Nate Hampton In Ostrava: One Step Closer

Biometrics?

I am sure that many of you can remember my interesting experience this past fall. If not, let me take you back there for a moment. I had spent my first few months here in the Czech Republic and was getting the youth ministry off the ground here when we ran into a difficult situation with my visa. I needed to have the 6 month visa by the end of October and it wasn't looking like it was going to happen. So I took a little trip down to the Croatia and spent about a week and a half in a coastal city know as Rovinj. The Lord watched over me and provided me with inexpensive lodging while I was there but to say I was eager to hear news from the Czech consulate in Vienna would be an understatement. Once I got the news, I traveled 10 hours by bus from Rovinj to Vienna, spent the night there and then picked up my visa and went right to train station to head for Ostrava and my own bed. In order to help us avoid a situation like this again or even having to travel to Vienna every three months to renew a visa we spoke with the foreign police about other possible options. They said that I could apply for long-term residence and handle all the paperwork here in Ostrava. So a couple of months ago I put in my application and yesterday I was informed that it was approved. This morning I traveled with Petr to the foreign police station so that they could gather the biometric data for the card that I will receive in a couple of weeks. So they did things like electronic fingerprinting, a photo (good thing I came prepared), an electronic signature, and maybe even a retinal scan, I'm not sure about the last one. So praise the Lord, a couple of weeks from today I will have the documentation that will allow me to stay in the country for up to two years without renewing anything.

Sorry Rovinj, the only reason I will be visiting you anytime soon is on a PLANNED vacation.

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick..."

Last Friday night, I once again had the wonderful opportunity to speak with the teens about who God is and who we are. I chose to speak on the passage from Matthew 9 from which the quote was taken. Two weeks ago I asked Eliška what she thought would be good for me to speak about during a discussion breakout group. She said to me that a lot of people in her class at school don't understand how it is fair that someone who does nice things in life would go to hell while someone who is bad all of their life but in the end believes in Jesus would go to heaven. So in order to talk about this with our group, because I am sure some of the people from our group think the same way, I opened up the topic by starting from this passage. I know that often this passage is used to point out the self-righteousness of the Pharisees but I chose to use it to make the point that we are all "sick" and need "the doctor," but it is only those who realize they are sick that see their need for Him. I also thought that the Lord applied this interestingly in my own life as I prepared and spoke by allowing me to be physically sick with some sort of head cold and a sinus headache. I needed to lean on Him that much more to pull the lesson together and have the energy to speak. Please continue to pray with me that the Lord would not allow ANY of these teens to hear these messages week after week and not see their need for a Savior and put their trust in Jesus Christ. Pray also for the teens that are believers, pray that these lessons would help them grow in the knowledge and love for Jesus and challenge them in their own faith.

Táňa's failed handstand attempt. I wish I had a video instead.

We had a miniature addition to the group last week, Klára's little brother.

Rock and Roll Concert

Last night, I once again had the privilege to be invited into the world of one of the teens from the group. I have been to dances, soccer games, and now rock concerts. Matouš has been taking some vocal lessons over the last few months and they had their concert to celebrate the end of their lessons. Matouš invited a couple of his friends, his parents and me. Of course Petr and Petra wanted to capture the moments on video camera but I think Matouš would kill me if I put the videos on my blog. I do however, have a few pictures from the night that I am "allowed" to share with you. I am so happy to see these little glimpses into the lives of the kids, outside of youth group on Friday nights. I see it as an amazing privilege each and every time I am invited to something like this because it means that the walls that we all put up in relationships are being taken down, one brick at a time and I can get a new glimpse into the lives of people that I have come to know and love.