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God Sightings in Svitavy
‘We were lonely until you came’
Finding instant camaraderie in a new field
By Dan Lupton, Called and Sent Columnist
SVITAVY, Czech Republic—Our first months here have been an amazing series of God sightings.
The Lord led here. A prayer was answered there. A stranger helped us at the right moment. A skycap went above and beyond at LaGuardia Airport—and was happy to do it.
The list continued after we landed in Europe: at the Czech Embassy in Vienna, where people treated us wonderfully as we applied for our visas; at a railroad platform in Prague; at the police station in Svitavy, where people served us even though they were closed; at Svitavy’s city hall, where they stayed open to meet our needs.
Yes, God also uses and blesses those who don’t know him. When atheists and skeptics serve others with joy and satisfaction, it should be seen as evidence of God at work: Why should a body of soulless molecules find pleasure in loving deeds?
Foreign, yes—lonely, no
While we feel many points of cultural difference, we have not been lonely.
Shortly after we arrived in the Czech Republic, we had a special moment after worship on Sunday morning at Litomysl Cirkev Bratrska Church, our Czech oversight organization.
A retired pastor named Jaroslav Kucera stopped us for a conversation through an interpreter. Giving flowers and plants to special people and on special occasions is a beautiful Czech tradition. Pastor Kucera gave us a strawberry plant loaded with dozens of berries. He told us, “Even though your hair is gray, God will give you much fruit here.” He had thought this through, prayed it through, and came to us as a senior Czech church leader with his affirmation, blessing and maybe even prophecy.
The Litomysl Cirkev Bratrska Church is essential. It was the church’s elders who invited Nancy and me to come. It is these elders who hold the lasting passion for church planting in Svitavy, as well as the nearby towns of Vysoke Myto and Moraska Trebova.
How many churches of 100 people (including children) do you know of that are committed to three church plants? Oh, and in this process, the home church is prospering and needs a new building. That is 21st century confirmation of Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:25, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” This church has a budget for the Svitavy work, and they will provide the local umbrella of oversight.
God’s people have been wonderful to us. They met us at the airport, helped outfit our flat and have made sure that we lack nothing we need. They invite us into their homes and trust us with their prayer requests. A friend and core team member told us, “We were lonely until you came.” That is one of the most beautiful expressions of friendship I’ve heard.
In 1970 Nancy and I went to Utah to start a church and introduce people to the Savior. But there, we had no one to work with and no place to stay. Here we had a flat waiting and a core mission team ready to serve alongside us—or we alongside them. When you are working side by side for the Lord, it doesn’t matter how you express that unity of vision, purpose and commitment.
The city has welcomed us, too. The local high school has rolled out the red carpet and is doing everything it can to help us have an enjoyable experience teaching English there.
We have about 65 students ages 15-19. Strangers call us for help with English, and we become friends. On top of our seven classes at the school, we teach two couples and also meet with individuals.
I often tell our Svitavy friends that we have 10 churches and many people who are praying for them, for this city – people who pray and give. That encourages them; and while they can’t see those people, that support makes them feel less lonely, too.
Finally First love International, our sending mission, has been wonderful from our opening moment with them. Dr. Tom Clinton of First Love has visited us and has offered great insight and counsel. First Love is essential to this mission work.
Observing differences
The Czech language and culture unite in a system of speaking and treating people either formally or informally. First names are not used until you know someone well. By the way, they call your first name “your Christian name.” I like that. Do American Christians think of that when they name their children?
There are introductory greeting that are formal -- Dobry den -- and others that are informal -- Ahoj. I was returning with an interpreter to my Svitavy bank for the second time and was trying to remember the name of the woman who had served us on our first visit. I asked my interpreter friend, “Was her first name Jitka?” He answered, “It doesn’t matter. We would never use the Christian name in a bank.” That is because it is a business and is formal.
In the high school, when I enter a classroom, the students all stand at polite attention until I tell them to be seated. At the end of the class session I invite them to stand, wait a moment and then wish them well and tell them to go. They walk out of the classroom quietly and respectfully, with a kind greeting for me on the way out. Can you imagine that in America? A little polite formality serves the Czech culture well.
As an American, I have often broken the formal “use the surname only” rule. People are forgiving, but I can sometimes sense the tension for a moment while they struggle with whether to correct my American first-name custom with equals. I may apologize, or the moment passes and all is well. They know I’m an American and give me extra forgiveness.
After a Sunday morning church service I was involved is a discussion of these formal and informal ways of greeting people. One knowing person observed, “Oh yes, in America there is no distinction between formal and informal unless you are speaking of God himself, when you use Thee and Thou.” I let it go. I was too ashamed to tell him that even with the Creator King we no longer have any formal words.
Other reflections
Finding instant camaraderie in a new field
 | |
|
By Dan Lupton, Called and Sent Columnist
SVITAVY, Czech Republic—Our first months here have been an amazing series of God sightings.
The Lord led here. A prayer was answered there. A stranger helped us at the right moment. A skycap went above and beyond at LaGuardia Airport—and was happy to do it.
The list continued after we landed in Europe: at the Czech Embassy in Vienna, where people treated us wonderfully as we applied for our visas; at a railroad platform in Prague; at the police station in Svitavy, where people served us even though they were closed; at Svitavy’s city hall, where they stayed open to meet our needs.
Yes, God also uses and blesses those who don’t know him. When atheists and skeptics serve others with joy and satisfaction, it should be seen as evidence of God at work: Why should a body of soulless molecules find pleasure in loving deeds?
Foreign, yes—lonely, no
While we feel many points of cultural difference, we have not been lonely.
Shortly after we arrived in the Czech Republic, we had a special moment after worship on Sunday morning at Litomysl Cirkev Bratrska Church, our Czech oversight organization.
A retired pastor named Jaroslav Kucera stopped us for a conversation through an interpreter. Giving flowers and plants to special people and on special occasions is a beautiful Czech tradition. Pastor Kucera gave us a strawberry plant loaded with dozens of berries. He told us, “Even though your hair is gray, God will give you much fruit here.” He had thought this through, prayed it through, and came to us as a senior Czech church leader with his affirmation, blessing and maybe even prophecy.
The Litomysl Cirkev Bratrska Church is essential. It was the church’s elders who invited Nancy and me to come. It is these elders who hold the lasting passion for church planting in Svitavy, as well as the nearby towns of Vysoke Myto and Moraska Trebova.
How many churches of 100 people (including children) do you know of that are committed to three church plants? Oh, and in this process, the home church is prospering and needs a new building. That is 21st century confirmation of Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:25, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” This church has a budget for the Svitavy work, and they will provide the local umbrella of oversight.
God’s people have been wonderful to us. They met us at the airport, helped outfit our flat and have made sure that we lack nothing we need. They invite us into their homes and trust us with their prayer requests. A friend and core team member told us, “We were lonely until you came.” That is one of the most beautiful expressions of friendship I’ve heard.
In 1970 Nancy and I went to Utah to start a church and introduce people to the Savior. But there, we had no one to work with and no place to stay. Here we had a flat waiting and a core mission team ready to serve alongside us—or we alongside them. When you are working side by side for the Lord, it doesn’t matter how you express that unity of vision, purpose and commitment.
The city has welcomed us, too. The local high school has rolled out the red carpet and is doing everything it can to help us have an enjoyable experience teaching English there.
We have about 65 students ages 15-19. Strangers call us for help with English, and we become friends. On top of our seven classes at the school, we teach two couples and also meet with individuals.
I often tell our Svitavy friends that we have 10 churches and many people who are praying for them, for this city – people who pray and give. That encourages them; and while they can’t see those people, that support makes them feel less lonely, too.
Finally First love International, our sending mission, has been wonderful from our opening moment with them. Dr. Tom Clinton of First Love has visited us and has offered great insight and counsel. First Love is essential to this mission work.
Observing differences
The Czech language and culture unite in a system of speaking and treating people either formally or informally. First names are not used until you know someone well. By the way, they call your first name “your Christian name.” I like that. Do American Christians think of that when they name their children?
There are introductory greeting that are formal -- Dobry den -- and others that are informal -- Ahoj. I was returning with an interpreter to my Svitavy bank for the second time and was trying to remember the name of the woman who had served us on our first visit. I asked my interpreter friend, “Was her first name Jitka?” He answered, “It doesn’t matter. We would never use the Christian name in a bank.” That is because it is a business and is formal.
In the high school, when I enter a classroom, the students all stand at polite attention until I tell them to be seated. At the end of the class session I invite them to stand, wait a moment and then wish them well and tell them to go. They walk out of the classroom quietly and respectfully, with a kind greeting for me on the way out. Can you imagine that in America? A little polite formality serves the Czech culture well.
As an American, I have often broken the formal “use the surname only” rule. People are forgiving, but I can sometimes sense the tension for a moment while they struggle with whether to correct my American first-name custom with equals. I may apologize, or the moment passes and all is well. They know I’m an American and give me extra forgiveness.
After a Sunday morning church service I was involved is a discussion of these formal and informal ways of greeting people. One knowing person observed, “Oh yes, in America there is no distinction between formal and informal unless you are speaking of God himself, when you use Thee and Thou.” I let it go. I was too ashamed to tell him that even with the Creator King we no longer have any formal words.
Other reflections
- We love Czech bread.
- We miss smoke free restaurants.
- How do the Czech people survive if most things here cost more than in America (per capita income in the Czech Republic is $16,800, compared to $40,100 in the U.S.)?
- Answer: Czech people tend to buy what they need for function and not so much for style consciousness.
- Gasoline is $6 a gallon.
- Czech service people work hard and pleasantly.
- All vehicles here are 5-speed stick shift.
- Czech buildings are designed to last hundreds of years.
- Our flat is 80 years young.
- Office Max or Staples could make a fortune here.
- Czech worship choruses have singable and memorable melodies.
- It took three hours to open a simple bank account.
- No one complains about waiting in a line.
- Bus and train service is a marvel to experience.
- Cobblestones are charming and practical.
- Czech waiters add the final bill in their heads.
- Sandals are worn 10 months of the year – 12 for some.
- No restaurant is open in the morning, so there are no breakfast meetings.
- In our Svitavy flat, we only have 15 percent of the stuff we had in our house the U.S. Why did we think we needed that other stuff?
- This world and these people are worth fighting for.
© 2006 Called and Sent Magazine. All rights reserved.
Dan and Nancy Lupton are missionaries with First Love International, which has staff serving in eight countries and four continents primarily in impoverished regions of the world.