What They Asked Me

I read the beginning but didn't think that it made sense, woman being taken from the man's rib and the world being made in only six days...Can I be a Christian and believe in the Big Bang?

What about dinosaurs?

What do you think about homosexuality?

[If forgiveness is given to everyone] ...how is that fair if one person has only lied but another has killed?

How is it right to forgive someone who is not sorry, because then they will never regret what they have done?

[In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah] Why is Lot's wife turned into salt just for looking back? And it says that she was turned into salt, but a few verses later she is back, which made me stop reading because it didn't make sense.

I didn't understand why God would tell Abraham to kill Isaac.

Does loving God give you less to love other people? Doesn't the Bible say not to marry a non-believer?

Can you be Christian and use alternative medicine?

Do you know what you think about these things? Do you know what the Bible says about them?

And if you were asked, would you be willing set aside all of your biblical knowledge and respond with love first and most?

Kendall is excited about the Bible!

This week Bethel has hosted a day camp for Roma children and afternoon conversational classes. Today was the second class that I was able to read the Bible to my students. I am beyond wordsesly excited. On Monday I read the story of Jesus being anointed by a sinful woman and the corresponding version in Luke where she washes his feet with her hair. We discussed the differences and what they mean.

Today the group was discussing forgiveness. I told the story behind "Dead Man Walking", how one of the killers who had inspired it repented the night before he was executed. When one class member said that the situation wasn't fair, because this man could go to heaven after believing for only one day, I mentioned that Jesus told a story about this same situation. After asking if they would like to hear the story, I read the parable of the workers in the vineyard.

Thank you for your prayers. Please pray for tomorrow, our last day of camp. 36 Roma children have been playing and learning Bible stories at camp this week, and 20 teens and adults have been in English lessons. Tomorrow we will make Bibles available to people who are interested. We have them in English and Czech, because the English ability levels are quite varied. And thank God for the "Faith Comes By Hearing" ministry, because we will be giving out English AND CZECH audio of the New Testament!!! Of course, this will only work if the students want them, so please pray for insatiable curiosity to draw these students to listening to God's Word!!!!

Woman's Search for Meaning

I don't have time to make a long post, but this happened last night and I really wanted to share.

I've been wondering why I am in the Czech Republic, as in was I supposed to come here at this time, or would any place have done? I've been having a great time, been learning, growing, and feeling pretty useful, but if you have a good attitude, that would happen anywhere, so did I have to come to Lito specifically?

Last night Angie and I were cleaning the kitchen after out third day of cooking for fifty people. We were laughing about something...Angie speaks English well, but creatively, and I always get a kick out of what she says, and Angie gets a kick out of my understanding her English (after a really creative statement, she usually throws up her hands and says "Oh my English!" It's very cute). It's usually lots of fun. Anyway, as we were laughing and cleaning, she told me that she had been praying for a long time that she would be friends with the American who came for the summer, and she thinks that prayer was answered. I think so too. Which means that when I was frantically trying to plan where I should go, what I should do with my summer, someone who had never met me was praying for me and the role that I would fulfill.

Angie has completed her Masters degree and soon will be leaving Bethel to work with visually impaired children. This will probably be her last experience with a foreign volunteer at Bethel. We have gotten along so well in that kitchen and had so many laughs.

I felt pervasive peace when I went to bed last night, because after praying for weeks for God to show me why I had to come to the Czech Republic specifically, my prayer was answered. I wasn't sent to Lito for me, for my own growth. I was sent to be a blessing for someone else.

I have the same feeling as if I has just seen the answer to a logic puzzle that I couldn't figure out, because the answer is very simple, but you have to get at it in a creative way (like the Italian architect who challenged other architects to make an egg stand up. No one could do it, but when he got the egg, he tapped the narrow end flat with a spoon, and behold, it stood up straight!) My reason for being here isn't me, that's why I couldn't figure it out. My reason for being here is other people.

And now I have to go help with breakfast, but this point is a great capstone to something I had struggled with in Spirituality about the inter-depenedence that we have on other Christians (even when they're trifling). Thank you for your prayers. I can say with positive certainty that they have been answered! :)