building altars

 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”

Joshua 3:5

 building altars stone by stone

6 As you may have inferred from yesterday's post, not everyone here was overjoyed that we Americans moved into their neighbourhood. Although we tried to be as unobtrusive as humanly possible, the fact remains that we are different, we do things in a weird way and our reputation as Americans precedes us. And some people just don't like Americans.

About a year after we moved in my friend and neighbour, Lenka, came over and said she had something important to talk to me about. Apparently her best friends, who happen to live across the street from us, whose daughter I taught both in school and privately, came to her yelling and cursing at her for befriending the dirty Americans. They told her she had to choose and they were not going to have anything to do with her or her family, their kids weren't allowed to play with her kids etc...if she continued to have a friendship with us. I really didn't know what to say to this. Of course, I told her that she must continue her friendship this family whom she has had as friends for so many years and I apologized if we had done anything to cause this problem. She cried because she didn't like this situation and assured me that it was just this family's prejudice that was the problem.

  Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.
Joshua 3:6

 

After she left the house I felt really weird inside and I wasn't sure what my next move should be. We came here to serve God and others and people hate us for something as simple as the country we come from. I can't do anything about the fact that I happened to be born in America. After much thought and prayer, I had the undeniable feeling that God had brought us here to be a light in the darkness, to shine for Him. I also remembered a piece of advice from one of the wisest people I know, my friend Pastor Dan, who would often tell me that unless a problem is brought to my attention personally, I shouldn't treat it as a problem...which in this situation I interpreted to mean that I should act completely normal around these particular neighbours, as I really hadn't heard their opinions of us first-hand.

A few weeks went by, normally. Greeting each other on the street  in a friendly manner, continuing to teach their daughter English, both at school and privately, smiling and being cheerful. A couple of days before Christmas, I brought my traditional plate of Christmas cookies to their house. The husband opened the door (according to my friend, he can't stand us) and he embraced me and gave me a kiss on both cheeks (a true symbol of good will here in CZ).

We have never gone beyond the border of friendly acquaintances with this family, but neither is there bad blood. We are resolute in our determination to not offend with our presence and to spread joy and kindness wherever and whenever we can. After almost 5 years I am hoping we are wearing away the coating of preconceived ideas, bad reputations and prejudice slowly but surely.

A kiss of friendship

A hatred mitigated

A stone for the altar

And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

Joshua 3:7-8