Rícany, July 1995

Dear friends and partners,

Are you too busy and days are too short? I think we all feel that way. For a few days we found a solution. People in Sweden or Alaska have in summer time much longer days than we are used to. The country of Sweden is so far north that during this time it is very briefly dark at night.

Last year we were hosting the conference in Prague. It is hard to believe how fast the time goes.

Since the needs and opportunities are constantly growing, the outreaches progress in all of the offices. We are happy to see the HCJB European involvement as a vital part of world evangelization. The commitment to train and raise local leaders and radio producers in many countries is showing fruit. A number of broadcasting studios are in place, frequencies have been negotiated, and broadcasting time on local radio is paid for with the help of local and American supporters. Our annual report for the work in the Czech and Slovak Republics was an encouragement to others. On the other hand, we are encouraged and challenged by our partner offices.

The Swedish hospitality and friendly atmosphere were great. The spectacular natural setting was God's way of showing His loving and creative handiwork for His people. During our free day in Stockholm we used the visitor pass for unlimited use of transportation, entrances to museums and a boat ride. Our legs did hurt at the end of the day. All days in Sweden were hot and sunny. The temperature in Stockholm was over ninety degrees. In the evening we visited a reader of our magazine and had a long chat on the phone with another one.

Ed Giesbrecht came back with us from Sweden to Czech Republic and we enjoyed a time together that included many prayer requests connected with our mission and ministries, as well as discussions of personal needs and goals. We did some quick sightseeing of Prague. The next to the last stop was in Jewish cemetery and the holocaust museum. It touched Ed deeply and just a few minutes later we stepped into a beautiful historical church. The choir was singing 'God bless America' followed by the medley of hymns. It was The Sanctuary Choir from the Catalina United Methodist Church of Tucson Arizona. From there we drove to the airport to say good-by to our special HCJB friend.

celebration of the World War II was a joyful event especially in Pilsen, which was liberated by Americans. We took some pictures. To see the historical American Army vehicles, bands, uniforms and flags was something very special. The former celebrations were always only under Russian flags. Finally, after fifty years, a number of veterans could personally attend and be recognized as liberators. Actually, even some of our supporters were there fifty years ago.

Is truly our joy and pleasure. It is so much better and more effective to be on a local FM radio station than using AM or SW broadcasting. We are getting more and more letters as well as new orders for book and the magazine. All this is great news, but the heavy schedule makes me feel more and more removed from keeping in touch with our prayer partners and supporters. We thank the Lord for you all daily. Our hearts are with you as many of you are going through personal and health hardships. We would love to write personal notes of encouragement and thank-you notes to welcome new donors and prayer partners, but it is impossible to keep all areas of our ministry in order. We are in mid May and I have over one thousand letters that need responses.

One of our News Release recipients from Canada called one Friday afternoon and gave us his location: Rícany / Radosovice. First we had to ask our neighbor where that is and found out that we live in Radosovice. In a few minutes we retrieved our guest at the given location. We laughed about it, but Sunday afternoon another couple of friends, Jerry and Kveta from California, called. We discovered that we don't live in Radosovice, but in Strasín.

Jerry was born in 1916 and their summer home used to be about one mile from our place. For a while there was a hope that they can get the property back in restitution, but that did not happen. You should have seen the reunion of old friends after 30 years and listened to stories we heard, from the funny ones where Jerry was riding his tricycle, to counting those who don't live anymore. It is exciting to find personal roots.

To understand the whole confusion where we live is based on fact of old-timers vs. new town boundaries. Just a few streets from us is another name - Pacov. All those names are under the new name of Rícany II.

We are quite pleased to see how the magazine Wrestling for the Soul is reaching many. Now in both Czech and Slovak languages, the total circulation is 12,000. Very often a particular magazine is read by more than one person. This is good news. The bad news is that in April, postage rates went up by 250%. The cost of mailing now exceeds the cost of printing. For some publishers this is more deadly than former censorship.

Unlike English, with only one singular and one plural form per noun, Czech not only has gender endings for the singular and plural, but changes the form of the noun for anything that represents the quantity of five or more, be it objects, ideas, people or animals. In this case, you see the genitive plural form, which corresponds to the English "of" thus: "five girls" in Czech, pet holek, literally translates as "five of girls."

You should use this "of" concept with any number that is higher than four, regardless of whether you deal with tens, hundreds, thousands or millions. But note one wrinkle in the method: the "gender-equality rule," which applies for all numerals of two or more digits ending in "one" or "'two," such as 21, 22, 1,051, 1,052, etc. Any such numeral ending in "one" must use - regardless of gender - a feminine form (jedna), while if it ends in "two," it must use a masculine form (dva): sedesát jedna muzu, "61 of men," or stodvacet dva zen, "l22 of women."

You think of this "gender-equality rule" as the beginning of affirmative action in everyday Czech. Political correctness reigns in the Czech Republic - at least for the compound numerals! (by Karen von Kunes, Prague Post)

We found out that Rachel Saint, great friend and Christian (sister of Nate Saint, one of the five young Americans missionaries killed by several Aucas). She spent 36 years of her life with the Waorani - Auca tribe. Rachel died in Quito at the age of 80 and she is buried among Aucas.

Van Hromadka, one of our own Czech missionaries, left the mission work right in the field. For years he was ministering to many refugees in Austria. Since his retirement he was coming to train Evangelism Explosion to local leaders. On Sunday, while traveling from one church meeting to another, he died in the car in the arms of his sister. His last words were: "Tell the people about the Lord." He was buried in Prague.

Our prayer is with the families and that these great missionaries will be replaced by the new ones with the same love for the Lord.

In His Service

The Steiger's

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