This year, the STO Jazz Orchestra from the city of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic will spend two weeks with us. We set up a local music tour for them in churches, schools and nursing homes. That was the easy part, since this excellent group was here three years ago and everyone wanted them back! The more challenging part will be to find housing families for the 9 girls and 14 young men and raise all the support we will need to help them pay for their airfare, meals and ground transportation. Here is what we will need in terms of housing:
The students are housed two-by-two and will need separate beds (can be in one room).
They will need breakfast in the morning and a few meals on the weekends. 85 percent of the meals will be provided elsewhere.
Transportation to and from the church in the mornings, mostly early before work and in the evenings, mostly after dinner. Our church, Harvest Bible Chapel St. Louis (17550 Wild Horse Creek in Chesterfield) will be the one consistent drop of and pick up point. No need to drive anywhere else.
Each housing family will receive a detailed hour-by-hour schedule to easily track the times of pick up and drop off.
Here is the important part: This is an opportunity to interact with these senior high and early college kids. Most of them are typical young European postmodern atheists and libertarians. They are hungry for the truth and yet determined to discern it on their own… They tend to get fascinated with the Word. Only 2-3 of them are Christians (some came to Christ through our ministry). They all speak some English - some of them are quite outstanding. There will be a little time on the weekends to take them around, show them St. Louis, have a meal together and allow them to see your lifestyle. There will always be time to talk during the drive or in the evening at home. Time after time the students we hosted in the past (even those that came to Christ) have unanimously expressed that the most impactful thing was their interaction with the Housing Families!
We also need your prayers and financial support. You can make a donation directly through the Berean Mission Alliance Website. We hope to see you at one of the concerts or afternoon performances. Please check the posted concert schedule for locations. The STO plays all the great American big band oldies (Gershwin, Glenn Miller) as well as a great selection of contemporary favorites, easy jazz and even a few spirituals.
Here is the best part: Throughout the sixteen years of this ministry of bringing Czech students to the USA the Lord always saved someone! We have several families in our church who were able to lead students to Christ in their home! Last time it was Zuzana, a talented pianist and conservatory student who confessed Christ, repented from sin and renounced her former lifestyle including a sinful relationship with a Muslim boyfriend as she was totally transformed by the power of Jesus. We still have Zuzana's testimony posted on our website - please check it out at www.harveststlouis.org! She is now enrolled in a missionary school in northern Czech Republic, has a fruitful ministry in the church there and is involved regularly in a mission work in Poland…, but it all started here in a Harvest household in St. Louis!
We need eleven families to house the Czech students. We also need people to prayerfully consider providing (even cooking) a meal for the group of 23 hungry Czechs. Please call me, Michael Sust, if you can help - 636-579-0614. Will you trust the Lord for this opportunity and get involved? I could go on and on to describe to you the excitement, community building and new friendships this ministry generates. The music these young people produce is outstanding and we have so much fun as we serve the Lord in the common goal to present the gospel of Jesus to hundreds of people that gather in the concerts, afternoon performances and fun events like our annual All Saints Ball held on Saturday, November 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Arena of the Westminster Christian Academy with live dance music from the STO Jazz Orchestra and WCA Jazz Band.
Please call me and help us out! The opportunity is there waiting to be grasped by faith!
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Michael Sust Director of the Czech Symphony Project |
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