Ski Retreat

Hello Everyone!

I made it back alive from the ski trip! There were times when I was coming down the mountain on my skies that I wasn't quite sure if I would... But I did make it back, with sore muscles and a few bruises. It was so pretty up there. It was a winter wonderland full of breath-taking views and snow that glittered in the sunlight. I have put a few pictures up on Facebook, but I will link some here as well. 

There were about 30 people that went on the trip and about 10 unbelievers. It was the perfect setting for me to meet most of the students involved in In-Life. I have made some new friends, and had some good conversations. It was a little rough at first to communicate. Most of the students involved can speak English, but they are unconfident to have a full conversation. So it took some time to get to know some people well enough to get them to start talking. But God works in His own timing. I am learning His plans usually take longer which involves more patience on my part. But He is at work. 

I tried cross-country skiing for the first time. I went out with a few other people at 9:45am and didn't return until 5:30pm. It was a LONG day. I was only thinking I would be out for a couple of hours. But how could I pass up skiing up a mountain with the sun out on such a brisk morning? My body hated me for it, but it was well worth it. I made it outside every day whether it was on a walk or just to play some ultimate frisbee in the snow. 

The retreat also allowed me to have a lot of time with God. We had a time of devotionals every morning which included some worship songs. All of them were in Czech, but there were some English songs I recognized and was able to sing along with. Everyone here is very thoughtful. I always have someone to translate for me when there is a conversation going on or a message. The believers over here are very transparent with their relationship with God. I have only been here a week, but I already see how important fellowship with one another is to their faith. I am excited to be a part of it!

Yesterday, I moved into a dorm room that is right down the street from the In-Life offices. I've unpacked all of my things and am settling in. This morning, we had a staff prayer meeting. We started discussing the schedule for my English classes. It won't begin for another couple of weeks, but I am glad I have the time to prepare a little bit more and observe the areas that need the most work. 

I hope to start taking some tutoring lessons in Czech soon. The more I am here, the more I realize how important it is. I am very excited to start and for the impact that it will have on my ministry. 

A few prayer requests would be that I continue to get settled here in Brno. I am not missing home too much yet, but I know I will in the weeks to come. Every day God continues to reaffirm His call for me to be here. But I wouldn't be human if I didn't have my doubts. Pray that I will continue to rest my soul on God's affirmations. Pray also, for my time management. I got a glimpse today of how much goes on in this ministry and how much expectation there is for my English classes. I love staying busy, but pray I will make time for myself and for the Lord.

Thank you for all your sweet prayers and messages. I will write again soon!

Rachel

First Post from Brno!

I apologize for not posting before I left, but life got a little crazy trying to say goodbye to everyone and packing up my life. If anyone is interested, my life now consists of the two bags I took with me, and 4 boxes in my parent's garage. A little pathetic, but I can pick up and move anywhere!

Yesterday, I made the long journey to Brno. It took two airplanes and a 2 1/2-hour car ride to finally get me here, but I made it safely. Thank you to everyone for all the prayers. I definitely felt them as I traveled alone to airports I wasn't familiar with. God was protecting me the whole way. But unfortunately, I didn't get much sleep as there were so many legs to the trip so I am still pretty exhausted. I will have to keep this post short and sweet.

Just so everyone knows, I am 9 hours ahead of Pacific Coast Time. It's almost 1pm here, but I feel like it's 2 am! I'll be taking a little snoozer before I leave in a few hours for a ski ministry retreat. Yeah, I know. Having never skied before, it might not be the best time to try when jet lagged. We will see if I make it back alive :) If no one hears from me by Monday, I will be in a better place.

This morning I met with a few of the Integrity Life Ministry staff (formerly Christian Education Living or KVZ). I would tell you their names if I knew how to spell them ;). We talked through each of our expectations and I am really excited to start serving alongside their ministry. I will give more detail in later posts as I begin my work. For now, just know that God is going to be doing a mighty work here in Brno and I am excited to be a part of it!

Well folks, that's all I got in me at the moment. I hope this feeds your appetites a little bit until I get back from the retreat. Thanks again for all your prayers. Pray for the retreat if you would. It is doubling as an outreach to some of the college students. There will be a total of 30 people going. I hope to establish some good relationships.

Another post will come soon!

Rachel

Saying Good-Bye

Christmas and New Years have come and gone! Everything has been such a blur since finishing up my position at Crossroads. It has been weird not going into the office every morning. But the time I have been able to spend with friends and family has been refreshing. My "To Do" list has gotten much bigger than I originally planned. It is weird to have to think about everything I will need for the next year of my life. Usually I feel accomplished if I know what I am doing in the next 24 hours.

These last two weeks at home, I want to be able to say good-bye to everyone I will be leaving behind. Since, there are only 24 hours in the day, and I usually like to sleep for at least 8 of those hours, I won't be able to spend individual time with everyone. So, I am putting on a send-off dinner that will double as a fundraiser. On Friday, January 13th, I will be providing dinner at my church Crossroads Community Church for $10 a plate. All donations will go towards funding my trip. Show up anywhere between 5 and 7 pm to hang out, learn a little bit more about my trip and say good-bye. I hope this provides me with the opportunity to see as many people as possible, and my hope is that everyone who comes, will leave feeling a little bit more involved in my plans. And who knows, I might have a couple surprises up my sleeve ;)

I do want to mention one more thing. I have been getting a lot of questions about my financial needs. I am not getting paid for any part of this trip. I am trying to raise support for the whole year. So far, God has been gracious to provide me with at least half of my funds. I hope to continue to raise support while I am overseas. But, if you are interested in supporting my trip before I leave, you can visit the Connect 2 website for more information, www.connect2ministries.net. Click on the Czech Republic link at the top of the page and it will lead you to my little bio. On that page you will find a way to send monetary support either online or by mail. If you have further questions about support, please feel free to email me at rroleder@gmail.com.

I hope to write at least one more time before I leave so check back soon!