Dear Praying Friends,

Here it is, my very first "feature-length" prayer letter from the Czech Republic! I'm still working out what my communication will look like moving forward; I've been posting weekly updates lately, though as we move toward the fall, there will likely be some adjustment as life falls into more uniform rhythms. However, I want to remaining consistent and reasonably frequent, so we'll see what that will look like!

All this to say two things: first, thank you. Thank you for walking with me closely in this journey, especially these past few months; for praying for me and encouraging me, and supporting me--in the many ways that you have done. This has been life to me. Secondly, bear with me as I work out my communication strategy (though I'm guessing that this isn't keeping you up at night.)

This has been and will continue to be a year of much transition! But the two things we can count on 100% of the time are 1) the unexpected; and 2) the faithfulness of God who is near at all times.

Looking Back...

Life has definitely changed a bit in the past few months--selling my house and possessions, saying good-bye to the people in my life and the familiarity of home and culture, and waking up one morning and realizing I was living in Prague. If you take it all at once, It looks like a seismic shift, but in the moment-by-moment, it has been a matter of following the current, doing the next thing, and then the next, and then the next.

Some have told me that they don't think they could do something like this. The reality is, I'm not doing it. It's more like, this is the river I fell into, and I find myself caught in the current. I suppose with great effort I might have been able to struggle my way back to shore, so to speak, but ironically, the path of least resistance has been to ride it and trust. So for those who say you could never do it, a word of warning: watch your step when walking by the river! As Bilbo Baggins once said, "It's a dangerous business, walking out your door...you step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to."

Solving the day-to-day problems in a new context always takes more time and energy than you think. Yes, there's learning public transit routes and schedules, navigating transactions and cell phones, where to get towels and Bluetooth adapters and corn tortillas and what my preferred brand of yogurt and toilet paper will be.

But the real energy is spent in basic communication. Memorizing a script for the simplest daily interactions, hoping I can understand the response. More often than not I can't, so keeping a few simple phrases on hand like snažím se učit! ("I'm trying to learn!") often illicits good-humored patience. (And sometimes it just illicits blank stares.) So my progress in Czech is a mix of little victories and little humiliations--in other words, the normal process of language learning.

It is not just an academic exercise. It is the gradual process of eroding barriers that separate me from society. Sometimes ignorance is bliss--I don't have to react to what I don't understand. But mostly it's exhausting, because when action is required, I have nothing but my best guess to go by! What works in my favor, though, is that languages have always fascinated me, and curiosity can be a good teacher.

I've been attending a bilingual church composed primarily of other immigrants like me. It is a good "bridge" in the near term, but my goal is to eventually transition to a Czech-speaking congregation, once I feel like I've got a modicum of functionality.

Later this week I am supposed to move into my third and final (for the foreseeable future) residence here in Prague a couple days ago. (See the footer below for my new mailing address!) I'm looking forward to really unpacking and settling. The new little flat is great, though I will miss the quietness of this village where I spent the last month and a half, and the malty aroma of the barley fields as the sun sets.

Looking Ahead...

On July 26--less than two weeks away--I leave for English Camp, where I'll participate in two back-to-back, week-long camps together with Marion Dowell, from West Side Church (we're a small team this year!) I'm looking forward to seeing some of the people I've met there over the past couple years, and some new faces as well. Last month I had a chance to gather with a few of the guys I knew from previous English camps who are now serving as leaders this year. It is gratifying to now have some "history" with them and to watch them grow into capable leaders who love the Lord.

In September I go from the shallow to the deep end of the pool in language study. Later in the month there will be a "summit" of European Alongsiders in Geneva, as we work through recent leadership changes and spend some time discerning together how God would direct our small organization in the months and years to come.

Financial Update

I am beyond grateful for the generosity of so many people who have made it possible for me to accept God's invitation to come here. I feel well and truly sent by you. I have received all that I had initially asked for--just over $5000 in monthly pledges (and more when counting one-time contributions toward start-up expenses, apart from regular pledged giving).

Shortly before I left for Prague, however, Alongside did a re-evaluation of my budget, and concluded that I was actually about $1000-1500 below where I probably should be in monthly pledges. The main factor was the double-whammy of the rapidly rising costs of living in Prague, and the significant devaluation of the US dollar relative to European currencies (about a 10% drop since the beginning of the year, and it is now at a ten-year low). On the bright side, the rent for my small flat is a bit less than I had been budgeting for. In addition, I have a good surplus because pledged giving had been coming in even before I began to draw a salary. So for the immediate future I'm in pretty good shape. However, to remain fully supported in the long term, it will be necessary to increase my pledges over the next year by at least $1000 per month, and preferably $1500. So if you have been giving, thank you! If you have considered giving, please do give it some prayerful thought.

An Appeal for Ukraine A special appeal: This isn't my usual weekly video update. This is a short, clunky, raw reflection following a zoom meeting on Saturday, organized by fellow Alongsider Matt Edminster in order to hear from Fyodor Raychynets, a Ukrainian pastor, theologian, and army chaplain, living in the battle zone. It was a powerful and impactful discussion, and I hope to make the link to it available soon--it's worth listening to. Please pray for Ukraine, for God's justice and righteousness and peace to reign in this war-shattered land...and pray how you might be called to be part of the answer to that prayer.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. --Ps. 23:2 FOR YOUR PRAYERS… Praise God with me for more than two months of settling into life in Prague! I am grateful for the space and time I have been given to begin to get my "sea legs" and the things that have been accomplished in this relatively short time. Please pray for me as I continue to learn, grow, get stretched, and discern my place in this new context. Pray for the upcoming English Camp, that the Lord would move in the hearts of many of the young people (and older people!) and draw them to Himself. Pray also for me; even though these camps have been a great experience, they do push me outside of my comfort zone. Pray for stamina and health for us as well--two weeks is a long haul! Pray that we English leaders would engage well with the youth, and that we can have fruitful conversations. Pray for Alongside Ministries, and our leadership transition. Pray for us as we gather to discern together the Lord's purposes for our small society of global workers; that we would be sensitive, flexible, and creative as we seek and serve Him in all we do. Pray for my primary job this next year--to learn Czech. I'm asking the Lord for brain plasticity and stamina, and especially for some Czech kamarády (comrades) who can be patient language partners. Most of all, pray that I remain alert and sensitive to God's nudging and direction, that I would be quick to worship and praise Him, and to be insatiably curious about this new land, culture, language and people--and how God wants me to partner with Him in His work here. Pray that I would embody the Gospel to those around me! Blessings in Christ,

CONTACT: Scott R. Johnson Budějovická 638/73 140 00 Praha 4 - Krč Czech Republic Phone/Text (+420) 774 268 660 mowglisj@gmail.com USA Address: 7308 Ricky Rd Pasco, WA 99301 ~~~~~ SUBSCRIBE TO MY EMAIL LIST ~~~~~ FINANCIAL SUPPORT: I am receiving support & pledges on the Alongside Ministries Donation Page To donate or set up recurring donations, click on above link, select my name from the "Fund" drop-down menu, enter the desired amount, and recurrence information. Alternatively, checks can be sent to: Alongside Ministries PO Box 610 Langley, WA 98260 West Side Church people: You also have the option of contributing to my support via your regular giving to West Side (You can set this up with the finance office.) Funds designated for my support go directly to my support account at Alongside Ministries.