We expect to be in the USA for the month and May and early June. The Sundays will be used to strengthen the vision of churches for serving Christ's mission locally and globally. We welcome invitations to guest speak.

It seems many enjoy glimpses into Czech life. Here is big culture news.

The Czech culture is not trusting. They don't trust God, they never leave anything visible in a parked car, and they spend their evenings in pubs complaining about politicians. In the last 75 years there has been only one public figure the Czechs trusted ... Václav Havel.

A week before Christmas the former Czech President Vaclav Havel died at age 75. Most of us spent December 23 watching his state funeral on television, and mourning the loss of the only person most people ever believed in.

Many world leaders, including Bill and Hillary Clinton, attended the funeral in Prague to honor the man who led the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and toppled the Communist regime. A dissident and political prisoner, he was the one man during the 1970s and 80s who understood the biblical principle that you can't put new wine into old wine skins. While other voices called for a more tolerantly packaged communism, Havel knew that for the people to be free, communism must entirely end. His life motto, similar to that of his hero Jan Hus, was: "Truth and love will be victorious."

Spiritually, Havel was a lifelong somethingist, often annoyed with the harder atheist mentality. Now many are somethingists ... people who suspect there must be something more ... something godlike.

Archbishop of Prague Dominik Duka, who spent time in jail with Mr. Havel during the Communist rule, and who led the funeral service, and Protestant Evangelist Daniel Fajfr both report that Havel came to faith in God and Christ in his last year. When this becomes better known, it will encourage others to seek and believe.

The New Year begins for us with many opportunities to speak for Christ in this pessimistic culture. More schools are opening to us, more teachers wish to know and spend time with us. The Svitavy Church increases the frequency of its services. The adult English club is a surprise in how much it is valued. We timed its startup just right...God led us.

But there is one crisis I wish you to pray for. Without mentioning names, there is a marriage in conflict, and both the couple and God's glory are at risk in Svitavy. Please pause right now and pray for this couple.

God wants the Svitavy church planting mission to prosper, and he wants to lead and bless your life. "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say:

Your friends and partners,

Dan and Nancy Lupton