Highlights of Choir Trip

We are now in Prague, departing on Sunday morning for home. Highlights from the last days of the choir trip in Slovakia:

• The impact of the theme "God's Son Has Made Me Free" - a powerful beginning at every concert. The meaning of the song is so much stronger for us - never to be sung the same way!
• Coming together in God's Spirit - no language barrier. Music touches the heart.
• "Light Everlasting" sang in a darkened old wooden church.
• "Child's Prayer" sung with 3 Slovak children as soloists with our choir. It attracted eyes and ears of audiences. The audience heard the prayer of their children.
• Green bag craft project connected with lots of people. They will never be thrown away and will be carried throughout the city.
• Butterfly craft project,"motyl mobile" - Important in use of daily lives.
• The Choir concerts were an inspiration to the audience as well as to our singers. At two concerts we were asked to give copies of music for further use by conductors.
• Many special memories that will last, and we thank God for the opportunity to share our music and the message of freedom in Christ. Jan Gilbertson, Choir Director
  

"It Is Finished......"
These final words heard from the cross were remembered as the Conversational English class held a "graduation" ceremony for our 52 students of the past two weeks. But, just as the cross was only the beginning, we trust that the seeds we have sown by the example of our love and our service will surely fall on fertile ground and yields 10 fold, 50 fold and 100 fold will be harvested. We know this because Jesus left only twelve and His ministry has endured for two millennia; we see our love reflected in the smiles and enthusiasm of the students we have touched; we see it in the energetic service of the Martin Bible School staff; and we see how the ministry here has touched the lives of our five first-time members.Along with the Saint Andrew's choir and our VBS partners, we have helped celebrate a decade of miracles and perhaps launch the next miracle in the BeFriender Ministry. Is it finished? It is for these 18 people in 2008, but we WILL be back because many are hungry and the Lord has entrusted us with the bread of life. We are thankful for this opportunity to serve and for your prayerful support.
Submitted by: Timothy Svoboda - Conversational English Team - 2008

A Big Deal!

When I took part in the first BeFriender Ministry program offered at St. Andrew’s in 1995, I had no idea that 13 years later, I’d be helping launch that same ministry in the country of Slovakia. Yet on July 10th, that’s exactly what will happen! To date, over twenty pastors and lay members from churches all over western and southern Slovakia have registered for the day long seminar on pastoral care.

Pastor Natalia Kacianova from Martin and myself, co-leaders of the conference, will be joined by two BeFriender ministers from Hosanna Lutheran Church in Forest Lake, MN, Renee Svoboda and SueAnn Anderson. Together, in English and in Slovak, we will reflect on the royal priesthood of all believers, the equipping of the saints and Jesus’ command to love one another as He has loved us. We’ll learn what it means to have compassion, especially in the context of a pastoral visit. We’ll discuss mutuality, the importance of confidentiality, and the phases and predominant emotions found in grief and bereavement. We will role play visits and practice our active listening skills.

In the words of my dear friend, Pastor Natalia, “This seminar will be a BIG deal!” Indeed it will be as nothing like this has ever happened before in Slovakia! Due to communist oppression for so many years and the resultant shortage of pastors, pastoral care nearly became extinct. When someone died, the pastors had all they could manage to simply preside over the funeral service. There was no follow up care. Additionally, pastors believed that they had to “do it all” – that the laity could not be actively involved in providing spiritual and emotional care to their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Those of us involved in leading the seminar hope and pray that all who attend it, whether ordained or lay, Slovak or American, will take leave seeing themselves and one another as ministers, equal partners, called to love and serve the body of Christ. We also pray that each person will recognize his/her God given gifts, hear God’s call and by the power of the Holy Spirit, step out in faith. Tomorrow is a new day and it is the beginning of a very BIG deal! Let us rejoice in it!

All thanks and glory be to God, our Father, who makes all things new and possible!

In Christ,

Candee Moser

Years of Love
Greetings.
We just finished our 7th day of our Conversational English classes, this week we have all of the students from 8:30 to 3:00 each day. They are long days and both students and teachers are tired by the time 3:00 arrives. This is my 5th year of teaching English and I reflected back over that time I can truly say that this years experience with our students has been the most rewarding. Before we taught anyone who signed up for the English course but for the past two years we are teaching the Bible School 1st and 2nd year students, these students really want to learn and work so very hard, we are all very impressed with their efforts. They also know each other so there is a sense of community that wasn't felt in my previously experience.

I have been leading the level 1 students. We have 18 students and 7 teachers in our class. We are able to have 2 and 3 students to 1 English teacher so the students really get a lot of personal attention. We do the majority of our teaching in small groups. Since our students have very limited experience speaking English (many of them had a hard time saying, "Hi, my name is _____") we work a lot on just learning vocabulary and putting it into simple sentences. We started just learning the colors and today we finished talking about daily routines and started our unit on feelings. We had a visit by Boso the clown, aka. Renee Svoboda who helped demonstrate what "happy", "sad", "frustrated", "confused", etc.. You should have seen the students faces when she came in with her wig, red nose and clown make-up, can't wait to see the pictures! We try to make sure to have a couple of games each day that we use to review the subject material, tomorrow we will do a game of charades, the topic will be feelings, we think this will be a lively activity with lots of energy.

The 18 English teachers are enjoying the calm that has been felt after the very busy weekend of celebration of the 10th Anniversary, everyone else left on Monday morning so we have the Bible School staff all to ourselves. This afternoon they took us to a beautiful valley which has a small ski area and we were able to take a walk and then we had dinner outside in a small village near Martin called Valca. One of the church members in Martin joined us to talk about the tradition of sheep herding and then he gave us a "whip" demonstration. This is a very old tradition which not many people know how to do any more, he has a special whip that he uses to make loud snapping sounds. He is a delightfully friendly man and makes a special effort when we come to town to do his demonstrations.In closing I just want to say that the only requirement of coming here to teach English is that you can speak English. You don't have to be a trained teacher to do this, we emphasize conversation and don't teach grammar. So, if you want to have an experience that you will never forget, with people that will warm your hearts, in a country that is so beautiful you think that the Sound of Music was filmed here, I recommend that you sign up for next years program!

Please continue to keep our group in your prayers.
Best regards,
Peggy Sontag

Choir Member Reports

July 6
Greetings from Martin, Slovakia.
We woke this Sunday morning to heavy fog and thought – oh, no, we won’t be able to have church outside! Part of this wonderful Decade of Miracles celebration was to be an outdoor service, the first in many, many years. Our bus took us to the church and by that time the fog had lifted and we were bathed in bright sunlight and blue sky. Hundreds of chairs had been set up in the square in front of the church and a stage with risers. We then participated in a beautiful service with hymns, anthems, sermon and prayers in Slovak and English. Our pastor, John Hogenson, participated with prayer, the VBS children sang with energy, and Pastor Jan Hrobon spoke with passions that “God’s truth set people free.” He said that they are so grateful that is now a time when they can be free to worship here. We were moved when we sang together (in our own language) “Here I Am, Lord.” The song asks “whom shall I send?” Those of you reading this blog should consider being sent and experience the exciting vibrancy in this Bible School.

After experiencing a scheduling problem with the bus, we finally left for Banska Bystrica and began singing on our arrival at the beautiful Lutheran church nestled in a wooded mountain valley. The crowd wasn’t large, but were very appreciative. Following the concerts, we all walked into the beautiful town centrum and ate and took fun pictures of each other. We are bonding and making beautiful music together. This is a great groups of people representing St. Andrew’s and other U.S. churches.

We highly recommend coming to share your time with VBS, building, or teaching English next year.
Jim and Donna Dixon, Choir Members

July 9
This will be a rather unique blog in that it is mostly being written the day before it was to have taken place. This is due to the fact that we are venturing into relatively unknown territory dealing with the day (the 9th) and we are not sure what sort of internet connection we can expect.. Therefore instead of being a blog entry observations on this trip so far and comparisons with prior trips (this is my third trip to Slovakia it is a collection of thoughts and observations on the trip so far and comparisons to former trips. This is my third trip to Slovakia including all the choir trips – 1998, 2000, and 2008.

Anticipation – Having been on the original choir trip that helped launch the Bible School, and the 2nd one celebrating the 1st graduating class, I was most curious and excited to see what had changed in 8 years. From seeing the main square of Martin (a.k.a. Rubble Street) transformed into a suave, well-maintained thoroughfare to seeing the Bible School blossom from a partial building and a lot of chaos and dreams into a robust Centre for Christian Education complete with a dormitory. My first observation is that this has been, and continues to be, a Triple AAA rated trip. It is one of Anticipation, Adoration, and Adjustment that we vowed to help make a reality, was truly magnificent and brought on a deep sense of spiritual satisfaction. I think the lord is truly happy with what is going on in this place and the fact that big dreams and actions are still mightily flowing even in the midst of continuing struggles and challenges.

Adoration – The common theme that seems to emanate from all the groups participating in the Vision Slovakia efforts (VBS, ESL, Choir preparation and tour, and the effect of the Martin Bible School itself) is the ceaseless praise and adoration of our Lord Jesus Christ, and fine stewardship of the many gifts, large and small, that is evidenced over and over again in powerful ways of reaching out to thousands with the message and ministry of Christ. The joy in us serving them and in their serving us is palpable and truly spiritually irresistible. If you have never experienced this love, consider God’s call to visit and participate with one of varied efforts. I guarantee you will be changed forever!

Adjustment – The Lord, if we really let him work in lour lives, will always seek to move us to new ground and levels of understanding. Sometimes that moment is easy, but many times it is not. All of our plans for VBS and the choir trip underwent simple to radical changes as we sought to stay “flexible” to the wind of the Spirit. From an anticipated weather changes, to sometimes rowdy kids, to buses not showing up, to changed concert schedules and venues, the Lord worked miracles to bring glory to himself and personal growh, patience, and yes, humot to us all. Again, you would have to be here to get the true portent of what I’m saying. And through all the “adjustments’ we just grow closer to each other and the Lord.. a true “God Thing.”

Note: In Saturday’s conference at the Bible School, the transformation in the Slovak Church’s Regional Bishop was extraordinary. He was literally overwhelmed (and said so) by the loving testimonies that came out, and kept coming, during our afternoon sessions. He was literally hit with a tsunami of God’s love.

Two other evidences of lives touched and changed after our concert in Banska Bystrica:
1. An elderly woman approached Twink Starr after our concert, eyes brimming with tears and with a broad smile. She grasped both of Twink’s hands and pressed them to her own hearts, while acknowledging our ministry to her with words we did not understand, but the spirit was clear.
2. During the concert two young guys who were just passing by the church, dropped in and stayed for the whole concert, exclaiming afterwards that it had truly touched them, and it was the best experience of their whole trip.

Well, today our tour heads in the unknown... Eastern Slovakia! With eager Anticipation, seeking to give Adoration to our Creator and inspiration to all who come to listen, and yes, there will be inevitable Adjustment along the way that will produce even stronger brothers and sisters in Christ. Soli Deo Gloria!
Bob Storeygard, Choir Member

Miracles and Love

July 5
What a busy, wonderful day this has been! We've read that July is the rainiest month in Slovakia, and we believe it -- but today we were inside the Bible School attending a conference celebrating the 10th anniversary of the school where many people shared the last decade of miracles accomplishments, and challenges that will continue.

We heard many stories and testimonials from old and new about their experiences of the Bible School of the past 10 years, but all seemed to share a common message of miracles and love. There were stories of the countless miracles that helped the Vision of the Bible School to overcome financial, political and social obstacles to become the thriving entity it has become. The other recurring theme was one of love, love of Christ, love of theWord, and love of mission. All of us could see that this bold type of love overcomes all obstacles and bind all of us as one in Christ.

As Americans, we just can't fathom the lingering effects that a post communist society has to deal with. People have many more choices, but don't know quite what to do with them. And within a church, the people still feel that they only need to attend church, and the pastor does all the rest. They need to learn the community, the fellowship and service that we are so accustomed to in our church. The Bible school here works to equip lay leaders with the skills to build and embrace these concepts and to shape them.

And our day continued.. We're here singing with the St. Andrew's Choir, and tonight was our first concert, at the Lutheran Church in Martin. Our months of rehearsals and hard work have been well worth it, and it was a joy to perform in such a beautiful setting to a full house! Music really is such a universal connection that transcends language barriers. It was great to communicate with the Slovak people in this meaningful, faith filled way.

Yesterday, Pastor Hogenson shared with us that on a mission trip like this, we always think of what we are doing for others but he added that they will actually do a lot for us--and that we should be alert to those "God moments" as we experience them. One such moment occurred for us yesterday as we rehearsed for our concert. We were told that the words to a "A Child's Prayer" had been translated into Slovak and that three little Slovak girls would be singing that piece with the choir. As we rehearsed the piece for the first time and we heard the little girls sing their part we experience a "God moment" as these innocent children with their angelic voices sang of the love for their Heavenly Father. At that moment the sung prayer transcended language as we ministered to one another through music. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

God continues to bless us on this trip, and we eagerly await what else God has in store for us as we continue the journey.

Mark and Deanna Haugh, Choir

The Fourth of July in Martin, Slovakia

The day ended with fireworks in the city square in a gift from the city of Martin to honor the visiting Americans and thank us for what we have contributed to the life of their city. But before the fireworks, there was much, much more.

Today was the first time the 41-voice Slovak choir from St. Andrew's was complete. Twenty-seven arrived from America last night. Some are already here in Martin teaching VBS or English. And two of our singers - Bohdan Hrobon and Adrian Kacian - are directors of the Martin Bible School and joined us here when we arrived in their hometown Martin. They had practiced our anthems in advance with a CD of all the music prepared by Jan Gilbertson, our director. It was fun to hear how good the choir sounded when we practiced in the Martin church.

The week of VBS ended today, and tonight was the closing program with all the 350 children on a stage in the city square singing songs they have learned and reciting Bible verses for the parents, grand parents, and adoring townspeople. Well, that was the plan. But it rained. All day. So instead, the city offered the use, at no charge, of the theater, and a wonderful program was presented there to a capacity audience.

The St. Andrew's Choir sang at the VBS program. We sang "God's Son Has Made Me Free" which is the theme of this week's celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Martin Bible School. We sang "Every Time I Feel the Spirit" with all the VBS children. A highlight was "A Child's Prayer," with three young girls, Barbora, Maria, and Anna, singing the children's choir part in Slovak and our choir singing the adult choir part in English. The first time we practiced it, half the St. Andrew's Choir was in tears. It was beautiful. The girls will sing it with us again Saturday in our concert and Sunday in church.

Other events of the day: The US ambassador to Slovakia greeted us. Three bands entertained at the evening party, all loud. Jan and Katarina Hrobon, children of Pastor Jan Hrobon, served the traditional slivovitz (firewater!) dressed in Slovak traditional outfits. Arriving Americans greeted old friends or discovered new ones. A full and happy day. Good night.

Joanne Miller

Building Bridges

The Conversational English group has just completed another fun, yet productive day at the Bible School in Martin, Slovakia. We have 18 dedicated teachers who have taught about 13 students in the morning session and 59 students in the afternoon session. Our mission statement is "Building bridges through language, friendship, and faith." In our classes we are definitely building relationships with the students as we learn more about them personally and further expand their knowledge of English. In our morning class we have seven returning second year students who made progress in English throughout their school year at the Bible school. It is such a privilege to work with them again. Our afternoon class includes both first and second year students from the youth worker program. Next week we will teach all 59 students all day using interviews, role plays, and other activities as springboards to conversation. Students will participate in a walk around Martin with the goal of discussing in English what we see and returning to class to have further discussions.

Sharon Copt, Level 2 Teacher

"I liked that, let's do it again"

These are the words of one of the 57 students in the Conversational English Program after today, the first full day of class!. Monday, we gave written and 1-1- oral assessments to each student and amazingly, they are working in three equally distributed groups. The beginner, early intermediate and intermediate groups are off and running. We just call them Room #1, #2, and 3#.

This week, during VBS, all but about 9 of the students are taking part in a practicum experience that will help them prepare to work with young children as part of their Youth Worker studies here at the Bible School. During the morning, these intermediate students are having a lot of attention and opportunity for c-o-n-v-e-r-s-a-t-i-o-n with American language models.

In the afternoon, we have a full house with lots of t-a-l-k-i-n-g going on. All of the students are talking to each other and to their teachers and are getting to know one another. In the early intermediate group , this afternoon, we discussed various kinds of recreation. One student commented that she loved the day. She knows how to play "beach volley ball" and and now she can say "b-e-a-c-h v-o-l-l-e-y-b-a-l-l"

We are having opportunity for c-o-m-m-u-n-i-c-a-t-i-o-n and meaningful discussions with students including why they come here to study and what they plan to do in the future. Believe me, every minute of that long plane ride and that long bus ride was worth it.

Mary Schultz, Conversational English Teacher from Roseville Lutheran

"Johno, Johno"

"Johno, Johno." Every time I hear "Johno," it takes a moment for me to realize that the kids are calling me. "Johno" is what the seventh and eighth graders I am teaching in Vacation Bible School call me. I have twenty one students in my class and they are wonderful! They have not given me any problems except that I brought an American football along. The kids tell me that it is not a football and that it hurts their fingers. This is something that I will work on.

Today at lunch some one asked me "What have you learned today." Here is my answer: "I have learned that when I look into the faces of the Slovakian children I feel like I am looking into the faces I have had in every church I have served." Their mannerisms are the same mannerisms of children in Alexandria, Grand Marais, Plymouth and Mahtomedi. Whenever we find ourselves thinking that there is something about ourselves that makes us special or different from others all you have to do is come here and you will learn that we truly are one.

The ministry here is amazing! What started out as a dream ten years ago has turned into a Bible School, Elementary School and more. This week 350 kids are here for Vacation Bible School. On Friday we do a program in the town square and on Saturday our choir will lead the first ever American concert in the town square in Martin. Should Vision Slovakia ever seem far off or remote to you just know that children and children and they are being reached for Christ this week.

In Christ, Pastor John Hogenson