Canadian Christmas

So, I managed quite successfully to cram 20 people in my living room, on the floor for Chrismtas dinner. I used new recipes this year, so things turned out a little differently than expected, namely the stuffing and the pumpkin pie. The stuffing was a product of sheer imagination because I couldn't find celery to save my life (I went to ALL of the stores in town... no luck) so I used fennel instead. Also, instead of paprika, i used chili powder! Inventive? Perhaps. Tasty? You bet! I also stole a family turkey secret from the fabulous people I stayed with in Kamloops, you know who you are! The turkey was awesome! :) The pumpkin pie was not quite the same, it was missing something,.. i need to find last year's recipe!

So, all in all, it was fantastic time with friends who i now call part of my family. We talked a lot and played games, people reconnected with each other, and they also got to make some new friends! Thanks for your prayers!

Tis the Season

Yesterday was a chaos type filled day. Filled with preparations for the Youth Christmas Party, our first follow up event since the Danes left. We had contact information for about 15 people who wanted to keep in touch with what was going on. So we were hoping that they would come to this Christmas party. On Mon I made a trip to Bratislava to go to Ikea and stock up! We're still saving up money to buy couches, so in the meantime, I bought pillows. In lieu of lamps, candles. I brought my Christmas tree, both of my area rugs, 2 poinsettas and cookies from home. Me, Dominik and Evka were trying to make the room look as comfy and cozy as possible. We ordered pizza and waited. No one came. So, we took the opportunity to pray for the youth community and for the growth of this ministry.





But it was not for naught! Miro came, so we took it as an opportunity to celebrate the birth of his son, Natan! Natan was born yesterday at lunch time, he weighs 8.5 pounds and looks really cute. Mom is doing well, still in the hospital, taking advantage of the mandatory few days stay after birth.


Speaking of babies, our church planter in Zlate Moravce and his wife also just had a baby, his dedication was this past Sunday. Christian Alexander is this young man's name. In the picture Michal is praying for his son, together with his wife, Lubi.













Tomorrow is another big event, in my house anyway! It will be my Canadian Christmas dinner, where I invite EVERYONE and make turkey dinner with all the fixin's! Tomorrow I have 20 confirmed guests, and another 8 which haven't told me either way yet. It will be fun! I don't have a table that big, nor do they sell TV trays here... so, we're going to have it... on the floor!! Suprise suprise! I bought some nice table cloths, so it will be a sit around the table feel, only it will be a around-the-tablecloth-as-we-sit-on-the-floor feel! I'm looking forward to it. I picked up the turkey today, they killed it just for me! Fortunately it has all been cleaned and plucked, although they could have left that for me to do! It's a 17 pound bird, should be enough, eh? Please pray for this as well, as my colleagues from the language school are coming, and of course I will have something to say! :)

Up till now...

I realise it has been ages since my last post... oops! Lots of stuff going on...



Right after I got back from Canada I got sick... not fun at all! I think it was because of my full schedule in Canada and the adrenaline that got me through it. When the adrenaline wasn't there anymore... crash! It took me a few days to re-coop but, all is well now! During that time I had a visit from David Boyd and all the District Superintendents. They came, checked it out, met a lot of people, ate bryndzova halusky and left!








Then I went to Turkey for just over a week. Checked out Istanbul for a couple days with Jennifer Lee (missionary extraordinare in Romania) and then we went to Beldibi together where we met up with the rest of the Eurasia team for a good time of bonding, discussion and prayer. Oh, and did I mention that that bonding takes place in the magical land of the Hammam! I walked away from Turkey feeling healthier, stronger and challenged.












Back in Slovakia, I took a day or so to spend in prayer and reflection... time of transition! How do I get to where I want to be from where I am... What activities should I be involved in and what things should I let others do... All that said, I no longer lead my small group, Evka, the girl who took it over for me while I was away did such a great job that we decided to let her stay the leader! In the new year we will start up a new group, which I will lead until I can be again replaced. I like that model!


I am also now volunteering in Kontakt Cafe in Levice, a town about 45 min away from here. It is a cafe that has a very similiar vision and aim and so I offered myself there to help and to learn. I go there about two or three times a week, and it is proving to be a very good learning experience. Not to mention that the staff there is GREAT!!










Last week we had a team from Denmark come to Nitra, and that was Fabulous! They did presentations in school about not being too negative or superficial, but to be positive and face our problems. They also invited the kids to the Thurs night program at the church. They presented to 500 kids, and about 800 additional invites were given in the square, and 10% of them came to the Thurs night, which was more evangelistic. 15 hands responded to the closing invitation!! Now, I know that that is not the most important thing, but it shows that the youth here are hungry!! We will be doing a once a month youth program to follow up with these youth, and get the ones who responded into more of a discipleship program.


Good stuff is happening in Nitra!!! Thanks for your prayers!!

Also, the Mini-Cafe/Youth Hang Out room is going to be furnished and set up within the next couple weeks. Funds are really short on this right now... Please, can you help?

Halusky

Halusky, the beautiful noodle which I was pleased to partake of last night as I sat in my kitchen in Slovakia! I arrived yesterday afternoon (Slovak time, too early Canada time) and everything went off without a hitch. I nearly missed one of my connections, but thankfully, due to my speed, agility, and the man with the little car that met me halfway, I made it to my gate on time!

I packed 10 sirloin steaks with me, and they made it through customs, they were still even a little frozen when I got here! So, BBQ is going down on Thurs night! Woo hoo!

Thanks to those of you who were praying for me. Hope those prayers don't stop now that I am over here!

Pre vas ktorych vedia...

Ahojte!

Dufam ze budete rozumiet co napisem po slovensky... :) Moj cas v Kanade je skoro hotovy. Uz sa velmi tesim ked budem doma spolu s vami. Tento cas bolo dobre, a som rada ze som prisla, ale tiez... velmi mi chybate! Mam len 8 dni a budemem zase spolu. A nikdy neodidem! Nie,...strandujem... :) Dufam ze mate dobre... Mam vas velmi rada! A pre vas, kanadanov ktorych aj vedia po slovensky.... HA HA! Ja mozem ist k vam domov, ale tam nebudete! :P

15 Canadian days down... 24 to go

So, I am halfway through my time in Canada. On one hand it feels like I just got here, on the other hand, it feels like it's been forever! With the amount of activities I have been squishing into my timetable, my body is going "AHH!" It's been busy, but really good. I have been able to share in my church, as well as in a new church. I've met up with supporters, non-supporters and potential future supporters! I have three new churches who are considering to support me, and a few individuals who have decided to support me as well. It's so amazing the doors that are being opened to new opportunities. I was a little worried I wouldn't make any new connections, but that hasn't been the case.

Just so that you guys know where I'm going to be in the next few weeks, allow me to share with you.
Sept 28- Drayton Valley, then back to Edmonton the next day
Oct 3-9 - Vancouver and Kamloops then to Edmonton
Oct 14 - Wetaskawin, then back to Edmonton the same day
Oct 16-19 - Calgary
Oct19-20- Red Deer at the Freshwind Women's Conference (COME COME!!)
Oct 21 @ 1:05pm flying back to the land of Korbacik and Bryndzove Halusky! Slovakia!

Good times in the GTA

After a few days of hanging out at Head Office, hanging out with Julie and seeing the sights, I think I have a master of Toronto-ese. I'll have to demonstrate my skills in person... I was also a little surprised at what people out here have to say about us out west... Do you believe that they think that this rivalry attitude between us and them is from JEALOUSY! They think that we're jealous of them and that's why we dislike them! I could not believe my ears! Such blasphemy! :)

So, needless to say, I have been having fun. But, I have also been able to do some neat things while I've been here. Apart from meeting the people that I email all the time, I have also had a few meetings where I hope a relationship will develop. I also shared this morning at Head Office's chapel.

But, alas, I must say goodbye to the beauty that Mississauga has to offer, and get on a plane this afternoon heading out west to my prairie home! :) See you in a bit Alberta!

Canada Again

After 12 hours of traveling by planes, train and automobiles I have safely arrived in Ontario! I will be here in the GTA until Tuesday and am having good fun here already! I am staying with Julie Bilodeau from the International Missions Office, and she introduced me to 3 Slovaks! It was wild! Here I am, Day 1 in Canada and I am having dinner and speaking Slovak. Slovaks are everywhere!

So far re-entry is going OK, dealing with jet lag which is fun. I just finished sharing with the District Women's leadership committee. I shared some chocolate and in return they let me share my heart and our vision.

It's funny, I'm hanging out at National Office, and I was expecting to sit in the foyer, and bum off their wireless. But I came in with Julie and they gave me an office. And not just an office, I have a sign on the door! Julie taped up the sign that she was going to hold up at the airport for me. One of the ladies laughed at that. "I've been working here for 10 years and I don't have that yet!"

I'm sharing at Darryl Watkin's youth group tonight in Milton Ontario. Haven't seen him since yr 2 at Bible College. Chalk it up to Facebook!

Insert witty title here

So Friday marked a very historical occasion in the life of our Nitra Church plant. It marked the arrival of our FIRST EVER missions team,and not only were they foreign, but I am pleased to say that they were CANADIAN! I am very proud of that! For the next few days, we have a team of 7 young adults from Vancouver. And they so far have been really good! We are going to be starting work on Mon with them, we're going to the university and they're going to scrape out and beautify a shower room in the university dorms, as well as spice up an office room which was, at the last minute, turned into a bedroom for 6+ students. They will also be handing out flyers for the English Open House that they will be doing on Tues/Thurs in the school I taught at. They have already spent some time in prayer around the city, and have blessed us also on Sunday in church. So, so far, it has been a really good experience for us of having them here. What they have to say about this process might be a little different! But let's hope they come out with a smile on their faces! Although, after 5 days of slave labour, we shall see! :)

Also, even though it's not official yet, I have been telling people anyway that... WE HAVE A BUILDING!!! We found a space to rent every Sun evening so that we can start having public services! Our first Sun in there will be on Sept 30, but the official kick off will be mid Oct. We wanted to have a pre-open, so that we could work out the bugs! Which of course, will be none!

Can't believe I'm leaving on Thurs...

Yet Another Wedding!

This time it was the Komarno church planter's turn to get married! Slavo and Edita tied the knot on Sat.

Aren't they pretty? :)

Oh be careful little mouth,.....

Events of late have caused me to reconsider how much I learnt at Bible College, and I have begun to think if I shouldn't go back. I was at my friend's house, we were four girls there. We were just hanging out and laughing and such, and we decided that it would be nice to pray for each other before going home. So, we start to pray. I am the second to pray, and I'm just pouring out my heart in prayer for Edita, when she bursts into laughter. "I'm sorry I couldn't hold it any longer!" Cold realization sets in for me, as I am now sure that I have said something wrong. Christina, instead of saying, "Lord thank you that you will never leave her...", said, "Lord, thank you that you will never FORGIVE her.." The difference between these two words... one letter. One letter, world of difference! Time to go back to Bible School!

This brings to my mind another experience that I actually wasn't witness to, but heard all about it! After Campfest, we all drove back very late at night. I didn't get back till 4am, and Mark arrived at 7am. They took a wrong turn and ended up on the wrong side of the country! So, on their adventures in the car of trying to stay awake, Mark told me of this story. He was sitting in front with Boris, a couple of the youth were in the back. THey were having a really good worship time, English and Slovak both mixing and interchanging... beautiful. Mark cries out, "Pane, nikto neni ako ty!" (Lord there is none like you) to which Boris replies with all his heart, "Yes! No one likes you Lord!" This is the point in the story where Mark bursts into laughter. So hard that he cannot even drive! He pulled over into a gas station, where everyone literally falls out of the car onto the ground laughing.

Good times.

Painting, Sailing and and Flying

I've decided to continue the home renovations that I started at Easter. Since I left 3 rooms unpainted, I thought that now was the time to change that! So, today i put the first coat of two colours in the girl's room, and I'm not so sure about it... It's just yellow and a light brown, but I don't know. I think it makes the room look smaller... Anyway, can't change it now!

After having a shower, as there was almost as much paint on me as there was on the wall, I realised that I hadn't brought my movies back to the rental place yet. I still had an hour left before they closed, so I quickly changed, and umbrella in hand to tackle the rain I headed outside. Now, it had only been raining for about 10 minutes, but the rain was already collecting quite nicely. The water on the road was level with the sidewalk and the sidewalk had a good 3 inches on it. After getting thoroughly splashed by someone obviously driving too fast, I had to cross the street. My pants up to my knees were already pretty much soaked,so i didn't think there was much point to rolling up my pants. I took two steps off the curb and lost my flip flop! I thought about putting it back on, but instead i grabbed it, kicked off the second one and crossed over bare footed! (the horror!) I thought I would take this opportunity to move my car closer to my house before it floated away, so I dove into my car, dropped off my movies and hydroplaned my way back home. Sailing down the river of my street in the boat that is my car!

Also by way of news, I have a flight ticket back to Canada! I will arrive in Toronto on Sept 13th at 12:20pm and I will be there until Sept 18th, and I will arrive in Edmonton at 6:30pm. So you'd all better be there to meet me! Just kidding, you don't have to. :) I will be in Alberta until Oct 21, so if you want to see me, email me, phone me and make sure you get your chance! I'm very popular! No, I'm not, but I do want to make my time as full as I can, and while the day timer is mostly empty at this time, I can't promise that it will stay that way! I want to have a BBQ at some point because I miss beef! Let me know what date would be good for you, and if you'd like to be the one to host it! :)

Another Trip to Romania

Yes, I have just come back from two weeks in Romania. And although I was in Romania, I was in a Slovak town with Slovak people and I spoke in Slovak the entire time I was there. It was weird. But good! There is a girl here, Damaris, who studies here at the university (who's moving in in the Fall) and she is from Romania.






She invited me to come and meet her family and to go to a camp (Christ 4 Romania) with her and her friends from church. So I did! We spent a week at her house where I got to meet her 5 neices all under 8 yrs. To hang out in the park, climb up the steeple of the church, go to her church, meet her family and get to know her world. Week 2 we crammed 12 people into a 9 seater van, and all our stuff and went to the mountains for camp. It was nice, living in a tent, bathing in the river,










experiencing some reflexogy treatments or so we thought as the road to the Big tent was covered in these big rocks which just killed your feet.







It was really cool to be amoungst 4000 youth and just praise God together.


Yes, I did learn some Romanian while I was there. Really important stuff like Aici la mine (come here to me), Si eu asa (me too like that), La sa (whatever), Eu sunt din Canada (I'm from Canada), Merge cu noi? (are you coming with us?) Look! I'm fluent!! Ha ha! Like I said, I was with Slovaks...


It was a good time, I'm glad for it. I got to meet new people, make new friends, become better friends with Damaris, encourage a few of those I got to meet, to be encouraged as well.

Another long awaited update....

I am realising that my Blogging fervour has faded, but I have been convicted and am henceforth blogging again! Since we last talked, I had a good friend of mine from Vancouver come to visit. It was SO good to see her again, and to spend some time together. Korinn stayed for a week and a bit, and it was wonderful. She moved into the girls room, as they are gone for the summer, and it was just as if she had moved in. It was great! We had some really good talks, and some not so good, but needed talks about some of the challenges in which we both live.


We also decided to take a trip to Prague, as she had never been there before, and I just like it! We stayed at the Hotel that I went to before when I went to translate for that couple in Hungary. It was fun to see them again, they are so sweet!

We had some nice adventures there: going for supper in Poland just cuz,













laughing it up with the Czech border guards,

searching for the perfect picture of Charles Bridge,












touring the city with funny Czech guides, "Go Radek!"

getting lost and found again, "I think that was our exit...",



laughing at the people clapping at the astronomical clock,














the Pozor signs,












waiting outside the hotel while ringing the buzzer and waiting for the night guy to wake up to let us in at one in the morning,


taking pictures through the cracks in the walls,












spitting on people from the tower








...just kidding


spilling juice in the Afghani resturaunt,

the hunt for good tiramisiu - followed by great disapointment. I was also on the lookout for good Medovnik (honey cake), and it was dry as a bone. I have thus come to the conclusion that Czechs don't do dessert like Slovakia, or other countries around here for that matter. Oh, and a little violence, I took a whack at Korinn's head with my sun roof handle... it just flew right off!

Huh??

What's this????? Is it another revolution??? Is it a movie star?????? No... it is Robo Kazik and Mrs Clementova!! They are performing (separately of course) at Nitra Days! A celebration of Cyril and Methodius.




It's amusing to me, they are celebrating something so remarkable in the funniest way... You see, Cyril and Methodius were two of the first missionaries to ever be sent out from Rome, and where did they go? Why, they came here! Not just to Slovakia, but to Nitra in the late 800's! These two men introduced the Glagolitic alphabet, which was the base for most Slavic languages still in use today (with adaptations...)



They translated the Bible, as well as other Christian texts. They had thier own Bible School and after their deaths, their pupils carried the Gospel into the corners of Great Moravia. Because they were based in Nitra, the people here are very proud of their heritage. So proud, they are completely closed off...

Now, don't get me wrong, Robo Kazik and the others are great people, very popular amoungst the older generation, and well known by everyone. But this whole week, where there has been many traditional dances, traditional food, traditional songs, traditional handiwork... I have seen very little, hardly any actual mention of these two men and what they came here to do. So tonight, I walked amoungst these people, and I prayed over as many as I could. That they would see the true light, and the true God....

Visits...

In the past week, I was very privileged to have many visitors from abroad! First came David Boyd, my Regional Director, who came in from Germany for a few days. During his visit we visited with some of the leaders in Bratislava and Nitra, including the Bishop of the Pentecostal church here. We also had some good time to talk about how things have been going, and some advice for the future. In regards to the cafe, he really encouraged me to find a business partner. Someone who would share the vision, but who would be better gifted in areas related to math and money. I have one person I am considering, but we'll see! :)

Also, I had a visit from Annelies Bronder, who is from my home church back in Sherwood Park. Annelies came just for fun, and we did have fun! I even took her to one of my lessons! She was only here for a couple days, but she can't say she was bored! Good times.

We also had a visit from two missionary ladies from the States who are serving in Moscow. It was also fun to hang out with them a bit around the city.



There was also a young man who joined us for a few days as well, Reed. Reed came from the USA to film a film for NLI about what is being done here in Nitra, but also in other cities around the country. He also made his way around 6 other countries in Europe. Anyway, we got to hang out with Reed a lot this week, and it was a lot of fun!


Later this week I am expecting a visit from another Canadian friend, who hails from the Western seaboard. Looking forward to that visit.

Tomorrow I am heading out East, to Kosice, where we are having our National Youth Conference. It really fires up on Friday, so keep us in your prayers!

Recent Happenings

The PRESIDENT!

I met the President of Slovakia last week. Well, I didn't meet him so much as see him... He came on a visitation to Nove Zamky while I was there, and he held a public meeting. So I went! He looks like a nice man, but... don't they always? :)

Baptisms. We had a baptismal service in Nove Zamky last Sunday where 5 people declared their desire to follow hard after God. Praise the Lord!

Yeah for Other People's Neighbours

I am now no longer car-less! Yeah! My car has been successfully fixed by our Pastor, Miro's neighbour. And he charged me... NOTHING for the repair. It was nothing serious, and apparently easy to fix, but I never expected that he wouldn't charge me anything for it!

Warfare... I have declared war on my neighbours. I mentioned previously that my neighbours don't like me very much, screaming and yelling for no apparent reason... Anyway, when I came home last week to find a lock on the car gate to get to my garage, that was the last straw. He has no right to place a lock on the gate, it doesn't belong to him! How dare he keep me out of it. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I went inside my house and I baked two pies. Two cherry pies from cherries I picked myself and i delivered it to them. One of them wasn't home, so I left it with a note outside their door. (I tried twice but they weren't there and I was leaving in the morning for the weekend) Revenge, the Kingdom way! :) Needless to say, my neighbours are much nicer now, and they actually say hi to me on the street now. But the lock is still on the gate...

Connections... I have a translator in Nove Zamky that I use to translate all my official documents and things. Well, through my whole legal ordeal, we got to see each other quite often. So often, that we might be considered almost friends. Anyway, one day in her office, she told me that in the past she has helped people open businesses and how interesting she found that. I, since I want to open a business, stored that away in my brain to access later. Well, that later was last week. I called her, made an appointment and saw her on Monday. She told me that she doesn't know too much about NGOs and the like, but she put me in touch with her friend that did. Her friend is a person who has actually written part of the law. Not just a lawyer, but a lawmaker. Oh my! I met with her today to find out about what options are available to us to open a cafe under an NGO. Now, I know we are miles away from actually establishing an NGO and further yet from opening the cafe. But I am trying to get as much information as possible to give to the proper people who have the power to deny or approve this project as far as PAOC is concerned. Also to prepare myself for what lies ahead, what I will need to do, what I need to learn and am I ready to do these things? It was a very exciting meeting, as she told me that she is going to start putting together some research so that we can make an informed decision. But also, she teaches law at the University in Bratislava and said that she would involve some interested students in this legal process to help me on cost. It would be for free. All the legal workings and processes, which are many.... for free. That's just incredible! This just really shows me that God wants this cafe to happen even more than I do! And I really want it! Thank you Lord!

More Car Experiences

Oi vay... The red angel has bitten the dust... again... temporarily. Yesterday I went to Banska Bystrica to officially buy my car. While I paid the money to buy the car, I could not register it in my name because I didn't have my legal paperwork completed. Until now! But, there is another snag, the official owner, Bohunka Brenkusova is in India with her husband, Jozef, as missionaries. But Bohunka gave her sister in law, Lubka power of attorney to manage her affairs in her absence. But for some odd reason, the police decided not to accept this paper because it did not specifically mention the sale of a car on the legal declaration. So, I am back where I started. Still not owning the vehicle on paper, and having to wait.

That was yesterday day, yesterday night I was driving a couple girls from small group back home when my clutch decided it was going to protest, at 10 o'clock at night. You might remember that just a couple months ago I got a whole new clutch system, and now I think the pedal got jealous because everything else was redone but him! :) No, I don't know what the problem is, I just know that the pedal isn't connected to something because I don't think it is supposed to wobble back and forth when you hit it! So, it is sitting on the side of the road waiting to be taken to my friends neighbours house, where he might be able to fix it in his spare time.

I have been encouraged to trade in this 11 yr old Seat Ibiza for a newer car, especially if the cost to fix this car will be significant. But that brings us to dilemma number one.... how can I sell a car I don't officially own. If I had the money I would buy a newer car and put this one in the garage until I was able to sell it, but that kind of cash does not avail itself too easily for me. But, the Lord knows I need a vehicle, and the Lord will provide for me. Whether that means by sustaining my car, or by providing me with a new one.

Oh, adventures!

Czech Me Out!

This was the logo on a T Shirt that I saw on a recent trip to the Czech Republic. I spent the last weekend up there. Why you ask? Well, as unqualified as I felt, I was asked to help translate for a Canadian missionary couple to Hungary. They have family up there and were interested in finding out more about where they came from and why. This was my first experience translating from Czech, and my first experience translating into Slovak. It was a growing experience, but a very good one! The family was so warm and friendly, even though I wasn't family I felt like I could have been! We also got to take a trip into Prague just for fun! It was nice being able to hang out with this couple's kids, which are about my age, and one of their friends. It was nice to be able to be sarcastic for awhile and actually be understood!

Sandwich anyone?

From bad to......










Oh the funny things you find abroad.... :)

Have a happy wednesday!

New Adventures

In my attempt to use the warm weather to the full, and to become a bit more active. My friends and I have recently purchased rollerblades. There is a path along the river that is nice to go down and one other road that we have heard about but have yet to investigate further. I was hoping to use the rollerblades as an alternate form of transportation within the city, but i don't think that will be very safe. The sidewalks here have lots of cracks, missing chunks, and bubbles caused by the heat. On the first day after buying these, I decided to try it out. I went to the grocery market. All was good and fine in the recently renovated, newer area of town. But the area around the traffic circle,... was not so nice and I nearly wiped out left right and centre! Note though: nearly wiped out. I managed to keep my feet under me! So i've decided to stick to the trails and maybe the main roads, but only at low traffic times of the day! :)

FINALLY!!

I finally got my visa to stay and work in Slovakia. Yes!

12,000 Slovak crowns paid ($600)
500 stamps and seals
10 documents notarized
6 documents translated
5 trips to the police station
4 criminal record checks (with super-legalization)
3 infectious diseases tests (including anal swabbing)
2 trips to Bratislava
1 visa obtained.

Praise the Lord!

Team Canada Takes Gold!

Today is Mother's Day, and I think that the best present for our Canadian mothers, is a good hockey win!









Team Canada triumphed over Sweden 4-2 in the final game. Woo hoo!

The Forest

I decided to go for a walk yesterday and I tried to find a quiet spot.
Not that easy when you live in the city centre! It seemed that no matter where I went, there was either the sound of cars or music blaring from somewhere. So, into the forest I went! Actually, it was just along the path to go up to the mountain,but the way I positioned myself, it felt like I was deep in the forest! And because it had been raining, the blaring music got turned off. I really just wanted to hear from God in nature. I used It was a nice time to be alone and to ponder. When I was a little girl, we lived on an acreage, and, at that time, we didn't have too many neighbours. So that meant, lots of forest, hills, and swamps for us to play in! We used to build forts out of fallen trees or branches. I used to also make tents out of a bedsheet, a board and some rocks, and I'd sleep out there at night.

Well, until Mom called me in because of the bear! :) I used to climb trees, and have all sorts of wild adventures in those woods with my brother and our little friends from down the road. I used to go out there alone sometimes too, on one of my runaway attempts(where I couldn't leave the subdivision) or just to get away. There is something about just being in nature, it makes me feel closer to God. To clear my ears of the noise from traffic, and to listen to the wind as it blows through the trees. To fill my nostrils not with exhaust but with the scent of after the rain. To listen to the music of birds in the trees, than the latest pop hit. To allow the Lord to speak to me and show me new things through the beauty of His creation.



My Mary Poppins moment

Adam Šangala

Last night I had the privilege to go to the theatre to see my friend act in a play called Adam Šangala. Adam Šangala is a play for Slovaks, about Slovaks. This play is said to capture the essence of the Slovak spirit. My curiousity was definitely peaked by such an introduction, and the fact that Ludka was playing one of the main characters, that was more than enough motivation for me to go see it! So i went with my friend Edita, and Martin and Marika a couple from our church. It was a musical, and very well done! I was thoroughly impressed.

The storyline is basically about a young man from a small village who decides that he wants to see the world, motivated by the fact that he is the only one in the village who can write their name. So, off he goes and rescues the damsel in distress and they fall in love. But the man Adam rescued her from was a very powerful man, and he seeks to kill Adam, but he is saved at the last minute by divine provision.
He gets separated from his love, and then he gets mixed up with some powerful lords who force him to concieve a child with the general of the army's wife because he is impotent. Much to the general's dismay, but as he is unable to produce an heir...
Adam reunites with his love and then she discovers the awful truth about his "job", and runs away. But then someone planted a fire in the house, and as a result, the unborn child dies. So they planted everything on Adam, and he is saved by Martin Luther. (there was also some not so hidden prodestant/catholic undertones - it was also placed shortly after the Reformation...) God then flew them to Trnava, where Betka, his true love, is at home with her parents, pregnant with Adam's child. Betka is angry and feeling betrayed, but she forgives him and they get married. Not too long after that, these powerful people find him and imprison him for detroying a marriage, for the fire which killed the unborn child, for assaulting the Lord and they seek his death. Betka pleads on his behalf, her husband, the father of her child, everything that she has... But they would not listen, and he's hung. You see his spirit going to Heaven and he sings this awesome song about no one can take his freedom, even if they kill him, they won't be able to take it from him.
Betka then has the baby, and the play ends with her singing to her small son about the father he doesn't yet know.

It was awesome! The pics I have from this I took off the internet, and Ludka isn't even in them! But oh well, you can have a peek anyway!

Pastor Al

Tonight we had a special evening of teaching with Pastor Al. Pastor Al was the pastor of Sherwood Park Pentecostal Assembly when I first started attending. Now he is the Canadian Director for Next Level Intl (NLI), and the overseer of the Slovakia project. Which basically means that I get to see him more often! :) Tonight we had our church leadership meeting in my house with the leaders from Nitra, Nove Zamky, Zlate Moravce, Trnava, Zvolen and Hlohovec. Pastor Al gave a really nice word on leadership, including keys to leadership and the spirits of fear and pride and how to overcome them. I was touched, and I know that the Spirit was present! Thanks Pastor Al!

Another Wedding

Yesterday was the wedding of my two friends, David and Lydia. It was a very nice wedding: the bride and groom were stunning, the ceremony started on time and ended in less than an hour (very impressed, good job Miro!), the reception was fun, food good and the band, very neat. The band was the worship team from a church in Bratislava and they played fun music which was also worshiful. Very cool. We were all very impressed.

It is always wonderful to witness the miracle of two people becoming one! They have a whole new life of adventure together!

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos