Prague Update... Our First Few Days

Our hope of blogging everyday on our trip, along with posting pictures at every turn may have been a bit ambitious. Rather than lamenting, we've decided to post a list of things that we have done so far. Perhaps in the future we will be able to unpack some of these things further.

It has been a very rich trip. We've made some amazing connections, had some awesome experiences, and sensed God moving in our hearts, though not exactly in the ways that we expected.

When we arrived in Prague on November 9, we connected with John and Kelsie Mullen, 18 year veterans of ministry here in Prague. They treated us to dinner, gave us a basic orientation, then took us to the flat where we would stay the first few days.

Jessica Weaver generously offered us her flat while she was traveling for her work with ESI. Her modest flat was a very peaceful place for us to acclimate to Czech time.

Prague has a great public transportation system. On Nov. 10, we learned some basics to navigating the metro, then in the evening, we had dinner with Jon and Dana LaPlante, who attend Prague Christian Fellowship. We had a great time eating at Modry Zub, an excellent Thai noodle restaurant. Then they showed us around the city, and introduced us to trdelnik, a baked cinnamon bread ring.

On Nov. 11, we had lunch with Fred and Kelly Prudek (back right), who have been serving here for almost two decades. Also at the table were Bob and Margo Pitman (foreground), a ministry couple visiting from the United States. Bob offered enthusiastic encouragement for our journey. After lunch, we enjoyed an extended time of connecting with Fred Prudek. Fred helped us to frame this trip, offering Godly counsel and perspective.

On Nov. 12, we traveled to Milovice, a former Soviet military town with many buildings, like the one above, in various stages of disrepair. We assisted Kelly with teaching ESL to a group of women on maternity leave. In the Czech Republic, women can take up to 3 or 4 years of maternity leave. Their job will be held for them during this time! Then we traveled back to Prague and ate lunch at IKEA. We had a great day with Kelly, a woman who loves God and others in everything she does.

On Nov. 13, we met with a dozen pastors and Christian leaders for prayer and encouragement. There were Anglicans, Salvation Army, Baptists, Catholics, Presbyterians, YWAM-ers, and other denominations all around the same table. They were genuinely pouring out their joys and struggles of life and ministry in this country and supporting each other in prayer. We were genuinely touched by the authenticity and unity of this group. Afterward, we feasted on a meal provided by St. Thomas Catholic Church. The meal was served in the inner sanctum of a building with a history older than many nations.

Later in the day, we moved in with our second hosts. Andrew and Amy Funka (pictured above in a cukrarna) have been in Prague serving Prague Christian Fellowship and Christian International School of Prague respectively for 8 months, though their grasp of life here would suggest that they have been here much longer. They have been very helpful cultural interpreters and historians.

The Funka's flat is ideally located in the center of Prague. Their ceilings are about 12 feet high!

Nov. 14 was a bit of a rest day. We went to Friends Coffee House :), did a lot of walking around the city, ate at a traditional Czech restaurant with Andrew and Amy, then bought a few groceries at a local grocery store.

As we have time, we will continue blogging about our adventures.