First of all, if you are reading this because you had anything to do with funding this project and/or praying for our family, THANK YOU!
Ever since we bought our home back in 2014, we have wanted the pool in the backyard to be G.O.N.E. Why would you not want to have a pool in your back yard, you might ask? It just was not safe for our family. For the first few years that we lived here, our youngest could not swim, so we kept the water level really low. In addition, it was a pool made out of a grain silo placed into the ground with the top sawed off, a very thick layer of concrete was poured as its floor, and then the top rim was edged with very thick concrete. So, when the water level was low, my kid might not drown, but he might break his neck if he were to fall in. In addition, I cannot even count the number of times the neighborhood kids would run around the rim of the pool when they were playing tag and hide-and-go-seek. No matter how many times I warned them not to do that, that is exactly how they played. Oh, the stress! It also did not help that Casey traveled so much, so keeping up with pool repairs…no. It literally just became a murky steel-rimmed pond with various critters living in it. One time, my neighbor even asked me if I could please get rid of my frogs because his wife could not sleep at night. My frogs? Oh, bother.
Casey even put in some ultimate effort to start the process, but as the project got more and more involved, we realized that we needed help and how were we going to afford this?
Part of the challenge of living in a foreign place is that you do not have the same tools and resources that you are used to. You do not know where to go for things or who to ask. Often we know what we would need in the States but what is it even called here?
Fortunately, during our 6-month exile outside of Czech, Casey thought to involve a few friends that we have to get their suggestions on what we could do. We ended up hiring a project manager and he hired a landscaping company that he knew. Praise God. The owner used to work for Josiah Venture and we did not even know that he owned such a company. They were great.
We mostly just wanted a safe place for our kids to play with no “ponds” or gaping holes for them to fall into. In addition, we had a greenhouse in our yard that we never used with broken glass panels, and our sidewalk pavers were all falling apart. They helped us with that too.
We also found out in the process, thanks to a neighbor that was observing our progress, that in a few years we would have to update our septic system and all of the drainage lines. This would cost us thousands extra if we had to tear up our sidewalk in a few years. I remember getting that phone call as we were driving through Slovakia heading down to Bulgaria for our first ministry stop for the summer this July. We had loads of stuff, our kids, and our intern team in the car, and were faced with the possibility that our project would have to be stopped because of these drainage lines. We just stopped and prayed that God would provide some solutions because we did not know what to do (the whole not knowing who to call, what info. you need, or where to get said resources, person or info struck again). The Lord brought a friend from Czech to mind that worked for the local septic company that served our septic tank regularly. I put him in contact with our landscaping friend. Within minutes, we got a phone call back that the project was back on. That one call saved the day. Praise God for HIS resources!
A few years ago, we realized that most of the walls on our first floor were wet and growing mold (it’s a concrete home thing) so we had to have extensive repairs done to the interior of our home. A year later, we were noticing that some of those walls were getting moist again (NO!!!). This construction helped with those problem walls because they were able to bust up the concrete on the outside of the house that was holding water against the house like a sponge. Above, that big slab of concrete by the door was one of the major culprits. It has now been smashed to smithereens and removed (YES!!!).
This project turned out to be for so much more than just beautification (even though our backyard truly does look beautiful with a nice big patio area, planters, and nicely landscaped and seeded lawn… grow, grass, grow!). I am so thankful for the repairs that will help our family to not only have a safer yard to hang out in, but it has helped us to maintain dry walls and keep mold at bay.
During the training, Casey was able to help mold Tomas’ experience as an Ultimate Frisbee coach into JV’s coaching framework. Many of the coaches that came have already been coaching U.F. through their local churches in Czech, but being part of our league not only gives them the opportunity to compete but provides them with a model for evangelism and disciple-making. 
One nice thing about this sport is that it can be very co-ed, so it is possible to get more females involved. At this coaches’ training weekend, there were two female coaches present. There were 15 participants at this training weekend including Casey, Tomas, and Fanny. Our good friend Greg Strock (JV Czech missionary who lives close-by) even came and shared on evangelism on one of the evenings.
One of the females present was able to see some but was legally blind and has a heart for the Czech special needs community (halleluiah). For now, she is going to be an assistant U.F. coach but would love to do an Edge fitness group for the handicapped. How cool is that! More groups that often are getting overlooked getting seen. Praise God!
The famous Scottish Kelpies (shape-shifting water spirits)
Meat pie does not look like a pie at all. It’s yummy meaty goodness with a big puff pastry thingy on top. 
This is our driver Gordon Craig (below) telling us how to address the haggis. It was the best. You will probably understand very little but is sounds amazing just the same. I love the Scottish accent. It is not every day that you hear a Scottish man addressing the haggis when there is no haggis in sight and he is driving. Talk about multi-tasking!
Alexander Graham Bell’s home. 
Caleb’s small group at camp. They are called “the guardians” and are from families serving in Czech, Slovakia, Poland, Scotland, and their leader is serving in Latvia. 
Beni’s small group called “Meraki” (the right side of the group below) has kids living in Czech, Bulgaria, and Hungary, with their leader (Noah… a returning third culture JV missionary kid) who is about to move onto the field with his wife Jill to Monte Negro. 
The main leaders and organizers of this camp are Mel and Amy Ellenwood and Claire Patty (the daughter of our organization’s president), who has come back to Czech after university as a JV missionary to serve our JV kids and families. Each summer, many of our JV staff (mostly singles who have worked tirelessly over the summer at evangelistic camps) help run this camp and it is such a blessing to all of the kids. 
The whole crew!
Below: Beni’s small group being epic.
They do a craft every summer to take home and remind them of what they learned. This summer, the kids made shields that have symbols to represent their faith and qualities they want to uphold (ie. peacefulness, trustworthiness, skillfulness, uniqueness…).
Praise God that we get to be a part of a group of believers that really believe in training up the next generations to seek the Lord with all of their hearts and to serve him!
Our main purpose in coming to Croatia was to teach the Josiah Venture Croatian team how to do fitness ministry so that they can start this kind of ministry here. Casey is teaching proper form in a kettlebell swing.
Fanny demonstrating above.
