Recent Design Projects

Hey y'all- I just wanted to keep you in the loop with what projects I'm working on at the Building. Feel free to click on them for a much larger view!

This first class, English Through Art, is a class in which my roommate and I will be teaching different types of art, mostly sketching, but more importantly teaching English through it.


This is a class that Kris Lundgaard and Gina are teaching called English Through Coffee, where they explain how to roast, prepare, and enjoy different kinds of coffee. More importantly, we're teaching them English through these creative ways.


This is just a postcard that we printed up for the kids to have until March. It's a snapshot of what we're offering to specific age groups.



Many many more to come!

A Day in Vienna

Saturday a group of us went to Vienna, Austria for the day. Our intention was to spend most of the day at the Christmas markets- something I had been looking forward to since last year. Half of us visited an art museum for a few hours that morning and then we visited the markets. After that we walked around a bit, especially in the pedestrian zones which was super nice! We actually found a Starbucks too, which was honestly SO nice to just step into. It was so crowded though- and it had 2 floors! The second floor was completely packed with people. Oh, and my coffee was so bad, but it's because they didn't have Splenda and they let my espresso sit too long. ANYWAY, enough about coffee!

I posted some pictures on Facebook, by the way: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=88254&l=a9372&id=728476320.

It was a really nice city though. One thing I really appreciated was being led around by a Slovak and an American who actually knew where they were going. It would have taken me sooo much time to figure out which train and above-ground electric train to use and where to go. It made everything really smooth and nice. Here are a few more shots of the day...

The Worst, and Funniest Doctor Visit Ever

All foreigners who come to work in Slovakia for over 90 days must come to see the doctor, in my case, in Bratislava. I had been dreading this day because of the many terrible stories I heard from other missionaries who went in years previous. Their stories aren't appropriate for me to post on this site, but lets just say stool samples with other people in the same room were involved. I didn't have to do that, but a group of Afghan men had to that were waiting with me. Friends assured me that the process was not as bad, but still pretty awkward. So please allow me to tell you about my experience in as many details as I can remember- because the details is what made it so hilarious and awkward.

First, we left Trnava at 6:15 am (UCK!). After a 45 minute drive or so, we ended up at a building in downtown Bratislava. We climbed about 4 stories and went through a few random doors and found our way to the doctors office. Through hearing the conversation I figured out that they were saying to Roman (a Slovak employee at the Building) that my appointment was actually the day before. By a miracle they actually let us stay for the appointment.

The first part of the exam was to take blood. I sat down on the table and immediately they asked for the money to cover the exam. I wasn't thrilled about this process because my last experience with giving any amount of blood resulted in me fainting right on the floor. I layed down on the table and they took my blood and it actually was very smooth and not very painful at all.

For the next part of the exam I went to see the doctor, who was an elderly woman. We walked down the hall and the nurse said with a thick accent, "See doctor now". I sat on the table and awaited her instructions and questions. In broken English she asked me my name, where I'm from, if I had diseases in my family, and other medical questions. She then asked my weight and I told her how many pounds... she said, "This too much!" and I realized she wanted my weight in kilograms. So I went back out to the lobby to take my own weight. I came back, told her, and then she asked me my height. I started to say "5'5" until I realized she didn't care about feet and inches, so I went back out to measure my own height by a tape measure taped to the wall.

She pointed to my shirt and said, "Take off please". I said, "Seriously?!" and she of course nodded yes. Let's just say she went through quite unnecessary means to hear my pulse. She asked me to lie on the table again and she starts poking my bare stomach with both sets of fingers to see if I had any massive growths or something (?), and I am giggling the whole time because she's tickling me to death.

She tells me to sit up on the table and proceeds to knock on my head like one would knock on a door and says, "Does this hurt?". I'm about to laugh out loud as she's knocking on my head but I say, "No", then she jabs both sets of fingers under my eyes, on my cheeks, and on my chin, asking me if it hurts. She sits back down in her desk and fills out the information. Her arthritic fingers which are being choked by her tiny rings are pounding on the computer mouse so hard it echoes through the room. Her double clicks sounded like, "CLICK! CLICK!". Hmm I can't explain that well- it was funny though.

Okay so that exam is over. We leave the building and go across the street to another old hospital. We sit and wait for about 20 minutes for them to call me in. This was the part of the exam that was not funny and I was really dreading. This short old mean looking man told me to come in. He pointed to my shirt and said, "Take it off" (which I knew was about to happen), and pointed to a nasty little closet. I pointed to my outside shirt and said, "Can I keep this one on?" and he said angrily, "VSETKO!" (EVERYTHING!). I rolled my eyes and went in the closet. One door in the closet went to the doctor and the other side went to the hall-full of men, both unlocked.

Before I was done doing what I had to do, the doctor flung open the door and said, "COME, NOW" and I snapped back, "CHILL!". I came out of the closet trying to cover myself up and he pointed to the big cold metal machine. He told me to take off my necklace, but as I was taking it off with one hand, it got stuck on my earring!! (Mind you, I'm in a very uncomfortable state at the moment with this angry old man right beside me). So he gives a big mad SIGH, and starts yanking on my necklace- so I say "Pockaj!" (Wait) and get the stupid necklace off of my earring.

He tells me to move the shirt that's covering me up and pushes me against the large cold machine while he take an x-ray. Yeah--there are more details to that story but I'm already on the edge of being inappropriate here so just trust me when I say it was terrible!

So that was the end of the exam and I was sooooooo glad it was over.

Week 4 in Slovakia

As the days go on here, it gets harder and harder to find time to write on this blog! I will do my very best to comment on here more often though.

I can't believe it's already been 4 weeks! That thought blows my mind. I've learned so much since I've been here, whether about the differences in culture, something about myself, my friends, about God, or just life.

One simple thing I learned very quickly was that scarves and hats aren't just for fashion! Ha! I always liked wearing them, but more because they felt and looked nice. I learned quickly that one must wear substantial neck and head wear because it's FREEZING and windy!

For you men and women who do not cook, this may not be an issue for you.... but cooking here as completely thrown me off my culinary balance, if that makes sense. I can't find the same ingredients so often (or can't really read the packaging), and the temperatures are all in Celsius too, which means my oven at home is labeled 1-5 or something. So baking has not been easy.

Getting errands done has not been easy either. One day I needed to go to about 6 or 7 different places to get a project done. With a car, I could have easily done it in maybe an hour or two. With no car and not knowing how and where to buy certain things, it ends up taking forever and a day to do something!

I miss my thick-spring mattress. These tiny foam mattresses aren't cutting it... but I bought a goose down comforter so at least I'm sleeping okay.


The espresso in this particular city has been a big let-down. It's probably a good thing because I was way too spoiled with Joe's Coffee in Hillsborough and my body is probably thanking me for not drinking so much anymore.

I really enjoy walking everywhere I have to go, but I do miss having a car. I walk with headphones on, but unfortunately it's not the safest thing in the world to do. I think I've lost maybe 4 or 5 pounds though, so that's nice. I feel pretty good health wise too. There were a lot of things bothering me when I left the states, and all of which I attributed to stress. Exercise has helped that some. (This is our pastor and his wife below)


In the grocery stores (with a few exceptions), you don't get a grocery bag to take your stuff home. So you better have a bag or bookbag with you to take your stuff! If they do have bags, you have to put everything in there yourself. The other day I went to get some supplies, without realizing I forgot my special shopping bag at home, so I stuffed my coat jackets with stuff and walked down the street carrying an arm load of food. I definitely got some weird looks.

Slovak is super hard! I don't have too much pity for those that have to learn English anymore. I used to be taught that English was THE hardest language out there. I beg to differ! The great thing is that I'm starting to get more and more of it and putting sentences together- a task I assumed was impossible last year. (Here's a picture of a traditional singer singing to my friends)


Much of the team is leaving for the holidays, leaving me with 2 families here for 2-4 weeks. I'll be living along during this time as well. It should be interesting. I'm not sure if it'll be really good for me or really depressing. I hope it'll be a good time to get some work and reading done.

I'm sure there's more but I need to go home because we're having a women's dinner/bible study tonight :)

Miss y'all, hope you're doing well!

2 Week Update

Well any minute now the rest of the team will arrive at our apartment door in preparation for one of the many bible studies/group meetings we have during the week. This one is on Thursday morning at 9 and Miriam has been up since 7 making some wonderfully smelling coffee cake. For the past 2 weeks since I've been here it has basically consisted of me getting used to things with very little work, so I'm a little spoiled I think!

To give you an idea of my schedule (and this will probably change), we have Mondays off but that night we have a women's bible study/dinner/prayer/singing time usually at our house. Tuesdays there's usually quite a bit going on like English classes and I think Senior High activities. Wednesday there's English classes, team "business" meetings, and that evening a few of us usually get together for a bite to eat and read some scriptures. Thursdays we meet from 9-11 for prayer time and after that other things at the Building happen, though it seems to be a relaxed day. Fridays are usually pretty busy as we get ready for big activities. Since I've been here we've prepared for the Intro and also a Thanksgiving meal- so Fridays are fun. Saturdays are our other day off. Sundays we go to church that starts at 10, we have some kind of lunch at home (hopefully sleep) and then meet at the Lundgaard's for a more in depth bible study. So that's my week in a nutshell. You can tell that the week is saturated with studying the word, praying, singing, and fellowship. I'm sure it'll change a bit over time, especially when I start really getting into my behind-the-scenes work here, but that will basically be the general schedule.
Did I tell you already about Thanksgiving? I don't remember if I did. Because we have different groups of kids, we split our holiday parties up in many weeks. So Thanksgiving started last week and will end sometime next week. Last week I cooked for what was supposed to be like 25-30, but ended up to be more like 15. It's definitely a different culinary world to a) go to the grocery store (potraviny) to get your supplies b) on a very tight budget, c) in a small kitchen with 4 burners and one stove. Most of you are thinking "I do that every day!" but see, I'm used to a large commercial kitchen with gadgets and storage rooms and walk-in refrigerators full of food, so cooking for 30 in that kitchen is a piece of cake, whereas this takes much more planning and "strategy". :) So we have another meal tomorrow and I'm cooking the mashed potatoes, carrots, the dessert, and if I can find more sweet potatoes (rare) then maybe my sweet potato casserole again.

Last weekend we went to Ikea and the mall in Bratislava. I had been wanting to go here a while so I can buy stuff to get me feeling settled--and feeling like it was MY space, not temporarily sleeping in someone else's. So I bought a lamp that I've been waiting years to buy, a comforter and pillow, a laundry hamper, some great white square plates and bowls, and a new cooking knife as well. It's definitely done a good job in allowing me to feel more at home.
It's been getting a lot colder over the past 2 weeks since I arrived, which I'm actually kinda thankful for (or at least will be until January when I'll probably be sick of the cold!). I'm thankful for it because when it's cold enough for jackets but not enough for scarves/gloves, etc. is because when you get inside a store or apartment you're so sweaty and hot from walking all over the place. So when it gets really cold you don't sweat as much and don't have to strip all your outerwear all the time.

Today we walked across the big pretty square in what I call "downtown" for lunch. We saw this massive Christmas tree in the middle of it. And I'm not talking about one you'd find in even the biggest of American houses- I'm talking about a TREE like at least 25 ft. high! We walked towards it all in smiles because of the smell. I picked off a tiny piece of a needle and smelled it fervently! It smelled so much like Christmas and for a minute or two, us Americans were gitty about the holiday coming up.
I'll also be starting my design work very soon, which is exciting. We've been thinking about the website and other design projects for a really long time, so I'm stoked to go ahead and get started on things. Oh and P.S.: I now love Coke Blak! (coffee and coke) It's amaaaazing.

Prayer Requests for Me:

1) I am so thankful that I have not become too terribly ill since I've been here, minus some discomfort the first few days- a big surprise! Please continue to pray for my stable physical, mental and spiritual health.

2) Please pray for me (and the team) as I (we) continue to slave over learning Slovak. I'm sure I've said this before, but it is a very complicated language. I am hoping that I won't get burned out on learning it!

3) I will be starting my behind-the-scenes design work next week. Please pray for guidance with this as I work on designing the website, brochures and other needs.

Prayer Requests for the Team:

1) We're in a huge transitional time right now. Miriam, the ministry coordinator here, is going back to the States for 4 months on leave. That means everything she handles on a day to day basis will now be handed down to everyone else. If you knew how much she does, you'd know that this is a big deal! Especially because almost everyone here is either brand new or hasn't been here longer than 2 years. So pray that we'd not only have guidance about how to lead when she's gone, but also that she can leave with total peace about leaving.

2) All of the other interns (Ryan, Anya, and Gina) are also leaving for the Holidays--though Anya will be back in January for a while and Gina will be back after New Years I believe. We're also welcoming back the Lesondaks in December (the family that started this ministry who have been in the states for a year and a half), and also a new family who has one child and will be here in January I think. We're also anticipating the return of Janna Scheflen who will be here for 2 years. So as you can see, lots of people coming and going over the next 2 months, so please pray for safety, for smooth transitions, and that the Lord would provide guidance to those who are considering coming back.

3) Please pray for direction for The Building. We are making very important decisions about our goals and missions, if we should keep raising money for a possible new Building in Trnava, whether we should move to another city as well, and many more long term goals. These are complicated decisions and need guidance from the Lord.

4) Pray for a continuation of peace within the team members here, especially in the next few months in our big transition period.

Acclimation

Well I'm getting started on the second week of living here and I thought I'd share some new random things. First, let me praise the Lord in this smooth transition I've had over the past 7 days. (In fact it's almost to the minute that I arrived a week ago!). Physically, I'm very thankful that my jet lag and sickness only lasted about 5 days. I'm finally waking up at a normal hour, though I still haven't gone a whole night without waking up early. I'm such a light sleeper that a car starting or cat meowing 7 stories down can wake me up!

Mentally/Emotionally things are going well. I don't believe the reality of me being here has actually hit me yet! So for now I'll bask in the naivety of this honeymoon stage :) I was thinking the other day that I spent so long preparing my mind for living here that this transition of living in this country has been really smooth so far. I, for the most part, had a good idea of what I was getting myself into so it wasn't such a shock.
There are still some lingering things that I'm really not used to yet- some good, some bad. It's still a shock that it's completely dark outside by 5 pm, and starts to get dark by 4:30 or so. That is so strange! In January I hear it gets dark by 4, and starts to get dark before 3:30! It really messes with my internal clock.I'm not used to walking everywhere I need to go. I like this though- I enjoy it now. However, I like it more when I can walk by myself at my own pace. People here walk sooo fast so my short little legs are struggling to keep up. It hasn't been too cold yet, which I'm actually kinda thankful for, in regards to my transition. The problem though, is that because I'm walking (and sometimes fast) I get hot by the time I get to my destination- and the buildings are so well warmed that I end up sweating much of the time (something I didn't expect). So there's a lot of putting on coats and hats and gloves and then taking them all off, etc.
I walked around Trnava with my trusty mini camera the other day to take pictures and figure out my way around. I love the size of the city- not so big it's impossible to find your way around, not so small that I feel claustrophobic. I was about to take a picture of a sign near a pedestrian area and this man came up to me and motioned his hand towards the nearby benches and said, "Sandwiches? Sandwiches?" and I said "Nehovorim po Slovensky" (I don't speak Slovak) and he kept asking me so I just left. I really haven't had too many awkward stranger encounters so far, which has been nice! (Had a lot of those in Ethiopia...)

This is my new Slovak teacher/old friend Miska. This was the friend I visited up in Ohio when my car broke down, yay! We had our first lesson yesterday and it went well. We'll start out with 3 lessons a week, then eventually taper down to 2, then 1. I'm glad that I tried to learn some SK words when I was home. It hasn't helped my conjugations at all, but has helped in other ways.

Anyhow, that's about all I can think of that's worth talking about at the moment. Feel free to leave comments on this blog with questions too! Let me know if you DON'T have Facebook and still want to see my photos. That's where I'm posting them.

Trnava, Slovakia... Travel and First Impressions

For the next ~year you will hear many random ramblings and observations from me. Right now I'm a tad bit overwhelmed and sick feeling (as one would be if they were moving to a foreign country). I'll just write my observations and happenings from the past 48 hours...sorry for the length... but expect me to be longwinded for a while :) Also, I've been too nasty feeling to take pictures so this will all be words.

I flew United Airlines for 2 legs of the trip, which caused me to roll my eyes before even arriving the airport because in my opinion United is a totally incompetent airline. I arrived with my luggage, expecting there to be some sort of problem with my luggage weight. To my amazement, my weight was dead on which was a huge relief. Except, as they were entering in my information the woman behind the counter asked for my visa. I told them I'll get my visa when I get to my destination. They said I was wrong and they wouldn't let me get on the plane without a visa or unless I had a return ticket in 90 days or less. Eventually we found out that we just had to book the ticket back but we could cancel it once I got to SK with no charges. I knew that was stupid but I did it anyway. An HOUR later I got my boarding pass.

The first leg to Washington was alright- nothing special. Once I got off the plane I took my sleep aids in anticipation of sleeping all the way to Munich for 8 hours. Little did I know that for the next 8 hours I would be drowsily dropping in my seat, unable to fall asleep. At this point I was so concerned with making my flights and getting sleep that I was not at all preparing myself for what I was actually doing. The sun was rising and shining bright over the land. The orange sunlight illuminated the fog and the orange rooftops that I found so familiar yet so foreign. It wasn't till I saw the orange rooftops till I realized the weight of what I was doing!

One flight later I found myself in the Bratislava airport. It was surprisingly small and cute- one large room with one baggage claim and a set of bathrooms. Within 3 or 4 minutes both of my bags and my guitar came rolling along the belt. I smiled as I thanked God for proving my very necessary luggage. I could see the legs of my welcome party of two outside, but once you went out the doors you couldn't come back in. So amazingly enough I figured out how to carry 2 50 lb. bags, one guitar, a 30 lb. backpack and a 20 lb. carrying case by myself. Stumbling out of the double doors I met my welcomed my friends and was happy for a safe arrival.

Dan and Petra then took my luggage, hopped in Dan's van, gave me my schedule for the rest of the week, and drove to McDonalds. Mind you, this is one of the most elegant McDonalds I've ever seen. By this time I had been feeling terrible since about 2 pm the day before. So I ate little and didn't finish the weird Diet Coke. By the way, it's like 9 pm the day after I've arrived and I've been feeling bad since then. My stomach has been up and down- my appetite has been weird and I've been just... off.

So for the past day and a half I've mainly just been trying to get settled, went shopping a little, went to the Building, went out to eat with folks and I've been trying to rest too. OH and tonight we went to go to see 007 at the theatre too. I've also walked quite a bit, which is exactly what I've expected. It's weird to come out of a restaurant and just start walking. Usually I stuff myself silly and then sit in a car and feel terrible- so it's kinda nice to walk.

One of the things I'm really thankful for actually are a few things that rarely happen here- things that I believe is helping me adjust quicker. It's unseasonably warm, which is something I don't necessarily love, but I think if I came and it was snowy and rainy and nasty it would be harder to adjust. We're also going to hear Dan (an American) preach this Sunday, which is rare- so the first Sunday to hear the sermon in English will be really nice.

I'm so thankful that people don't share here. In Africa, everyone knows you're a foreigner and they stare at you so rudely. Here, I don't stick out too much and people don't make me feel uncomfortable- that is a really nice transition too.

Okay okay, so random observations...

- Europeans drink lots of water with gas. Yeah that's what it's called- like carbonated water. I must be an American cause I don't like it... YET. So when you order it you've gotta ask for water with no gas- voda ne..something.

- Slovaks are super fashionable! Seriously, I'm like way behind the times compared to many of the people I've seen in the past day. Speaking of which, probably 90% of the people I've passed so far have been under 25 or so. Remember that stat I talked about during my presentation about about 2/3 of the people in Trnava were under 20? Yeah, I totally believe that now. Sometimes I've felt like I was on a college campus!

- I'm on the 7th floor of this apartment building. We've gotta ride an elevator to the top that's built for 2 people, or 4 if you stuff yourselves in. There aren't automatic doors on it either. Instead you open a regular sized door, then push open 2 little doors. I'll have to take a picture.

- We had a team meeting yesteday morning for like 3 hours, but it was nice. We sang hymns and prayed for most of the time. My roommate (literally) Anya and I tried to make cinnamon buns but they didn't turn out so well.

- Just about everyone on the team reminds me of someone back home. Dan reminds me of my friend Joe. Ryan reminds me of my step-bro John. It's crazy...

- They weren't lying when they said everything is more expensive here. I went shopping for shampoo and random stuff today- not enough to even fill a shopping basket and it cost me about 60 EU, which is about $90.

- There is so much more English around town than I expected. On buildings, in the malls, on things you buy at the store... it's weird to see it, but I think it'll actually be really refreshing once I need to experience something familiar.

- Beer is cheaper than water. Yesterday I got a tiny bottled water for like $1.75 in the restaurant (because they don't do free tap water), and then I noticed beer was 17 SKK, so about 70 cents.

- Speaking of free, not everything is free of charge here like you'd expect after living in the States. Shopping carts, use of the bathrooms, ketchup in the restaurant, and water are just a few things that you have to pay extra for usually.

-Did I already say this? People not only walk wherever they go, but my local friends walk pretty fast too. It's totally normal for them, but more of a workout for us Americans! I like it, but it also makes me feel even worse when I feel sick already!

Well there's a lot more but I'll stop for your sakes! I hope you'll join me over the next year as I attempt to recreate what I experience here.

Addresses

Hey y'all! I just wanted to post my new addresses to the top right of the blog. If you're ever in the mood to send some cheer my way, there's how!

Departing Soon!

Dear Friends,

Join me in praise! The Lord has provided me with full support!

Thank you so much for all of your prayer, encouragement and support. I can't even begin to express how this past year has changed me and how God has taught me lessons of trust and humility. I am very excited to finally be able to return to the Heart of Europe.

We found an unbelievable price on my ticket to Bratislava as well! My flight leaves around noon on November 4th (Election day....and yes, I'm voting that morning!), and I'd like to spend time with and/or speak over the phone with as many of you as possible. The next 3 1/2 weeks will go by quickly, so if you'd like to get together, please do contact me soon!

While I am gone, I will not have phone access, though I will have Skype which is a program that allows us to speak over the computer, free of charge. If you'd like to be updated on my status, my experiences and the ministry, I encourage you to keep this link handy: www.andetrumanslovakia.blogspot.com. I will be updating this as often as possible, sharing photos and stories regularly. I will be sending an E-newsletter once a month as well.

Again, thank you to all of you who have been encouraging me since one year ago when this process first started. I'd appreciate your prayers as I prepare for departure and especially while acclimating to Slovakia next month. If you have any other questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact me.

Your Sister in Christ,

Ande

"Why Did You Move to NC?"

So many people have been asking me that question since I moved back to Mebane. So for those of you reading this that still don't know the answer to that, I will explain it...

I got fired for going on this mission back to Slovakia. They gave me an extended grace period of 4 weeks because they needed to use me so I could finish some important projects. This "Christian" organization fired me because they didn't like the idea that they didn't have the upper hand and I could leave whenever I raised enough support. My lease ended on my apartment on that exact same week. So with no job and nowhere to live, I could have either stayed in Orlando, found another job, found another apartment (both of which wouldn't have worked because I had NO idea how long I would have been in the country), and somehow worked full time plus raising support.... OR I could have moved home with little to no rent, got a very flexible job and spent more time raising support. To me, the choice was easy. So I hope that answers everyone's question. I just wanted to clear that up :)

Frequent Flyer Miles as a Donation

Have frequent flyer miles you'd like to donate? Ask me if you'd like to know how to use your FF miles for my ticket to Slovakia next month! andetruman@gmail.com or reply to this message.

86%!

That's right, 86%. I'm very excited! At this point I only need....

3 people at $100 per month
3 people at $50 per month
3 people at $25 per month

Will you be one of the 9 people to help me meet my goal?

andetruman@gmail.com

www.fizzthat.com/newsletter

Important Departure Update

Dear Friends,

I'm writing to invite you to both rejoice and pray with me over the next two months. I want to share with you an important update regarding my mission to Slovakia. I hope to call or speak face to face with many of you so you can hear this first hand from me and ask me any questions you may have.

This September will mark one year of support raising. With prayer and also guidance from Mission to the World, we have decided to schedule my departure approximately around the last week of October, Lord willing. This is a cause to rejoice with me! I am so very eager to finally start my service!

However, I heartily covet your prayers. I am still lacking 18%, about $675 per month. I will still be able to receive gifts on the field while I am there, but it is important to leave with 100% so that I can focus on the ministry and the Lord's work, rather than support raising. Over the next two months I am hoping that you will join me in prayer and/or giving as I prayerfully seek the remainder of my necessary support.

I respectfully ask that if you intend on, or have verbally committed to supporting God's work in Slovakia, please send your support in to the address below. If you have already sent in a one-time gift, would you consider matching that gift for same time next year? If you would like to, click here to view and print an online pledge card (www.fizzthat.com/pledgecard. II Corinthians tells us to not give grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Friends, my job is to simply ask and whatever your decision may be, I trust the Lord in His provision!

Please join me in prayer. Thank you so very much for all of your encouragement and support. Take care!

Online Pledge Card: http://fizzthat.com/pledgecard

76%, Rising Dollar, and Depature Goal

Due to recent developments, my support now stands at 76%. It was higher, but the church I mentioned in my previous post (read the post from a few days ago) will not be able to give as once promised, bringing me down from 82%.

Over the past few weeks, the dollar has actually started to go up compared to the Slovak Koruna! That's good for me- please continue to pray for this.

Hopefully this week I'll be able to tell you more details about my departure goal date.

Right now with the support I have, I could serve for about 7 months. As you know, I've committed to 12. Though it is tempting to leave now and get started, I feel as though I should wait upon the Lord's provision and hope that 100% comes in. If you're confused about when I'm leaving, and why I could technically leave now, that's normal. :) I'll explain it in a few days.

Stay tuned!

82% and Important Prayer Request

Here's an updated breakdown of supporters needed! By the way, I know a lot of you can't commit to monthly gifts, and any gift whatsoever is so appreciated, no matter how much. So don't think that since you can't do monthly gifts it wouldn't make a difference! This is just an easier way for a lot of people to see it.

$585 per month (or $7,025 total) still needed

3 people at $100 per month
4 people at $50 per month
4 people at $25 per month


Prayer Request: As you're probably aware, the dollar continues to drop steadily compared to the Slovak crown. My MTW representative and I are going to be looking at this soon to see how much it has dropped and how much more support I'll be needing because of it. Please pray that the drop will be small and I won't need to raise a substantial amount more.

Also, a church that had committed to a substantial amount ($2,400) will probably be pulling their donation completely. Their financial situation at the church is VERY bad because of certain events over the past few years with their congregation. Please pray that -their financial situation would improve and they would be able to follow through with their commitments... or that God would provide this loss to me soon. By the way, this loss is not included in my support still needed because it's not 100% sure.

79.5% and Saturday's Total

For those of you who don't know, we had an excellent turn-out yesterday at the car wash! At one point we had 28 workers! I'm not exactly sure how many cars we did, but we didn't really get more than a minute or two of rest working from one car to the next- so a nice steady flow from 8:30 till 4 pm. We made $1,030! That boosted me up to almost 80%. Now, I believe my numbers are:

4 People at $100 per month
4 People at $50 per month and
3 people at $25 per month

This is feasible to obtain before my goal of the end of September!

77%

Hey y'all! Yes, we're over 3/4 of the way there. Only $750 per month left!

We'd love to have you come out this Saturday to the car wash, either to get your car washed or help scrub with us. This event will be hosted by the Grace Reformed Baptist Church youth group.

As most of you discovered, my goal is to be in Slovakia starting my service before October. Would you prayerfully consider being a part of this and sending me to serve in Trnava?

Almost 3/4....

Just wanted to let y'all know that I'm at 72%!

In the next month, expect my percentage to go down some due to a few factors--1) the dollar is still dropping, and their currency is strong, SO that means more will be needed. We're going to look at that in a few weeks though. 2) A church that was going to give a substantial amount is more than likely going to have to retreat from their pledge because of unforeseen severe financial stress.

In the meantime, I'm going to rejoice in my status now :)

Car Wash! Saturday, August 9th in Mebane

Hey everyone! I wanted to invite you join us while we scrub cars to raise funds for my mission to Slovakia! It will take place Saturday, August 9th in Mebane on Mebane Oaks Road at the Advanced Auto Parts (in front of Lowe's Foods, beside Blue Ribbon).

We'll get started pretty early, probably arriving at 8:30 or 9 and staying until we get tired or run out of business :) So far the GRBC youth group is going to be heading this up. Whether you'd like to actually scrub the cars, hold signs and/or dance by the road and try to get people in, or go out on your own entrepreneurial excursion and sell lemonade or watermelon or something, you're welcome to do that too.

If you can make it, we'd love to have you. Also, if you have any scrub brushes, buckets, soap, etc. please bring them so we don't have to buy them. Not exactly sure what we're doing for lunch, but if someone, or a few people, would like to donate a few pizzas or something that would be excellent!

Comment on this post or send me an email at andetruman@gmail.com (or call me at 407.739.8571) if you want to come help. Thanks!

Presentation at GRBC

I want to thank everyone for sticking around after prayer meeting to hear my presentation! It was so great to be able to share some of the details with you. Obviously, because I had little time, I had to condense everything...leaving many details out. If you'd still like to know more, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and we can get together for a meal or coffee if you wish!

Questions from The Ladies Missionary Society Meeting - 60%

There were a few questions from the Ladies Missionary Society this last Saturday that I needed to do some more research on before I confidently answered them.

Q: "Do you have a book ministry? If not, do you ever plan to have one? If not, are there Christian books readily available in Slovak for new Christians?" (If I am leaving out anything for the person that asked this question, please leave a comment!)

A: The staff at The Building has thought about, and is continuing to think about starting a book ministry. Specifically, they would like to start with translating some of Kris Lundgaard's books. As you may know, Kris is there with his family. While there is not a wealth of Christian books in Slovak, they do exist for new Christians. There are two specific publishing houses printing these books in both Czech and Slovak.

Q: "Once someone professes faith, what happens after that? Is there a plan of action? Does the Slovak pastor 'take over' or is it a group effort? Who are they accountable to, who helps them along in their faith?"

A: Generally, it is a group effort, as it depends on which relationships are stronger. We just joined the denomination in Slovakia with its' own pastor (Juraj), so the planning is coming.

I'm sure I'll understand the answers to these questions better when I am there, but I hope this helps you understand a bit more. Keep the questions coming!

Good Resources about Slovakia - 57%!

I just found this website that has some great info about Slovakia, probably the most in-detail resource I've found so far. http://www.iyfnet.org/section.cfm/192/193

Presentation at Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Mebane - 53.4%!

Hello all! I wanted to let you know that I will be giving a presentation at the church on Wednesday, July 9th right after prayer meeting, Lord willing. I'll be explaining in further detail what I will be doing in Slovakia, more about the country, the ministry, and the needs of the people.

I would love if if you came to hear what's going on! Right now the date is penciled in, so if it changes I will let you know.

In the meantime, if you'd like to get together face to face for a meal or coffee, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Thanks, and hope to see you there!

50.4%

Hello all! I wanted to inform you that I am currently at 50.4%! That's very exciting!

I would also appreciate your prayers about a few presentations I have coming up in the next few weeks. I'll be speaking at a PCA church in Burlington, NC this coming Sunday morning...as well as a Ladies Missionary Society at my home church in Mebane, NC and also speaking at my home church to everyone on a Wednesday night coming up soon (though we haven't set a date).

Thanks y'all!

When am I leaving?

That's a mighty good question. People ask me this almost daily and I wish I had a better answer for you. I leave when I get 100% of my funds for the next year. MTW requires this so that fundraising isn't a part of my work on the field (it wont distract me), and so I'm not financially stuck over there in the middle of my year.

Some people ask, "What if it takes you another year to raise the support?". Well, MTW's general rule of thumb is that the longest it should take to raise support is the amount of time you're going. Obviously some people have the resources, connections and church support to get them there almost immediately. However, in my particular situation it is not working out that way.

I started raising support in September. So in late August/September of this year, if I'm not there yet, we're going to "renegotiate" the amount of time I go. If I am only at 60% or so, then more than likely we will lower the period of time I go. If I am at 95% then I will continue raising support till I get to 100%. We'll have to cross that bridge when I get there.

MTW, the team in Slovakia, and I, are hopeful that I will be on the field before that time- but obviously God wants me there when he wants me there.

I boldly ask for you to PLEASE pray for me during this time. It has been a trial lately and my patience still needs work. I am working at Camp Chestnut Ridge as a cook/pseudo-chef and doing as much fundraising as possible when I am not there.

Lowered Costs

Heidi ho! Wanted to let ya know that I lowered the prices on my photography fundraising book. A few people are enjoying these books already! Check it out! http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/163423

Don't be Intimidated!

Lately, I've heard the following quote from so many people, "Anything I can give probably won't make much of a difference for you. You really need people to come along with thousands of dollars per month!"

Well, first of all, I only need about $2,000 per month remaining - so technically I only need ONE person at that much!

Second, please don't think that unless you have a lot to give it won't make a difference! Please hear me! Every single dollar makes a difference, and it doesn't matter to me if you can't give much. It just means so much to me that you'd be willing to give ANYTHING! That's between you and the Lord. I used to be embarrassed around missionaries or anyone doing mission work because I thought that my $10 or $20 couldn't make a difference. I no longer think that, and gladly give anything I can, even if it's only a few dollars.

Please don't let the total amount I need to raise to intimidate your giving!

We're at about 43% today. Slowly but surely getting there!

Do you have any friends, family, churches, small groups, etc. who has a heart for missions? I'd love to tell them about what the Lord is doing in Slovakia and how they can be a part of it!

Are you in a small group or bible study? Have you considered pledging together as a group? Giving as a group gives your group a chance to be a part of sharing the Gospel around the world, and may only end up being literally a few dollars for each person! Call or e-mail me for more info!

Answer to Prayer and More Prayer Requests

Just wanted to inform y'all that I finally got a car today. I had been borrowing my family's truck for a few months, and needed to get my own.

I also may be looking into the possibility of finding another place to live in the Mebane/Burlington/Hillsborough area. If you have, or know someone who has a spare bedroom that I may be able to temporarily stay in, please contact me. Any time period can be arranged, but since I am praying that support raising will be quick, I do not plan on the period being long.

I know I've said this a thousand times, but please pray for my patience during fundraising. I trust the Lord in his infinite wisdom and sovereignty...but my sinful human self tends to feel the difficulty in waiting for the provision. Please pray for my attitude and my heart as well, that I will continue to trust the Lord.

In times when things are difficult, I constantly remind myself that God has changed my heart, and I feel that He's clearly called me to His service--and even though financial difficulties have been with me from the beginning, it is no indication to stop raising funds!

Greetings all! I wanted to check in and give you all an update of how things have gone since Saturday. As you know, I am up in Pennsylvania speaking at a Round Robin Missions Conference. There are many churches involved, but I am speaking at 6 churches this week to bring awareness to what God is doing in Slovakia and my journey to get back!























































Sunday I spoke at Faith Reformed Church in Erie, PA. It went very well and I spoke for about an hour at the adult Sunday School class. It's always impossible for me to stuff my entire story in an hour, but I think we did pretty well for the time I had. Thank you, Faith Reformed Church for allowing me to speak and for the wonderful luncheon! Also, thank you, Barb for allowing me to stay at your house Saturday night! Sunday after the service I drove south a few hours to my next destination, Fairview Reformed Church in Industry, PA. I am actually staying with the pastor of Fairview, Richard Raines and his wife until Thursday. Since many of the churches are within an hour of Fairview, their house will be my base for most of the week. Sunday evening I went to Fairview to attend the evening service there and for Pastor Raines to introduce me to the congregation. I broke my first rule of public speaking which is *Don't drink caffeine before you talk* so I was a little shaky but I survived. It was more of an informal service, especially at the beginning, so Pastor Raines called out to the congregation to see who would take me bowling and out to lunch! They quickly volunteered. So the next morning, at 9:30 a.m., they picked me up to take me bowling! There were about 20 people there or so, and people that were 3x my age were schooling me in bowling. However, for just rolling out of bed, I played a decent game of 128! I think early morning bowling should be a new trend! Stay tuned for more updates! Wireless internet is not an easy thing to find in the country of Pennsylvania, but I did find one coffee shop with wi-fi. Take care!

I wanted to give you an unfortunate financial update. Because of the consistent plummet of the American dollar against the strong Slovak Koruna, my budget requirements have risen and I lost about 3% of what I had due to the rise.

I did some research and noticed that not even 5 years ago, $1 U.S.D. was worth approximately ~40 Slovak Koruna, while today it is worth approximately ~21 Slovak Koruna. (Correct me if I'm wrong). I wouldn't be surprised if my required budget continues to grow as the dollar drops.

God is surely providing despite hard times. I would appreciate your prayers in this matter, and that the Lord would swiftly provide the remainder of this support!

This weekend I'll be flying up to Pennsylvania for a little over a week to attend a round robin Missions Conference with about 8 or 9 smaller churches. I'll be getting a rental car when I get there and driving to about 6 different churches, some ranging up to a few hours away from eachother.

Please pray that my nerves won't be shaken, and that I can effectively communicate what God's been doing with me--both confidently and comfortably. Also please pray for my safety while traveling. The last time I was up in that area in February, I ended up breaking down and selling my car!

We're still at 41% or so today. An overwhelming number of people have offered to help in some way or another in the past few weeks though, so I'm trying to have a positive outlook on my support status.

For example, last night I spoke to a group of 10 who are in a bible study group. Our time went very well and I am so appreciative of them allowing me to come and speak! Special thanks to Tony and Ina Diana!

I hope to also have an informational session at my church in Mebane as soon as possible. Please pray that this would happen swiftly.

So many of you have asked to meet with me personally to find out more about the ministry in Slovakia and where I fit in. My schedule revolves around you! Please don't hesitate to call or e-mail me and we'll set up an appointment. I'd love to buy you some coffee!

That's it for now. Thanks everyone!

Getting a Head Start

I finally finished the first installment of my language study flash cards tonight. There are approximately 650-700 cards that I've made by hand...they were made by cutting up blank 3x5 index cards into thirds, then punching a hole in one end, writing English on one side and Slovak on the back, putting a rip cord through a stack of 25-75 (depending on difficulty), then using a caribeaner to keep it all together. It probably cost less than $5.00 for the entire set. I won't lie, it took an incredible amount of time to do this, but I think it'll be well worth it.

Ever since I returned from Slovakia I've been trying to remember words and phrases here and there, but since the new year I've been trying to focus on finding methods to learn the language (especially since I've been living in NC with extra time to dedicate to this). Now that I've finally completed the flash cards I can start studying more efficiently.

That uneasy face I'm wearing is because of the difficulty I've already experienced in learning and remembering words and grammar rules. So even though I don't expect to have any reasonable knowledge of Slovak by the time I get to Slovakia *(whenever that may be)*, I do hope to at least get a head start in learning vocabulary and essential phrases.

Anyone have any other suggestions for learning a language? Or even Slovak?

Staying Patient

I'm sitting here reading the first few chapters of Romans and saw a few verses that made me smile...

- (Abraham) He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said.....but it's not just Abraham, it's also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless.

- We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, w're never left feeling shortchanged.

Please pray that the Lord would give me the patience and peace that 'surpasses all understanding'.

We're at 41% :)

FAQ's, and we're at 40%!

Hello all!

I wanted to take this opportunity and answer some more frequently asked questions. I had done this a few months ago but since my situation has changed a bit, it's appropriate to answer new questions.

1) What are you doing now? (the most asked question!) I moved back to North Carolina to live with my family at the beginning of February. I am spending most of my time on raising funds for Slovakia.

2) Are you working? I have a part-time job at a kid's camp I worked at for 3 years. Usually I watch kids during the week, though I cook for large retreat groups that come in, and will occasionally be involved in environmental education when needs arise. However, like I said, I am spending much of my time trying to raise funds.

3) What do you mean when you say "fund raising"? What does that look like? I spend much of my time making phone calls, e-mails, and other organizational things. For example, I will be speaking at a missions conference in PA at the end of March and I have to arrange all of my travel plans. My office is anywhere that has free wireless internet and good coffee! I'll spend anywhere from 2-8 hours a day there usually. That time is also dedicated to meeting with people one-on-one who would like to know more information about the mission.

4) How long are you going to be home? There is no possible way I can even give a decent guess to this question. I had hoped to be in Slovakia in January, so obviously my intentions are to get there as soon as possible. Whether it takes 2 weeks or 9 months, I have no way of knowing. It is completely dependent on how quickly the funds come in. I am praying that God would allow my time in North Carolina to be short, as I am anxious to start working. However, I am also praying for patience that I would understand daily that God's timing is so much better than my own.

5) Are you learning the language? Well, I sure am trying to learn as much as possible, though I will admit it's been a bit difficult to learn. I've made posters and flash cards to help me out. Language study is a part of my daily routine. Oh, and for any Slovaks out there- go ahead and make fun of my very cheesy study guides. I welcome it, especially the horribly drawn human. :)

Car Needed ASAP! - 36%

Hello everyone! We are at 36% today!

As you know, I've moved back to North Carolina with my family temporarily until I raise enough support to leave. On the way home from Florida I drove up to Ohio to visit a Slovak friend. To make a long story short, my car not only broke down twice in Ohio, but the repairs were so extensive I had to sell it before I came home because it was not drivable! I had to get a rental car and transfer all of my belongings into it just to get back to North Carolina.

This means I am without a car. I am temporarily using a family car but it will not be available much longer. Because I will only be in the country for a short time, I don't have too many options. An ideal situation would be to either a) buy an inexpensive clunker car and sell it before I go or the BEST option: 2) "rent" a car from someone local.

I hope to only be in the country anywhere from 1-4 more months (the sooner the better!) and I would be willing to pay someone monthly to let me borrow a spare car.

Do any of you happen to own a spare car and would be willing to let me "rent" (borrow) it until I leave for Slovakia soon?? Please let me know ASAP!

Cell: 407-739-8571 or Home: 919-563-5346

Ande

I want to give an enormous THANK YOU to Relevant Media Group (http://www.relevantnetwork.com/) in Orlando (Relevant, Radiant, and Leader. http://www.relevantmagazine.com/ ). I myself subscribe to Relevant Magazine (the only mag subscription I've ever had, and well worth it!), and was sad to know that it would be so difficult to get it while in Slovakia. Oh by the way, this is where I've been wanting to get a job for over a year!

I e-mailed them last week saying that some of the folks in Trnava really enjoyed Relevant Magazine, and so did I. I asked if it would be possible if I could take 10-15 issues of their old copies that aren't on the shelves anymore- only halfway expecting an answer back, to be honest. The next week a wonderful gal named Theresa e-mailed me and told me to come on by to pick them up! I went there last night to get them and she came to the front with a smile and a huge stack of magazines. She even went to the back to get MORE! She gave me at least 22-25 issues of Relevant, Radiant and Leader for me to take to Slovakia with me and keep at the ministry.

She sent me on my way with a smile and a hug, and I left there with a huge smile on my face, feeling so thankful for these guys for being so generous.

So Theresa, Cameron, anybody else who had a hand in that decision.... THANK YOU!! You're taking part in investing in a real difference.

So the other night I went to a Christian concert over at the college arena at UCF. It was Mercy Me, Barlow Girl, some other guys, and the reason I went: Skillet. For any Skillet fans out there, it was a fantastic show!

Anyway, in between sets there was a speaker who "entertained" the crowd while the next band set up. I have to admit, this guy was good. He gave an entire synopsis of the Gospel in a brief, funny, truthful, and clear way. He not only shared it through a great analogy, but threw in humor, some very serious consequences to not believing, and in a pretty tasteful way invited those who wanted to change their lives to take action. Over a thousand people stood up because they wanted to make a change, whether for the first time or for the 50th time. The tour even sent them all information, books, and devotionals to help with their walk.

While my attitude at first was "Bring back the music!!" at first, I was humbled pretty quickly as he kept speaking. How selfish I was to demand the musical distractions while he's trying to explain to thousands of people the message of the Gospel in their own youthful language.

By the end of his 15 minute speech, to be honest, I had a sincere jealousy for how he was able to express the Gospel in the way that he did. I really respected this guy for how great he communicated, and it made me want to learn how to communicate better. He was loud, funny, outgoing, and well-spoken. I started to feel a little down on myself, thinking, "Wow, if I was asked to get up on stage and say what he did, I'm about 100% sure it wouldn't be as great." In a very tricky way, Satan came into that scenario and wanted me to believe that if I couldn't speak as good as the speaker, I might as well give up. He wanted me to believe that I'm too soft-spoken and shy, to scared, to reserved to be effective in showing Christ to unbelievers, simply because I wasn't as "good" as this guy.

Soon after, I was reassured something pretty important. God is going to use me despite my sin. Despite my shortcomings and all the ways I fail, He's going to use the person who He's made to advance His kingdom in maybe a different way than someone else. There are unbelievers out there who would be completely turned off from the Gospel if they heard this guy speak. There are unbelievers who are tired of the way a lot of people are sharing the Gospel with them. There are a lot of people like me who find a huge value in a one-on-one discussion and close friendships.... who are quiet and reserved... who went through the same problems I went through as a kid... who are just looking for someone like them to share God's love in a really special way.

From what I have been told, this relational type of process is what the young people in Slovakia can relate to. Not all of them, of course, but some. I look forward to finding all the different ways that God has created me to share His love in "custom" ways to each individual young person. We're all called to be different parts of The Body of Christ. It's an understatement to say that it's a relief to have a God that loves you and will use you no matter how often you fall short!

Bauer HAS a Home! - Travel Plans - Prayer Requests

Finally... I found a home for my cat after 6 months! Now I can move forward without worrying about him...

So this is my last week at work at Strang Communications. I'll be leaving next Monday for a long trip home.

I'll be stopping in Tallahassee for a night, through Atlanta to visit Mission to the World, then up to Chattanooga to visit friends at Covenant College for a night. After that I'll go to Asheville, NC for a night and then up to Lakeside, Ohio for at least 3 or 4 nights.

From there I will either go home to NC or stop in NY and/or PA to visit family. Please pray for my safety during these travels. I had severe car trouble over the weekend, and even though the cost of getting it fixed was substantial, I am so thankful that I didn't break down in the middle of nowhere by myself!

If any of you live in these areas and want to meet up for coffee or a meal, please please call me!

__________________

Other than that, things are going okay. I'm not nearly as stressed as I thought I would be... at least not yet. Leaving my friends in Orlando is going to be a very very difficult thing for me to do.

Once I get home, I'm going to immediately start working at Camp Chestnut Ridge part time during the week/weekend. Most of my time will be dedicated to raising support.

I really do covet your prayers during this time.

Well, I'll write a bit more later. Hope y'all are having a good week!

Hello! I wanted to spread the word that I've "published" a photo book that is available for sale here: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/163423 All profit will go directly to my support as I raise funds to go back to Slovakia for a year.

Bauer needs a home asap!

Hi everyone. We're at 27.8% today!

As some of you know (because I've blatantly asked you), I have to find a home for my cat. I obviously can't take him with me to SK. I've been looking for 3 months for a home, but no one seems to be able to take him. I've even tried taking him to the SPCA, and long story short, they wouldn't take him.

I am running out of options! Would any of you be willing to adopt a new cat?

Here's a little about him. His name is Bauer, and he's an orange tabby cat. I found him a little over a year ago on September 11th as a stray, and he was a baby when I found him. He has been neutered and declawed in the front paws (so he won't scratch up your furniture!). Bauer is extremely playful, loves attention, loves to be pet, loves to play games with you, and his favorite game is fetch. Yep, he'll fetch stuff like a dog, it's very cute. He'll come to you when you call his name or whistle and stop doing something when you say stop.

If you decide to take Bauer, you'll get all the fixin's with him, including a covered litter box, continuous food feeder, lots of toys, flea medication, etc. Oh, and he's had all his shots too and he has no health problems.

If you would like to come meet him, or if you'd like to take him, please please let me know as soon as possible! I need to find a home BEFORE JANUARY 22nd!!!