After several unsuccessful attempts to reach this blog site, I will finally share a few thoughts and observations.  As of yesterday I have completed two out of the three weeks of reading with my readers. Most of you know I am following up with Nick Brown's initial readers. Nick worked the first 3 weeks and I am working the second 3 weeks.  Even though it was Nick's first LST mission, he did an excellent job of establishing  friendships and connections to each of his readers.  Thanks Nick, as a result of your work, it was a smooth transition for me to make.  Each of your readers were very complimentary of your work.

The first week started the morning after my arrivial, with 6 readers.  I would share my initial reading experiences, but honestly I was fighting jet lag so strongly, I don't remember  most of the conversations that took place.  Fortunately all the readers signed up for additional reading times, so that was a good sign.  I am blessed to have 11 regular readers ranging in age from 19 to 56.  Several have read with other workers through LST and through other church connections.  This is a great testamony to those who lay foundations of friendship and trust for other to build upon.  Those returning readers are comfortable and have a higher level of openess that is often evident early on in our conversations.  I  have one returning reader who I read with 2 years ago, who is in his first year of college.  He is not a believer but is open to challenging conversations.  His English conversation and reading levels are high enough that we are reading directly out of the gospel of John.  As he reads each chapter, I'm the defense attorney calling my witnesses to testify what they know about Jesus and he is the prosecuting attorney countering their claims.  It has been blessed.  As LST says, "The Word is the Teacher".  Other readers include high school students, a pharmaceutical sales rep, a bank director who is also an organic gardener, a jail security guard, a factory worker, an unemployed accounting teacher, a social worker, and an unemployed bio tech engineer.  They all come with a variety of Biblical faith and knowledge.  We have had blessed moments of conversation that challenge both sides of the table.  It will be hard to think that our friendships will be put on hold at the end of just one more week.  Several readers have life challenges that embarrass me to think of what I consider a challenge in my life.  One of the lessons we read is the account of the wise and foolish builder.  One of the questions that is asked routinely during that study is, "Do you have floods in your life?"  Believe me there are many floods in the lives of our readers.  In spite of their floods, their positive out look continues to amaze me.

Our time has also included a vist to the church member who cooked our LST lunches for 6 weeks in 2010 and never served the same meal twice.  Nadica was suffering from ALS even then, but insitsed on cooking as her contribution to our work.  This year, we visited her in a hospital that was once a castle.  It was like stepping back in time.  Michelle had made Nadica a small quilt which she was very thankful for and was going to use it as an example to the hospital staff of Christian kindness.

Laura and family will arrive tomorrow and be here one week presenting programs for neighborhood children at two locations.  There are a number of children who play in the backyard of the church because it has playground equipment, the only sets in the neighborhood.  I have interacted with the kids enough that they know I definitely do not know the Croatian language. They just laugh as I try to say a few words in Croatian.  Laughter is still a great unspoken language.

The longer I am here to more I see and feel God's presence.  It was a slower transition for me this trip, but there are definitely reasons for us to be here and I really sense that it is a season of progress and positive growth for the work here in Varazdin.  There is so much optimism and a sense of God's leading with many options for future developments in the month's ahead.  So thanks to all who have and are suppporting this valueable work.  It is time and finances that are well worth the investments.