Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Great Praise!

We just received news of another B.M.A. student coming to Christ.  A dozen of our kids are on a service project with Petr Hermann and 2 graduates, working in an orphanage  in Ukraine.  Two Christian students led a first year boy to the Lord!
The story began in November, 2009, when Petr and I traveled around our region doing advertisements for BMA in feeder schools.  We made a first time visit to a village near Frydek-Mistek.  I remember it very clearly: as I did my English lesson, my voice had to compete with a construction crew right next door.  (If any of you ever had to teach in the classroom next to me, you know that I held my own.)  During and after the lesson, one ninth grade boy was especially enthusiastic, trying to use his English in creative ways and galloping after me as we headed out through the main corridor, wanting more time to chat.   The commercial was successful, and he entered BMA in September.  Starting with our traditional Fall retreat, he was full of questions about spiritual things.  
Jonny Lobel is his home room teacher and leads weekly Bible study.  The curriculum I wrote for them is “all Jesus, all year.”  There’s more about our Bible curriculum on this blog’s BMA page.
Jonny also organized this week’s trip to Ukraine.  There is a Christian school in Kiev with mostly English speaking students. In a footnote to our personal story, nicely crafted by the Lord, we seriously considered serving with the Kiev school instead of BMA seven years ago.  We know we’re in the right place now, but it is a delight to see Him bring these missionary students into our lives. They graciously invited BMA students to join their service project, and they raised money to help the less-well-off Czech kids pay for the long train journey.  But Jonny has a new baby, so he didn’t volunteer to lead the trip. Instead, our director, Petr, is with them, as well as two Christian graduates of BMA who are on break from university. 
I am so thankful for the Lord working through this team.  Think of all the people working in unison, playing their parts and helping this teenager find new faith:  a school in Kiev, BMA teachers, a family of supporters who uphold those teachers, BMA graduates, and a faithful pair of BMA students.

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