building altars

building altars stone by stone

8 I love the passive tense in English. Accepting absolutely no blame or responsibility one could say, "Mistakes were made." whilst still acknowledging the situation. In the following situation I accept full blame. Two years ago during a routine yearly visa application "mistakes were made". It was up to me to check the date on my new visa, which had for 4 years been October 6th. So when I received our new visas, I didn't even bother looking at all the dates, just Dan's. Unfortunately, this time they put a wrong date just on my visa. August 28th 2009 my visa expired, and August 30th 2009 we went to the foreign police to start our yearly visa application only to hear that my visa was expired and I was currently living and working illegally in the Czech Republic. Needless to say, I felt as though I had been punched in the stomach. This news not only affected us, but my employers as well.

An expired visa means several trips outside the country to a Czech embassy to apply for a brand-new visa. Vienna is the closest embassy that is in a foreign country. The first step was to go there as soon as possible to get permission to work...as I was putting my school and director in jeopardy while working, albeit unknowingly, illegally. My director was so kind and understanding, even calling to the embassy on my behalf to arrange things. He constantly reminded me that I was important and he would do whatever it took to make things OK for me. So, Dan and I took many early morning trips to get to the Czech embassy in Vienna on time. We had to take time off work as the embassy is only open during the week. My fabulous co-workers graciously covered for me so I could go through this process and not be deported. The worst part for me was that this created problems for other people and others had to help us out. Especially when it was my fault. If it had only involved me it would be fine, but I shed many tears during this time because so many had to band to gether to help us get this new visa as quickly as possible.

One of the foreign police at the Czech embassy in Vienna was a super mean lady. She threatened me several times over the phone that she could and would have me deported. She yelled at my director. She was really mean and scary. When we went to Vienna to apply for the visa, I was so nervous that the scary lady would be the one I had to deal with. When I walked up to the window I was shaking. A man popped his head through and  I greeted him in Czech and he smiled widely and told me how great my Czech was. We proceeded with the application process and he was kind, funny and gracious. He helped me so much and constantly praised me on my Czech. Every time we went to the embassy in Vienna this man helped us out. It was such a relief.

After 4 trips to Vienna and an innumerable amount of phone calls, money changing hands, forms filled out, I received my new visa and work permit and could breathe. Everyone around me could breathe. This was truly a team effort and I received such support from friends and co-workers that I stood speechless. The process could have been really ugly but wasn't. Many things could have happened along the way to gum up the works but didn't. I could have been deported but wasn't.

I add this stone today.

building altars

"Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you."

Joshua 3:9-11

building altars stone by stone

7 When the word suicide is mentioned, you listen. Intently.

When we first talked about moving to the Czech Republic, Dan and I didn't agree on what to do about the girls' education. I thought they should go to the local Czech school for a while to learn Czech and Dan thought it would be too much of a shock for them and that I should homeschool them instead.

Once we arrived in CZ and settled in our town of Hluboká, we went to the local school (a 3 minute walk from our house) to see if the girls even had a chance to get in, being non-Czech-speaking foreigners. The director was excited about the prospect, assured me that everything would be OK and the school also offered me a job as an EFL teacher. I didn't think I should take the job at the time, but the dollar soon went south and I was glad that I had steady work, and that I was at the school with the girls.

Rebekah was never really happy at the school. She spoke Czech well, got excellent grades, but was always sad. There was always this dream of hers to go to the international school in our town, to escape the Czech school. The international school is wickedly expensive and so was never an option. But we prayed. As things got progressively worse at the Czech school, I saw a real issue growing regarding Rebekah at the Czech school. We were proud of her for sticking it out and not running away from problems, but I could see she was suffering.  Her third year at the school was the worst. She was bullied alot. And she was miserable and talked sometimes about taking her own life. And we prayed.

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
   I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
   I will be with him in trouble,
   I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
   and show him my salvation.”

Psalm 91:14-16

I knew that we could only stay here long enough to finish out the school year and then we would have to go back to America, because I couldn't imagine Rebekah spending one more year in the Czech school. It helped alot to tell her that this was her last year and that God would do a miracle to keep us here or that He would show us the way home. We prayed alot. I spent many an afternoon praying and crying out to God in the forest. I applied for jobs that didn't yet exist at the international school so that the girls could get free tuition. And we prayed.

I got a call from the international school telling me that there was an opening for a Kindergarten teacher (my specialty). I interviewed and waited. I didn't tell Bekah, I didn't want to get her hopes up. I knew something had to happen because I couldn't put her back in the Czech school. This was May of 2010. She had been in Czech school since 2007. July 19th 2010 I got the email offering me the teaching position at Townshend International School (TIS). We took the girls to Tesco that day saying we were just going for groceries. We lead them over to the clothing section and told them that we have to get uniform stuff. Rebekah asked why and I told them that they will be going to TIS. Rebekah started to weep...weep...and shake and hold me. Three years' worth of burdens and bullying dropped from her shoulders and it was replaced by joy. This 12 year old girl got to see first-hand the work of God, the miracle that He made possible, the loving way He heard our cries from the desert, the way He parted the waters, and we walked across on dry ground.

She carries this stone herself.

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

building altars

The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. 
 Joshua 3:17

building altars stone by stone

5   "On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

My whole life as a follower of Christ I have read the following verses about the "Good Samaritan" and looked introspectively to see if I was a good neighbour. Today as I contemplate altar building I see someone else's face in these verses and I look around me and see Good Samaritans and to them we have been neighbours. The stone I carry today is for our neighbour Petr and how God used him to help us when Rebekah was wounded and bloodied by the side of the road. She had just learned how to ride her bike. She was getting cocky, going ever faster and faster. There is a fairly good hill behind our house that curves into a stretch of gravel road that leads into the forest. From her start at the top of the hill, I saw her hurtling by and I yelled "Slow down and be careful!" to the tornado of dust she left behind. Mere seconds later I heard that fateful crunch of gravel, squealing of tires and an ear piercing scream. We ran to see what happened and found her crumpled by the side of the road screaming. She had torn the skin off half her arm and looked white as a ghost. She started sweating and shaking and going into shock. Petr had also heard the screams and came running out to help us. He has medical training and swiftly took over and assured us everything would be OK. Dan and I stood off to the side, dumbly, as we watched Petr care for Rebekah so kindly. Later, he brought over all sorts of pharmacy goods for her abrasion. We hadn't lived here very long according to the "100 Dobry Den" rule, we are different, Americans, sometimes not looked at so kindly because of this (see tomorrow's post), stupid with the language, loud...I could go on. But Petr ran to help us. Ran.

The Good Samaritan 

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

   “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

   Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” 

Luke 10:30-37

   

building altars

"Yes, God, your God, dried up the Jordan's waters for you until you had crossed, just as God, your God, did at the Red Sea, which had dried up before us until we had crossed. This was so that everybody on earth would recognize how strong God's rescuing hand is and so that you would hold God in solemn reverence always."

Joshua 4:23-24

building altars stone by stone

4   A huge obstacle in our work and ministry here is the length of time it takes to build a real friendship with a Czech. There is a saying here that it takes 100 "Dobry den's" (Hello's) to even be able to continue further in conversation with that person. God has for us and for the benefit of our work here in CZ parted the waters and in a ridiculously short amount of time enabled us not only to have open, friendly conversations with our co-workers, neighbours and acquaintances, but deepened these relationships quickly where we are invited to their homes and real friendships have blossomed.

As I carry stones to the altar, as the altar takes form, one among them must represent our Bible study. We have had a weekly Bible study now for over 3 years. Our group hovers around 10-12 people regularly (the average church size here) and the members are committed to the group and each other. We study God's word together, talk intimately and personally, meet together for prayer and worship. Some of our group are not yet believers, but are on a path of spiritual discovery and have elected to walk alongside us.

This stone is a joy to carry to the altar.

building altars

 ^"When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua,  “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” 

Joshua 4:1-3

building altars stone by stone

3 Stone carriers bring the blessings, and build the altar and do the will of God. There are many stone carriers in our life. I mentioned in the last post about the packages we receive...these are directly from the hands of the stone carriers. God has asked the stone carriers to make their mark, out of obedience, in honour and remembrance of what God has done for them. The weight of the stone in the carrier's hands feels REAL...a tangible symbol for a God whom we can't see yet we know is the most real of anything that we can know or imagine. What an honour to carry a stone for the altar. To feel the smoothness fo the stone, the heaviness. To be weary from the carrying, just a bit, as a reminder of the weariness in searching and crying out to God for a miracle. The relief in the setting down of the stone, a gesture mirroring the release of our burdens by a God who hears and cares and delivers us from our enemies. The importance of building something that generations will see and know that God Was Here. God Is Here Now...in this place. This is holy ground, because He is here with me. My cries are heard, I will be weary no longer. My burden taken up by a stone carrier and built into something that I can look back on and remember, when remembering is hard because the pain is too encompassing.

"But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is his name."

Isaiah 51:15

building altars

^"For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.” 

Joshua 4:23-24

building altars stone by stone

^"The LORD said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’” 

Exodus 16:11-12

2  Sometimes we grumble. Ok, maybe often... Especially early on in our life here in CZ. Even now it can happen when there has been a particularly bad day. We get homesick. We miss family, we don't remember why we are here. We feel lost or strange. It is disconcerting and unpleasant. We forget His goodness and faithfulness. Just like the Israelites.

"The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions."

Exodus 16:2-4

Manna from heaven can take many forms. It is simply a reminder that God is faithful, just, loving, aware of our needs. The God of heaven, Creator of the universe, Most High, Almighty God is aware of our needs and cares about them. On those days we were most homesick, dying inside here, wishing to be back in America, kids coming home from school crying, saying they can't endure it one more day...these days we barely made it home. Empty husks...nothing left to give. Grumbling..."Why are we here? Why were we brought to the desert?" we'd cry to Him. Him who hears.

Oh, God, I love you. I love you for hearing our cries from the desert.

Manna takes many forms...ours would often come in the form of a box. A simple box from America, with American things in it. Our manna. His provisions given to us to help fill an emptiness. Heal a wound. Refresh the parched. We gather around the box and we are filled with gratitude, tears spilling in thanks to the God who hears and provides. To the God who knows what helps. Manna is small and simple, but it satisfies the hungry.

Many of you were God's hands in feeding the hungry and filling the empty and healing the hurting with this simple manna. Isn't that amazing??

God is good.

building altars

 "The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They set up camp at The Gilgal to the east of Jericho. Joshua erected a monument at The Gilgal, using the twelve stones that they had taken from the Jordan. And then he told the People of Israel, "In the days to come, when your children ask their fathers, 'What are these stones doing here?' tell your children this: 'Israel crossed over this Jordan River on dry ground.' "
 Joshua 4:19-22

 

  crossing the jordan

The past 5 weeks have seen us battling spiritually. To the point where we felt almost defeated and definitely weary. The water was high and raging and we knew we must cross it but couldn't see how. So we prayed that God would rescue us and He carried us across on dry ground.

He is worthy of all praise.

Our plan for the perfect stress-free summer holiday was plenty of fun activities and nothing but relaxation and entertainment. God's plan for us was to send us to faith-building boot camp.

I am going to back up a bit...for many months now we have been contemplating if we have even made a little difference here, wondering if our work here has been worth it. Sure we have a great Bible study, friends, etc...but as missionaries there has been no great revival, no huge amazing miracles to document. We knew coming to CZ would be difficult as the soil here is hard and requires years to til and make ready for planting. Having been made aware that relationships here take years to get to the point where a spiritual discussion is even possible, we came anyway, knowing that God had uniquely equipped us and called us to this field. Financial issues came up for us right away as the dollar plummeted and I was forced to go to work full time instead of doing ministry. I couldn't understand at the time why I wasn't given the opportunity to start all of these ministries that I had planned, but now I do.

building altars stone by stone

1 God had a better plan than assorted ministries being started by me. He knew that for us to be accepted fully into our community and for relationships to become deeper more quickly that I would need to have a regular job like any other Czech...not a foreigner's job, but teaching at the Czech school like any other normal person in our community gave us the opportunity to connect with our neighbors and fellow townsfolk on an entirely different level than other foreigners. God knew and made a way for His plan even when I didn't understand.

Great is your wisdom, O God.

God's provision not only of a job at the local school but of spots for the girls in the same school was again a miracle of God's design. Even the administrative staff of the school, though not opposed to the idea, felt it couldn't be done, unprecedented as it was. But God's plan is sovereign over all the plans and agendas of man.

"The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
   and his kingdom rules over all."

Psalm 103:19 

building altars

Joshua 3

The Jordan

 ^1-4 Joshua was up early and on his way from Shittim with all the People of Israel with him. He arrived at the Jordan and camped before crossing over. After three days, leaders went through the camp and gave out orders to the people: "When you see the Covenant-Chest of God, your God, carried by the Levitical priests, start moving. Follow it. Make sure you keep a proper distance between you and it, about half a mile—be sure now to keep your distance!—and you'll see clearly the route to take. You've never been on this road before."  ⁵ Then Joshua addressed the people: "Sanctify yourselves. Tomorrow God will work miracle-wonders among you."
 ⁶ Joshua instructed the priests, "Take up the Chest of the Covenant and step out before the people." So they took it up and processed before the people.
 ^7-8 God said to Joshua, "This very day I will begin to make you great in the eyes of all Israel. They'll see for themselves that I'm with you in the same way that I was with Moses. You will command the priests who are carrying the Chest of the Covenant: 'When you come to the edge of the Jordan's waters, stand there on the river bank.'"
 ^9-13 Then Joshua addressed the People of Israel: "Attention! Listen to what God, your God, has to say. This is how you'll know that God is alive among you—he will completely dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. Look at what's before you: the Chest of the Covenant. Think of it—the Master of the entire earth is crossing the Jordan as you watch. Now take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each tribe. When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the Chest of God, Master of all the earth, touch the Jordan's water, the flow of water will be stopped—the water coming from upstream will pile up in a heap."
 ^14-16 And that's what happened. The people left their tents to cross the Jordan, led by the priests carrying the Chest of the Covenant. When the priests got to the Jordan and their feet touched the water at the edge (the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest), the flow of water stopped. It piled up in a heap—a long way off—at Adam, which is near Zarethan. The river went dry all the way down to the Arabah Sea (the Salt Sea). And the people crossed, facing Jericho.
 ¹⁷ And there they stood; those priests carrying the Chest of the Covenant stood firmly planted on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground. Finally the whole nation was across the Jordan, and not one wet foot.

Joshua 4

 ^1-3 When the whole nation was finally across, God spoke to Joshua: "Select twelve men from the people, a man from each tribe, and tell them, 'From right here, the middle of the Jordan where the feet of the priests are standing firm, take twelve stones. Carry them across with you and set them down in the place where you camp tonight.'"  ^4-7 Joshua called out the twelve men whom he selected from the People of Israel, one man from each tribe. Joshua directed them, "Cross to the middle of the Jordan and take your place in front of the Chest of God, your God. Each of you heft a stone to your shoulder, a stone for each of the tribes of the People of Israel, so you'll have something later to mark the occasion. When your children ask you, 'What are these stones to you?' you'll say, 'The flow of the Jordan was stopped in front of the Chest of the Covenant of God as it crossed the Jordan—stopped in its tracks. These stones are a permanent memorial for the People of Israel.'"
 ^8-9 The People of Israel did exactly as Joshua commanded: They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan—a stone for each of the twelve tribes, just as God had instructed Joshua—carried them across with them to the camp, and set them down there. Joshua set up the twelve stones taken from the middle of the Jordan that had marked the place where the priests who carried the Chest of the Covenant had stood. They are still there today.
 ^10-11 The priests carrying the Chest continued standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything God had instructed Joshua to tell the people to do was done (confirming what Moses had instructed Joshua). The people crossed; no one dawdled. When the crossing of all the people was complete, they watched as the Chest of the Covenant and the priests crossed over.
 ^12-13 The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had crossed over in battle formation in front of the People of Israel, obedient to Moses' instructions. All told, about forty thousand armed soldiers crossed over before God to the plains of Jericho, ready for battle.
 ¹⁴ God made Joshua great that day in the sight of all Israel. They were in awe of him just as they had been in awe of Moses all his life.


^15-16 God told Joshua, "Command the priests carrying the Chest of The Testimony to come up from the Jordan."
 ¹⁷ Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan."
 ¹⁸ They did it. The priests carrying God's Chest of the Covenant came up from the middle of the Jordan. As soon as the soles of the priests' feet touched dry land, the Jordan's waters resumed their flow within the banks, just as before.
 ^19-22 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They set up camp at The Gilgal (The Circle) to the east of Jericho. Joshua erected a monument at The Gilgal, using the twelve stones that they had taken from the Jordan. And then he told the People of Israel, "In the days to come, when your children ask their fathers, 'What are these stones doing here?' tell your children this: 'Israel crossed over this Jordan on dry ground.'
 ^23-24 "Yes, God, your God, dried up the Jordan's waters for you until you had crossed, just as God, your God, did at the Red Sea, which had dried up before us until we had crossed. This was so that everybody on earth would recognize how strong God's rescuing hand is and so that you would hold God in solemn reverence always."

crossroads

 For all of us who are standing at the crossroads:

Christ be with me,

Christ within me,

Christ behind me,

Christ before me,

Christ beside me,

Christ to win me,

Christ to comfort and restore me

St Patrick