Patrin, June/July 2008

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!

"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

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!

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?

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!