Five months has nearly gone by, and I can only imagine how fast these next twenty days will go by.
A lot has been going on regarding my Czech internship, a lot of really exciting things to be exact. So here's the update you've been waiting for:
The Team
It has all been decided. We have our intern team put together. Drum roll....Bonnie Boyd and I are co-leading an intern team again, and we are incredibly excited serve with each other for another summer.
the guy interns
God has given us two: Ryan Haggerty, hailing from Peoria, IL; and Jenda Halamka, hailing from Bohumilice, CZ. Ryan has been to the Czech Republic with his church doing English camps before, and I was able to work with Jenda at our first camp last summer. He translated for my small group and for our apologetics panels.
(Top to Bottom: Ryan Haggerty, Jenda Halamka)
Ryan is a living answer of one of my most repeated prayers from last summer and since being back in the states - that God would send more laborers into the harvest of the Czech. Not only do I get to see God answering prayers in Ryan's ministry, but I get serve alongside someone who is an answer to prayer. I am really stoked to live with and serve with Ryan this summer.
Jenda is also an answer to a much repeated prayer from last summer and here at home - that God would raise up Peters and Pauls and Johns and Elijahs and Elishas and Josiahs to lead the church in the Czech Republic. I remember praying this prayer specifically day after day at the Bohumilice camp, and getting to have Jenda on our team is part of God's answer.
the girl interns
Besides getting to co-lead with Bonnie again, God has also given three incredible women of God to serve with this summer. They are Frances Rau - Tampa, FL; Allison Weaver - hailing from Willowstreet, PA (but she's lived much of her life on the mission field nationally and internationally); and Eva Švehlová - hailing from Strakonice, CZ.
This summer will hold Bonnie's 15th, 16th, and 17th camps (may be wrong, but it is definitely in the teens), and Frances was just in the Czech Republic over spring break with the team from Moody Bible Institute (where she is soon graduating from). Allison has served many years doing missions in South America, and this will be her first time in the Czech Republic (really excited for this!); and Eva is a student leader in the Strakonice youth group, and I was able to work with her last summer at our Strakonice Camp.
(Top to Bottom: Bonnie Boyd, Frances Rau, Eva Švehlová, Allison Weaver)
I could and do believe and say the same things about Frances, Allison, and Eva as I did for Ryan and Jenda. Each of them is a living answer to prayer, and I am excited to serve with them and spur them on to their calling for the summer.
The churches and locations are all set. We will be working with the church in Strakonice, Zlin, and Litvinov this summer, and I cannot wait to do these camps. In communicating with the Czech leaders, I believe we have been "mutually encouraged by each other's faith" and passion.
View Team BonJon 2010 in a larger map
Scroll over the map to Eastern Europe and you will see the tag markers I put on the map for you. This will give you a visual of where in the country we will be and for what reasons. I'll be adding the American church team locations soon.
Support Raising
There is lots of good news and new challenges regarding support. God has already provided 73% of the financial support required for the seven month internship. I have $2,800 left to go. God has also provided 100% of the funds Bonnie, Ryan, and Allison need. Frances is still raising support, and we are confident God is going to provide for 100% of her needs as well.
Czech Support
Jenda and Eva each have to raise $2,300 for the summer. They are responsible for raising $300 (6,000 crowns) from Czechs, and it is our privilege as a team to help them raise the other $2,000. This means that we need to raise $4,000 for our Czech interns this summer. I am praying for 80 people to each give $50 to fully fund Jenda and Eva.
How Can You Help?
1. Please continue to pray for us. Now, you have faces and names and places to pray for. Also, please pray that God would provide everything we need to fulfill the calling He has for us over there, and that we would not take His provision and preparation for granted, but that we would remain intentionally and gratefully dependent on Him.
2. You can give financially. If you would like to give to me, Frances, Eva, and/or Jenda, please click here. Enter in any of our names and our account number and you can give online with your credit or debit card. Beneath the online form are other ways you can give if you would prefer.
- To give to Eva Švehlová, type in her name and Account # 17121.
- To give to Jenda Halamka, type in his name. Unfortunately, his account number is forthcoming, but I will update this as soon as I get it.
- To give to Frances Rau, type in her name and Account # 17118.
- To give to me, type in my name - Jonathan Rosen - and Account # 17104. And if you would like to receive one of my vision and support letters, please let me know, and I will get one to you ASAP :)
Thank you for reading this. Thank you to those who have been praying and will be praying. Thank you to those who have given and will give. You are the people God has chosen to bring to reality His good and great purposes.
