Today was an incredible day once again. We arrived on the construction site at 9am and finished out the job at right around 3pm. Our work there at what we're calling the "house of Hope" was amazing. This project began 3 years ago and according to Vtech the director of Teen Challenge they have around 3-4 more years of work because they have to rely on oversees teams like us coming over to serve because they don't have the cash to pay to get the House finished. This home will serve as their new place to run the children's program out of reaching and rescuing the most at risk children in Prague, the Romani Children. These kids also known as gypsie kids live in the Ghetto where we've been serving each day. Yesterday outside the door to the current center Tyler was offered some cocaine by a guy passing buy, and roughly 15 steps from the center as well is a strip club. Day in an day out these kids live in a city that is not only considered one the most "lost cities" on earth but daily live as the most marginalized children among this people group. Yet within all of this there is Hope!
We have seen this week once again that wherever His followers are there is hope for the hopeless.
This afternoon Kelly, Katrina, and Bowie finished up leading the children through some Bible lessons and ended with a time of prayer, where multiple kids prayed for us and for America. At that point the rest of the team showed up and we had a time to celebrate all that God has done this week. We were presented with an award, thanking Axis for the work that was completed and the Seed that was planted in the lives of these precious kids. At that point Amy then asked to pray for the organization and for the kids, and there was for sure was not a dry eye in the room.
At 6pm the trip for all practical purposes ended, our work completed, but our hearts set on fire for these people and for these kids. Our desire to see this "House of Hope" completed by Axis is something that we're praying about and excited to send out our next team over here as soon as possible to this historic city.
I wish I was with you all at the Axis Experience, right now it just started which means its almost 3 am here, so needless to say I need to get some sleep.
Thanks for all your support, your financial contributions to make this possible, and your commitment to lift us up in prayer for the duration of this amazing trip.
Tomorrow we have a free day to relax and recover a bit before our flight Sunday morning. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Blessings.
Jon
Friday, April 4, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Prague: Day 5
Day five started as usual, wake up at 7am and have breakfast with the team down in the pub/breakfast bar. It was obvious that the rhythm of the trip has began to take a toll on the team, many of us were really tired and myself still really sick.
As we left for the day God began to do what he does, raises up his strength in our weakness to make himself known. So many of us felt that today and felt your prayers. Personally I didn't think I would make it through the morning and thought it would be day 2 stuck in hostel trying to get better, but I truly felt your prayers and God's strength.
Today 4 of us, Kelly, myself, Amy, and Katrina got to go into one of the city's high school's to help teach English. Some of you you who know me may find that really odd, because my grammar and spelling as you have read is pretty bad. The others were quite equipped I must say.
Each of us got to share about America, our homes, and about God. Amy even got to share her testimony and as she asked the class of 15 how many believed that God exists, only one raised their hand.
As Amy told me this story my heart broke even more for this city, it is truly a harvest ripe for the gospel to be spread. As I spent time on the high school campus today I felt God show me that perhaps the gateway to this city being reached will be through high school students. Please pray with us to that end, these students are completely lost but very open.
The work on the construction site went really well also, the floors were laid and other odds and ends were completed. The time with the kids went great the guys said, Gabe got a chance to speak on the Prodigal son and share the Gospel.
Many of you have been praying for Jose,and we have seen God moving in his life. Jose tagged along with our team all day and all night, actually they're still downstairs hanging out as I write this entry. We're confident that Seed has been scattered planted in his heart and earlier he told Bowie that event though I live so far away from you guys I feel at home when I'm with you.
Tonight Kelly and I spent around 5 hours with Craig and Sara at their apartment and saw God do awesome things in our time with them. Many of you know that God has put the two of them on our hearts and more than anything felt that they were the reason God was sending us here, to love on them and encourage them to keep running the race here in Prague. Kelly and I have been praying that God would use us and our team to ignite within them a re-newed passion for Prague and reminder of the calling on their life here for this people group. God has been so faithful in doing that, and tonight both of them with tears in their eyes said that their hearts have been strengthen by our Axis team being here.
Tomorrow we're hoping to get some more work done on the construction site and treat some of the Teen Challenge staff out to a nice dinner. Please pray that God would continue to give us the strength that we need and that God would continue to use us to encourage the Springers.
We miss you and love you.
Jon
As we left for the day God began to do what he does, raises up his strength in our weakness to make himself known. So many of us felt that today and felt your prayers. Personally I didn't think I would make it through the morning and thought it would be day 2 stuck in hostel trying to get better, but I truly felt your prayers and God's strength.
Today 4 of us, Kelly, myself, Amy, and Katrina got to go into one of the city's high school's to help teach English. Some of you you who know me may find that really odd, because my grammar and spelling as you have read is pretty bad. The others were quite equipped I must say.
Each of us got to share about America, our homes, and about God. Amy even got to share her testimony and as she asked the class of 15 how many believed that God exists, only one raised their hand.
As Amy told me this story my heart broke even more for this city, it is truly a harvest ripe for the gospel to be spread. As I spent time on the high school campus today I felt God show me that perhaps the gateway to this city being reached will be through high school students. Please pray with us to that end, these students are completely lost but very open.
The work on the construction site went really well also, the floors were laid and other odds and ends were completed. The time with the kids went great the guys said, Gabe got a chance to speak on the Prodigal son and share the Gospel.
Many of you have been praying for Jose,and we have seen God moving in his life. Jose tagged along with our team all day and all night, actually they're still downstairs hanging out as I write this entry. We're confident that Seed has been scattered planted in his heart and earlier he told Bowie that event though I live so far away from you guys I feel at home when I'm with you.
Tonight Kelly and I spent around 5 hours with Craig and Sara at their apartment and saw God do awesome things in our time with them. Many of you know that God has put the two of them on our hearts and more than anything felt that they were the reason God was sending us here, to love on them and encourage them to keep running the race here in Prague. Kelly and I have been praying that God would use us and our team to ignite within them a re-newed passion for Prague and reminder of the calling on their life here for this people group. God has been so faithful in doing that, and tonight both of them with tears in their eyes said that their hearts have been strengthen by our Axis team being here.
Tomorrow we're hoping to get some more work done on the construction site and treat some of the Teen Challenge staff out to a nice dinner. Please pray that God would continue to give us the strength that we need and that God would continue to use us to encourage the Springers.
We miss you and love you.
Jon
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Prague: Day 4
Well if you read my last post, then you know what day 4 consisted of for me, yeah sleeping. Today was pretty depressing, and in alot of ways I felt that I let the team down. Its almost 1am now and I'm feeling alot better, its amazing what 24 hours of sleep can do for you.
Day 4 from what I heard was another successful day on the constuction site, a brick wall was built, another was cleaned, Jeff demolished a window so that a door can be placed there tomorrow, and prepreation for the pouring of another floor was completed. Today Bowie along Dana went and spoke to highschool students today at their school which went really well. Its amazing because Craig and Sara have made friends with some Christian school teachers where alot of their ministry is taking place. In the schools here you can talk about Christianity openly because its such a foreign concept, so we did exactly that. Bowie told me that it was awesome to share openly his story of deliverance from drugs and how God has re-directed his life in powerful ways. Tomorrow Kelly and I will be visting another highschool so pray for us.
Tonight the girls all went over the the Springers and they had a girls night out filled with, well whatever girl do :)
They guys on the other had an evangelistic poker night which was really fun. Craig is good friends with the owner of the hostel we're staying in and once a month the owner, who is a Christian has a poker night to reach out to some of his staff and other constituants in the area. We had alot of fun and some good conversation.
Well thats about it for now, as I mentioned earler pray that we get the floor completed tomorrow, that Kelly and I speak and walk in power tomorrow morning with the students, and for Jose Maria, he'll be joining our team on the job site tomorrow. Should be interesting :)
We miss and love you all.
Jon
Day 4 from what I heard was another successful day on the constuction site, a brick wall was built, another was cleaned, Jeff demolished a window so that a door can be placed there tomorrow, and prepreation for the pouring of another floor was completed. Today Bowie along Dana went and spoke to highschool students today at their school which went really well. Its amazing because Craig and Sara have made friends with some Christian school teachers where alot of their ministry is taking place. In the schools here you can talk about Christianity openly because its such a foreign concept, so we did exactly that. Bowie told me that it was awesome to share openly his story of deliverance from drugs and how God has re-directed his life in powerful ways. Tomorrow Kelly and I will be visting another highschool so pray for us.
Tonight the girls all went over the the Springers and they had a girls night out filled with, well whatever girl do :)
They guys on the other had an evangelistic poker night which was really fun. Craig is good friends with the owner of the hostel we're staying in and once a month the owner, who is a Christian has a poker night to reach out to some of his staff and other constituants in the area. We had alot of fun and some good conversation.
Well thats about it for now, as I mentioned earler pray that we get the floor completed tomorrow, that Kelly and I speak and walk in power tomorrow morning with the students, and for Jose Maria, he'll be joining our team on the job site tomorrow. Should be interesting :)
We miss and love you all.
Jon
Prague: Day 3
Day three was quite a day, one filled mostly with manual labor as we began our building project for the new City Center. We arrived on the scene at arond 9am and worked till about 5. Our construction consisted of laying a new concrete floor, demolishing 3 brick walls, mixing concrete, and moving alot of rubble from what had been demolished days prior. We worked with a man by the name of Vtech, who has become without a doubt our teams hero! Vtech who has the strenght of 10 grown men also has the heart of 10 grown men as well. He along with his wife oversee the Teen Challenge program and are building this new facilty to accomodate more children from the streets. Also as of late they have taken in 3 girl as their foster children to provide for them a home filled with love.
In the afternoon Tyler, Gabe, and Bowie worked with some of the teens and got a chance to share their testimonies with them, and as they did that Kelly and Katrina worked with the younger kids.
We arrived back at the hostel at around 6pm or so, a full day for sure.
At about 7pm the team headed out to do some more ministry with some of the highschool students in the area at one of the near by pubs and from what they told me it went really good.
Me on the other hand hit the pillow at 6:30 and didnt get back up for 24 hours! I somehow came down with a sinus infection and it completely knocked me out, and caused me to miss an enitre day.
Please pray for my recovery and that the rest of the team will not get what I have.
Talk to you soon.
Jon
In the afternoon Tyler, Gabe, and Bowie worked with some of the teens and got a chance to share their testimonies with them, and as they did that Kelly and Katrina worked with the younger kids.
We arrived back at the hostel at around 6pm or so, a full day for sure.
At about 7pm the team headed out to do some more ministry with some of the highschool students in the area at one of the near by pubs and from what they told me it went really good.
Me on the other hand hit the pillow at 6:30 and didnt get back up for 24 hours! I somehow came down with a sinus infection and it completely knocked me out, and caused me to miss an enitre day.
Please pray for my recovery and that the rest of the team will not get what I have.
Talk to you soon.
Jon
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