Before the Reformation in Europe in the 1500s, a reformation had already occurred in the Czech Lands, led by Czech hero and martyr Jan Hus (John Huss, 1372-1415).
The reform movement sparked by Hus crystalized into the Unitas Fratrum (Unity of Brethren), which made its home in Moravia (the eastern half of modern day CR). Eventually exiled from Moravia by repressive Catholic monarchs, many members of the Unitas Fratrum found asylum in Saxony in 1772 on the estate of a well-to-do Pietist, Count Zinzendorf. There they became known as the Moravians and named their community Hernnhut, "The Watch of the Lord."
In 1727, they experienced revival and gained a missionary zeal which has hardly been matched in church history. Twenty-four men and twenty-four women covenanted to pray hourly intercessions, thus forming a 24/7 prayer chain which continued uninterrupted for 100 YEARS! By 1776, they had sent out 226 missionaries from their community at Hernnhut!
What an inspiring story! And how appropriate, as we move to Olomouc in Moravia, to form a prayer vigil in a similar vein. They were committed to seek the face of the Lord day and night, and with your help we hope to do the same. They did it for 100 years straight on behalf of their missionaries, surely we can do it for 10. And it will make a difference: "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16)."
