Roes Update May 2006

An Interview with Alex whose 5 1/2 years old

Why are we moving to Germany? – “Because we are missionaries”

What kind of house will we live in? – “I don’t know… in a big castle” (I think mom and dad have to adjust some expectations on this one )

What is going to be special? – “Learning new languages and doing new stuff and trying new food. Lots of things”

What do missionaries do? – “Tell people about Jesus”

How are you a missionary? – “By … uh… I don’t know. By going to different countries and going to the beach… well not really that… being friends with them”

What is Daddy going to do? – “He ‘s going to be working on computers to get to our next country… what he does now… working on the computer”

What’s going to be your favorite thing? – “Making new friends”

What kind of school are you going to go to? – “A German kindergarten and then a missionary kids school”

Who will be your friends? – “I don’t know them yet, but I’m excited”

What are you scared about? – “I’m not scared, I’m happy”

What will you miss about America? – “My friends, even my teacher and grandma a lot…. Hey dad you need to shave”

Why can’t we move to Germany yet? – “Because God wants us to do a lot of work here”

[Courtney and Krista here – So true… in most jobs you just start the job, but part of our job here is to help people understand missions and get excited about sharing the gospel with people here locally and around the world. We have been delighted to share with many churches, sunday school classes, small groups and individuals. We have over 63 families supporting us and another 9 families committed to pray for us regularly. We feel very blessed. The biggest way you can help us right now is to pray for us to rest in God's timing, while we are continuing to work hard. We feel the pressure of needing $2,199 more in ongoing monthly while trying to move and be settled before Alex starts school this fall. We know that God is faithful, and that "what He has purposed in His heart He will accomplish".]

Back to the interview:

If you could tell people one thing about us going to Germany what would you say? – “Because God has a job for us to do there… let’s go already.”

Thanks for your faithful prayers and support!

Courtney, Krista and Alex Roes

Difference’s in Holidays

Today we received an email that showed us a website about living in Germany as an immigrant (which is what we will be). It is rather extensive in what it talks about including holidays.

Just wanted to share with you about some up coming holidays that are celebrated in both Germany and North America but just a little differently:

Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Mothers are given flowers and presents by their children.

Father’s Day
Ascension Day (“Himmelfahrtstag”) is also known as “Vatertag” (Father’s Day) or “Herrentag” in German. Unlike Mother’s Day gifts are normally not given. Many adult men drive through the streets and woods in carts, drinking alcohol.

Emphasis is mine

I’m kinda bummed that gifts aren’t given on Father’s Day though!

The Possum Hunter

I have some friends who apparantly have too much time on their hands. Click on the graphic to go to The Possum Hunter website. For those of you who don’t go to Lake Forest Church, you need to understand that there is this an on going joke with the youth pastor, Gabe Swing, where he normally brings up the subject of possums in his sermons, talks, and normal conversations. Well, maybe not that much but he did bring it up once and nobodys let him forget it. (Especially, after he found a dead possum on his car that night).

Anyway, go to the website and enjoy!!!

So dark spiritually is Europe

On holy ground, a hollow sound

This article by the a traditional media source, the Chicago Tribune, has some very thought provoking quotes. Here are my top quotes:

• “But the churches are mostly empty, and the only wonder to most Czechs is why anyone at all bothers to go.”
• “According to a European Union survey published last year, only 19 percent of Czechs said they believed in God; most of the rest proclaim themselves atheists.”
• In referring to churches: “I love to visit them,” he said. “But I see them as historical objects, not as religious places.”
• Mark Lilla, a professor of social thought at the University of Chicago, has described present-day Europe as “the closest thing to a godless civilization the world has ever known.”
• “When we bring up the subject [of faith], it’s like asking if you believe in UFOs. That’s what we’re up against here,” Gregory said. “In the States, you can assume most kids know why Christmas is celebrated. In the Czech Republic kids think baby Jesus is like Cinderella or Shrek. … They think it’s all a fairy tale.” [Lori Gregory was a Christian missionary with Young Life in the Czech Republic]
• Church missed a chance [referring to the time immediately after the fall of communism]
• Dusan Trestik, a historian at the Center for Medieval Studies in Prague, agreed.

  “I think you have to say the church failed in the needs of modernization,” he said. “The church was offering traditional Christianity for grannies.”

• “They are looking for something, for guidance, and in the pure sense, it’s religious,” [referring to Czechs who say they are aethists]
• “I go to church infrequently. It’s boring. It gives me nothing,”
• “Yes, it’s a failure of the churches. But this is something that is characteristic for the whole of Europe,”

This is why Europe is the mission field we are called to. Pray that our final 30% of monthly support will come in so that we can make the move to make a difference in the lives of Europeans. Thank you.