Exploring Prague

Enjoying the least "missions" part of the mission trip, we headed back toward the airport and spent a day and a half in Prague.  The second day, my college friend Zeb arrived from Brno early in the morning, and showed me around.  We managed to catch a late lunch with my friend Sasha (main translator of the new Czech Bible21 and church planter), and it was good.  I am so thankful that I was gifted to be able to spend this time both with them and with my new friends in Opava.

I may have some more pictures coming once we meet for our debrief meeting & share pix with each other (the thing is when you take your own pix, most of them don't feature yourself!  ;P), but for now here are the 2 final albums from my trip:

Travel to Prague & Exploration
Last Day in Prague

Little Elephants & More

Hi all,

Another short post!  Must pack & run this morning as we are off to Prague for the last 2 days of the trip, but here are 2 more albums for you:

The Last 3 Days of Teaching
Castles & Kids

Sending much love from the Czech Republic!!

Christy

Connecting

Hello everyone!

Sorry for the boring post title but we have ONE charger between 3 of us that works w/my roomies here in the Czech Republic (the one I brought will not work)...so I have to make this quick!  I have some more pics (and LOTS more thoughts!) but cannot post them today.  However, I have put up the albums that cover the first 2 days.  Here they are:

Travel to Czech: June 16 & 17
Day 1 & 2 of Teaching: June 18 & 19

The pic above was last night - we had 10 people come to the event last night, which is the biggest turnout they've ever had.  Tonight we had 4 (1 repeat, a new kid, and 2 adults who live nearby) come out.  Both nights were really good.

Sending LOVE LOVE LOVE all the way from Eastern Europe!  - Christy

We're Here! More News To Come

$2500 RAISED!!! Celebrate!!

Hi Everyone!

The last money just came in to reach my $2500 goal!  So from here, there's nothing more than getting on a plane!

Well, not 'xactly.  But close.  I am putting together a class on geographical places with a team member - Lilian will be covering Jamaica (where she is from), and I'll be covering major cities in the US (NY, LA, Mpls). I'm hoping to make some blow up photos to illustrate as the time I'll get to speak will be comparatively rather short due to the need of translation.  So any additional monies that come in right now will be directed photo-ward here.

Thank you thank you thank you all again!  We did it!!

Eternally grateful,

Christy

Czech Photographer: Martin Rak

I googled 'Czech Sunset' today, after a run near Lake of the Isles where a Monet-ish watercolor sunset hung in the background of the after-rain lake scene.  This find made me happy.  Now I can go to bed.

P.S. $65 more was given toward my trip by the Corner Church in their Sunday offerings!  Now I just have $85 left to go!

So Close!

Hi everyone! 

The fundraiser went fantastically, despite a few hiccups w/performer no-shows.  Those that were there were, true to character, amazing, and Tommy even sat in to do a solo song for us.  In total we raised $175 toward the trip.  I had also received $90 - part in donations, part from headband sales - in the morning at Corner Church, where they let me speak about the trip in two of their services.  This picture is my probably wildly inaccurate rendering of the Czech Republic, which I made for a backdrop.  For more pix of the show, here is a link to the public album.

In the days since, folks have just been pulling me aside and handing me money - $50 pressed into my palm at church, $75 over lunch, $10 for a headband...  Below, my old roomie Charis came down on a visit from Rochester and bought up a bunch of headbands for friends' birthdays! 

The long and the short of it is to say, I've landed recently at a total of $2350, which means I only have $150 left to raise to reach my goal - for which the deadline is the beginning of June.  And it is thanks to all of you who've given or prayed.  I am SUPER THANKFUL.  Like them caps?  ;)  My temp job is scheduled to end at the end of June (though I half hope it will extend those last few weeks until the trip so I needn't worry about jobs until I return), and our church just announced a major transition (happening today, by the way!) to welcome in new pastors and merge with Corner Church, the other coffeehouse-church in our denomination.  So, one less thing to worry about?  Hallelujah!

We have a meeting this Sunday and will be brought up to talk about our trip at Oak Hills Church at their services.  Other than that, not too much new news!  I'll keep you updated! 

Hugs, Christy

The Headbands Have Arrived!

So, the beautiful promised headbands have arrived.  I am ETERNALLY grateful for them, because it gives me something to sell which I don't have to create from scratch (like my poetry books for the Israel trip in 2007).  They're lovely, and practical (sweat-wicking fabric makes them good for working out too), and what girl can't make use of a headband?  Well, me, previously, but these are cute enough to make even me a convert.  :)  Thank you, Jenelle Joas, thank you! 

So Much Generosity!

Hi everyone! It's hard to believe that the benefit is only 3 days away! Since I'd been rather dry on great ideas on how to fundraise for this (other than asking online & in letters - and sending y'all free poems & such! ;) ), I am reeeaally grateful for those of you who came up with some great ideas. Namely - Kevin Carr, Greg Hall & Dan Noethe's idea for this benefit...all the amazing people who are performing...and I think I mentioned Nate McKay & The Beat donated the Beat Coffee Writers' February reading ticket sales to this too!

As if this were not enough, my mom's high school friend's daughter, Jenelle Joas - who I'm not super close with but was a friend of mine growing up - wrote to say she'd like to donate 50 headbands from her business - Urban Halo - to be sold at the benefit. They usually retail for $15 (in 40 states), but at the show you can get one for $5! (Unless you want to give me more; I'll never turn it down! :) ) Furthermore, Allison Scally of Corner Church suggested they bring by a number of crafts on Sunday also - handmade jewelry, scarves, etc. that they happen to have and would like to put to good use! Wow. (And I just met her/them about a month ago.) Not to mention the generous checks from y'all which have been showing up in my mailbox. THANK YOU. It does really put a particular weight on a trip like this when so many folks' goodness has been a part of making it happen. Like, hello Eastern Europe. God DOES love you. And a couple hundred Minnesotans/Californians and folks from other states have come together to let you know.

Team Photo - L to R: me, Brandyn, Roy, Elissa, Rashun, Lilian, Hal

Below - David & Janka Chlebus of Lifenet, the little church we are going there to help out. They're new and small, and we're hoping to be a bridge to introduce more folks in the college community to them while we're there. And to serve in whatever ways they need.

Thanks for reading all this, everyone! More updates to come.

Love,
Christy

PS - Current funds are at $1770. Need to raise $2300-$2500 (exact # still to come) - my $2000 deadline is May 6th. New paypal donation button is on the right of this page!

PPS - To give anonymously, give at the Oak Hills Church website, just make sure to note that in the comments and that it's anonymously for 'Christy Merry/Czech Trip'

$1500 Deadline Met! Benefit Show April 22nd

So. THANK YOU, by the way! My 2nd deadline was met last Sunday - I had quite a bit to go to meet it ($722) and my IRS refund for a few bucks more than that arrived on Friday 3/30. Just in time to be obvious that's where it needed to go... :)

This week they are looking to buy the tickets for our flights, which have been fluctuating between $1500-1800. Of course we hope to buy them on the downswing!

I'm at $1650 now, and my next deadline is for another $500 (total of $2000) due May 1st (or perhaps at our next meeting on May 6th :) ). The folks at my church have awesomely decided to throw me a benefit show to try to raise some $. I've so far been told that the Cavalier Crooks are going to play (some friends of mine with excellent talents) and another fellow I think I've seen around but never met or seen perform - Taylor Wilson. I guess there's more being planned but that's all I know so far!

Anyway, if you live here in Minneapolis (or far away and wish to travel to it!), I'd love for you to come to the show. You are all invited.

The Beat Coffeehouse, 1414 W. 28th St., Minneapolis, MN 55408 | April 22nd, 6 pm

* photo of lamp-post is by my friend Zeb Telfer in Brno, Czech Republic - thanks Zeb!

Next Deadline: April 1st

We've now assembled a team of 6 folks – a mishmash of different ages and experiences. First, there’s Roy and Elissa who are leading the trip. Roy is the youth pastor for Oak Hills Church. Elissa leads worship. I think they are in their 20s. There’s a fellow named Hal in his 50s or 60s who has always been enthralled by stories from missionaries, a young youth pastor intern name Brandyn (with a ‘y’) and another girl named Kreshun who I’ve not met yet. We have so far compiled a list of our skills and talents and sent them off to the Czech Republic for the church to peruse and decide how best to utilize us. And we are supposed to think of a one hour presentation for college students that we can give on life in the USA. I have no idea what life in the Czech Republic is like . . . how is the U.S. different? (What would you say?) Clearly this will take some investigation.

This next deadline is for $1500, and I’m currently at $670, so I need another $830. If you would like to help me reach it, you can send a check made out to Oak Hills Church with “Christy Merry/Czech Trip” in the memo line to my address. If you need said address, just message me on FB or email me at hey@christymerry.com. Thankyousomuch to all who have helped already!

Czech Artist: Max Švabinský

Summery day, 1906

This painting is in the Moravian Gallery in Brno - the city where my friend Zeb lives. Max is supposed to be one of the top Czech artists, who helped to put Czech art on the map.

The Latest in Christy Czech Trip News

Well, my dears, there hasn't been a LOT of news but here's the latest:

1. Dun-duh-DONNN! I'm on the team.

2. The team initially had only 4 people and had a minimum of 8 in order to go.

3. I'm guessing those 4 were Roy, his wife, me and this guy Jonathan in the Oak Hills Youth Group that I met this Sunday.

4. After one more mention, 12 info packets were picked up in one service (they have more than one) alone several weeks ago. New 'hard deadline' is Feb. 29. (Also, they said they'd take us even if we only have 4 people, so we're a "go" either way now.)

5. Thus, some more personages will be joining us in a few days and Roy has said I'll be getting a phone call from him this week re: meeting and such for team preparation.

6. People have been very generous and I have $650 raised already (some of which was donated by The Beat Coffee Writers reading last month - thank you!). That leaves only $1550-1850 left to raise (depending on flight costs), so I should be raising about $500-$600/month in March, April & May. I haven't come up with a great idea on how to do so yet...but I'll let you know if I do! :)

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS & SUPPORT! (& sorry for all those caps)

Well, that's all the news I've got for now. Oh, & the pic is of Zeb Telfer - my fabulous photographer friend who lives in Brno, and one of the ferret(-hat)s he & his wife Braca have. May I see him again/meet her soon! :)

Czech Singer-Songwriter: Market Irglova

'

It's funny. I haven't downloaded any albums from Noise Trade for a very, very long time (tho' I get the emails all the time). The other day I decided to download one - Marketa Irglova's, since I liked her in the movie Once. After I did, I started to wonder about her name. I was thinking the movie was set in Ireland? And yet, that's not an Irish name. I checked, and she's Czech.

Of course she is. :)

If you'd like her album too, here's the link.

1st Deadline Met!

Hi all!

Well, the update is that I've now submitted my application and post-dated check for $500, and I just received the checks in the mail that will make that check good! :) There's still the unfathomable $2000-ish (or hopefully less) that I still need to raise/find, but I suppose I should wait now to hear whether I've been accepted for the trip.

Thank you for your love & support!

Sincerely,

Me.

Random Fact

"The city of Opava is situated at the confluence of the Silesian rivers Opava and Moravice."

Such a beautiful sentence I had to steal it and think on it for a while.

Czech Poet: Katerina Rudcenkova

COME NIGHTFALL

That evening stream of people with their lingering voices/ the diminishing light withdrawing from the streets
I don’t want to grow old like the woman at the next table
whose lines are so deep as the pattern on her partner’s pullover
I don’t want to grow old like the woman at the second table
whose hair resembles a wig more than a wig could ever resemble hair
I don’t want my face to be lost in the shop-window of spectacles
and most of all I don’t want my own body
to clamp me tight like a narrow ship’s cabin
all those radiant people and wrecks, I among them
exposing my body to the sun
and my life to random interpretations.

(trans. Alexandra Büchler)

Katerina is 31. Younger than I.

A Czech Artist: Lenka Hlinecko

I'm trying to look at some Czech art, history or literature before bed every night. Here's a new artist I discovered this evening.

New Adventure!

Hi folks! As usual, I am off planning another adventure... This one (if my application is approved) will take me to Opava, Czech Republic, a college town, with a group from Oak Hills Church in Eagan (a church that is partnering w/Church in Uptown at The Beat Coffeehouse in Minneapolis for 6 months right now). Our group will be teaching varied English classes at a university and then also having open spiritual discussions (also in English) in the evenings which will not be associated w/the university. We'll be assisting a new church in Opava to build relationships in their community. This is the third and last trip Oak Hills Church is planning to have to help them out (they committed to three). I believe we are also going to be helping with their church services while there.

The trip is 10 days - June 16-26. I just found out about it Sunday! - but it didn't take long for me to throw my hat in the ring. I've had some cool connections w/the Czech Republic - my friend Zeb Telfer from college is the photographer who took the awesome photo in my header here, in Prague, and he and his wife live in Brno, a few hours from Opava. And I met Alexandr Sasha Flek, one of the translators of a new Czech Bible in NYC in 2009. It was the first new Bible since the 70s I think (the two prior were very King James-y or rather generalized, if I understand the issues correctly). They had public readings of it all over the country. Sasha is pretty neat - he and his family live in Prague, and he's very interested in church planting as well.

Also, the Violet Burning, an amazing Christian band I know/knew, has been given some really unusual opportunities and in recent years has been invited to headline 2 years in a row at a secular music festival (known for not ever asking folks to headline 2 years in a row) and has closed out the festival w/worship at midnight on the last night per request. Yeah, it's one of those 'huge in Japan' bands. :) But, believe me, they're pretty great.

Lastly, my new bro-in-law CJ is Czechoslavakian (which he says is different than being Czech, so I have some history to catch up on here).

All that said, in their kind of post-communist era society, it seems like there is some spiritual movement going on, and I would be thrilled if I am able to go on this trip, perhaps see some old friends, make some new ones, and connect folks together that should know one another, far, far away.

The whole trip will cost $2200-$2500-ish. Not quite sure how that's going to happen, but I guess we have some fundraising events (read: bake sales and the like) planned. Of course you know my (lack of) baking skills...so maybe I'll have to write a poetry book or something. ;) My first deadline is my application and a $500 down payment by February 1st, about "a week hence". Thankfully I did some fundraising last summer so I have about $268 or so already, but if anyone can help toward the remaining $230+ before then or give toward the rest, I would be very grateful! You can mail checks to me made out to Oaks Hills Church w/my name on the memo line if you'd like to help.

Apart from that, I just covet your prayers and well wishes... And I'll be thinking/learning about the Czech Republic, as much as I can between now and then. I'll post my thoughts & discoveries here. So come on by when you're in an Eastern European frame of mind. It'll be a pleasure to have ya here. :)

Much love,

Christy