kellycain.coma place to explore…

I will try to paint an accurate picture of what ministry is like here currently. For us as the Košice team, we are trying to learn the best ways to connect with students and pull them out of the dorms. We have 5 dorms + an additional city (Prešov) that we are going to this year with a team of only 8 (3 slovaks + 5 americans), which totals around 40,000 students. At Jedlikova (the technical university dorm) most of the guys want to stay in and play video games or just do stuff on the internet. The specific challenge at that dorm is that even when we do get guys to come out they are usually very passive and do not step up when challenged – even guys that become Christians. We do have one guy there, his name is Robo, he is a gem! He is a servant and I believe God will use him in that dorm this year.
At Medicka (the medical and law school -the Duke of Slovakia) students are very busy studying and it’s really hard to build relationships on account that these students are VERY busy. In the past two years 3 girls have trusted Christ at Medicka, and lots of girls have previously said they are interested in being in a Bible study. The main challenge at Medicka is encouraging/building into these student believers to reach their dorm and eventually Slovakia and the world.
At Boženy and a neighboring dorm that we affectionately call FU (mainly because its hard for American’s to pronounce and that is the abbreviation) we are trusting God to launch a movement. In the past these dorms haven’t seen much activity or spiritual interest, we are praying for that to change.
The Vet School is similar to Medicka in that these students are studying really hard, we have a Bible study at this dorm, that is led by our Slovak staff, Dara. We are praying that the Bible study will be student led by the end of this semester!
Prešov has been a redemptive place to do ministry in the past. These students are studying philosophy, religion, languages, etc, and therefore have lots of questions about God. We’ve seen lots of fruit on this campus in the past year. We have 3 new believers in Prešov, and a girl who studies there just trusted Christ with Mirka, a Slovak staff, on Thursday (after 2 years of stint teams sharing the gospel with her)! We are trusting God to continue to raise up believers and laborers for the gospel in Prešov. We want the ministry there to be self sustaining, hopefully with a full student leadership team similar to the one in Košice.
The movement in Bratislava is doing well, they have involved students and an active Athlete’s in Action ministry as well as Family Life and Campus ministry. There are long term and Slovak staff there.
Both ministries are passing out an evangelistic cd called “Cesta” which means “Path.” The cd was developed by the Bratislava ministry and has some short films and music that get people to think deeper about life/spiritual things. The cd has a contest where students have to answer 4 questions on the cd that will link them to the ministry’s website where they will be entered in a contest to win Zadarmo Internat (free housing) for one year! We have a lot of these cds and next week on campus we will be blitzing all 6 campus locations to get out 2,500 cds! We’ve already passed out some during freshmen orientations. We’re praying that we can reach the freshman class so that in 4 years we will reach the whole campus!
I think you might be able to see somethings through out this synopsis that we need prayer for, but I’ll make a more concise list.
1. Pray for God to launch movements on these campuses (Jedlikova, Medicka, Boženy and FU, the Vet School, and in Prešov), so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Christ.

2. Pray for God to raise up spiritual leaders! We especially need guys to come to Christ and step up to lead!

3. Pray for 68 students to come to our Cau Leto (Goodbye Summer) party. (October 9th). This is when we’ll announce the winner for the free housing contest. Why 68? We meet in a room called Hlavna 68.

4.Pray for 50 students to come to Fall Retreat (last year there were 21) (Oct 19-21). Where our purpose is evangelistic, but also a way to introduce students to the ministry and to each other.

5. Pray for men’s weekend. (Oct 26-28) This has typically been of high interest for men, so much so they did another one in the spring last year! Pray the same for this year, and this would be instrumental in raising up Slovak men to lead!

6. Pray for my team. In the midst of business, and a lifestyle of ministry, you can sometimes forget the most important part of life. Jesus. Pray that we will spend deep time with Him in His word, and that He would teach us and change us! Pray for our team to connect and that God would lead us on campus to students, to persons of peace, who will lead this ministry long after we’re not here.

[slideshow id=432345564239304981&w=426&h=320]

I think most of you know, but maybe not; since I’ve been here I’ve had some pretty intense sadness. I’ve mourned what I’ve left behind, namely friendships, a city I grew to love, some great Bible study girls, comforts, familiarity, family. Here it’s different; it’s really different. Most things are not comfortable, ordering a Cola light can be hard, you think the hard part is over, and then she asks if you want it cold, but you don’t know that phrase yet, I think I just usually look like a deer in the headlights. I usually just stand in shock, until she pipes up in english, or points out something that I know what she means. It’s so humbling.

This morning I woke up early for a Saturday (7:30ish). A friend called, and so I had a chance to talk for a couple of hours until it got too extremely late in the US and he had to go to sleep. I knew I had a few hours before my roommates woke up and so I ventured into the kitchen for breakfast and some coffee and I sat down with a book that I believe Jesus wanted me to read. The book, “Lord, Only You Can Change Me” focuses on the beatitudes and so far I’ve only looked at Matthew 5:13, blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. I’ve never before known what this meant. But through studying and looking further it really just means blessed are those who fully depend on the Lord. This is perfect for me at this time in my life.

Get this, Kay Arthur writes, “‘To work out your salvation’” means to carry out to completion that which God desires to accomplish in you. And He will not only give you the ability to do it, He will give you the will to do it (Phil 2:13). For this reason, walking in poverty of spirit means allowing God to have full rein within you life. To control you. It means going where He wants you to go. Saying all He wants you to say. Being all He wants you to be. The bottom line? Those who are poor in spirit walk in total dependence upon God. Does that describe your life, as you read these words?” …

then she asks this question “If God withdrew from you from your church, from your ministry, what difference would it make?”

So maybe it’s just me, but this hit me hard, really hard, I’ve been uprooted from my church, from my ministry in Wilmington, and now I’m here. Did it make a difference in my walk with God? Oh you betcha. Since I’ve been here I’ve started to realize how faint my trust was in the Lord, how I trusted in people, in comforts, in materials, in familiarity, self reliance, pride, skill-sets and really God says, “blessed are the poor in spirit (those who fully depend on me) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This made me realize the depths of sin that I haven’t even known were there till now.

I’ve only been here 3 weeks and already I feel like this is going to be a big change year. In my life and in my heart. Lucky for you, I have a blog and I can share with you whats going on.

If this resonated with you in anyway, I’d love to know. Feel free to email me.

Today was rainy and cold, but we started early and ventured to 2 different campuses. One in Presov and the other the Medical university (where I was.) Registrations are slow, students are there for hours. You should have seen the stack of books these students were carrying out from registration. The education system here is interesting to me. Every college student has their education paid for, they just really have to pay for housing. So this cd is great, there is a contest for free housing! The cd also has a short film, some music, and articles that link them up with the ministry’s website. Some students know english, but a lot don’t. We have the mighty task of trusting God to overcome this language barrier and to communicate clearly His message of love and forgiveness.

In this video, Robo (student at Medicka) and Dara (staff) speak with students in Slovak and give them the cds. This is the most strategic way to go, Slovaks reaching Slovaks.

In this video, interviews on campus, day 2.

interviews on campus (segment one)

We arrived back in Kosice yesterday after a 4 day trip. We went to Bratislava for our in-country breifing, and to meet the Bratislava staff. They’ve been working their tails off for the past 2 years to produce an evangelistic cd that we will be able to pass out to students free of charge. The cd has a lot of content that might be found on an everystudent.com website. The cd promotes pretty heavily a newly developed slovak site for studentsky hlas pre krista (student’s voice for Christ) the Slovak version of Campus Crusade for Christ. They’ve done a great job and something like this takes tons of time, effort, design, evaluation, and creativity. I pray God uses this cd in a mighty way on campuses here in Kosice and in Bratislava to build a movement that glorifies Jesus.

While on our trip, the American stinters made a short day trip to Vienna to visit an Austrian facility to get fingerprinted to prove to the FBI that we’re not criminals, which will enable us to get our visas. We arrived in Vienna Thursday morning at around 8am, with only an address to this place where we needed to be. We asked at information, they pointed us to the subway, and we miraculously made it. The trip was somewhat hilarious, we’re in Austria – a German speaking country, with no knowledge of German and an address to a place that we thought was a “police station.” Turns out, this is a criminal facility with a prison. It seemed very covert. But, $65 later and some inked pinkies, we had our prized fingerprints. We even got to tour around for awhile. I went to H&M and Starbucks while in Vienna.

In Bratislava we had the opportunity to walk around the first night and see some of the sights, there was a large movie screen in the main square similar to the one in Kosice. Lots of old buildings (including a building where Peacemaker was filmed) and cobble stoned streets. The whole team also had an opportunity to go to Ikea (one of the highlights for me). Briefing was also really fun, Dara and Biba did a great job! Me, Shannon, and Carlyn stayed with Tomas and Eva and got the opportunity to meet their 2 precious boys (Andy and Danko).

In a few minutes I’ll head out the door to go to church, or as we like to call it “rock band church” it’s at 4:30 in the afternoon, so I’m excited about that, I think it will be similar to my church in the states. Well, it will be in Slovak, but I think the style of worship will be similar, I wonder what their version of Mike Ashcraft will be like. I have been listening to the Northpoint podcast, and actually need to catch up on Port City’s podcast. Podcasts are a blessing when you’re overseas.

People have been asking me what they can send me and at this point I’m crafting a list. Don’t worry, I’ll let you know. Thanks for your prayers and support, it’s an honor to serve here in Slovakia.

My stint leadership team was featured this week on the stint leaders blog, check it out.

Today we’re leaving for Bratislava by train for briefing, it’s a 5 hour train ride and one, that I have to say, I am looking forward to. Tomorrow we will head to Vienna to get fingerprinted for our visas, we’ve gotta prove that we’re not criminals. So I hope that one time…doesn’t show up. Wait, just kidding. Anyway, we’re all pretty well excited about this venture out of Kosice and into the big city! I love Bratislava, it’s castles, the Danube, the streets, the main square, and the statues. We’ll be there till Saturday, and head back in to Kosice.

This past week has been full of ups and downs, really high ups, “wow, I can’t believe I’m really living here” to me actually counting the weeks till midyear (that was a low). But, I think I’m coming to the place where I think this is doable, especially with regular talks to my friends in the states (ptL for vonage).

God has taught me a lot about His character since I’ve been here, mainly too, about my lack of faith and trust in His goodness. So, I rest on that, and I long to “fall asleep in His will” and wake up at the right times. I’ve been reading several books, Vienna Prelude (historical fiction set during World War 2), Passion and Purity, as well as Lord, Only You Can Change Me.” This list isn’t as impressive as it sounds. One is fiction, one is a devotional, and the other reads really fast. I’ll let you guess which is which.

Next week, we’ll begin on campus passing out about 1,000 evangelistic cds on 3 different campuses. In the following weeks we’ll pass out the remaining 1,500 cds. This is an exciting time, I believe to watch God work. Yesterday my team had a time with the Lord in which we dreamed about Slovakia and what God might do here. We were coming up with all sorts of things, more guy leaders, spiritual multiplication, new believers in EVERY dorm, small groups in EVERY dorm, students stepping up to the plate, a thriving, lifegiving ministry. These are things we believe are only possible if God does them, that’s why its worth it. Please join with me in praying for these things.

We’ve been here almost a full week. This weekend we’re planning on resting and relaxing. It’s been quite the journey so far. Arriving was a big one – and just all the emotions that go along with it. It’s not easy trying to learn a new culture and be yourself. My team has to learn how to function together and how to love each other. This is hard. Way harder than it sounds. I’m learning a lot about myself through this. I’m being stretched and it’s quite painful. Next week we’ll probably go to Bratislava to do our briefing, I’m looking forward to this, because I really love Bratislava. I’m still doing the picture every day thing, and I’m liking it. It helps me to be creative. Sometime soon, I’ll go around and take pictures of the city, there are so many great things to take pictures of, I can’t keep up. It’s gotta cool down some first, though. Once that happens I’ll wonder around some more, for now its too hard to tolerate the heat, much less take pictures.

We did go to word art (the name of my language school) yesterday to fill out 1.5 million forms for our visas and registration for language school. It was really overwhelming.