The missionaries in our town, about 50 km (35 miles) from Prague, the Bowdens returned after 9 years of service (in Prague and our town) and one year of furlough.
The Bowdens adopted home state is Michigan and they are supported by TEAM mission and the church there as well as churches in the Illinois and Indiana areas.
Please pray for them as their two daughters readjust to life here (which they have known most, if not all their life minus one year).
Also pray for our church as Satan would love to see the work God began here fail.
Czech is 90 percent atheistic. I was told it is the 2nd most atheistic country in the world.
The missionaries also told me that Czech is the 2nd hardest European langauge to learn for native English speakers as it has 7 grammatical cases which can change the ending of each word in a sentence (or almost all of them).
Some people think Czech is in Russia or Eastern Europe, but neither is true.
What is true is that Prague is actually further west than Vienna, Austria which is considered western Europe. Czech Republic was under Soviet Communism as they took over Poland, Czechoslovakia (at the time) and Eastern Germany from 1968-1989.
Once freed by the Velvet Revolution (no shots fired, just Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!"), Czechoslovakia split due to financial reasons (and some language differences). Since 1993, the Czech Republic has had only 2 presidents as they have 5 year terms and 2-term limits.
The first Czech President, Vaclav Havel, was persecuted and jailed under communism and was also President of Czechoslovakia before the split.
The current President, Vaclav Klaus has been in politics many years. He has his good and bad points (like all leaders). He isn't humble, as he became the only Czech (or Czechoslovakian) president to write a book about all his first year accomplishments! Kind of arrogant since President is more or less a figurehead here and the Prime Minister is more important (like Tony Blair).
Enough politics. The reason I'm asking for prayer is the church I am in is building a new building. Many obstacles have arisen, not the least of which is the sinking dollar, so that donations from American churches don't stretch as far.
But I believe God is doing a good work here and am seeking by His grace to be a help to the missionaries, the Bowdens, the elders and all at the church who want to see God's kingdom advance here!
Thanks for praying,
Labrador
The Bowdens adopted home state is Michigan and they are supported by TEAM mission and the church there as well as churches in the Illinois and Indiana areas.
Please pray for them as their two daughters readjust to life here (which they have known most, if not all their life minus one year).
Also pray for our church as Satan would love to see the work God began here fail.
Czech is 90 percent atheistic. I was told it is the 2nd most atheistic country in the world.
The missionaries also told me that Czech is the 2nd hardest European langauge to learn for native English speakers as it has 7 grammatical cases which can change the ending of each word in a sentence (or almost all of them).
Some people think Czech is in Russia or Eastern Europe, but neither is true.
What is true is that Prague is actually further west than Vienna, Austria which is considered western Europe. Czech Republic was under Soviet Communism as they took over Poland, Czechoslovakia (at the time) and Eastern Germany from 1968-1989.
Once freed by the Velvet Revolution (no shots fired, just Reagan's "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down that wall!"), Czechoslovakia split due to financial reasons (and some language differences). Since 1993, the Czech Republic has had only 2 presidents as they have 5 year terms and 2-term limits.
The first Czech President, Vaclav Havel, was persecuted and jailed under communism and was also President of Czechoslovakia before the split.
The current President, Vaclav Klaus has been in politics many years. He has his good and bad points (like all leaders). He isn't humble, as he became the only Czech (or Czechoslovakian) president to write a book about all his first year accomplishments! Kind of arrogant since President is more or less a figurehead here and the Prime Minister is more important (like Tony Blair).
Enough politics. The reason I'm asking for prayer is the church I am in is building a new building. Many obstacles have arisen, not the least of which is the sinking dollar, so that donations from American churches don't stretch as far.
But I believe God is doing a good work here and am seeking by His grace to be a help to the missionaries, the Bowdens, the elders and all at the church who want to see God's kingdom advance here!
Thanks for praying,
Labrador
