Amazing Racing!

By the time you read this, we may be done or nearly done with the first day of the Amazing Race.  All the interns will be here, and we will be team building through trials and exhaustion and shared experiences like you wouldn't believe.  So, if you could be praying for all the teams and for safety and fun and good weather and good conversations and chemistry among the teams to take place, that would be great.  Thanks all.  Next update from Malenovice :)

From me to you from Tabor

 If you can't see the video, click here.

Estonia! (seriously, read this. It's for you.)

Come and serve in Estonia (seriously)!

(Only 10 days required!)

ENGLISH CAMP 2010

English Camps have been an effective ministry tool for us during the years.  This year we are doing 7 English Camps. But we are still missing some.  American people. In total Josiah Venture still needs 25 people for their ministry in Estonia. Here is the need defined in detail:

7 people for June 25 - July 3 in Saku, Estonia.

9 people for July 9-18 in Kohila, Estonia.
4 people for July 23 - August 1 in Kuressaare, Estonia.
2 people for July 23 - August 1 in Tartu, Estonia.

If you are ready to serve as a missionary for 10 days in this summer, let us know as soon as possible. We want/need to know it before the 25th of May at the latest.

Each person needs to fundraise $820 + plane tickets.
(We also need 3 people for a soccer camp. If you can play and want to come, let us know!)

Contact Lucka Zagorova at lzagorova@gmail.com and tell her you heard about it from Jonathan Rosen :)
- Also, Lucka is amazing!  So, LET'S GO!

Traveling to the Czech

Tomorrow we're off and running, getting all prepped up for the interns' arrival May 26, and the rest of the summer after that.

Equipping Czech Youth for Christ's Commission; 3 Days Left!

One of my favorite core values of Josiah Venture is indigenous empowerment - encouraging and training national leaders in the Czech church. One of the ways we express this value is by inviting Czech believers from local churches to serve on an intern team for the entire summer. Last summer, Martina Pixova was the Czech intern on my team.

Last summer I remember praying a very specific prayer at each camp.  I asked God to raise up Elijahs and Elishas and Peters and Pauls and Moseses and Deborahs and Marys and Priscillas for the Czech Republic, and I firmly believe that the two Czech interns on our team this year are answers to those prayers.

This summer, I have the privilege of serving alongside of Eva Svehlova and Jenda Halamka.  I am excited that you have the opportunity to incorporate the value of indigenous empowerment by investing in them and the advance of the gospel in Czech (In order to best support them both, the women on the team are in charge of helping Eva raise support, and the men on the team (Ryan Haggerty and I) are in charge of helping Jenda raise support.)

I met Jenda at the Bohumilice English camp last summer.  He was raised in a Christian family and is one of the strongest members of his youth group, and he is stepping out in this internship to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, and I believe God has far more planned for him than any of us know (1 Cor. 2:9; Eph. 3:20-21).

Jenda has just been accepted to be a summer intern with Josiah Venture's English camp ministry.  This means that he'll be on my intern team and will help promote and lead three camps. It is a great fit, because he was at the first camp we did last summer and was my small group translator and did translation for our apologetics panels.  Jenda will translate as well as share his life and the gospel with students all over Czech. I am thrilled for him to grow in knowledge and love of God. I know his honest, caring, and sincere personality will be a huge blessing for our team.

If you are interested in being a part of Jenda 's ministry this summer, he has two main needs: prayer and finances.  If you would like to pray for Jenda, please email him at denan@email.cz with the subject "Prayer," and he will add you to his update and prayer request list (He understands English.).  If you are interested in financially supporting him, he needs to raise $2000 by May 26. This covers trainings, food and board, camps, and travel for the whole summer.  You can send a check to Josiah Venture, PO Box 4317, Wheaton IL 60189 with a note that it is for Jenda Halamka.  Please write his account number 17122 in the memo line of the check.  You may also give online by clicking here and entering in his name and account number.  Either will work :)

Thank you and God Bless,

Jonathan

P.S. Jenda's life is an increasing example of how God uses English camps to clearly proclaim His salvation, to connect unbelievers to Czech believers, and has a unique opportunity for Czech believers to grow in areas of leadership, ownership of their faith, and witnessing. It is my prayer that this e-mail serves as a tangible testimony of how God is working in the Czech Republic.
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I leave this Sunday, the 16th, and there is a lot going on to say the least.  Please pray that I would get everything done and accomplished that I need to - e-mails, packing, errands, shopping, goodbyes, time with God, and anything else you can think of and want to pray for.  Thank you so much for being a part of this and supporting me and the team.  Our team as a whole still needs to raise about $8,000.  God has provided all the financial support I need.  Thank you for being God's vessels to help makes this all possible.