Our Relaxing Spiritual Side

We’ve been excitedly looking forward to visiting the International Church of Prague (www.internationalchurchofprague.cz). I’ve been in contact with Pastor John Waldrop for some time now. I’ve always wanted to write a “Dear John” letter as I have received enough of them. He encouraged us to visit and even had Jim and Laurie be our shepherds. Before we visited, we talked with them and offered to bring something from the U.S. Jim asked us to bring him a box of Cheerio’s. Cherio Jim!

Not knowing how long it might take to get to church, we ended up arriving one hour early. Beside the church was a wonderful chapel and cemetery with a long promenade filled with local Czechs out for a stroll. Clusters of elderly women clutching their plastic shopping bags or rickety metal shopping cars, older couples sharing the space and time not some much with words but with glances and tiny nudges, and finally, a smooth collie named Al watched by a young girl enjoying the dappled sunlight that drifted beneath the budding trees. Then there were the Americans, burning digital bytes as our cameras whirred. I am sure they were glad when it was time to head back to church.

Jim and Laurie and the entire congregation were a delight at the church. ICP did a wonderful job of weaving contemporary Christian music with traditional hymns. Some of the old hymns had wonderful modern phrases added, as bees move pollen to make the message more powerful. The message was effectively done, humorous, pointed, and thoughtful. The service revolved around the passage John 4: 6-9 and what Jesus was asking, and shock that must have come from the Samaritan woman. What was the message, who is the sender, who are the sent, and what is the vehicle that propels the action?

After the service, we continued to find similarities with our hosts. Jim and Laurie have relatives in Port Angeles, Laurie makes bead bookmarks which oddly enough Gayle selected in advance as a gift. Slow, thoughtful travel really build ties that bind us all together.

After church we had an incredible lunch at a newly opened Italian Restaurant. We sat outside and met a ball of energy named Radka. She is helping out a friend by working there. Having graduated from college she worked in the business field but found the “button down” lifestyle of suits, reserved social contact, and endless paperwork not to her liking. “I want to work with people, in particular I want to help people recover mentally from some physical trauma” she told us. Talking with her, thinking back to our time with Annika, it’s remarkable what talent, and love of service is coming to this world.

After lunch we drifted between the trees and flowers of Petrin Park. The cherry and magnolia blossoms were budding and drifting across the landscape adding beauty everywhere they went. We walked many steps today from the inside out.

If you would like to see a remarkable short online story, go to this Czech church’s website and play the video, an excerpt from the Czech film, Most. Very, Very powerful: http://www.praguefellowship.cz