Patrin, April 2008

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...

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.