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[© Ivan Steiger MMI]
© Ivan Steiger MMI

There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Proverbs 14:12

July 2001

DEAR FRIENDS AND MINISTRY PARTNERS,
With a great joy we report a safe landing after sailing in turbulent waters. April, May, and June can be described simply as entertaining a number of visitors from all parts of the world, making many trips to the airport, navigating, coordinating, cooking, washing, entertaining ... and keeping our ministry uninterrupted. As we describe our ministry events every other month, it looks like our days must have at least 72 hours. Most of the days are notably busy, but right now our home and office is back to a routine for a few days.

First, let us share some results from our last Prayer letter.

In May we hosted the first theological mini-conference. We had a list of about 15 people from different parts of the country. At the time of conference five people were sick, one had an unexpected traveling commitment, and another was just extremely busy with term papers for his final exams. Together, with two speakers from Arizona, we had 11 people to experience the spiritual feast in His word. We were so blessed. This was all in English without translating into Czech. The final comment was—we never had such Christ-centered teaching. Out of this event came another invitation for part II for this fall. Lectures were recorded (7 tapes), and those who missed have already received copies. Others requested tapes to use. This is an important part of our ministry, since we see the church focus leaning toward various programs to attract people's interest rather than committing to deeper teachings for believers.

Sounds like we deserve a break? Yes, the Lord has provided it. In July we are invited to Dallas for the South National Radio Broadcasters conference. It is an all-expenses-paid trip by a scholarship fund. From Dallas we plan to see our kids in Denver, who surprised us. Since they visited us in March, they sold their little house, bought a bigger one in Denver and announced that they are expecting their second child. We did not even get a chance to pray specifically for this. Lenka said that friends from their Church fellowship voted their new place to be the perfect place to meet. It looks like our kids will learn a lot about hospitality. Our homes are always open to many people. We are excited to see it firsthand in August. Samuel will be 8 month old, and we can hardly wait to see him. Not only Samuel is growing older. Grandpa Pavel, also, made another milestone on June 15. He is now a senior citizen since he turned 60 this year.

CONCENTRATION CAMP VISIT
Recently we had an opportunity to read a number of stories about holocaust, see several movies dealing with Nazi Germany and meet some survivors. One of the founders of HCJB Czech broadcasting from Quito, Lili Kladensky, is one of those who survived a concentration camp. She was hardly 15 when she was taken to Terezin and was one of those who were a living testimony to God's incredible power over our lives. In June, her son Otto and his wife who live in Costa Rica came to Czech Republic to see some relatives and friends of their parents who left the country in 1948 before the communist regime. They now live in Ecuador. We drove them to Terezin, the place where Lili, his mother, spent more than three years. Our hearts and minds were deeply touched. Seeing and standing at the crematorium, touching the rails leading to the ovens and watching visitors pass by—many young German guys in motorcycle leather outfits. What is in their minds? How can anybody be so cruel to another human being? Sadness in our heart was replaced by joy, knowing that Lili and her children and grandchildren are serving their Lord and Savior.

LORD'S PRAYER
In May we attended a funeral of our sister-in-law's mother. It was a small family event and Eva, a daughter of the deceased, asked Pavel to say the Lord's prayer between music pieces. As Pavel prayed nobody could follow the prayer out of about 20 people. It is so sad to be part of a ceremony where most of the people are sure that the agony of death is over…although their mother was dearly loved, she was not a believer. How many people we know like that! Anywhere we look, there is in most cases no sign of eternal life in Him.

WEB MINISTRY OUTREACH
Recently, a young man came to tell us that we have been using devil's instrument—Internet. He urged us not to do that. It was a difficult session, but we shared with him this testimony from the US. Marsha found our website and wrote:

* Dear Pavel and Klara,
Oh what a blessing my young Czech friends are to me, and what a blessing you both are as well. You're right, none of them had ever been to church before. And none of them had even had their own Bible before. I don't think they had even ever held one in their hands. That is so hard for me to understand because my bookshelves at home are filled with different translations of the Bible—many, many Bibles. Out of the 5 young people, I've only been able to entice 3 of them to come to church with me. But these 3 are faithful to be there every Sunday morning, even though they literally leave work and come straight to church. (They work for a cleaning company that cleans the floors at our local Wal-Mart and work 7 days a week from 11 p.m. until 7:30 a.m.). They attended a drama last Wednesday night presented by our Youth group entitled Face To Face. The drama was based on the Columbine school shootings, and in the drama 5 people died. After their deaths, we saw them come face to face with God and hear, "Well done", or "I never knew you" depending on their life's choice to either accept or reject Christ. The next day as Pavel and I were working on his lessons, he said, "The drama, it was all about my questions!" Pavel is the one of the 5 that I know the best, because we have his English lessons 5 days a week. It is really a sacrifice for him to come so often and he has to give up sleep to do it. But, that's what he wanted to do. We never stop at just one hour, and most of our time is spent discussing his questions about the Bible and about God. Amazing profound questions—everything from "Is every word in the Bible true?", all the way to "What color was Jesus, and does God have a face". It's really making me dig and defend what I believe with the Word. ... He told me that Leona has that Bible right now, and every day before she goes to sleep, she reads and reads and reads it. (How precious that is to me!) I have ordered more Czech Bibles, and they should be in this week. I want to be sure each of these young people has their own Bible, in their own language.

As for surrounding them with Christian friends—I am doing that, and my church here has welcomed them with open arms. Just Saturday night, the College/Career Bible Study class had a party and all 5 of the Czechs were invited. Only 3 attended, but Pavel, Leona and Jordan had a wonderful time. They had to leave the party early to go to work, and they came straight from work the next morning to church. ... Oh, I have to tell you about one of our retired ministers from our church and what the Holy Spirit did through him. Brother Bill Ichter is a retired missionary who served in Brazil for over 40 years. Back during WW II, he was stationed in Prague, and after the war, his army company was stationed there for about a year to help with the rebuilding efforts. Brother Bill met Leona and Pavel the first morning they came to church with me. The moment he learned where they were from, he began to sing a little song in Czech! Pavel and Leona both began to cry from joy. It turns out the song was one their grandparents had sung to them when they were little children. Brother Bill said that he's in the habit of forgetting everything—but the Holy Spirit had protected that one little song in his memory, holding it safely there for just the moment when Pavel and Leona would be in our church. Isn't that just like our Mighty God?!? ... This coming weekend, Pavel will come with my daughter and me to our Family Reunion in Texas. He is really excited about coming. ... Several of my cousins are Youth Ministers or Missionaries. I can't think of a better place to immerse him in the English language (something he's requesting), or to immerse him in the language of God, (also something he's requesting). Please pray for us this week and through the weekend. I know Pavel is getting closer and closer to meeting Jesus every day, and I am so very thankful that God is allowing me to take part in this miracle. ... During one of my first lessons with Pavel, I asked him if anyone in his family had ever been a Christian. He told me about his great grandmother who always said the blessing at family meals. He said the whole family mocked her and talked about how foolish and crazy she was for praying to something that didn't exist. She always told Pavel, "I always pray for you." I told him you had to watch out for praying grandmothers because they'd get you every time!

... To answer your question about whether they have Internet access. Yes, at our local library, they can use the computers there to access the Internet as a free service. My job revolves around computers. I train teachers to use them in classrooms. I adapt them for special ed. students according to physical disabilities they have. I even repair them. I've got computers at home, at my office, everywhere. I have told all of these young people they are welcome to use my computers anytime—either here at work, or in my home. I will set up every one of my computers with your link in Favorites so they will always have easy access to you and to your website. ...

My prayer for both of you today is "May God's Word flow freely in the Czech Republic and may it fall on fertile ground." Thank you for your faithfulness to share Jesus with those who have been denied that opportunity due to (former) government oppression. I praise God for you and your love for your country.
Marsha

PRAISES:
In Spite of some discouragement we experience tremendous rewards and joys of answered prayers:

LETTERS
* Again, I believe that the God of the Bible does exist. I feel it in the marrow of my bones. My God is the Creator and Lord. My Savior is Jesus Christ. This is like a new explosion in my life. However, the real turn around is that His words must be abided otherwise I would not know that I really follow Him. I used to know it, however it just passed me by. Perhaps I apprehended that love must be fulfilled in God's truth some ten years ago. Thanks to God that He used you and has started opening my eyes. I believe that if only one Bible was left in the entire world, the whole world would be smitten to its knees even with its six billion inhabitants. Rosta

* I apply to myself the words you have written in your magazine Number 67, page 22: Have God's Word incessantly before your eyes as the Law (of Christ), do not believe in anything except what it teaches, do not love anything except what it commands, do not hate anything except that what it prohibits, and do not do anything except that what it precepts.

PRAY FOR:

BEST WISHES AND HIS BLESSING

In HIS Sovereign Grace Pavel and Klara

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