The Marvel that is Technology

 A few days ago I posted THIS BLOG, asking for prayer from my readers, due to the major European snow storm that has taken over.  I mentioned there that I'd be contacting the Mudrik family, encouraging them with prayer, and trying to find out their needs.  I awoke this morning to find this response waiting for me in my email inbox:
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Hello Yonna,

We are grateful for your prayers.  We are doing well, because we can hide in the warmth of our home. The main humanitarian concern is the homeless in our city. The temperature at night has been around 0 degrees F for the past week or so and some homeless people have died here as well as in the surrounding cities and countries.  People are rallying to get warm clothing, etc to the centers who distribute to the homeless.  There are simply not enough beds in the shelters for all of the homeless people.  The city has set up some huge heated tents and the police has been going around looking for the homeless and taking them there. 

Thank you for remembering us.  Our family is warm and well fed.  We are grateful.

Marek and Elaine

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Sometimes, when I think of Europe, I think of this magical place across a giant ocean where everything is amazing, beautiful,  and historic.  I never really think about the issues that they may have over there that we experience here in America, and that included homelessness.  Of course, the homeless are never mentioned on tourism webpages, or travel brochures, and I will admit that it never occurred to me that the same things I see in Baltimore happen in Prague as well.

Please continue to pray for this region.  Pray that everyone can find shelter, and that their needs will be met.  I am grateful to hear that the Mudrik family is taken care of, and pray that in their wealth of food and warmth, that they can continue being a light to their neighbors, and are able to meet their needs as well.

God is so great!  His grace is sufficient (2Cor12:9), and His mercies are new every (snowy) morning!

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
 They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.
 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
   therefore I will wait for him. (Lamen3:22-24)

Storming the weather; Praying for the family...

I was just made aware of the weather over in the Czech Republic, and am currently praying for that area, as well as the family of missionaries we will be going to serve.

Being that I am originally from Michigan (US), I am quite used to blizzards of snow.  I would think that they are as well, since geographically, they are the equivelant of being located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Ontario Canada (here on the North American continent).  They have seen their fair share of snow is what I'm saying.

However, I am hearing reports of how within the past 2 days, they have received 5 meters (16 feet) of snow.  Even to a Michigander, that is ALOT of snow.  11,000 villagers in Serbia are trapped.  Deaths have been reported and are still coming in: on Thursday alone, 20 have been reported from Ukraine, 9 from Poland, 8 from Romania, and one each from both Serbia and Czech Republic.  You can read the entire story from The Charlotte Observer HERE.

When I heard of the storm, I immediately began to pray.  I prayed for the Mudrik's, who, while I have yet to meet them, mean so much to me already.  I've also been praying that God's will be done, for He knows the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11), even when it seems that natural disasters create chaos in our lives.  I pray that all is well with this family, and that they can be a light to their neighbors in this time of need.  I pray that the work that they have started is not stunted by the weather; that their hope is not diminished; that their faith is strong.

I will try to contact them shortly, offering my thoughts and prayers, and trying to find out if there is anything I can do to help...even if its just through prayer.