June 16th, 2010 by Zac

English, fun and truth. They make a great mix! That’s why the camping ministry in Josiah Venture bears more fruit than any other effort. In Slovakia, we’ll spend a week with 400 to 500 high school students over the course of the month of July. 6 American church teams will join teams from 9 Slovak churches to carry out 8 camps around Slovakia.

This years theme is “Redeem” and will focus on our need to be “bought back” from our slavery to sin and death. Our whole family will be attending the camp organized by a local church in Bratislava (our capital city).

Will you please pray with me that God will open the eyes of hundreds to their need for a redeemer.

June 16th, 2010 by Zac

Emili has taken piano for several years from the same teacher. This spring we went through a crisis that challenged us all. Emili’s teacher grew more and more frustrated with her because of her lack of practice and progress. Her teacher would get so angry at times that she would scream at and harshly demean her.

But Emili is a trooper and she didn’t let it discourage her. She began to push herself to practice more regularly and in a more focused way. She knew that what the teacher was concerned about wasn’t all just hot air. And by the time it was recital day, she was fully ready.

She sat on the stage with nerves of steal and played her 3 pieces without a mistake. And, she looked like a princess as well. We are proud of her strong and determined spirit and we look forward to years of pleasure as she serves God with her piano skills.

June 16th, 2010 by Zac

I could tell by the way the students stared at their diplomas that they were impressed with the way it looked and that they were proud of what they had accomplished. Likewise, I could tell by the way the students said goodbye, that what we had accomplished together this year had left a deep impression on their hearts.

On Sunday, the last day of May, 20 students traveled back to their homes from graduation, probably better equipped than 90% of Slovak church members. Pray with us that God will mobilize them in the years ahead to pour themselves out into the lives of those around them.

Our school for youth leaders is an investment. It is a serious investment of time, money, influence, experience, wisdom and knowledge. And it’s all for the strengthening of the church in Slovakia.

June 16th, 2010 by Zac

There is a certain part of me that wakes up when someone is crying. It awakens a desire to help, to rescue, to comfort. And when there is something that keeps me from responding, I feel really helpless and trapped. I guess that is partly the man in me and partly the parent instinct inside.

Now that it’s warmer outside, we have the windows at our office open all day. Just behind our building is the city hospital. Often we can hear the children in the hospital crying and screaming. It’s not a good feeling to hear this and not be able to help or calm or comfort or care.

But I have been taking it as a reminder that there are thousands outside, beyond our office walls that are crying out for help. Crying out because they don’t know the meaning of life, because a sinful world has cruelly punished them, because they are alone, because they don’t have hope.

God help me to find those who are crying out and need you and the joy that you offer.

June 14th, 2010 by Zac

Annual reports are typically very boring, with lots of  numbers and percentages. But I have to say that our Training Center Kompas annual report is not so bad. It has lots of pictures, stories and a thumbnail view of our whole work in Slovakia. It’s online, easy to read through (in English or Slovak) and of course, it has all the numbers if you’re the numbers type.

I hope you’ll take 10 minutes to browse through it. Just click here

When you get on the report page, just click the arrow on the right to advance to subsequent pages.