End of kindergarden for Oli

Oli finished his 3 years of kindergarden. Oli has meet there a good friends and learned a lot of things. We are proud on him and thankful to God for giving us such great experience through the staff and teachers that Oli had.

We pray that he will keep good and look forward to a new phase of his life in elementary school.

We have had a long proces on making good decission on which school he would go. We have prayed and fasted and ask for wisdom and finally we have decided to ask Oli to decide for him self. He didnt know but then there was a event that helped him and us to decide. I'll write about it in next blog.

JV spring family conference

After the KPM I was ready and my family was ready to go somewhere where we could rest and gain new strength and vision. We have got offer by JV board to come for free of charge and spend few amazing days among 120 other JV missionaries. We praise God for this provision.
On the last day they had a surprise prepared for us. They took us all to the beutiful ZOO. On the way to the ZOO I was sitting near to Dawe Patty and had some meaningful disscussion. I also invited him to come and be main speaker for the National youth workers conference.

Banska Bystrica - challenge

One of my 23 cousins lives in Banska Bystrica (2 hours drive from Zilina). For last 20 years we have not seen each other very often. As a small boys we use to play together in our grandparents yard. We use to ride home made wooden car on their street that went down hill...

Well recently we met at the place I would never imagine. I took all (3) kids on my bicicle and went of for a ride. On the way around our damm I have got a coll from a friends telling me that at one castle there is a old age presentation program and that they can get us in the castle for free. I thought well I didnt plan to go that far but if kids gona have good fun I will do it. I have got there it took me Hour and half and it was fun.
On the way bacek just at that castle I am sudennly seeing my cousin Slavo Poloha. I could not believe to see him and his family. What a surprise. And so I have invited them to visit us that day. They came and shared a lot of what God is doing in their city and church. Slavo is the pasto of this little free evangelcial church and Mata is a school director of elementary school that is organized by their chruch. This is very unique in slovakia as there are only 2 such schools.http://www.narniabb.sk They also explained us how God is oening the doors for the parents to visit church more often and how much could be done. THEN THEY TURNED TO US AND SAID: "COME AND HELP US. MOVE TO OUR CITY AND HELP US IN THE CHRUCH WITH KIDS AND PARENTS." Wow. What a chellenge.
I have not expected this question at all. We have been in Zilina exactly 10 years. I suddenly didn know what to say. We promised to come to visit...
continued on BANSKA BYSTRICA - Challenge part 2.

KPM 2009 23. – 26. April

This 16 th conference brought for 560 attenders the attitude of RESTART in their relationship to God, to people and to their service. The topic was again very relevant as we found out from reactions of attenders who said that there is lack of balance between activities, programs an personal relationships with other youth members but also with God alone.



Main speakers focused on restart in the area of personal passion for God, restart in your ministry, your attitudes, restart in relationship with the word of God and Discipleship. This year we added different artists to our main sessions for more inspiration and for the reason that youth workers could see different ways and possibilities on how to do youth ministry. There where around 70 participants that where led by Gods spirit and created great KPM atmosphere which God used for encouragement, change, inspiration, and for to gain new strength for such important ministry in Slovakia.

There were also another 70 volunteers who sacrificed a lot of hours and gave their gifts and abilities so that KPM could be a place where youth workers with their teams returns each year. The leaders of different areas at KPM who provide different services with their teams of volunteers they bring a lot of joy and inspiration and this year because of volunteers we have got to grants. One from our city and one from the government. The conference main room in Žilina was full again with a new generation of workers with young people who came from 118 towns and villages across Slovakia who belong to 160 different communities and denominations. This year we invited mainly youth workers because that is the target group we work with. This resulted in smaller numbers on attender side, but this is the year when we had the most of those from our target group. Total number of attenders was 559. Out of this number we had 164 that were youth leaders and if we add their team members that number is 236 and total number of those that are involved in the youth ministry is 400. One of our main speakers that comes from Slovenia when he was observing that energy and potential up from the balcony in tears he said: „God please raise such army of leader workers with youth in our country of Slovenia, too.“

We believe that God is building and raising His own army of workers with youth by using KPM, which is the biggest conference for youth workers in Europe and this is the reason we are thankful to God for each year when we can organize it.

For the end please read some reactions of those who attended KPM 2009:

„Thank you, that you build us and that you invest in to new generations“
„I am in awe how is this and the rest of KPM so relevant... and it react on circumstance and situation that Christianity in Slovakia is. You should not stop doing that.“
„I think that it is so great that there are people who's desire is to encourage youth workers and would even organise something so great like KPM.“
„Thank you for everything... specially for your care and our growth. Simply that it bothers you to know what kind of life could such common „leaders“ somewhere far in some village have. And we want to tell you that it has great meaning.“
„This is my firs KPM and I am so happy, that I could hear and experience things, that I believe will restart of my life. Thank you.“
„Thank you for everything, for this weekend that fully focused on God. In this world there is so much noise and that is why I have not heard from Him for long time. Thank you for all the encouragement, the peace, assurance of Gods love – I needed to experience it again.“
„KPM was done well. The drama and artists... it is so pity that time flies so fast and I have to count down days before next KPM conference again.“
„Keep on, you are doing such a great things.“
„KPM is 100 times better than my team members have describe it to me. I really like it and am am already looking for next year...“
„Thank you for the time of refreshing, rest, encouragement, restart and thinking. Thank Lord for all you do.“
„This was really best time for me. God was at work. I am looking forward to next KPM. I came for the first time and it was very inspiring and really speak to me.“
„I love to return here because this is the time of drawing the new, remove the old and the time of rest. I thank God that through you He is giving us the place to be together as one Church.“
„Today it was sawing. We will wait for germination, growth and fruit. KPM is needed like salt in the bread.“
„You are doing great work. Each year this is the event for me. You are great team, I can hardly imagine that there would be no KPM.“

„For me and my team KPM is always time of encouragement and there are things that help us grow.“

The trip to the East went really good.

Thank you all for prayers.We have been able to serve in different ways but most important of all was that we could do it as the family. The main goal for this visit was young man - Jano Havrila, who is one of the students at our School of leaders that I mentor.

On Friday we have traveled for 5 hours to be able to come on time for teenager meeting where Zuzka mainly was speaking about self worth and relationships. Then we splitted in to boys and girls and had some deeper discussions. The time was short so we agreed to continue next day after the youth meeting.

Next day Saturday we visited the city but also visited home where Jano lives. We meet his family mom and dad and his siter. That evening Jano was teaching and I have led worship. I have to say that I was plesently surprised to learn how Jano well thought young people from the John 10 - I am the shepherd.... After that time together nobody seems to wanted to leave so they stayed and wanted me to continue from yesterday to speak something about 5 love languages and how practicly it works in our marriage. It was really great time.

Sunday we visited the church I have grew up in Presov. Then we went for lunch with our friends Andruscakovci. For the night we stayed with the family that has same family name. And Oli just could not understand how it is possible that there is another family with the same name. Our kids and their kids clicked so well.

Monday we visited family friends in Kosice. We just wanted to encourge them and spend some time together as the mother of two little children has tumor on her brain that has been treated by irradiation. They still dont know the results.

Tuesday we went back to Presov to visit some more relatives and later in that evening we had meet with other stuff members and planned the KPM program.

Wednesday we had our TCK staff meeting and at lunch we have traveled home.

My observation and overall understanding is that Lutheran church in Bardejov has great potential, lots of activities and lots of young people. I was even able to talk to the pastor and learn few of his desires for the future.The family we stayed with has became another grand parents to our children. They loved them so much. The couple Benovy has served us greatly.

Pray for us as we GO to the east... 20. - 25. march

Part of my work in TCKompas is to mentor few of the students we have in our SCHOOL of LEADERS.

And the idea is that I visit that student where his local church is and experience him in action. But this time I am taking my family too. And this is very exciting for me personally because I did wanted actually it is my dream that we would together with Zuzka serve others more together and not allways just me.

Actually this is the plan:
20th. - Traveling 3 hours
- Zuzka and Draho speaking at the teenager club on the topic relationships and purity...

21th.- Hanging out for the most of the day with Jano Havrila - the student I mentor.
- At evening I lead worhip and Jano (my student is speaking) and I am taking notes for further evaluation...

22nd. - Visiting the church I grew up when I was little
- Visiting relatives and friends

23rd. - Visitinig a family with 2 small children whose mother fights tumor in her head...

24th. - Visiting more cloese relatives
- Later in the day I have KPM meeting where we plan our annual conference and this time we are focusing on the program on the min stage...

25th. - One more meeting with the SIET - our national youth network
- Traveling home.

Please pray for
- the protection on the roads traveling
- Words to speak at meetings
- Worship to be used by God to draw people closer to Himself
- Health for the kids and us
- Joy that we would bring in to the homes we enter and exit

Dad give me an advise...

Tell me how many dads would love to hear this call from their children...
I would love to share one that Oliver called on me.

Last week he had competition in basketball. Because one week before it we have realized that basket ball is not the easiest sport to play for Oli and that he does not really understand it I took him to the place where you can hit ball even in the late night.... and we tried to learn how to hold the ball, how to lead the ball, how to throw the ball. I didnt know much but What I knew I told him... He improved a little...
So the day for his competition came... He had two disciplines and each was against time and skill. The one I was mostly afraid was the one in which he has to score as much as possible in certain time...
He had two tries. The first one he score none as most of the class (around 14 of them).
After every one had their go, they started the second and last round.

I was watching Oli as his friends were missing to score. He would go to try on the side to improve as much as he could. I saw him being a little nervous and then at once He run to me. He came very close to where I was standing and he said: "Dad give me an advise" I knew exactly what I should tell him because for the last half an hour seeing him how he does it I was wispering these words to my self.... I told him, Oli throw the ball from the side, do not came to close under the cage, and take it slow do not rush, if you score 3 balls you win... He run back... and was called to do his last round. He did everything I told him and guess what. He scored 3 times. WOW what a celebration that was for him but also for my self.

You know again I have understood the joy and celebration God must throw around the heaven when one of his children comes to Him and say "Dad give me an advise" and then they obey Him in all He said. Friends I do really want to be like Oliver in this matter. Because there is greater joy on bouth sides.

Oliver then afterwards came to me and said: "Dad you gave me the best advice and I scored"!

Job 12:13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.