Bearing Witness to the Son's Existence, and Wandering if the sun still exists...

We have this vague memory of a bright light in the sky that I think we called the sun, however, it has been so long since we've seen such a light that we're beginning to question whether it really ever existed to begin with. It has been a VERY long, cold and cloudy winter here in central Europe, as most European winters are, but we do hold out hope that Spring will not forget us and will arrive with lots of sunshine, warmer temps and fun family days outside.

On the other hand, during this long, tough winter of bad weather and heavy hearts as we have walked through the adjustments that come with moving and serving overseas, the one true Son's light has shown bright and carried us through many difficult days...leaving us absolutely no doubt that He does exist and is alive and well!

I cannot even begin to share all of the emotions, exhaustion, and adjustments that come with moving your family to the mission field. They are far too numerous to keep track of, and I'm not even sure that I can express all of it in words...it's just one of those experiences you have to walk through to fully understand. However, with all of that said, it is days like today that I reflect back on all that we've experienced in the last 5 1/2 months and am filled with awe and joy over how God has carried us through and who he is turning us into through it all. Our world view, perspective on ministry and priorities have all been challenged and we see them all changing to become more like Christ's. We are still so far from being the vessel's that God desires us to be, but what a gift and blessing it is to be here, seeing God in a whole new light and seeing him mold and shape our family into who He desires us to be....in all areas...to be used fully by Him and Him alone.

We just returned from a spring break get-away trip to Germany. It was a much needed break from city life! We found a quiet little cabin in a wooded area outside of a small town and simply rested. The kids had full run of the great outdoors and played their hearts out! The fresh air and wide open spaces were truly a lift to all of our spirits!

Daily life is so busy right now, and getting to sleep in on Saturday mornings has become ALMOST as good as chocolate! We continue to receive language tutoring 4 mornings a week. This month we also added homeschooling Hunter to our schedule. He was having such a difficult time in the Czech school with learning language, being accepted by the other children, and receiving the help he needed from his teacher. We began to see his attitude and spirits decline, while his frustration increased. We prayed and prayed for what the right decision was, and in the end felt God asking us to bring him home and school him here, as well as take this one on one time to help him walk through all of the adjustments that this move has brought with it. He is doing very well now and we're quickly getting him caught up in school as well. He continues to love fencing and will begin soccer club again soon. Allie remains in the Czech school and is continuing to do well there...oh, the benefits of being only 7! : ) She continues to enjoy swimming and has begun taking ceramics, which is a very popular craft here, one afternoon a week at school.

God has continued to amaze us with ministry opportunities, and as usual we're shocked and in awe of how He's chosen to move through us. We have many praises to update you on! Nika and Jarka, from the travel agency, have met with me for coffee to begin working on their English skills. We had so much fun talking and getting to know each other on our first get-together. I've since continued to speak via e-mail and have popped my head in their office a couple of times. We have decided to choose a regular time every week or two to meet. I am so excited to see where God leads our conversations and to see how He'll soften and open their hearts to His truths. Please continue to pray for these beautiful ladies. Nika is younger and single. She's more outgoing than Jarka and not reserved and quiet as is custom with most Czechs...I'm sure we made more than a few heads turn as we laughed and cut-up over coffee. Jarka is more reserved and quiet, however, is so open to meeting with me...and putting up with Nika and I. She is married and has 3 sons...ages 18-23. She is sending her children off into the world on their own soon and I can't help but think that God brought us together for a bigger reason...to soften her heart to Him so that she can then be a witness to her sons before they are cut loose to struggle through life on their own. Please pray for miracles and for God to move swiftly and boldly in their lives. Please pray that I act in a loving and bold way, and don't miss out on what God intends for me to say to both Nika and Jarka.

On Monday morning I met with Milada for breakfast. It was our first time to visit alone, without our families close by. Breakfast was Milada's idea and prompting, and it went very well. Please pray that God use these quick gatherings to develop a very special bond between us and pray that our conversations go exactly the way God desires them to go. I'm going to suggest we meet monthly, please pray for our schedules to open up and allow time for this to happen.

About a month ago, just after our last post, Clem met Alex in the elevator of our tutor's building. Alex is from Ukraine and his wife, Sasha is Russian. They struck up a conversation and parted ways after exchanging e-mails. We quickly invited them over for dinner and they accepted. It was one of the most fun visits we've had since we arrived. What a special couple they are! They're a few years younger than us and have no children yet. And Alex is quite the talker, so between he and Clem and I there was no down time! : ) Alex enjoys photography, as does Clem, so he's shared several of his online photo albums with us of his travels around Europe and the middle east. They had expressed interest in getting together again, having us over for dinner and maybe even traveling around the country some and seeing the sites together during their visit to our house. Just yesterday Alex contacted us and invited us to join he and Sasha this Saturday to see a Bohemian castle. We were very excited about their invitation and hope we can work out the details and join them. Please keep this special couple in your prayers as well. We're very excited to see a growing friendship with them.

Clem continues to go out weekly evangelizing to whoever God puts in front of them. He and his friend/colleague continue to see people willing to converse with them and even read the Bible or talk about God and what He means to them. Please pray that God continues to use them during these outings and reveal Himself to the people on the streets of Prague. It is these outings that have led to many contacts and follow up opportunities for us...including Nikka, Jarka and Alex and Sahsa.

Early last month a group of ladies from Michigan who do volunteer missions work near Prague each summer came for a visit. What a special group of ladies! They have come each summer and led English camps. Their intention for this visit was to meet each of us who are new in Prague and to introduce us to several of the Czech women that attend their camps and have kept in contact with them over the last several years. Many of these women have heard the Gospel from these volunteers and are finally showing some interest in hearing more and are asking questions as they arise. A colleague and I began meeting with some of these ladies last week to help them with their English. I walked in for our first meeting and was again in awe of how God continues to move, whether I'm looking for it or not. He placed such a special group of ladies in front of me. We were only expecting 1 or 2 to show up and there were 4. One brought her teenage daughter and the other brought a friend. There are two others that have expressed interest in attending. We will be meeting each Wednesday evening at 5:00. Please remember to pray for these ladies and our time together as you begin your day each Wednesday. These ladies know why we're here and they are not opposed to hearing more about God and the freedom that only He can offer. Please pray that God move through us and touch their hearts in miraculous ways!

Well, this is the week that Clem will begin in the office...part time anyway. He's been very fortunate to be allowed this much time thus far to focus on language. Please keep him and his responsibilities in the office in your prayers. He is filling a new role and there is much to be determined about what exactly his responsibilities will be. Please pray for knowledge, understanding and ability as his new role is better defined.

Last but not least, I'll give an update on our cat, Nermal...normally I wouldn't even bring her up, but this picture cracks me up and I need an excuse to share it! ...obviously she's settled in just fine, has gained ALL of her weight back after boycotting Czech cat food and refusing to eat until I tracked down some Friskies, and has settled back into her role of quietly looking on our nutty clan from a distance!

How Can You Pray?

* Please remember all of the requests for the contacts and ministry opportunities that were mentioned above. These people are becoming very precious and dear to us. Our hope an dream is to see them come to a saving knowledge of our Lord and King.

* Continue to pray for our family, and especially Hunter and Allie as we continue to walk through the adjustments that we're still having to make as a result of this huge change in our lives. Also, summer is approaching and it will be the first summer that we will not have a back yard for the kids to play in, an area out front for them to ride their bikes in, no neighborhood kids to play with and no nearby pools to swim in. Granted, we can still ride bikes in the park a few blocks down the road and there is a public swimming pool across town, but things will definitely feel different to us. It will be another "new" to us that we have to adjust to.

* Please pray for continuing ministry opportunities to open up for us.

* Please pray for time management for Clem and I as we attempt to navigate through our very busy schedule.

* Please, please, please pray for a miracle in our language learning. We are making some progress, but it is so slow. Pray for the kids language learning as well. They're finding the Czech language to be more difficult than any of us thought it would be for them. And now that Hunter is being home schooled it's that much more difficult for him to learn.

* Please continue to pray for the lost people of the Czech Republic. It is because of them and Christ's love for them that we are here.

Habakkuk 1:5 - "Look at the nations and watch - and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

We thank you all for your prayers, notes of encouragement and love!

Love,

Clem, Carrie, Hunter and Allie