A "Scary Place" turns into an open door?

Things aren't always what they seem...
The metro stop for Cara's house is called Stracnicka, "haunted" or "scary" in Czech. And at first glance the pedestrian underpass from the metro to the other side of a busy street here, gave the impression that it was living up to its name! In the evening, with not many people around and dimly lit, simply a typical big city environment - complete with graffiti and trash - looked worse than it turned out to be.

So last Friday, instead of going downtown to try and share the Gospel and meeting mainly tourists, we decided we would just explore our own neighborhood and ask God to show us the open doors right around us.

What a difference the day makes! This little intersection of our neighborhood is actually a transportation hub with the metro, the bus and the trams all stopping here. And our "scary" little tunnel is actually a bustling marketplace with various shops selling everything from linens, to jewelry, purses, and clothes. There is even two little bakeries with fresh pastries and coffee to go! Who would've guessed? Since shops close early here, with pull-down sliding metal doors, in the dark there was no way to tell that there was all this life hidden here. (Hmmm...maybe like Prague itself? That is our prayer!)

But the best part is just past the tunnel...here there is a modern sports park underway! The anchor attraction is a "Quicksilver" skate park, but there is also a climbing wall, a children's area, a baseball / soccer field, basket ball and tennis courts, bmx trails and a sand volleyball pit! Its open to the public and entrance is free!
After school and on the weekends this is "the" place for kids in our neighbor-hood to hang out. It is bordered on one side by a "green belt" running through the neighborhood, and on the other side by an elementary school, with apartment buildings all around.

We have been praying for a way to reach the youth of Prague, because they usually seem to be more open to the Gospel and because Jason is an athlete at heart and has a real love for sports of all kinds. We really believe that God so often leads us according to our redeemed passions. The things that we love are so often put there by God and rather than drive them out in favor of more "religious" pursuits, He wants to use those things for His glory and our encouragement.

Already when we've gone to play volleyball we have either met people who have invited us to join them when they regularly go play or asked us to call them whenever we play.

This is potentially such an open door to meet people, develop relationships, and - as the Spirit leads - share "the reason for the hope that is within us"! Please pray that God would draw those who are ready to hear about Him to that park and open the doors for relationship. We are excited and we will keep you posted!