Christ for the Romani

Patrin, June/July 2008

2008-06-30T13:35:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my new "minimalist" newsletter. (I know some of you are saying "It's about time....") It's minimalist not because I've got too little to say but because I have TOO MUCH...and I am heading out the door for a last-minute trip to Slovakia in half an hour. So here goes:

Recent months have given so many new reasons (in addition to the abundant ever-present ones) to be thankful and to praise the Lord. Join me in rejoicing for:

A VISA!!!!! I'm legal here till March 31, 2009.
Unlooked-for and greatly blessed opportunities to share the gospel recently, and especially for delightful and growing relationships with two of my language partners (Karla and Monika)
Growing relationships also with Czech ministry partners in Prague and Vlasim
Progress--slow but steady--in language and culture learning
The gift of refreshment and fellowship brought by some visitors from South Carolina (well, they were really visiting my colleague Mindy, but she very graciously shared them with me, and I was so blessed!)

The present and coming weeks present many opportunities to cast my anxieties on the Father who cares for me, as there is so much going on! Please pray for:

Safe travel and a great and meaningful time at a Roma youth camp in Slovakia this week
Wisdom about involvement in a program that ministers to impoverished children and street kids in Prague
For the preparation of leaders and participants at upcoming outreach English camps (more details about these when I return from Slovakia). These camps are an outstanding opportunity to share Christ in a setting these kids love. Pray for much fruit this year!
Continued language learning progress
The well-being of my family (and my peace about being away from them through their difficulties)
Improvement in the financial situation for me and all Christian workers in Europe, where the dollar continues to deteriorate in value
That I would be continuing to draw near to God and set my priorities to reflect that Christ is at the center of my life

Please STAY IN TOUCH!
I love to hear from you!

E-mail:
jrmclean123@ yahoo.com
renee.mclean@ efca.org

Mailing Address:
Renee McLean
Srnci 2176/5
251 01 Ricany
Czech Republic

Skype: jrmclean1234
Skype phone (a US call!): 918-919-4575
Cell phone (an international call): 420 608 184 728

Blog:
www.fortheromani. blogspot. com

If you would like to contribute to this work, gifts can be sent with a note designating them for account 1276 to
EFCA
Attn: Donor Services
901 East 78th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55420-1300

Thank you for your prayers and support. They are a valuable part of all that I do here!

Seeking the Kingdom,
Renee

The VISA Arrived!

2008-06-18T02:26:00.002-05:00

"Just in case," I sent my passport and all the necessary documents to Vienna yesterday with the courier who was retrieving my colleagues' visas there. We had not received any word about mine, so imagine everyone's surprise when my passport returned last night ONE PAGE HEAVIER: The visa was issued and inserted into my passport before we had been notified! Praise God with me for this providence!

Slovakia Update

2008-06-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

About a month ago, I promised an update on my anticipated trip to Slovakia to visit a ministry working with Romani families there. You didn't see an update because I didn't get to go. However, I want to share a little about it anyway, and ask your prayers for the work.

The reason I didn't go was because of a difficult circumstance in the church that needed a lot of time and energy of my hosts. It was a question of church discipline, and anyone who has been in a fellowship where this has happened knows this is a difficult, delicate, and painful situation for any church. It is tempting to be discouraged by a circumstance like this in a small, struggling body of believers. Churches often shy away from public discipline out of fear or pride. The leaders of this church, however, saw a need and prayerfully acted on it. And the result of their obedience to Scripture was far from discouraging! People who had stayed away from the church were able to return, and we can all pray that the faith of this congregation was strengthened by witnessing the healing God brought about through this difficult time.

My colleague who did go came back greatly encouraged and excited for what God is doing in that area of Slovakia. I am excited for my visit, which we will reschedule for sometime this summer. In the meantime, please continue to pray for all those who are working among the Romani people in this part of the world, that they would be encouraged and strengthened. And pray for Romani believers to be strong in their faith and to grow in their knowledge of God and their love for one another. I am convinced that God wants to use transformed Romani lives to demonstrate His power to a watching and as-yet-unbelieving majority in Europe. What an awesome thought: a renaissance of faith being born out of a Roma revival!

Urgent Prayer Need!

2008-06-14T11:31:00.002-05:00

I NEED A VISA! The application for a long-term visa was submitted more than 60 days ago, but I have no visa yet. I am now the last member of my team without one, and the deadline by which time I need one is fast approaching. Two teammates have a courier going to pick theirs up in Vienna on Tuesday, June 17. This courier has all my paperwork for picking mine up too, so please pray with us that my visa will have been issued by the time the courier gets there so that the visa comes back Tuesday.

Who's Next?

2008-06-14T11:02:00.004-05:00

I have had such a fun week. My friend and colleague Mindy had a team visiting from her home church in Columbia, South Carolina. Mindy guaranteed that joy and laughter would be part of the package deal if I helped her. Did that team ever deliver! I had so much fun, and the best of it was that these folks came with a heart for knowing the ministry better and for encouraging the Christian workers here and for generally being a blessing to the Lord's work here. I got to join them as we prayed together and visited and taught English at a middle school in the very densely populated neighborhood where I attend a tiny church plant, and they came to the English Club that I help at in the same neighborhood. And their prayerfulness, enthusiasm, and joyful transparent faith made a noticeable difference. I am so thankful for this team.

I am also excited about future visits from other teams. This summer, I will be at English camp again with a team from Kenosha Bible Church in Wisconsin. Go, KBC! I had so much fun getting to know some of these folks last summer, and this year the team has changed up a bit, so I get to meet still more friends as they involve themselves in Kingdom work here. For a week, we will teach, play with, feed, encourage, entertain, and generally befriend a campful of Czech teens. It has pleased the Lord to make disciples out of this ministry in the past, and I am so excited about this upcoming year as we base our lessons on the lives of people of great faith from the Bible. Please be praying for well prepared soil for the seeds that will be sown there.

So who else will I be seeing in the coming months? I would love to welcome any of you here, show you "my" town, share the ministries here with you, and give you a vision of the exciting things God is bringing about here. Short-term teams--doing everything from teaching English to plastering walls to playing soccer (sorry...football here)--are an important addition to the long-term work. We have many camps during the summer that would benefit from a short-term team, but we could put you to use at other times of the year too. Will you consider being part of this? Think it over! Then contact me if you would like to consider putting together a team to come here. Looking forward to seeing you this side of the ocean!

A Prayer to Share

2008-05-17T09:00:00.003-05:00

Let me share with you a prayer that has really touched me. It comes from a prayer entitled "A Christian's Prayer" in a magnificent collection of Puritan prayers called The Valley of Vision. I hope it enriches your prayer times, and I ask you to pray for this on my behalf. It becomes so easy sometimes to do what is expected in ministry rather than to be who I am asked by my God to be, namely a child who is daily growing in her likeness to the Son.

May I remember the dignity of my spiritual release,
Never be too busy to attend to my soul,
Never be so engrossed with time
That I neglect the things of eternity;
Thus may I not only live, but grow towards thee.
Form my mind to right notions of religion,
That I may not judge of grace by wrong conceptions,
Nor measure my spiritual advances by the efforts
Of my natural being...

Draw on my soul the lineaments (lines=characteristics) of Christ,
In every trace and feature of which thou wilt
Take delight, for I am
Thy workmanship, created in Christ Jesus,
Thy letter written with the Holy Spirit's pen,
Thy tilled soil ready for the sowing, then harvest.

Grace and peace to you, my friends.

Between Two Worlds

2008-05-14T08:20:00.003-05:00

I find myself in the midst of a busy travel month. Last week I got to spend a week in Portugal at a wonderful conference for the Europe-based women of my organization. The main theme was growing in the fear of the Lord. What an encouraging, challenging, and timely topic! Let me encourage you to delve into Psalm 34 and see the passion and the promises it contains. Beautiful!

And Portugal -- oh, my! What a lovely place. The week was loaded with great teaching and fellowship, and the weekend gave me some opportunities to sit on some rocks by the ocean and just be quiet with the Lord for a while. What a blessing to get to enjoy so much beauty and to rest a bit.

Now, four days later, I'm heading off to a different world. Tomorrow I leave for five days in a poorer town in Slovakia to visit some fellow Christian workers who are doing there what we want to do in the Czech Republic: holistic ministry among the Romani people. Please be in prayer for this trip. I am so excited to visit with them and see some of the exciting things they are doing there and get a picture of what we can do here. (I am not so excited about the overnight bus and train travels to get there, so that is one thing in particular you can pray for.) I will get to join the workers there for evangelism, worship services, and children's programs. Fun! I look forward to sharing some of the news from Slovakia with you next week.

In the meantime, may you "taste and see that the Lord is good!" (Psalm 34:8)

What's the Difference?

2008-05-03T16:09:00.002-05:00

Let me share a few of the differences between the cultures of the Czech Republic and the United States.

Here, you pay for:

shopping carts (refundable upon returning the cart to the corral)
the use of public toilets (nonrefundable, though at McDonald's you get a coupon for that amount off your purchase...just make sure you go to the toilet first)
water in restaurants (also ketchup, tartar sauce, etc. etc.)
pizza boxes (which I've never yet seen anyone refuse when taking out pizza...)

Here, people routinely cram into trams and buses until the doors can barely close and you are nose to nose with complete strangers, but you can get yelled at for standing within the 2 meter "privacy zone" at the post office or bank window.

Here, you might not find eggs or milk some evening at the grocery store (Why bother to restock in the afternoon? You'll just have to do it again in the morning...) but you can find dusty bottles of year-old Dr. Pepper hidden on the bottom shelf of a little corner market.

Here, vegetables are either marinated in something or they are potatoes (or they are potatoes marinated in something). I have yet to find an explanation for this phenomenon among the highly health-conscious Czechs. Fortunately, the abundant fruit and veggie markets are full of very yummy fresh produce, so somebody besides Americans must be eating veggies. They are just keeping it a secret from the rest of us...

Here, people sometimes regard underwear as perfectly acceptable outerwear should the weather be warm enough. After all, pants are just too restrictive and hot when you're doing hard labor like roofing your house...

Here, it may cost us $8 for a gallon of gas, but it costs way less to make a movie here than in the U.S. Besides being home to it's own thriving movie industry, this country is home to--among other things--a part of Narnia. Who wants to come visit now?

Yet, in spite of having a bit of Narnia to it, it isn't quite another world. Kids still like to swing and splash and turn paper towel rolls and cardboard boxes into art. Teenagers still argue with their parents about piercings and dating and curfew. College students still fret about what to do when they enter "the real world." Grandmas brag about grandkids and make old family recipes. People go to movies, go to malls, go to McDonald's.

The difference is that, in a place full of the same daily grind and the same physical needs and the same spiritual malnutrition as you see everyday walking beside you on the sidewalks of Anyplace, USA--in a place where people really aren't so different from you--there is an average of 1 library for every 1300 people but 1 church for every 18,000. To put that in perspective for you: In Bartlesville, OK, where my parents live, there is 1 library for 34,000 people but 1 church for every 1000 (conservative estimate). If with that many churches the people of Bartlesville still have a deep need for God's people to be reaching out for the lost, how much more does the Czech Republic need workers taking part in sowing the seed here?

Patrin, April 2008

2008-04-29T14:43:00.002-05:00

Many Romani songs and poems have at their heart the idea of "latcho drom"--the long road. I feel like I am on that road now, a pilgrim through and through. For me there is a lot of joy in being here in the Czech Republic--being right where God has asked me to be. But there are trials and inconveniences too, the reality of life "on the road". As you read on, you'll see a little of both the joy and the struggles. Please pray with me that ALL of it might be for God's glory. That is, after all, the whole reason for being here!

LANGUAGE I finished another intensive language course. This one was TOUGH. But now I'm seeing more of the little victories and milestones that remind me that there is progress. For example, just yesterday I sent a registered letter at the post office, got a new battery for my watch, carried on a conversation with my roommates, spoke with a new tutor to arrange upcoming lessons--basically conducted my whole day in Czech. And now I have started dreaming in Czech! (Those of you who have learned another language well know this is no small thing.) So language is progressing...Praise the Lord!

I have downshifted for a few weeks from intensive classes to private tutoring, meetings with conversation partners, and a lot of personal study. Please continue to pray for my mind to absorb this language.

VISA I finally got my short-term visa last month, and after 2 trips and more than 4 hours waiting at the Foreigner Police office (oh, what fun) I became a legal alien in the Czech Republic on March 26! My application for a long-term visa (meaning up to one year) is still pending. Please pray for that to come through without a problem.

"THE GREAT ESCAPE" Opportunity and need coincided a few weeks ago for me to return to the States for a little more than a week. There wasn't any new emergency in my family, as some of you have expressed concern about. There was just some personal and family business to take care of. The opportunity to see most of you was very limited, and I am so sorry to have missed so many.

Reflecting on this trip (even while in the midst of it) I know that it partly felt so pressing to return because things have felt very hard here in recent weeks. "Culture shock" is a real phenomenon, and I have struggled with it recently: inexplicable changes to train schedules, detours on my comfortable routes, price changes due to the falling dollar, mildewing windows, muddy roads, hard classes. While God did some important work in my life while I was in the States, and some very necessary things got taken care of, I know in my heart that I was also trying to escape some of the mounting cultural pressures here. This is probably the single most important thing you could pray about for me personally right now: That I would know in my heart that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"--even walking muddy roads and putting up with transportation hassles.

MONEY MATTERS You've probably heard by now: The dollar ain't doing well. When I arrived in Czech at the beginning of the year, a dollar was worth about 18 Czech crowns; today, it is worth 15.5. Small sample of the effect: My rent has gone up $10 per month since my arrival. The falling dollar has created a serious situation for many missionaries in Europe! Attached is a letter from Rick Burke, ReachGlobal's international director for Europe. Please take a minute to read his thoughts and to pray for the situation here.

UPCOMING EVENTS
English Weekend, April 18-20--with young people from the English Club run by the church I attend
EFCA Europe Area Women's Conference, May 5-9

PRAISE GOD FOR...

language progress
the issuance of the visa
safe travels recently

CONTINUE PRAYING FOR...

language progress and cultural transitions
gospel-centered relationships with my roommates, tutors and conversation partners, and others I encounter here
a long-term visa
the health and wellbeing of my family
financial stability in light of the falling dollar values
wisdom about phasing in my involvement in Romani ministry in Vlašim and elsewhere

STAY IN TOUCH!
I love to hear from you!

E-mail:
jrmclean123@yahoo.com
renee.mclean@efca.org

Mailing Address:
Renee McLean
Srnčí 2176/5
251 01 Ríčany
Czech Republic

Skype: jrmclean1234
Skype phone (a US call!): 918-919-4575
Cell phone (an international call): 420 608 184 728

Blog (yes, I intend to begin updating again):
www.fortheromani.blogspot.com

Seeking the Kingdom,
Renee

MEMORY VERSE:
"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:31-32

"Je-li Bůh s námi, kdo proti nám? On neušetřil svého vlastního Syna, ale za nás za všecky jej vydal; jak by nám spolu s ním nedaroval všecko?"

FUN WITH CZECH
In describing dal, a wonderful Indian dish made with spicy lentils, I explained that it was made with kočky (pronounced "koch-key") instead of čočky ("choch-key"). What a difference a letter makes: "kočky" is Czech for cats! I'm not sure my classmates will be eating at my house anytime soon...

I'm back, and this time I've brought friends...

2008-04-28T14:05:00.003-05:00

After three months silence, I'm sure some of you thought the blog was dead. Well, it is being resurrected, not because I am proving especially adept at this form of communication, but because I know there are a few of you faithful souls who will see this as often as I post...and you will PRAY. That is a big deal, and well worth my fumbling through yet another username and password to log on and JUST DO IT. So here I am.

In the last newsletter (which I will post up here tomorrow, in case anyone missed it when I sent it out...and if I did miss sending it to you, please drop me a line. I am trying to get my e-mail and snail mail addresses up-to-date.) I asked people to pray that I would develop gospel-centered relationships among my roommates, in my language studies, and at large. Well, during this week, I have begun (or have scheduled to begin) four relationships that you can be praying about.

Iveta is a teenage girl at English Club. She is enthusiastic and friendly and curious. She is also planning to be sprinkled in a Catholic church in June. Pray that I would find the balance in encouraging her excitement over her newly formed faith and discipling her to understand the real truth of the Gospel: that Jesus is the only way, and that salvation is found in Him alone.
Eva is a worldly mother of two with an interest in learning English. She has agreed to a "language swap" in which we speak together in Czech for half the time and English for half the time. She is my biggest "stretch." Pray that I would get to know her better and that a real friendship would form that would make way for more meaningful conversation than "This is a book. This is a chair."
Petra is another local mom and a good friend of my teammate Susan. She is casually a Buddhist, and Susan recently shared with her a book by evangelist and apollogist Ravi Zacarias that is written as a conversation between Christ and Buddha. RZ's materials that I have read and heard are right on--and right up the alley of many of Czech's academically minded people. Petra and I will try meeting for a while as language practice partners. Again, please pray for a depth in the relationship that will give me insight into Petra and opportunities to share Gospel truth with her.
Milan is my tutor. When we practice conversation, he mostly lets me set the topic and the tone. Pray that I would use this learning time efficiently for Kingdom purposes: both in progressing in this language and in engaging him with meaningful, Gospel-centered conversation.

These people are in my oikos, or household, now. (You old-time EBFers will know what I'm talking about.) PLEASE PRAY for these individuals and for continued opportunities. And pray for my boldness, that I will always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in me and to not squander the time I have with each of these souls who are precious in the sight of God.

Home at Last

2008-01-14T08:17:00.000-06:00

Remarkable though it sounds, I began life this side of the ocean with little of either jetlag or culture shock (so far). In fact, I think the transition from Chicago to small-town Oklahoma was actually harder! (Except, of course, for the fact that Oklahomans do speak English.) After years of planning to be here, it just seems so right to finally be "at home". Praise God!
After five days at a conference with colleagues from all over Europe, I arrived in Prague last Tuesday. With help from a teammate, I have gotten my bus/tram/train passes, begun visa paperwork, registered for my first Czech class, and purchased a bed at IKEA (that's "ee-kay-uh", for those of you familiar with the store on the American side of the ocean). I attended church at a small church plant in Prague, visited a mall (apart from the language and the parking lot full of Skodas, you would never know you were shopping in a former communist country!), shopped for groceries, and found my way--with some trial and error--from my home in the "suburbs" to my class in Prague ALL BY MYSELF!
I am living with three Czech women in a town southeast of Prague. I walk about 20 minutes to the train station, then ride the train for half an hour, then switch to the Metro (subway) for about 15 minutes, then walk another five minutes to get to class. In a few weeks, I will (probably) switch to the university for more intensive lessons in Czech. In the meantime, I'm working on establishing a rhythm. That's my life in a nutshell.

Praises:
Getting here! (and getting a running start)
Wonderful teaching and fellowship at the conference last week
SKYPE (if you don't know what this is, ask)
Finding a good language course starting at just the right time
Having Czech roommates to help me learn the language

Prayer Requests:
For healing from a cough that has redeveloped over the last few days (I finished a course of antibiotics just before arriving in Prague.)
For the ability to absorb a lot during my language courses
For visa paperwork to be finished with a minimum of hassles
For me to be a blessing to my roommates and teammates
For wisdom figuring out some easy and inexpensive solutions to getting some paperwork, books, and other things that got left behind in the trans-Atlantic move

All Systems Go (Almost)

2007-12-03T08:04:00.000-06:00

I'm going! By the time offices reopen after the turn of the new year, I will be in another country! Praise the Lord.

There is much to be done between now and then. Packing, gathering visa documents, saying goodbye (again)... Please be in prayer about this whirlwind of details!

There is still a financial need of about $300 per month. Though the shortfall is being managed right now, ultimately it affects the longevity of my ministry and so is not a workable option for more than a couple of years. As you are figuring out your budget for the new year, if you feel that you could help meet this need and would like to contribute to this work, please let me know or visit the EFCA Giving page at www.efca.org/giving.

An update on my sister: Kelley is headed to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Dec. 10 to consult with specialists there and begin aggressive preventive treatment. The rationale is that the type of cancer my sister had removed tends to lurk in the body and reappear. The treatment is intended to kill any cancer cells that may be hibernating. Please pray for her continued recovery from the two surgeries and her strength through the coming treatments. (She and Mom should be home from Houston in time for Christmas.)

A Quick Note of Thanks

2007-11-12T13:45:00.000-06:00

I don't have much to report just yet, but I wanted to say thank you to all of you who have sent encouraging notes my direction and additional prayer heavenward in recent days. I hope to have news to share in a few days. Please continue praying as I prepare to leave. Your prayers and partnership are precious to me and a delight to our Father, too.

And one quick update: All the tests on my sister have come back clear of cancer. She will meet with an oncologist to talk about what the future may hold, but we are rejoicing over what appears to be the very best outcome. Thank you for your prayers on my sister's behalf!

Stay tuned for more news soon!

Navigating the Lumps

2007-10-28T14:30:00.000-05:00

Life is messy. As a person who is entering full-time ministry, I feel like I spend a lot of time trying to put the right spiritual "spin" on life. No one wants to be a bummer, right? But the fact remains that difficult things happen. Loving what I am called to doesn't mean that every step along the way is rosy. I mentioned in the last post that this season of life has felt like swimming through gravy. Let me refine that image for you: This is cold and lumpy gravy!

The biggest lump has come since that last post. My younger sister, who had a melanoma removed from her arm last week, has received the news that the cancer is more widespread. A lymphectomy and chemotherapy are on the near horizon. The other lumps are fairly insignificant by comparison, and yet ever-present and irritating. So please pray. The God of the whole universe is also the God of my small world. I believe He can and will work all things to good in the lives of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

During a mini-retreat this weekend, I got to read through the book of Genesis. I didn't have a plan when I picked it...It just happens to come first! But as I read about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the children of Israel, I was reminded about what the New Testament writers had to say about them. They recieved the promises by faith, even though they never possessed the Promise Land and barely had a glimpse of the kingdoms (and Kingdom) to come. That reception by faith was credited to them as righteousness. So while I feel a bit like I'm stuck in a wilderness, I am encouraged by the reality of God's promises. They're big and beautiful--and perfectly believable, thanks the faithfulness of the God who made them. Praise the Lord!

Swimming through Gravy

2007-10-25T11:56:00.000-05:00

This isn't going to be a long post, because there isn't much to report. This in-between time has been slow and messy (thus the title), and I am so eager to finish up here to be ready to be in the Czech Republic! Since I serve a God who can move mountains, let me share some of the mountains that need moving and invite you to approach the throne of grace with me to get these mountains moved.
1. Pray for the support team building to be completed quickly. I am looking for one more church (one more!) to join the team and help meet the last of the financial need.
2. Pray for encouragement and joy for me. I've been frustrated, which doesn't do much for me or my family. Pray that I would keep my eyes on the prize (not that last bit of support, much as it is needed, but on God's glory, which is the whole point, right?) I also need someplace to "office" for the duration--a quiet and peaceful place for getting some work done. Please pray for the provision of this simple but elusive need!
3. Pray for that last bit of support to be in soon. I am going to the Czech Republic at the end of November for some important meetings with my teammates and our partners. What a wonderful thing if I didn't need to come back to finish up support-team building after that!

Thanks, friends! May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus fill your hearts and minds (and mine, too) today.

Putting the Personal Back into Interpersonal

2007-09-07T17:22:00.001-05:00

I made a choice on this go-around of my newsletter to send it out one person or family at a time. Let me rephrase that: I am still in the process of sending it one address at a time, because this is no small task with an e-mail list of 300 addresses. This isn't always going to be possible (or maybe it will be...I haven't formed a firm opinion yet). But it has been a big blessing. Sending it slowly gave me time to pray for people more personally. It reminded me of the huge number of people praying for me. And it brought more responses back than any e-mail I've ever sent out. I heard from many friends I don't hear from often. I got caught up with some of you and heard the news of your lives. And I learned better how to pray for people whom I love. Bulk mail, whether postal or electronic, serves an important purpose, and a general newsletter helps me get more information out faster, but nothing is quite as good as one-to-one for remembering our interconnectedness in the body of Christ. So many of the people I send that newsletter to are hundreds of miles away from me. Some I haven't seen in months or even years now. But then an e-mail comes (some with pictures....joy!) and the time peels away, and I remember how much I love my brothers and sisters. That is a roundabout way of saying: Keep in touch. I am so thankful for the friends, old and new, God has placed in my life and in this work!

Welcome!

2007-09-06T13:43:00.001-05:00

Finally, finally...welcome to my blog!

The purpose of this blog is to keep friends and supporters up-to-date on the ups and downs, ins and outs of the work the Lord is leading me to. Thus the title. "Christ for the Romani" is a call God put in my heart...wow, ten years ago now. Finally, I'm counting the time till my entry into that work fulltime in weeks, not months or years.

The Romani are a people who live all over the world, though the vast majority are in Europe. They have a rich culture and a sad history, and continue to face prejudice in many venues--even churches. Many Romani communities continue to suffer deep poverty, high teen pregnancy rates, high incarceration rates, significantly lower life expectancies, and the ravages of addictions. And in the midst of these heartbreaking circumstances, I have watched the power of the Kingdom of God transforming broken families and desperate individuals. Scripture says to first look for God's righteousness, and then trust God's provision of the rest (my interpretation of Matthew 6:31). That's the goal of this work: seeking the Kingdom of God and God's righteousness to reach into the lives of Romani people, and being part of the outpouring of God's provision of the needs of hurting people.

Please check back often for updates, musings, and all the to-do...especially as departure draws near. I'm new to this whole blogging thing, so as I play with this and get up to speed, you can watch a daily transformation of this site! I will continue to produce my bimonthly newsletter, Patrin, and send prayer updates to those interested. Please drop me an e-mail if you would like to receive those little gems.