We're in the Czech Republic!!!

Yes, that's right - I'm still alive, and taking pictures! I apologize to all of you for not posting pictures or writing on this blog for so long, but the computer on which I connect to the internet in Russia was updated with a very good filter, which was a very good thing. Unfortunately for me (and you), it blocked all personal sites, including my blog. Therefore I couldn't upload pictures, or even write!

At the moment, though, I am no longer in Russia. For those of you who read my e-mail updates, you already know that Shawna and I are in the Czech Republic. We spent 3 days in Lithuania, visiting a girl I know from back in the states who is working with Campus Crusade there. It was really crazy, seeing another country and being in a place where all the older folks still understand Russian, and there are so many different hints of Russian/Soviet influence, from 'back in the day', but yet be a completely different place.
Yesterday we arrived in Prague, CZ - after an early morning flight to Copenhagen, Denmark (where, as in Lithuania and Czech I was shocked when the passport control guy just smiled at me, stamped my passport, and motioned me on...we are definately not in Russia anymore), and then a connecting flight on to Prague.

And here we are in Malenovice, CZ, for training. Our English camp starts this coming Saturday (today is Tuesday), so until then we are here at this awesome hotel for training. I already have a thousand thoughts about being in Czech - what a beautiful, open, awesome place. The culture here is so much more laid back than Russia - it's like being on vacation, being in this place. Getting to know all the Americans and Canadians is really interesting, too - right now there's like 120 Americans here, training for English camps. Kind of like a dose of the USA, before actually getting there.
It's been crazy times - so many changes in so little time! Enjoy a few pictures, and pray hard for us, as English camp starts soon, and we're stoked about what God is already doing here. Good times! :)