| Czech days 6 and 7 |

Just a quick hit about day 6.
Our last hockey game was on day 6. I stayed back from the morning English classes to finalize my sermon that I'll be delivering today. Then the few of us that stayed back drove in for the last two classes of English before lunch. Lunch was delicious. Then there was English Club, which was a group in the Czech high school that met to practice English through a variety of games and lessons. That was very fun, for each person there wanted to be there. They all had very well developed English, especially for non-native speakers.

In the afternoon we played some fun games with the youth group, made a quick stop back at Immanuel for dinner, and then off to Jilhava for the hockey game. We were greeted by reporters and fans of Jilhava in the stand. They had a drummer. Setting aside our three former losses, we prepared to play and to play hard. While we may have gotten the early lead, they were the better team in the end.

Alas, Scott's testimony was pure, genuine, and perfectly placed; it was the ideal testimony to be shared with these guys. The final score was 7-4 but we were winners. In fact, we were received like winners at the post-game pub, for the Jilhava team wanted to go out for drinks afterward. The lack of English proved to be a barrier of sorts, but there were some barriers that were overcome. This one story stands out as an example:

We had played a few of our games with some Czech players on our team, to help fill out our roster. One such player was named Daniel. His English was near-non-existent, but he seemed happy to play with us. After the fourth loss (the third of his in our uniform), he made a comment to Martin (our translator) that it is weird seeing so much joy and happiness even after a loss. He said that when Czech's lose, they are not happy. And this really resonated with the testimony Adam gave, that we don't need to win to be winners in God's eyes. We find our validation and our purpose in God alone.

On day 7 we came to a town today called Kutna Hora. In this town we went to a place called the bone church. It was a church that I walked into unaware of what was ahead. The outside of the church – its very grounds – is a graveyard full of the graves of many. Some forty-thousand people have been buried under its foundation, and bones litter its inner most sanctuary. In fact, the decor of this church is hanging bones and skulls.

It was certainly an experience that spoke to the mortality of all. From dust we were created, and to dust we will return. Old bones – emotionless, spiritless, fleshless bones – this is what we become when we die. Yet in the midst of a skeletal nightmare there is the crucified Christ, hanging from the tree that would bring life to all, should they receive it.

As bones are the ultimate symbol of death and destruction, so the tree is the ultimate symbol of life, as it overwhelms and overpowers death. The blood of one shed for all. Yet he has no bones. Christ has no deceased body. The resurrected Son of Man did not stay dead to rot and ruin, for instead he rose to the right hand of the Father and reigns supremely. And it is with fear and trembling that we work out our salvation. And it is with confidence that we approach the throne of His grace. We are overcomers of death because death has no power over us any longer.

Cheers.