Sunday 13 January 2008
IBTS, Prague, Czech Republic
Dear family and friends,
We arrived safely but a bit jet-lagged yesterday (Saturday) at about noon, all our baggage intact except for the saxophone – missing! Tima and Julia had asked us to bring a saxophone back for them. Tima got a very good deal on the instrument over e-bay, but it was still $2,200, and wanted to buy it for his cousin. We agreed to bring it. The saxophone came to us in Beaufort through UPS and was so well packed that we decided simply to check it with our luggage from Savannah. The very pleasant person at check-in assured us that there would be no problem. The “fragile” sign remained on the box, he added a “priority” sticker, as he did on our other cases, and we were satisfied that all would be well. Naturally we were disappointed in Prague to receive our own things without the sax. So we reported the matter to the lost luggage people who looked for it in “oversized luggage.” (There was the possibility that it could be there, as the box really was slightly longer than our largest suitcase although it was not, of course, as big.) We waited for some time there, but no luck. The reassuring young man checked his computer for the number of the missing item and gave us some hope that the box would arrive on the next plane from London and that when that happened, they would deliver said item to us here at the seminary. I confess I had some doubts. We’ve had experience with lost luggage. Once in Slovenia our luggage arrived three days late, and although it had been locked, some items were missing.
We got “home” to our little apartment early afternoon thinking reluctantly about going for some groceries but preferring a nap, but we did inform Julia and Tima about their lost saxophone, and Roger went out for a walk. While walking, slipping and sliding on some icy bits of the trail, he remembered the plans for Sunday services – a baptism and the agape meal for which I would certainly want to prepare a dish. So we went out catching the bus for “Albert’s” at twilight. As we returned after 5 p.m., carrying our bags of provisions, and walked through reception, the young man on duty called out, “Oh, Capps, a package was delivered for you! The saxophone had arrived! Joy! Later, Tima proudly brought it over to show us the shiny brass instrument, very much more expensive in Russia, he said, and we realized that the actual case was certainly small enough to fit in the overhead bin of the plane. We might have simply carried it on! Oh well. The next time someone asks us to bring an instrument, we’ll remember that.
Today’s service was splendid. There were two candidates for baptism, both women. One of them, Katka, is married to Norbert Csenyi, the Hungarian administrator for research courses. The other is Brigita Zvagulis. She and her husband are from the nearby community. The husband is a part-time student. They are from Latvia.
Roger and I caught the bus at about 9:30 from our normal place and went one stop. After that, we walked about 10 minutes to Hotel Praha where we joined the rest of the church community around a lovely, round, heated pool. All of the participants were dressed in white including the preacher and moderator, and the mood was joyful and celebratory as well as serious and worshipful. Churches who follow the Christian calendar celebrate today as the day of Jesus’ baptism by John. But the preacher, Keith Jones, reminded us that we don’t just baptize because this is a good day to do it; we baptize because of what God did in Christ. He took the step to cleanse and release us. He came to save. He took the first step, and we follow Christ’s example. Just as the congregation finished our second song and the preacher began his message, the sun broke through the clouds and shone through the long windows at the opposite side of the pool, glinting on the water like a benediction to the proceedings. Each of the baptismal candidates gave a brief testimony; Katka’s was particularly moving. She’s Czech and came from an atheistic background. Her expression was that she was searching for a way to feel safe in the world. She got a secretarial job at the seminary where she met Norbert. He never pushed his faith on her, but he was so gentle and comfortable in the world, and the other members of the community were especially kind. After they married, it became clear to her that Nobert’s life was based on a commitment that she needed. After her baptism the other candidate, Brigita, confessed that she had never had her whole body submerged in water before. Her husband assisted in her baptism. He is a former broadcaster over Radio Free Europe, a program that no longer exists now that even Christian programming is possible here.
The agape meal was just as warm and welcoming to us as ever, and it was lovely to be back. The chicken of my Malaysian chicken and rice dish was eaten, and Roger and I will have some of the rice for supper. It was wonderful to see the students again and to hear some of their stories from their breaks. Our Bulgarians told us about the severe weather many in that country suffered after Christmas. There were as many as 20 inches of snow and drifts of up to 9 feet (three meters) because of fierce winds and because the snow was dry and lightweight. Four hundred towns and villages were without electricity, some for as long as a week. It is cold here, but we are warm and cozy in this building, and we are satisfied that we are where God wants us to be at this particular time. Roger’s schedule will be very busy this term. He will teach the Greek reading classes twice a week. He will lead the Bible study for the community on Thursday nights. He will teach a three-week course on the Spirituality of Jesus, and after that, courses on both missions and hermeneutics. Whew! I will do a lot of private tutorials in English, and I’ll be reading theses and dissertations. When we asked the Lord to use us, He took us seriously.
It was a blessing to be with many of you over the holidays. We didn’t send Christmas cards this year, and we lost touch that way, but maybe some of you will receive this letter.
With hope, Janice and Roger
