KECY Camp - Slovakia ... CRAZY FUN!!

When you last heard from us we had hiked up to the top of a mountain to join with other Slovakian believers for an incredible day of fellowship and worship. So, just when you start to think that things can’t get any better, God brings something into our lives that completely blows us away. Such were our experiences for the last 10 days! All we can say is that God is amazing and the opportunities He’s giving us are beyond belief!

Hopefully you will hear in our stories, the echo of 1 Corinthians 2:9 – “things which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard and which have not entered the heart of man, all that, God has prepared for those who love Him.

On Monday, June 29, Pierre and Lisa Vanvuuren took us to their church in Hlinne, Slovakia. This church has been started with Roma (gypsy) believers who have to be about the liveliest group of people we’ve ever been with. As we drove into the yard of the house where the church holds services, children who had come for the children’s ministry time were waiting with eager anticipation. Joyce got out of the car and the children swarmed her and surrounded us with their excitement!



The childrens' time lasted for about 1½ hours and was full of teaching and exuberant singing! The adult (and children’s) service started after that and went for nearly 2 hours. It was obvious where the children learned to sing! Everyone in the congregation sang at the top of their lungs (in tune and harmony!) for each song! What a joy to share the word of God and encourage such enthusiastic followers of Jesus! We felt humbled and privileged to share this day with our Roma brothers and sisters!












Our next “stop” after our “mountaintop” experience in Hermanovce was Presov, Slovakia where we met our Slovak/American team who would be doing the English Camp. Connecting with the 4 other Americans and the 15 members of the Slovak camp leadership team was a real joy.

From that moment on for the next 10 days we were busy almost every moment doing all sorts of crazy activities that youth thrive on; we learned some really great games ...
























We had some awesome conversations, we saw beautiful surroundings and we were amazed that we really could get by on six hours of sleep each night for over a week!



The Slovak campers were enthusiastic about every part of camp and were so appreciative of “the Americans” coming to help make the camp possible. We felt like God really enriched our lives through this experience.

The highlight for us was making connections with our group during the entire week.



At the “good-bye party” back in Presov on the evening after returning from camp, a young man from our camp group said that he was thankful every day to be at camp and that this experience showed him that life is more than girls and partying. We have many more stories about this amazing camp and lives that are being changed here in Eastern Europe! We look forward to sharing them with you after we return in about 3 weeks.

On the Top of the World (or close to it)!

Since we last checked in, Joyce and I have transitioned from the bustling city of Budapest with its 2.5 million people to the serene, almost idyllic village of Hermanovce, Slovakia … population, 660!!

Friday started with another exhilarating taxi ride and a trek into the Budapest train station. We got our tickets with no problem and waited for the announcement to board the train. Track 12 was our destination, so we climbed on board with a few hundred other travelers and settled into a nice “cabin” for the 4 hour trip to Slovakia. The train ride through the eastern European countryside was very nice; including a fun conversation with a 17 year-old Hungarian/Slovak girl named Esther, who was returning to Slovakia with 50 classmates who had been on a school trip! Meeting new people is becoming a real highlight of our time here. Our arrival in Kosice, Slovakia meant that we had to hoist our 50 pound backpacks and carry them through the train station. For those who have been praying for our ability to lift those packs … well, mission accomplished!



Even though we had a small delay on our connecting train, we eventually arrived in Hermanovce for a wonderful reception from Pastor Peter Pristiak and a delicious late supper (10 PM!!) prepared especially for us by his wife, Renata.
After supper, Peter announced that Saturday they would have a “brigada” … or work day at the church and camp which is adjacent to prepare everything for the summer camping season to start this week. Dave joined with a group of gypsy believers (men) who had come to the camp for a retreat! We dug a ditch to bury a gravity-fed water line that would supply water for an outdoor shower! An very interesting sidelight is that Dave and his partner were using shovels that were brought from the US by work teams that Dave organized 9 years ago. It was obvious that they had been well used!



After lunch, Dave and Joyce visited some families who had hosted teams and worked alongside them as the church was being built from 2000 – 2003. This time was great blessing (but a little “stretching” for Dave’s old noggin’ … translating Slovak for Joyce and then back to Czech/Slovak for our hosts)!

We got a good rest Saturday night, which was needed in preparation for the hike up to the mountaintop on Sunday. This is the gathering that we told some of you about … a tradition started many years ago when the church was more clandestine and met in obscure places. At least once a year, people from all over the region would hike to the top of a 3500 foot mountain in order to gather together for food, fellowship, worship and to hear the word of God. What a privilege it was to join with this group and share in their tradition!

After hiking 5 or 6 miles (actually, Joyce got an exciting ride in a 4X4 jeep-type vehicle … they didn’t have to twist our arms to take part in a traditional Slovak “weenie roast!” Only these weren’t your typical hot dogs, these were kolbasy and spekacky … kolbasa and smoked pork belly (real fatty bacon) threaded on a stick! With some wonderful brown bread and horseradish mustard, this was a feast fit for a king and queen! And we enjoyed every bite!















Today (Monday) we are going to the nearby town of Hlinne to participate in a childrens’ club and an evening service with a congregation of Roma (gypsy) believers. Please pray that as Dave shares from God’s word that the words will bless and challenge these brothers and sisters who are from such a different culture.

Tomorrow we travel to the English Camp, so we’re not sure when we’ll be able to check in again, but keep praying! We’re so thankful for each of you as you journey with us this summer!

A Day in Budapest - Missionary Style!

As we sat on Wednesday evening in the falafel/gyros restaurant at Moricz Zsigmond Square, Dave recounted, that from best recollection, he had been to Budapest 12 times, starting in the summer of 1996. That must account for the "success" we had in the last 24 hours ...

1) Being awed by the evidence of the hand of God at work through those whom He's called here ...

and:

2) Seeing a whole bunch of famous sites in this grand European city.

The "tour" started with our arrival in Ferihegy Airport and Joyce's "official" welcome for her first visit.



From there it was a fast taxi ride to the Griff Hotel, where many, many groups have stayed while they served at the MOZI Ministry Center, just a short walk away. After a quick shower and change of socks and "unmentionables" ... (its not a new day until you change your socks and undies), we walked from the Hotel to the Olimpia Mozi Ministry Center. On the way there, we took a short detour through the playground that Dave helped with by organizing construction teams who came and built it 7 years ago! What a joy it was to see the playground in wonderful condition, with dozens of children with their parents playing and enjoying this beautiful place. It's so rewarding to know that the work of so many is still paying dividends!!









The Olimpia Mozi Ministry Center has undergone significant renovations since it was purchased in 2000, but this summer some of the most dramatic changes are coming about through the complete reconstruction of the coffeehouse and auditorium. Brad Mullet greeted us with two cups of the most wonderful espresso (and Joyce doesn't even drink coffee!!) and shared the most recent "God sightings" that have moved this renovation forward. Suffice it to say that there is no doubt in our minds that God intends to reach many people in the 11th district of Budapest through the myriad of ministries that use this building. We count at least 8 ministries currently at work, and more to come! The stories of how the finances were obtained would alone fill up this blog, but we just want to relay to all of you who read this, that God is at work in this part of the world in ways that we never hear about. We were very encouraged to hear Brad update us on all that's happening.

Always the gracious host, Brad offered to drop us at the foot of the Castle Hill with a handful of bus/tram tickets and some rough directions on how to get back to the hotel. We took his offer and Joyce soon found herself gazing out at the Danube River through the windows of the turrets in the Fisherman's Bastion. This famously photographed landmark didn't escape our camera's lens ... and Joyce was especially awed by the view. We then walked the cobblestone streets of the Castle Hill in search of a restaurant where we could get a good Hungarian dinner and we were not at all disappointed! The chicken paprika with dumplings tickled Joyce's palette, while Dave opted for the grilled pork medallions with sweet red cabbage and roasted potatoes. While the prices aren't the same as they were 13 years ago, the flavors haven't gone away and we thanked God for a great day, great food, and most of all, for great friends who are praying for us today! We felt especially blessed!

Sleep came easy as we we were able to lay horizontal for the first time in nearly 48 hours! 9 hours later we were awoken by a beautiful sunshiny day ... and ready for more touring!

We won't cover all the nitty gritty, but here's a taste of what Thursday was like:

We rode a tram over a beautiful bridge crossing the Danube, walked through the largest covered market in the city, had a lunch of Hungarian gulash (csipos!!), walked down the Vaci Utca (shopping street) without getting pick=pocketed!!, rode the oldest metro line on the continent of Europe (not counting "the Tube"), gazed at the "heroes" on Hero's Square, had a delicious coffee and cake at an outdoor cafe along the Danube, and rode the tram back across the Danube to the gyros restaurant that we mentioned in the first paragraph! Wow!! ... and Joyce's leg (recovering from shin splints) held up through it all!! What a day!

Today, we will leave Budapest and head for Slovakia. Our eventual destination is Hermanovce nad Toplou ... the small village on the end of the road that is such a contrast to this city of 2.5 million, but where the hand of God is also incredibly evident in the lives of people. We're not sure when we'll get the next blog updated, but stay tuned for more adventure!!

And They're Off!

This is Abi, Dave and Joyce's daughter and I am an honorary blogger on behalf of my parents. Zach, Janlee and I dropped Mom and Dad off at the airport yesterday with two full bags and lots of excitement and anticipation! By now they've probably arrived in Budapest Hungary and I am sure are working hard to get over jet lag and stay awake.

A few prayer requests for the next few days:
~Safety in continued travels over the next week

~A quick adjustment to European time

~Joyce's overall health especially her shin splints - let's pray for complete healing for her

Keep checking for updates here along the way. Thank you for taking this journey with us!

Gearing Up!

Well, we're back at it again! For those who haven't heard, Joyce and Dave are heading back to Eastern Europe on June 23 for an "extended ministry" that will last nearly six weeks!

Once again, we will be partnering with Josiah Venture, a youth outreach and leadership development organization. They have invited us to participate in a number of different activities which are designed to give Eastern European youth an opportunity to clearly hear about and respond to God's love for them. We are super excited about what we'll be doing this summer.

During the first week of July we will be helping to facilitate a relational evangelistic English camp in Slovakia. Joyce is excited to use her ESL expertise in this camp setting with students who have had little or no contact with Christians, the Bible or the truth of Jesus Christ! Dave will be able to use his Czech language as well, to build relational bridges into students’ lives! (Slovak and Czech are “sister languages”) We look forward to sharing the gospel with some who have never heard it before!

After the camp, we will travel to southern Poland to spend five weeks working with teams from around the globe who are helping to do an “Extreme Makeover” on an 18 acre training center called H2O. Dave will be able to put his project management and team facilitation skills to good use as we work with hundreds of people during the 5 weeks that we are in Poland. To learn more about what H20 is all about take a look at the H2O Blog

We invite you to follow us as we move about in Eastern Europe this summer. We anticipate great things to happen in and through our lives!

Blessings to all!

Dave & Joyce Johnson

Final Reflections

Our final days in Czech Republic flew by before we knew it! It’s now Saturday morning, and we are in Amsterdam, Netherlands on our way back to the United States. It has been a great week, with many “God sightings” as we’ve sought to be a “Barnabas Team” … encouraging people in whatever way we can. Our hands encouraged the Josiah Venture Staff as we were able to so some construction work on the Pstruzi House Retreat Center. Our lips expressed words of encouragement and prayers for the leaders and families who live and serve here. And last, but certainly not least, our hearts connected with the vision and passion of the entire Josiah Venture organization. We’re hoping and believing that there will be many more connections and opportunities for people to join with us in this part of the world!

Thursday was our final work day. Our hope was to get our project to a point where the work remaining was easily “transferable” to a next group coming in. We finished nailing on the 1 inch sheathing on the end wall of the barn … soon to be guest house … and framed in a roof system for a wood storage area that will store wood to heat part of the facility. Oh, we should mention that the weather on Thursday was a full-blown mountain blizzard, so cutting rafters outside brought its own challenge!



Dave and Mark rejoiced to “reach the top” of their project, and congratulated each other as they thanked God for the work which He was able to accomplish through them.











One highlight of Thursday was a side trip to a log home building factory in Frydlant nad Ortravici. Josiah Venture is seriously considering hiring this company to put up a traditional style Czech “timber home” complete with exquisite dovetail corners and massive beams! This visit really lit Dave’s fire for the facility. The log/timber construction would provide a very peaceful and calming environment for JV staff to come and refresh and recharge.

















So, our day ended with one last walk down the hill …



... and memories of a week well invested for the Kingdom of God.



Please pray with us that, unlike these locked barn doors at the retreat facility, the doors of peoples’ hearts here in Central Europe will be open and unlocked to receive the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ.



Pray also that God continues to lead NEXT as to how we may continue to build a strong partnership with Josiah Venture to help move their God given vision forward in Eastern Europe.

Oh, one last thing. We want to thank our dear “Czech brother” Marek Susta for the use of his car for the week. Marek and his family has been wonderful friends for many years, and it was great to reconnect during this trip. His generosity and friendship are very special to us, and we look forward to more time together in the future. And thanks to everyone who has read and prayed and followed our adventures this past week. We’re excited to see many of you very soon!

Girls at School and Training a Young Zednik

Today we split up ... girls and guys. While Dave and Mark got up at 6 and took off for the work site by 7:30 as usual, the girls stayed back in order to go to the high school where Amy Ellenwood teaches. Before going to the school the girls were able to go across the border to Poland for a short sightseeing/shopping trip.


Joyce and Amy spent the afternoon interacting with senior English students at the "gymnasium" ... college prep school. The students asked Cathy and Joyce questions in order to find out about them, told about the Czech school system and described typical Czech students and teachers. The time together was enjoyed by both students and teacher(s).






Dave and Mark had the joy of working with the Ellenwood's son, Noah today. Our first stop was the building supply store to pick up a couple more bags of mortar mix. They've gotten to know us quite well! We needed to build a couple small brick walls, so Noah learned the skills of a "zednik" or bricklayer. Although he's been around some building projects, he told us that he has never layed bricks, or seen anyone lay bricks, up close. But today, that all changed!

Mark taught Noah how to mix a perfect batch of mud, and Dave had him layin' down bricks one after another.


















The day ended with the supporting brick knee walls in place, all the framing in place to support the rafters, and some rafters cut. Working as a three-some including Noah was definitely one of the highlights of our week. It's great to pour into a young man's life! Oh, and Mark and Dave kinda enjoy working together pretty much as well!

















Tomorrow will be our last work day ... so we're hoping to complete as much as we can. We're also going to take a "field trip" to the log home company that the Ellenwoods hope to have build the retreat house and we're looking forward to that as well. Stay tuned for at least one more blog to see how our week ended up!