Slovakia
While I so wish I was sitting in my charming, bright yellow room in Slovakia writing this update, I must admit that I am in my cozy, blue room in Vancouver reflecting on our final day in Slovakia. Wi-fi was sticky towards the end of our trip, so, here we are now: Slovakia.
Quite honestly, I remember waking up on this final day (last Thursday) in Slovakia, dropping my blush/bronzer combo, watching it shatter and crumble on our less-than-sanitary bathroom floor, scooping it back into its worthless gold container [totally irritated], feeling like this was probably a prophetic incident for how my day was going to go. We were as a team somewhere between exhaustion and this incredible eagerness to still hear and see what was next. I felt like I had come as my blush/bronzer combo had: appearing solid and intact, but really made up of small bits that come apart almost by accident when I forget to pay close attention. I felt like I was scooping myself into the day--trying to make room for as many bits as possible. But as we all met for breakfast at Anna and Sheldon’s lovely apartment in Nitra, I realized we were all in the same boat--ready to fill in for each other’s missing pieces. This was the beauty of our circle.
After breakfast we met Lubka and Michal, a couple starting a church plant in a neighboring city, over lunch to hear about the “re-education centre” we would be visiting. We learned that the centre is a government run program for youth under 18 with behavior concerns, crisis pregnancies, and young moms. For some, it is a safe place out of abusive situations, a place of opportunity. For others, it appears to be a somewhat sterile environment where they are under lock and key. We had about 10 young moms/moms-to-be join our circle. Much like Serbia, we brought snacks along, laid out the beads, and had fresh roses around the room. Before making bracelets together, we started our time by introducing ourselves and then a few of us shared our stories using our ‘story bracelets’ as examples. Once again, what a beautiful array of story, rich in experience, and such hope sprouting within these young women as they continue to grow up. I was continually amazed by how all of the women we met responded to our stories: with great love, compassion, and honor in the fact that we would come and share simply our lives with them, with no real agenda- simply to connect.
A ‘house mom’/staff person came in and out of the circle as well. There was a softness about this woman. It was clear in the way she looked at each of the girls and the babies/toddlers in the room that she had great love and concern for each one. While we only had a couple of hours here, Lubka mentioned that it gave her such insight into the girls’ stories and lives and created a new openness for future visits. We so look forward to hearing about the relationships that Luby and Michal will continue to foster in this place with these beautiful, hopeful, young women.
Next came the drive through Slovakian countryside, which is absolutely beautiful, to another city about an hour and a half away. In the car ride we brainstormed ideas for the time we would have with a women’s circle from another church plant. We settled on the story of Princess Tamar who is raped by her half brother and denied justice by her father, King David. In fact, she lives a desolate life of despair, holding an untold story. Maya Angelou suggests that “there is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” We couldn’t agree more. Britni played the role of a lovely Princess Tamar as Gwen read aloud the biblical story. As our Tamar, lowered herself to the floor with each loss of dignity, respect, advocacy, and family, we as her sisters came alongside her and lifted her up with words of love and action: I will stand by you, I will be your friend, I love you, I see you, I hear you, I believe you. You are beautiful. You have a purpose. You are my friend ... You are my sister.
It was a powerful moment as we tangibly saw what it takes, what it means to stand by a sister. We then shared some of our stories, including moments where there have been feelings of rejection and/or judgment by the church, challenging the idea that there are certain taboo issues we must bear on our own- secretly. Again we had laid out the beads that would represent pieces of story and invited the women to share in smaller circles using their story bracelet. It really is incredible to see how a small, hand-made, tangible bracelet can represent a woman’s story and provide the open door to sharing and then to action. Perhaps only a beginning, it is indeed in openness that we can begin to learn how to stand by and advocate for each other.
I think we all took a deep breath as we drove back to Nitra for dinner, reflecting on the full day that we were certainly carried through.
Thank you for your love and support--it meant more than you know!
With love,
Emma for Gwen, Robyn, Idelette, Donna, Karen, Britni, Diana, and Anna
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