Ukrainian ballet, student dinners, a teenager and Advent: Update 17 from Prague

Dear friends and family,

It is rare to have a moment with college students when they offer some unsolicited gratitude for how you as a professor have impacted them, but Josh got this over a Thanksgiving dinner with students who had never celebrated the holiday before. One student said, “you fundamentally changed how I think and how I view creativity.” Others chimed in with very humbling praise and thanks. It was a beautiful moment to go around the table with students from Armenia, Russia, Vietnam and Kazakhstan and say what we were thankful for. They got a brief history of the holiday and its meaning from Caleb. We had a night with much laughter, traditional Thanksgiving food (we ordered), and meaning after a day of work and school (no holiday here!).

Anna has spent a wonderful several months now teaching ballet and ministering to the Ukrainian community in Prague. This Saturday they celebrate Advent and Christmas together. Her students will perform two pieces that Anna has been choreographing and Anna will give a talk to families about the connection between dance and her faith in Christ. We ask you to pray that the soil of these relationships will bear fruit and that God will use Anna’s words, work and actions.

She also continues to teach her Bible class in our kids’ school and her 6th graders are being introduced to contemplative prayer, Lectio Divina, and this Advent they are focusing on simplicity with several practices, including a technology fast (!).

Our big family news is that we have a teenager in our flat now! Collier is this wonderful mix of a “leave me alone” middle-schooler and a sweet, compassionate kid. His birthday party entailed an “amazing race” around Prague that we designed. We made them fly paper airplanes across Old Town Square, eat Collier’s favorite foods (including bacon and dried mango) all together in a cereal (!), and took him and his friends to an escape room. It was special to run around with them and watch them enjoy it. Abigail is dancing once again in The Nutcracker, and Caleb and Joseph are continuing to enjoy scouts, chess, piano, karate and football.

Josh has found that his research connects more and more with his faith and has found neat opportunities to share this with others. In late October, he presented a webinar with Global Scholars on Vaclav Havel’s Essay “The Power of the Powerless.” His co-presenter was a friend and colleague, Monika MacDonagh-Pajerová, who was one of student leaders in the 1989 revolution. One quote he shared was by a Czech philosopher named Jan Patočka, to whom the essay was dedicated. Patočka said, “Christianity remains the greatest, unsurpassed, but also un-thought-through force which enabled humans to struggle against decadence.” What a challenge! You can watch the webinar here. Josh also offered a tour on the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, November 17th, also known as Struggle for Freedom and Democracy holiday. His audience for the tour included 23 Czech and American students, families and locals. Josh emphasized how we can learn from those who suffered under totalitarianism, how people of faith drove the movement forward, and how hope triumphs over cynicism. As nature takes back neglected ruins, God’s grace springs out of the atheist façade.

As you take time to slow down this Advent season, remember us in your prayers, know how much we miss you, and reach out if you can. Remember those in Ukraine and their families here and all around Europe. We are thankful for your generosity, support and encouragement as we serve here. Please consider us in your Advent giving.

Come, Light Original

Come, Bread all-bountiful

Come, Home Perpetual

Come, Lord Jesus!

Adapted from “Come Light” by Gregory Thompson, on Lamentations by Bifrost Arts (2016)

Yours in Christ,

Anna, Josh, Collier, Caleb, Joseph and Abigail