My working trip in Žilina

Last week I came back from Žilina where I spend five days. I was at the place where I used to go last year for the School for Youth Leaders. I was doing miscellaneous stuff. Painting walls, cutting tree, fixing various stuff (like windows, light bulbs [hey, that’s some work too! :D ], etc.).

In July I went to a youth conference and right after that we had an English camp for High scholars and then a Jr. High camp and an English camp for Elementary school kids. Few days after that I went to a music festival called CampFest. I was going through this for over a month. There was almost not single night when I slept more then 6 hrs. So many things happened through that time and every single day I was surrounded by so many people. Don’t get me wrong, I love to be with people, but also I need to have some time when I’m alone. When there’s just me....and God.

So I went to Žilina. What for? To work. You might ask: Hey, the previous paragraph sounded like you need some rest but you go to work more? And my answer is: Exactly! You know, when I worked at Žilina I was using my hands and muscles something that I didn’t get a chance to use so much during the camps (okay, there was soccer, but that doesn’t count...you know what I’m talking here about).

Most of the time I spent there I was alone. And you know what? It was great! That’s what I needed so much. To have some time when there’s just me. I didn’t mind to be alone at all. My mind had finally some time to process everything that had happened since the end of June. There was so much to settle down and think through. And it was so needed for me. Frankly, I even dare to say that it was the best week in the whole year. Not because it was so exciting but because it was something so needed. Now I actually realize that if I hadn’t gone there I would miss so much and I would miss this all in the coming year. It was a spiritual refreshment for me that was so important for me in order to serve this coming year.

You know, I wasn’t learning so much about God that week. It wasn’t so much about Him but about me. I was learning a lot about myself. Who I am and where am I going? Who does God want me to become? And where does He want me to go? What does He want me to do? All the questions were me-related but so important to know and to be able to answer. I’ve realized many things and started to see more than I had seen before.

When I was leaving they thanked me for helping them there. But I just replied: It might seem to you that I ministered to you, but in fact, you ministered to me. They have no idea how important that week was/is to me. And not just for today, but for way longer. Maybe for the whole school year...but I’m more then sure that it’s for a longer then that. They ministered to me with the place they provided (that I was able to come at all), the fellowship they shared with me throughout the week and care and love they showed for me. I can just say that it meant a lot to me...

I really like going to Žilina. I have many friends there that I’m always happy to see. Spent there great weekends at ŠPM and my life was changed in more ways then just one. And I pray for those guys that are going to start ŠPM too in October that God would speak to them directly and clearly just as He did to me. And that the Lord would change their lives through all the people they are about to meet.