20 Years...

Today Slovakia celebrates 20 years of being free from communism.   Since I wasn't here for it, or under it, I thought I would take the liberty and share  from an email that Miro Toth, our pastor, who was there, had to say.

"20 years ago our parents listened to Free Europe, the Voice of America and TransWorld Rado, because everywhere else was just propaganda about Communist  ideals.  20 years ago we baptised people secretly in the forest, even though we were sure that State agents were in the crowd and would have this event in their archives.  20 years ago our Western brothers and sisters smuggled in Christian literature by night: bibles, concordances, hits like "the Cross and the Switchblade", hiding them in our garages, closets and basements. 20 years ago we were imprisoned for organizing Christian camps, circulating Christian literature and for having contact with the West. 20 years ago we played Christian cassettes incognito in our living rooms.  20 years ago we covered the windows at our Christian youth camps with pillows, so that undercover agents wouldn't come.  20 years ago we dreamed that maybe one day, we would be free...

Then freedom came. In 1988, on the 1000th anniversary of the first person baptized in Russia, Gorbacov promised us religious freedom. Then things quickly fell.  The Berlin Wall came down (not by itself, it had to be broken down) the Iron Curtain fell in Czechoslovakia (again someone had to go out into the streets to take the risk), the Romanian tyrannt Caucesku was removed (again, not by itself, some had to shoot him)

20 years later, we witness to people in the streets instead of in the prisons.  We evangelise? After 20 years we have influence in schools and in mass media. Do we really have it? 20 years later we can shout out that Jesus lives and not even 70 years of Communism could remove His name from Eastern Europe.  We shout? 20 years later no one has to be afraid to confess their faith in their school, at work, on TV, in parliament or to their children.  We are not afraid?


20 years later we need to re-visit this and realise again how much this gift cost.  It's a gift to live for Jesus without having to die for him, or go to prison, or be followed, listened on to, threatened or limited.  It's a gift to live for Jesus to the fullest."