We made it safely to Olomouc last night (Sunday). Praise God for that! Thank you so much for your encouragement, love, support, and prayers. And thank you to everyone who was able to make it to the airport to see us off.
Our first tasks will be getting cell phones and searching for apartments. We’ll write more soon.
Much love,
Mitch
It’s hard to believe that in just three days we’ll be on a plane to the Czech Republic! We fly out of Little Rock Airport this Saturday, October 28th, at 11:55am. Anyone is welcome to come see us off. We’ll begin arriving at the airport at about 9am to get checked in and to hang out with you—our family, friends, and supporters. At around 11am, we’ll have to go through the security checkpoint. We know we won’t be able to devote as much time as we’d like to everyone who comes to see us off, but please know that your presence will be more meaningful than we can explain.
All seven of us will be at the airport, but actually only six of us will be flying on the 28th. Christie recently received full support and oversight from Donelson Church of Christ in Nashville—which is AWESOME; praise God!—and so she’ll be staying in the States for another month so that she and the church can get to know each other better. This is an amazing blessing, no doubt, but it’s also a bit of a heartbreaker since we won’t all be able to leave together. Prayers for peace are appreciated, for Christie especially.
In addition to praying for us, please keep our families in your prayers. They’re making a sacrifice, too, and it’s not an easy one. Praise God for their willingness to send their loved ones far away for the sake of Christ and the world he loves. May the God of all comfort be with both them and us.
Once we get to Olomouc, we’ll be staying in a hostel while we look for apartments in Neredin, a housing area on the west side of the city. On December 4th we’ll begin Czech language school at Palacky University in Olomouc. Please keep our housing search and language study in your prayers.
After five years of preparation, October 28th is monumental. A new chapter is about to be written—the long-awaited beginning of 10 years of service to God and the Czech people in Olomouc. But until we received an email from a friend and former intern with the church in Prague, we had no idea just how monumental the 28th is. Here’s an excerpt from his email:
You picked a good day to start your mission to the Czechs. Eighty-eight years ago on October 28th (1918) the Czechs and Slovaks were finally freed from long Austro-Hungarian domination. As you’re boarding your plane and flying over there, they’ll be celebrating their original independence day, the “Day of the creation of the independent Czechoslovak state†(Den vzniku samostatného ceskoslovenského státu). May God grant that October 28th, 2006 will signal the coming of an even greater freedom—from sin and death—to a great many Czechs! Because of October 28th, 1918, Czechs were freed from the corrupt kingdom of the Habsburgs. Because of October 28th, 2006, may they become free citizens of the glorious Kingdom of God!
May he use you in all his wisdom and mercy.
October 28th will never be the same. And, by God’s grace and power, neither will Olomouc.
See you on Saturday morning between 9 and 11am! Thank you for your faithful prayers, support, love, and encouragement. We’ll be an ocean away, but we will always hold you in our hearts.
Much love in Him,
Mitch