV-CHLAD: a refrigeration company (everything from freezers to ice rinks - it should be noted that "chlad" means "cold")
Slov-Energia: is an energy and natural gas consulting firm
SLOVinteriér: builds custom made wooden doors and window treatments
slovLED: specializes in L.E.D. technogies
Slov-forest: we looked at their website, but we sill aren't sure what this group does....we think they are Slov-enviromentalists
SlovMAD: a freight business specializing in shipments between Slovakia and Hungary (the Slovak word for Hungary is "Maďarsko")
Slov-TAT: custom car painting company
Slovaktual: sells doors and windows

All Things Mozaika

2009-07-06T07:39:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since we have given a thorough update on the life of Mozaika, and there are some pretty great things that we would like to share with you.

On June 21st Mozaika hosted a "Church Day". The people from the Nové Zámky church, the church that planted Mozaika, joined us here in Nitra for a great day. Together we filled our current meeting location with 120 people. The two main highlights from the day were water baptisms and a BBQ. We also played a soccer match from which Mozaika emerged the victorious, yet humble, winners. The day was a lot of work on the organizing end, but it was worth it. We really want there to be a collective sense of community between the two churches and time spent together is an essential part fo the bonding process.

We are generally excited for the things happening at Mozaika. Though the city is more quiet with the school-year concluded, there is good momentum to church life: national kids and youth summer camps are about to begin, a couple from Mozaika are moving to another town to step into a pastoral role, a young man involved in the Teen Challenge program has concluded a prison sentence and has returned to Mozaika with quite the testimony, and City Hall seems to favor us like never before as we prepare for the I Love my City project in August.

Within Slovakia most evangelical churches, being small, do not own their own space. Here in NItra, as the seat of Catholicism for Slovakia, the Catholic Church owns more property than the city does within the city limits. As you know, not owning our own space has been an adventure for Mozaika this past year as we were evicted from one place, transitioned into a persons home, then into a business facility which kept the heat off all winter and now into a Brethern Church in between their services. As if this was not enough nomadic experience, small churches around the country learned a valuable lesson when a church in the northern town of Martin lost their meeting place (and pastor's home) to the ambitious plans of their landlord.

Owning a space not only creates a stable venue through which to connect with people, but delivers a strong message to the surrounding community that we are rooted here too - we are a part of this community together.

In Nové Zámky they have been renting part of a larger building for approximately 12 years. They have done renovations, run a Mother's Centre and maintain the adjoining city kids park. The owner had announced his intention to sell and the church won the bid to purchase the building. This process is still ongoing as financing for the bid is not fully resolved (churches must be creative as banks will not provide mortgages for non-profit organizations), though through a course of events it looks as though they will be able to purchase the building for 300,000 Euros less than originally expected. Furthermore, the church is set to acquire occupancy of the rental space next to theirs (within the same building) by the end of August. This will be an answer to over 10 years of prayer as a night club has been the tenant. Pray that the financing will be completed soon.

Red Dot = location of our apartment
Yellow Dot = location where Mozaika currently meets
Green Dot = location of potential property

For Mozaika, the city architect has offered Mozaika a piece of property on the edge of Klokočina (pronounced klo-ko-chee-na). This borough of Nitra is home to over 30,000 people and is currently dominated by apartment blocks. The city is wanting to expand in that direction and has scheduled the construction of family homes and starter homes. By setting roots in this area of the city, Mozaika would be surrounded by families. Talks are still very much in the beginning stages, so please pray that Mozaika would have wisdom and keen insight as we make decisions about where we will call home. We do not simply want to jump on the first opportunity that comes our way.

You DO NOT Know Intense Until you Have Been to a Conference with 100 Spanish Women

2009-06-30T06:40:00.011-07:00

I (Amber) had the opportunity to travel to El Espinar, Spain to be part of the Salem Church's annual womens weekend.... and what a weekend it was. The Spanish are a passionate, loud, intense, life-loving people and I love them for it! As this was not my first time working with the Salem church, there were many familiar faces and lots of catching up to do. All this talking and laughing was done over wonderful food at unfamiliar times. Breakfast was at 9am, followed by lunch at 2pm and the evening wound up with dinner at around 9:30pm - our days were long, but enjoyable. I am also amazed with the Spanish womens ability to NOT SLEEP. They were laughing, talking, crying, praying and singing into the wee hours of the morning (approximately 2:15am). They would then all arrive early to the morning devotional at 8:30am looking rested and wonderful... I don't know how they do it!

Aside from building relationships, I was asked to speak in one of the general sessions. I talked about the importance of mentoring (having a mentor and being a mentor) and the need for awareness regarding the people you surround yourself with. The process of putting my thoughts together was revelatory as it made me examine my own life and relationships. I have been blessed with SO MANY incredible women in my life (my Mom, all of my Aunts, great teachers and amazing friends to name a few). I am so grateful for each of these unique relationships - they have helped mold the person I am and the person I am becoming.

The weekend was also unique in that I was traveling without Matthew - a first! While I fared well, I missed him very much and it was nice to return home again!

Happy Vinegar Day

2009-06-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

A proof-reader is a great thing to have here. While making father's day cards for the dads that attend Mozaika, Matthew, thinking he was following grammatical rules that we will not even attempt to explain, changed the word "father" into "vinegar". Fortunately, the mistake was caught before the cards went to print.

We trust you have a happy vinegar's day!

Our 2 Year Anniversary

2009-06-08T15:00:00.002-07:00

Today we celebrate 2 years of marriage and look forward to many more.

Time with the Tribe

2009-06-03T09:13:00.003-07:00

Within 48 hours of our return from the Czech Republic, Matthew's sister and mother joined us here in Slovakia. 4 days later Matthew's father arrived from Ukraine where he had been on a missions trip. It was great to have family here. It makes it so much easier to share stories over the phone when there has been shared experiences. Proximity is not a luxury that we have, so time together is always of great value to us.

Not only was it good for us, but Chuck (Matthew's dad) was able to speak at our church plant and teach at an afternoon seminar on the Holy Spirit. It was a great time and people are still saying very encouraging things about it.

So overall, time with family = a good thing.

The OMEGA-bites

2009-05-22T06:31:00.007-07:00

OMEGA is a 1-year discipleship course based out of Summit Pacific College (our Alma mater). Amber did the program and then was an intern for 3 years while completing her studies. Matthew interned for 1. We were both challenged and encouraged by our time with OMEGA and believe that it is a dynamic blend of academics, hands on experiences and personal development - so when the director, our friend, asked us to serve as overseers for the 3.5 week trip to neighboring Czech Republic, we were eager to jump on board.

Heading off to Prague on April 26th, our prayer had been "God - make them like us more than they should". Upon our arrival we hopped on a bus with a group of 20 students which were divided into 2 teams of 10. Our 10, who dubbed themselves Team Fusion, sat there jet-lagged staring at the Czech countryside as it whizzed past; and so it began.

Throughout the following weeks we were blown away as the teams did Canada classes in high schools to make connections with students, played sports to meet new people, ran kids programs, and presented their experiences with Christianity and God through media, drama and speaking. Though that all sums up into a few sentences, there were long days, moments of vulnerability, acts of courage, and instances of self-discovery that fueled our time together.

Unlike Slovakia's return to Catholic roots, Czech people proudly tote their nation as at least 80% atheist. People's resistance to or genuine lack of knowledge of Christianity was surprising. The misconceptions surrounding evangelical churches even more astounding (and sometimes entertaining). The teams did a great job of being relational and in our opinion one of the greatest compliments they received was "you Christians really are normal people". We believe that these altered perceptions are the beginning of something exciting.

So after being in Ostrov nad Ohři, Karlový Vary, Strakonice and Praha (Prague), we returned home to Slovakia 2 days ago. Though we were gone for a long time, it was absolutely worth it. God answered our prayer and gave us great friendships with people. People made decisions to live as Christians. New connections were made between local church-plants and their communties. Not to mention - we had a lot of fun.

AND - as a total bonus, Matthew's sister Rebekah served as an intern for OMEGA this year and so there was some family time had at the end of the trip in Prague.

The World is Just Awesome

2009-05-17T05:45:00.000-07:00

We are wrapping our time with the OMEGA students here in the Czech Republic. It has been awesome and we will share more details once we are back on Slovak soil. We have met new people, seen new places and been a part of a plan larger than ourselves. It reminded us of a commercial we used at Potichu Nahlas a few weeks ago.

The world, and the God who loves it, truly is awesome!

Life Moments

2009-04-24T01:04:00.002-07:00

Today, Matthew's sisters will graduate from college. They have worked hard, contributed to student and community life and had fun while doing it.

We honestly could not be more proud.

Distance has become a regular part of our lives; an element of this lifestyle that we accept as reality and simultaneously fight (armed with Facebook, cell phones, Skype, e-mail and even regular mail...like with paper and stamps). Though we will see pictures and hear the grand retelling, they cannot replace an excited hug in the moment, a smile caught across a full auditorium or a hand reddened by vigorous clapping.

When God asked us to embrace a missional life, we know He factored all of this into His plans and though there are still wishful moments, it is good to know this has not been overlooked.

So if you happen to be at Summit Pacific's graduation ceremony in Abbotsford, BC and you see two radiant graduates - give them a hug for us!

Slovenija - Slovinsko - Slovenia...however you say it, that's where we went

2009-04-20T04:43:00.000-07:00

Life is a comedy...or at least one has to choose to see the humor in it. As we've mentioned, there was to be a training conference in Slovenia that we were going to help with. This presented a great opportunity to see some friends in Ljubljana we made last August while speaking at the Slovene young adults camp (birthplace of the now infamous "ička" event). So we made our way down last Wednesday, two days ahead of the conferences Friday start date.

We had an awesome time with our friends and it was energizing to be around an eclectic, vibrant group of young adults and young marrieds (don't they look awesome). We even got to sleep at a friends apartment which has "two rooms and no doors" (a bonding experience for sure).

On Thursday we got a phone call saying there had been a miscommunication and that the conference is actually taking place this coming weekend (which helped us understand a lot of the puzzled looks we had received when we told people why we were down). Catalyst is also this coming weekend and Sheldon and Mark, our Catalyst teachers-in-arms, are teaching in Slovenia and so we will be running Catalyst solo. We're prepared and have been praying for the students as we tackle a heavy-hitter of a subject: character!

New Traditions

2009-04-14T01:13:00.008-07:00

One of the most enjoyable aspects of living in another culture is the exploration of new traditions. Slovak culture, being steeped in Catholic traditions, focuses strongly on the 4-day holiday that surrounds Easter (Velká noc). On Easter Friday (Veľkonočný piatok) people do not eat meat to symbollically connect with the suffering of Jesus on the cross. On Saturday mass is held at 9:00pm to mark the resurrection of Jesus; not on Sunday as is common in North America (we suspect that time zones may be a factor...). Most people leave the city and make their way to "the nature" for time with friends and family; thus Nitra has been empty of people but filled with church bells.

The real fun comes on Veľkonočný pondelok (Easter Monday) when traditionally women stay at home and men don their best attire and go door to door armed with a korbáč (a whip woven from several tree branches and tied with brightly coloured ribbon), water and perfume. The men chase after the women and hit them on the legs with the korbáč and splash water and perfume on them to cleanse them and make them pure. The man should then give the bottle of perfume as a present to the woman. In return the woman gives her Easter assailant a decorated egg or some chocolates.

Matthew, in an attempt to be culturally sensitive, embraced this new tradition...

In Lieu of the Salvation Army Store

2009-03-26T04:41:00.004-07:00

When we first moved to Nitra 14 months ago we were told about how to make good will-esque donations. There is no thrift store that we know of, but there are dumpsters outside of the apartment blocks. In order to make a donation, all one has to do is leave the item (old clothing, appliances or furniture) near the dumpster. Local gypsy families keep an eye out for good finds.

This system seemed a little loose to us. We occasionally see people in our dumpsters early in the morning, but there is no ongoing surveillance - but we tried it out. Putting some clothes in a bag we left it and went to our language lesson. Two-and-a-half hours later we returned to see a gypsy couple, about our age, trying the clothes on. Our clothes made it to someone who needed it = the system works.

Though spring may be late in coming here, we're turning on spring cleaning sights onto our clothing and then onto the dumpsters. Just another little facet of life in Nitra.

Door Prizes

2009-03-18T08:33:00.003-07:00

One of the unexpected perks of living here in Nitra is the occasional, and often creative, store give-aways. Let's not forget METRO's Christmas offer of a free carp and bottle of champagne. Earlier this week we picked up a few household items from BauMax (similar to a Home Depot). Since we spent more than 20 Euros we were given...

...a bucket of high quality planting dirt.

It was a first for us, but highly practical as the season for gardening approaches.

Exciting Developments in the life of Amber

2009-03-17T05:25:00.003-07:00

An amazing door has been opened, and I have decided to walk through it. I have accepted a temporary position working for the Women's Development department of Next Level International. I will be helping to plan and execute the EMERGE Women's Leadership Conference happening right here in Nitra this year. I have the privilege of working with a great team of women from NLI and beyond, as well as the chance to partner with an amazing team here in Slovakia. I'm thrilled about this opportunity and feel like it is a great fit for my gifts and something I can really sink my teeth into. Please remember me in prayer as I learn the ropes, build relationships and begin working in this new capacity.

Breaking and Entering

2009-02-27T08:19:00.002-08:00

Our apartment door comes with a unique feature: to lock it from the inside there is no knob; you must use the key. If you leave the key in the lock, you are unable to lock or unlock the door from the outside - yes, two keys makes for potential trouble.

Today, as we left for our language lesson, we did the unthinkable and left a key in the lock. After brute force failed us, we sought out resources from Sheldon and Anna. When our attempts with screw drivers and bobby pins proved equally ineffective, we turned to our building manager for help.

Using nothing more than a tiny screwdriver and a long piece of thin metal, he had our door open in 2 minutes or less. VICTORY! Though we were greatly relieved, we now question the security of our door. We figure that since we live on the top floor and there is no elevator, if any thief gets away with our stuff then they have earned it!

6 Days in the Old Country

2009-02-27T06:51:00.002-08:00

We returned to Slovakia on Tuesday evening after spending 6 days in BC. Amber's cousin Courtney got married and Matthew was asked to perform the ceremony (a first, and a true honour), and we were both asked to be the MC's. Amber's bloodline teems with ambition and so her uncle reached into his bag of tricks (and by that we mean travel points) and pulled out 2 plane tickets. Life in Slovakia does not come with a pause button and since we had been in Canada in November and the PAOC conference in January, we had to make this a quick trip.

With such limited time we tried to focus on connecting with friends and family, but even still we missed so many people. Each time we're back in Canada we learn more about balancing our visits (though appointments, traffic and shopping runs seem to consume valuable time). We returned to Nitra quite physically tired, but stocked-up on some great new memories.

We've received positive feedback from the wedding and reception, but there was nervousness going in. At one point during the ceremony there was a bit of a mix-up with kleenexes camoflauged amongst a white bouquet that led to flower petals and the kleenex hitting the floor - Matthew will admit that his first thought was "oh, I'm so happy it wasn't me who made the first mistake". He later acknowledged that the day was not all about him.

We also had the chance to share at ET Family Church in Nanaimo. We felt very welcome there and the warmth of the people was tangible - as in Matthew did not bring a coat, was wearing a white shirt on a cold, rainy day and so was given a loaner jacket for the day. We talked about how mission is something we, as Christians, are all required to engage in. As such, it then becomes a matter of the attitude we bring. It was a healthy motives check-up for us too.

So now we are back in Nitra missing the sunshine of BC, but happy to be home.

There's Nothing Like the First Time

2009-02-10T04:47:00.004-08:00

We are in process of settling into our newest church home. Mozaika had it's first service in KZ last Sunday. There are some technical aspects to work out, but nobody could deny that it was good to meet in a building that had the heat on!

In some ways it is tempting to relax because the immediate pressure is off, however there is more than a mailing address to be gained by having a permanent home. Stability and a presence within the community are still things we are working towards. The journey goes on...

Another New Home

2009-02-03T01:23:00.003-08:00

We just got off the phone with Miro (the local church planter we work with) and he had some good news....insert suspense.....

As of last Sunday, Mozaika had nowhere to call home. Since the Turbulencia conference was happening, it was not a big concern. Though we still do not have a place to call our own, the local Brethren Church, Kresťanske Zbory (KZ), has agreed to rent us their facility (pictured above) for the time being. Our Sunday program will start at 11:11am following the conclusion of theirs at 10:30am.

Located near the downtown their building has an auditorium, a kitchen facility and room for kids programs. We will be moving Mozaika's stuff from the VBC into KZ this Friday. This will be our home for now, but the search for a permanent facility for Mozaika continues.

Thank you for praying with us. Even though the immediate stress is gone, please continue to pray for us as we journey towards establlishing roots in our community.

Turbulencia

2009-02-03T01:12:00.004-08:00

Turbulencia is an annual conference hosted by the mother-church in Nové Zámky (which originally planted the Mozaika church here in Nitra). The conference saw people come from across the country to start the year with worship, preaching, teaching, workshops, panel discussions and kids programs. It was exciting to see so many Slovak Christians come together to celebrate their faith.

We missed the first night of Turbulencia as we were still making our way back from the Global Business Development Conference (nothing says fun like travelling for 24 hours and then plugging into another conference 12 hours later). The conference was well organized and we felt bad that we had not been there to help more....

Amber has been sick since our return to Slovakia and so was unable to attend. Matthew had the chance to serve as part of the hospitality team. Overall, the conference was a great opportunity to share the vision for this coming year.

A First

2009-02-02T00:37:00.003-08:00

We returned home to Slovakia on January 30th after spending 6 days at the Global Business Development Conference (aptly named for those working in restricted countries). There were services, workshops and some practical business meetings. It was the first time in the history of the P.A.O.C. that every worker came together. Attendance was mandatory, but we are so glad that we were a part of this event.

As cross-cultural workers we know that we are part of a larger, global team that is involved in many initiatives around the world. Knowing this is completely different than actually being able to see everyone all together. It was exciting to see the scale of what we are a part of. Being able to switch off the translation portion of our brains and engage in teaching and worship in English was energizing. We were also able to connect with great friends who are life-giving and meet new people and listen to their stories. We're not trying to make ourselves out to be so different, but there is such great connectivity amongst people who have walked a similar life-journey (it's hard to discuss culture shock with someone who has only moved Pickering to Ajax or Maple Ridge to Langley).

The conference took place in Indonesia (a brief 48 hours in transit round-trip). When people are coming from all over the entire world, there are going to be travel winners and losers. It was interesting to be exposed to another culture and it was Amber's first time in Asia. It was a good reminder to us of how diverse our global team is. What we do in Slovakia would not work there. How one lives out there faith would look so different there - how one lives in general would be so different. Amber's gratitude for living in a cockroach-free country was repeated several times by the end of the week! There was also a lot of crispy flesh on display as Canadians are not accustomed to sub-equatorial sun...

It was super-fantastic to be a part of this!

On the Road Again

2009-01-19T07:26:00.001-08:00

For us (Amber and Matthew), yesterday was the last time we would ever be a part of Mozaika in the VBC Business Centre. The church still has one more Sunday in this facility, however we are going to the PAOC Global Business Development Conference. On Sunday February 1st our church is part of a regional church conference; giving us an additional week to find a new location.

Currently there are a few applications to which we have not received replies. There was a prospect for one space, but a neighboring business complained that we would be too noisy. Beyond just looking for somewhere to rent, we have asked the city if we could purchase an old cinema building (Palace Cinema) near the downtown. It is infrequently used for film festivals. Before we moved to Nitra, the church had inquired about purchasing this building, but the city insisted they had plans for it. Over a year later, it stills stands empty most days.

We appreciate how much energy and prayer has been given in support, and we, along with the people of Mozaika, ask that you keep praying with us.

Our desire is to be a rooted element of our community and we believe that a building is part of this process.

Moving On...

2008-12-31T18:17:00.001-08:00

It is 3am in Slovakia on January 1, 2009 - making it 9pm in Toronto and 6pm in Vancouver on December 31, 2008.

It is like this post has traveled through time!

We rung in the new year with a service at Mozaika and then at a friends house. As the clock struck midnight we were standing on Zobor (mountain) looking down over Nitra. There are no laws governing fireworks here and so in addition to the cities fireworks display, pyrotechnics exploded from house windows, parks, street corners, cars and apartment balconies. The whole city was alive with color, light, smoke, cheers and the echo of booms careening through apartment blocks. Firework shells were literally raining down around us. We have never experienced anything like it.

And with the tick of a clock so much has changed: 2009 has begun bringing with it the end of Slovakia's national currency (the koruna or crown), heralding the arrival of the Euro, and marking Slovakia's Independence Day.

Though we do not know what this year will bring, we do know of one change coming soon. The VBC administration has told Mozaika that January 25, 2009 will be our last Sunday in their facility. They still have not turned on the heat so we use this rocket-man-esque propane heater to warm up the space (jackets and gloves still required).

We have talked to the city about buying land, but this is obviously a more long-term goal. Pray that we would find a facility that meets our needs (1 room for adults, 1 room for children, storage, weather appropriate, within the city and willing to sign a contract at a reasonable price). More than that, pray for the people of Mozaika as so much transition can take a toll on people's mentality. We want to be stronger at the end of this.

2008, with all of it's challenges and all of it's victories is behind us, and we look forward to new adventures in 2009.

Wrapping Up 2008

2008-12-30T01:09:00.000-08:00

On December 20th we had a program for kids from our church and the surrounding community. There were also some new families who came from the nearby social assistance housing. We decorated, had snacks, music, games and prizes. Every child that came got a gift that had been provided to us by Samaritan's Purse (so a big thank-you if you were someone who filled a Christmas box this year). It was a fun afternoon. Part of the program was sharing about the importance of Christmas. Even though it was oriented towards children, the adults in the room were captivated. The presenter, Martin, kept saying "the way the adults looked at me - they just stayed focus". All together it was a great relationship building time.

Then on December 21st we had a Christmas lunch for the entire church-plant. Again it was a fantastic chance for people to take the time to get to know one another better. There is something about Christmas time and food that make people more social, and more bonding as a church family is something very important right now.

On the 25th we had a Christmas service. Slovak's celebrate on the 24th so really it was only our Christmas morning that was a bit thrown off!

We celebrated Slovak Christmas on the 24th in the village of Obsolovce with the Armitage's and their Slovak family. It was especially nice for us to be in a home setting this Christmas. We got to eat the traditional meal (for the record, carp is ok). Then after dinner a bell rings to signify that Ježiško (little baby Jesus) has snuck in and put gifts under the tree.

On Christmas Day we stuck to our Canadian roots. Amber cooked a fabulous meal and we had Slovak friends over for dinner. It was our turn to watch as people were exposed to new holiday foods: sweet potatoes were a mixed success, pumpkin pie was met with forced smiles and murmurs of "how can pumpkin be a dessert", and stuffing was thought to be a little gross by some "you cook it inside of the dead bird?". We called our families and finished the night with a viewing of The Muppet's Christmas Carol. We got to repeat this fine Christmas meal on the 26th as the Armitage's celebrated Canadian style.

A great first Christmas in Slovakia.

Merry Vianoce

2008-12-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

Slovak's celebrate Christmas on December 24th with gifts and a large meal. Traditionally, this meal is kapustnica and kapor (cabbage soup and carp). Today we will have church in the morning and then practice some of our Christmas traditions (this may include, but is not limited to, the over-consumption of turkey, the unwrapping of gits, the Mariah Carey Christmas Album - to be followed by the declaration of "I cannot listen to anymore Mariah" - and of course the viewing of a Muppet's Christmas Carol).

This is our first Christmas as a married couple onour own and so we are excited to see what traditions of our own we innovate.

So wherever you are, whatever you are eating and whoever you are with - we trust you enjoy this day tot he fullest.

Veselé Vianoce (Merry Christmas) a la Slovak

2008-12-22T22:52:00.006-08:00

This is our very first Christmas here in Slovakia - and there is so much to learn!

Some aspects of the holiday are very familiar - people getting together for example (but with a much stronger emphasis on family). Big meals will be had and gifts opened on December 24th. Shoes, like stockings, have already been enjoyed earlier this month.

The traditional Slovak Christmas meal is kapustnica and kapor = cabbage soup and carp. Not every Slovak is keen on this meal, but it is the traditional food of choice. We've already had kapustnica and it is very good (the carnivore in us was satisfied by the pieces of salami and ham). We are preparing ourselves for the carp; which we will be experiencing tomorrow...

The whole carp process is quite something. Shops have set-up large plastic tanks outdoors brimming with carp (at least 1 is open 24-hours). While shopping with a friend Matthew got to be a part of the carp-purchasing process:
-the store we were at had a deal: spend 2,999 crowns before tax and receive a carp and bottle of champagne FREE
-we spent enough money and then waited in the carp line
-when you get to the front, they hand you your champagne and a live carp in a plastic shopping bag (no water)
-we drove to my friends house (carp making himslef known in the back-seat)
-we filled up the bathtub and introduced the carp to his last earthly home
-since carp are river fish, people allow the carp to live in their bathtub for 2-3 days to allow the fish to clean itself in fresh water
-the fish will be killed, cleaned and served on the 24th (there is a big emphasis on having fresh carp for Christmas)

We named this carp Pan Večera (Mr.Dinner)

Leadership Conference : Spain

2008-12-12T22:08:00.001-08:00

We just returned from assisting at NLI's 3rd ORGANIX conference at a monestary (pictured above) in El Espinar, Spain. This conference saw over 100 leaders come together from across Spain for a time of teaching and connection. We taught a seminar twice on the role creativity and problem solving plays in strong leadership. Also, we helped facilitate a team building activity on following and leading (picture of people with their eyes closed). Amber also shared in a workshop about women in ministry - this topic apparently made a big impact on a lot of the women who attended.

It was great to be a part of this event. The leaders who attended expressed how they view this conference as an integral part of their ongoing development as a movement. On a smaller scale, it was amazing to connect with people over meals (which take at least an hour-and-a-half in Spain) about where they have come from and where they are going. It was a real treat for us to be able to sit down with young couples who, like us, are learning about marriage and ministry simultaneously.

Thank you for keeping this event in your prayers - it was a success!

*wrote this post just after we returned, but posted it late

Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a Little Chocolate Devil

2008-12-05T20:19:00.002-08:00

Meet Čert (Chert).

Our language tutor taught us about a rather interesting tradition: Today, being his Name Day, many European countries celebrate Sväty Mikuláš aka Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. Traditionally, on the eve of December 5th, children would polish and set out out their shoes in anticipation of Saint Nicholas' arrival. That night St. Nick would arrive by horse drawn coach and leave children either a gift or a lump of coal, depending on behavior per annum naturally. This all sounds quite familiar so far (and you thought Santa Claus was an original idea...).

In Slovak days gone by, Sväty Mikuláš was accompanied by Čert, the devil, and an angel. The devil would come rattling chains and dealt with those children whose behavior was lacking over the past year while the angel was for those more well-adjusted kids. Google and Wikipedia have loads of interesting tid bits about this tradition that is rich in history and is still practiced, in different forms, all across Central, Eastern and Northern Europe.

As is the way with most traditions, this one has grown into something different now. Today family and friends will exchange little chocolate Saint Nicholas figures. As you can see there is also the chocolate Čert option if you are wanting to deliver a clear message to a misbehaving kid, but rest assured, the child's therapist will probably here about it one day!

Jet Lag...We Meet Again

2008-11-22T12:48:00.002-08:00

The secret is out - we snuck in a power visit to Canada.

The catalyst to the whole trip was Amber being in a friends wedding. From there it grew into an action packed 3 weeks of seeing friends, going to the doctor, spending time with family, visiting the dentist, meetings, speaking engagements, random appointments and stocking up on some goodies for our first Christmas "abroad". It was full - in a good but exhausting way.

To add to the logistics of it all we tried to surprise people (see the video) which made for even more juggling. Facebook is quickly jeopardizing the longevity of the secret!

By no means did we accomplish everything on our list or get to see everyone we wanted to (which is sad). Being on Canadian soil was not a vacation, but was still energizing. For starters, we only had to think in 1 language. The real goodness came from being able to connect with friends and family while sharing cow meat (yeah Alberta steak), Starbucks, sushi and indoor carpeting. Thanks to everyone who took some time out to see us.

We returned to Slovakia today and have encountered another old friend - jet lag. This blog is 1 part overdue, 1 part an amends to everyone we did not see, but mainly 8 arts an attempt to stay up until at least 10pm...

Surprise

2008-11-20T21:10:00.003-08:00

Amber's thoughts on Emerge: Women's Leadership Conference

2008-10-24T03:04:00.002-07:00

This past weekend I had the opportunity to be a part of Next Level International's first ever Women's Conference. Linda Howell, director of Leadership Development & Women's Development for NLI, has a vision to see 1 million women across Europe to be equipped and challenged to move into leadership. This was the first step towards seeing her dream become reality. Sheldon's connection with NLI was my in, and so I had the chance to help out where I could. I was working alongside the other women from NLI and a team of American women - we had a great time!

Perhaps what surprised me most was how much I was impacted over the weekend. There was a fabulous worship band and for the first time in 10 months, I was able to worship in English.... it was incredible. I believe I've taken my ability to worship God forgranted. After 10 months of struggling through worship songs in Slovak, where I'm so focused on getting the pronounciation of the words right, let alone understanding what I'm singing... I was able to worship God effortlessly. It was such a gift.

In addition, I was able to connect with one woman in particular that really spoke into my life. There are definitely times when I feel that at 25, I am in WAY over my head. Through a one hour conversation I was able to gain perspective, peace and the realization that I'm not the only one to have gone through a challenging time.

This weekend once again proved to me that God often does incredible things in a person at the most unexpected times.

The all Slovak, all girl worship band!

In the front row the 3 main speakers: Linda Howell, Gabrielle Reinas & Judith Green (from left)

Whose Laughing Now?!

2008-10-10T02:59:00.002-07:00

This past Tuesday evening I (Matthew) was helping at a discussion club our church hosts for university students. It's called Potichu Nahlas (Quietly Outspoken). As part of an icebreaker game everyone had to make up a story about the person to their left. So my friend got quite a few laughs at my expense as they told tall tales about me...of which I understood enough to know that I was getting razzed pretty good.

Then it was my turn. Speaking in front of a group of strangers in a language in which they are fluent and I am not is a humbling experience at best.

Though I struggled with my grammar, I got in a good joke. People laughed at what I said and not just how I said it (or mispronounced it). I've missed being funny. It was a good feeling.

That said - there is still so much to learn!

Our Migratory Church

2008-10-05T22:54:00.002-07:00

This is the VBC Business Centre located within Centrum (downtown Nitra). It has a large "congress hall" that has sat empty for years now - until last week. Church family went in and washed, scrubbed and cleaned away years of dust to get it ready for Mozaika. You can read more about it at www.vbc.sk (there is an English option in the top right hand corner).

The facility includes a dedictaed foyer, a large meeting hall with chairs and a stage, and a space behind the stage where kids programs can take place. It is everything Mozaika needs and it has been promised to us only for the month of October. We have had our past two Sunday services there and there are already ideas swirling around of what we could do with this space if it was ours.

So we are thankful that we have this space and very much appreciate all your prayers BUT we still need your support. The VBC administration has told us that there is another business interested in renting the space. This other business is willing to rent the room 24/7 (thus pay more) while we can only afford to rent the room on Sundays. We are not sure whether this is a business tactic to pressure us into signing a 24/7 contract (afterall, what are the odds of 2 businesess wanting the same spcae in the same week after it has sat empty for years). The VBC will make a decision regarding who gets the room by the end of the month. So for now we know we have a space to meet in until the end of October.

The Mozaika family would really like this space. Not only is it in a good location and a good facility, but the VBC intends to remodel the room in 2 years time as part of a larger building renovation plan. As such we could renovate the room however we want since they will demolish it all anyway. So we could build multiple kids rooms, paint, post community bulletin boards etc.

So keep praying with us.

A Work in Progress

2008-09-23T01:36:00.002-07:00

Though the VBC said they would get back to us last Tuesday with an answer....they haven't. Miro, our church planter, called them once and they affirmed that they would call us, and not the other way around.

So we wait and we pray and we trust.

This past Sunday we returned to the family home in Ivanka pri Nitre. The church family here is fasting and praying. We know that many are supporting us in prayer. We ask that you keep praying.

Church a la Village

2008-09-14T06:44:00.002-07:00

It's Sunday afternoon and I am happy to say that we did not have to have church in some back alley this morning (which is good seeing as the temperature has dropped over 20 degrees in less than a week - but that's a whole other story).

The searching this past week did not offer up many possibilities for today. So a family in our church opened up their home. They have a huge house in the nearby village of Ivanka pri Nitre. Though different from our usual Sunday times together, it was absolutely great! The home setting really seemed to draw people together. There was talking, laughing and singing. It had the genuine sense of family about it - complete with the sounds of kids running around in other parts of the house!

Mozaika started as a home group and then grew into a church from that core family. This has been the first crisis that the new, larger family has faced. In group settings, challenges have a way of either scattering or gathering people. Today felt like we bonded more as a community.

Miro, the church planter, has made a good contact in a local office facility called "VBC". They have a meeting hall and are open to ongoing renters. It would see Mozaika move closer to the town centre and also comes with the possibility of office space. Monday is a national holiday so we will not have a decision from VBC until Tuesday. We ask that you pray for favour for Mozaika.

See You Later

2008-09-12T05:15:00.002-07:00

Last night we got a phone call letting us know that Amber's grandfather, Herman, had passed away. Grandpa Herman had been ill for some time now and it was his desire to be making eye contact with Jesus, rather than nurses. It is almost one year to the day since Amber's Nana passed away.

We have missed many weddings since moving to Slovakia (much love to our very understanding friends), but this will be the first funeral that we cannot be a part of - all part of the adjustment process to living away from family.

Born on German soil to Polish parents who were fleeing the advancing Russian army, Herman was a strong man, a source of support, and encouraged us whenever he could. Though we did not get to say goodbye in person, we were able to have a letter read to him on our behalf. After hearing it he said that though he may not see us again on earth, he'll see us in heaven.

Until then...

No Room in the...Dorm?

2008-09-09T10:24:00.002-07:00

Life sometimes offers up moments that take you entirely by surprise and give you little, if any, chance to process before forcing you to move on.

Yesterday was one such moment.

Mozaika, the church-plant here in Nitra, meets in a student hotel (like a dorm) for our Sunday program. The managers of the facility have never been fans of the troop of children that arrive with great zeal every Sunday. In the absence of fondness for little people, we were never able to secure a contract gauranteeing our time there. They reprimanded us for being too loud or too messy - so we tidied and hushed as best we could.

This past Sunday was Mozaika's official launch service to kick-off the new school year. We have a new operating model, a new family-friendly service time, new multimedia and a shiny new ad in the paper. The sky was blue and the room was bustling with people....apparently to our detriment.

Monday afternoon, still rosy in Sunday's afterglow, brought a sharp change in pace for us. The student hotel called to inform us that we had left their facility a "huge mess" for the last time. Effective immediately we have nowhere to meet.

So today there were flowers given to those building managers to show how much we appreciated our time with them, and then there was searching. Evangelical churches are viewed as cult-esque and so renting a facility is just flat out difficult. It took over 20 applications last time to find this place.

As a team we feel we can either laugh or cry - we had a good laugh about it this afternoon.

Pray that we find a place and that the laughter continues.

IČKA

2008-08-24T00:48:00.006-07:00

After a few false starts to our trip and some last minute changes, we ended up making the 5 hour drive (rather than the 9 hour train ride) to Ženavlje, Slovenia. We were running late and had no idea what we were looking for as we followed directions from a text message. As we drove into town we rolled down our windows and listened for music...the unmistakable beat of a Hillsongs tune guided us to the camp.

Though we were told it was a youth camp, the age bracket was more young adults. As the week went on the group grew from 30 people to 70 (as the weekend allowed more people to come). People were incredibly welcoming and the level of spoken english allowed for good times and great conversation. Slovenia itself is beautiful and it is hard to imagine it was once part of Yugoslavia as signs of modernity and progress are everywhere (from architecture to the way people think).

We had the opportunity to do some speaking and some teaching, which we did together or Matthew did solo. We could understand bits of what was being said in Slovene as Slovak and Slovene are both Slavic languages (is that a tongue twister?). To listen to them though, Slovene and Serbian sound much more alike - Slovene has a touch of Italian cadence to it.

While speaking on the Friday night (full house) Matthew decided to do some mixing of English and Slovene in an attempt to wow the masses with his linguistical skills. In Slovak and Slovene, you can add the suffix "ička" (pronounced "ee-ch-ka") to make nouns small or cute. Matthew was talking about how rabbi's were the movie stars of early Jewish society and so everyone wanted to be just like them. They were the Brad Pitt's of their day (because what guy doesn't wish he had Brad's hair). So if you are just like Brad, a "mini me" of sorts, then you could be a Brad Pitt-ička. Well at this the whole room, including the interpreter, burst out laughing in a manner not proportionate to the joke. The interpreter refused to translate the statement and would not tell what it meant. So we pressed on....

After the service, with some coaxing, one camper finally broke down and told us what had been said. Let's just say that word is the name of a certain female body part...but even worse, it is not the anatomically proper name for that part, but the street slang.

Things you never thought you could say in church...

Time Warp - back to youth camp we go

2008-08-08T08:47:00.003-07:00

Keeping with our theme of different approaches to time, we are getting ready for a last minute trip to Slovenia (it's the red one on the map). Milan, a pastor in nearby Nové Zámky, was stuck for someone to travel with him to Slovenia where he is the main speaker at their youth camp. Our names got mentioned, we got a phone call, we agreed, it was confirmed and by Monday evening we'll be in Slovenia...not bad for a Friday afternoon.

Because of conflicting schedules we will not be able to chat with Milan until we are actually on the train - good thing it is a 9 hour ride.

The central theme for the week is discipleship. We will be doing some of the teaching and we want to bring high quality material despite the not-so abundant amount of prep time. We do not really know Milan, we speak zero Slovene and have never been to Slovenia before - but man are we excited!

1 Slovak, 2 Canadians, 6 days and 70 campers - look out youth camp, here we come!

Hang Pictures or Life Chunks

2008-08-04T02:53:00.004-07:00

Time is an interesting concept that is currently under scrutiny in the lives of the Price duo. One such reason for this review on all things chronological is that Slovaks and Canadians tackle time in two distinct manners. With the strengthening of the EU, Slovaks sense of time is beginning to match those of traditional Westernized nations; but it's not quite there yet. Spending time with family, friends or extended lunches often pushes back other regularly scheduled events. Though this may smack of Pleasantville-esque greatness, try inserting two type-A personalities into the mix who scheduled a meeting for 1pm sharp...

It is a blow to the tick-tock superiority of the clock, but we're working on it!

Time is a lens through which we filter nearly every element of life. For us it has been quite easy to compartmentalize life thus far: childhood - elementary school - high school - college - apprentices in Canada - apprentices in Slovakia. Even on a relational level we can fragment our time together: 3 years of dating in college - 1 year of engagement - 1 year of marriage completed. This divide-and-conquer approach to life could go on and on and on...school semesters - seasons - work contracts - years - months - weeks - days. And then we wonder why we can only look at things as pieces rather than as an element of a whole.

In talking with friends the other day we realized we have allowed our worldview to be centered around pieces of time - life chunks. We are in our 7th month here in Slovakia and there are times when our thoughts dwell on the reality that our apprenticeship will conclude in 17 months and then God only knows where we will be (literally). Of course, we often have these thoughts right after our language lesson! The potential for the temporary nature of our time here changes how we think (and maybe how people view us - why invest if it is not permanent?).

When you move into a new place, one of the last tasks is to hang pictures. Something about putting a hole in a wall makes every transition feel more lasting. So it is true - we may only be here in Slovakia for a maximum of 2 years, but we are where we are supposed to be. We must inhabit our time here, settle in, branch out, take possession, grow to feel at home and of course, hang pictures.

PS - for the record this is very metaphorical, our walls have been well decorated since week 1

Misery thy Name is Depreciation

2008-07-10T06:29:00.002-07:00

Does anybody else wish the the dollar would stabilize? When we first moved to Slovakia 5 months ago, the Canadian Dollar (CAD) was getting us a lot further with the Slovak Koruna / Crown (SKK). Where 1 CAD used to bring in 22 SKK, it now fetches only 18.5. We think there is a bit of a tag-team effect taking place. The CAD has developed a bit of a limp after a good run (racing neck and neck with our friends to the south for a bit). Meanwhile, the SKK, much like the 50-year-old who goes skydiving on their birthday to demonstrate their tenacity, has gotten it's last wind. Set to be replaced by the Euro in just 6 months time, the SKK is going strong; and by that we mean inflating so that people adapt to the cost of living once the Euro arrives. The problem is we are now putting out more CAD to meet our SKK needs.

We're asking God to give us wisdom and money management skills well beyond our age bracket and experience (especially as we've only been married a year). Finances are a stressor, but we have confidence in God because we know him. So join in on our prayers that God would make us domestic financiers extraordinare!

Life...Just Add Water

2008-07-03T07:51:00.003-07:00

Today I'm Wearing Red and White

2008-07-01T06:25:00.002-07:00

July 1st - happy Canada Day!

We have a feeling that we will not be seeing any fireworks tonight. Instead we are off to a nearby village to meet up with friends who are planting a church and be a part of their small group meeting.

A different kind of spectacular!

"You Call this a Cappuccino!"

2008-06-29T05:59:00.000-07:00

There is nothing like a roadtrip in Europe. Most foreigners navigate through the Scottish highlands or the Dalmatian Coast, but the Armitage-Price team blazes a trail out of Slovakia, through Hungary and straight on to Serbia! It was an odd experience leaving the EU and actually having to present our passports to cross a border. We want to thank you for your prayers, not only did the rental car make it in it's entirety, but Matthew developed a love for "driving a la Serb". There is general concern amongst his peers...

The conference went well and, as in so many cases, we feel as though we have walked away having learned more than we taught. It is amazing the collective learning that takes place when people come together to share ideas. Sheldon did a fantastic job of facilitating the conference and we feel we learned a great deal by observation. It was wonderful to see trainers from Canada, Wales and Bulgaria interacting with Serbian church leaders. The value of strong leaders is just so apparent when you fill a room with them.

A personal highlight for us came on the final night of the conference. We were asked to pray for anyone who felt a calling into mission. For Serb's this is quite something for God to ask them to do as visa requirements still greatly limit their mobility. We really appreciate the chance to pray for people and God confirmed thoughts and ideas in ways that only he can.

Overall, it was a great week of learning. We were even able to teach 3-year-old Mia Armitage a valuable life skill. While discussing what princesses say, she asked what a modern day princess might say to someone. After some thought we imparted this wisdom: snap your finger, wave your hand over your head and say "you call this a cappuccino!"

Ideme do Srbsko (we are going to Serbia)

2008-06-23T07:31:00.002-07:00

At the crack of ridiculous-o'clock tomorrow morning we will begin our drive down through Slovakia and Hungary to Serbia. We will be assisting Sheldon as he facilitates the third, and final, NLI Organix Conference (leadership development). So if you think of us over the next few days, you could mention these things to God:

-that the conference would be a success in every sense of the word (spiritually, educationally, financially and relationally)
-that we would make it there and back safely (we've rented a car to save money on flights, but we're not sure if we're savvy enough to share the road with Serbian drivers)
-also that the rental car would make it safely too...
-this request may be odd, but stick with us: that we could share a room while at the conference. The sleeping facility (dorm) is booked quite full and we may have to sleep in separate rooms with people we do not know. It's just always nice to be able to have a place to share our day and thoughts together...and wander around in our pajama's!

Lumen Festival

2008-06-13T05:56:00.003-07:00

Lumen is an outdoor event hosted by the Catholic Church of Slovakia. Last week we made our way into Trnava to catch the concerts. We saw a number of bands from Slovakia and the UK. In truth, we were really there to see the band Delirious. One line from a song grabbed us: "every soul needs a savior". Admittedly, a basic truth. There we stood in the town square, which had been converted into an outdoor concert hall, surrounded by hundreds of people (side note: most of whom were sweaty / wet from rain and were rubbing against us....).

And then the moment took on a meaning of it's own. 11:00pm - sound system booming - Delirious singing - hundreds of people filling the center of town - all declaring our need for a savior. Interesting how the most simple truths are the most powerful

OM Comes to Town

2008-06-06T04:37:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, Operation Mobilization (OM) brought their mobile bookstore to Nitra (pictured here parked outside of TESCO alongside a busy pedestrian walkway). Mozaika hosted OM's day in the city. Alongside other members of our church we handed out flyers, welcomed people on to the bus and got to meet the OM crew. The bus provided people with access to Christian materials that they may have otherwise been unable to obtain. We believe that books have the power to shape thinking and we trust that the books that went out yesterday will be part of a larger change process.

A big thanks to OM and the team who spent the day in Nitra!

Did you Know the Slovak Word for “drain” and “oven” are the Same?

2008-05-17T10:38:00.001-07:00

To add to the ongoing saga of Price-neighbor relations, we humbly submit this episode:

Three days ago Amber decided to try to unclog our abnormally slow drain. She fiddled with the drain and loosened it. Little did we know that our plumbing was in poor condition and the drain doubles as an anchor for the entire pipe. We tightened everything again and thought nothing of it - until the next morning. Matthew showered and then Amber showered and then there was a knock on the door. Still sporting a towel Amber made a dash for the bedroom while Matthew opened the door to reveal a never before seen neighbor (wearing a house robe, slippers, bed head and a scowl). He spoke quickly, then realized that Matthew speaks English, rolled his eyes, and spoke slower: "water is pouring into my apartment".

Minutes later our building manager, who insists we are German and speaks to us accordingly, was rummaging around in our pipes. He turned our water off and told us that a repair man would be here by 1pm. Edmund, our repair man, arrived at 1:30pm sharp!

A few moments after that came another knock on the door. Matthew opened it and found a lady who looked familiar. It took a moment, but then he realized - she was the lady who screamed at us over the Great BBQ Fiasco of 2008! She then greeted Matthew with "hi" - a distinctly English greeting. She then began to explain, in nearly fluent English, that we were leaking water. This whole time she spoke English!

The next morning, at 7:15am Edmund arrived at our door ready to work. He chiseled away the tiles encasing our bathtub and exposed a very broken pipe dangling from the wall above our very own indoor mini lake. The next 3 hours involved Edmund muttering continuously from under the tub, 2 trips to the store for parts, 6 comments on how many stairs he has to climb to get to our flat, 11 words that needed to be looked up in the Slovak-English dictionary, 3 requests for assistance (which landed Matthew in the tub pulling pieces of pipe through the hole where the drain used to be) and 1 repaired drain pipe. Apparently he will be back this week to do something else – we did not understand what…

In an attempt to squelch the building gossip about the ridiculous foreigners on the top floor, we bought boxes of chocolates for the three apartments for whom we had provided new shower facilities and for the building manager. Each gift was accompanied by a card saying sorry and that everything is fixed (our language tutor helped us as to ensure we did not say something that would offend anyone beyond the initial property damage). On Saturday we spent the day assisting at Catalyst (local leadership development program) and returned home to distribute our appeasements. Here is the score:

-2 different families pretended not to be home (though we could hear them inside, saw their cars on the street and noticed the shadow as they looked through the peep hole)

Strikes 1 and 2. So, we left the gift on their doorstep.

-1 family may have been home, but we are not sure – either way no one answered the door

Strike 3. Not out yet.

-1 family was legitimately not home, and after leaving their gift by their door, we passed them in the hall. They accepted our apology and thanked us for the chocolates.

It felt like a tie game.

When we got home last night there was a note on our door that simply said “thank you” with a smiley face. We do not know the name signed to it, but it felt like a home run.

Teams x 3

2008-05-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

These past few weeks have been focused on short term teams. Along with the Armitage’s and Christina, we worked with three teams: one was from the Alberta District’s women’s ministry, one was from St.Catherines Ontario and the other was a prayer team sent by NLI with representatives from the UK and the USA.

For us this was an introduction to the hosting aspect of short term trips. We learned a lot! It was exciting to meet new people, share stories and have others grasp Canadian humour. Even more interesting was to hear people’s observations of Slovakia. Different people provide such varying perspectives and t is surprising what has become normal to us (apparently our J-Walking skills have hit an entirely new level).

The added people-power of the teams helped us take positive actions. The teams were involved in a variety of valuable activities: multiple speaking engagements, hosting a regional women’s event, being a part of our university outreach discussion club, volunteering in a mother’s centre, helping us build influence with a local university by volunteering at the dorms, construction (or more like destruction) on a building being used by a church plant, strengthening our ties to other churches by helping with some spring cleaning and of course, lots of prayer!

One of the more valuable contributions from these teams were the relationships they helped us build. While walking around the city praying with a team, a young couple stopped us. Intrigued by this large group of English speakers, we began to talk. It turns out they live very close to us, were married the month after us, have just moved to Nitra from eastern Slovakia and would like to have a newlywed couple as friends. Just like that we had a new connection into our community. Also, through our work at the university, the team was able to introduce us to one student. This one student works for a university student exchange program and through him we have been able to connect with young adults from around Europe who are living here in Nitra. We are so grateful for the teams willingness to connect with new people.

The NLI prayer team took time to visit several cities around Slovakia. They would meet with workers in that city and then pray together. We were so pleased that people understand the value and power of prayer. We are big believers that lasting change must start with prayer. This has us excited for the things that have already begun.