Visit to Orlova, Czech Republic
On the 2nd August 2008 1 group of men, women and children left Dunfermline to meet the congregation of the Evangelical Church of the Czech Brethren in Orlova, Czech Republic, which is a town near the border of Poland.
The area has been heavily under-mined and many building of the original Orlova have disappeared into the ground. The new town of Orlova is still developing as it is being built on more stable ground.
We shared a delightful 8 days in the company of friends, very aware that God was with us, uniting us in worship, fellowship and an understanding of what it means to be part of the world-wide body of Christ.
We were underground in a mining museum and a visit to caves, we were high on a mountain top, travelling by chair lift (a new experience for many of the group!!) and by foot, as we walked a return journey of 14k to the chapel and hermitage at the top of the mountain. Some of us climbed a spire with 350 steps, and some of us walked UNDER the water of a Dam. We played and we partied, and laughed when we tried out each others languages and found that despite the challenge, we could somehow communicate. But most of all our worship was a very deep and meaningful spiritual experience, for which there are no words to describe, only the feeling of warmth and peace when we pause to remember.
Without a doubt, for most of the group, it was a faith strengthening experience, for which we thank God for the opportunity of seeing Christ in our neighbour, in the many ways he came to us during our stay.
We do not know where the Lord is leading our congregation on this journey which began with the visit of Lydie and Villiam four years ago, but we look forward to the blessings he has in store as we take the next step forward in planning a twinning arragement with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Orlova.
