Where is the Czech Republic?

Is it near Czechoslovakia?

Czechoslovakia came together as a country in 1918 after World War II. During World War II, Hitler annexed part of Czechoslovakia, and after that war, the country reformed essentially as it had been. In 1948 the communist rose to power, and remained there for 41 years.

It wasn't until 1989 that the communists were driven from power in a bloodless overthrow called the Velvet Revolution. In 1993 (the year Marge and I got married) the Czech and Slovakia peacefully split into two separate countries. This split is referred to as the Velvet Divorce.

The Czech Republic is centrally located between Eastern and Western Europe. It has population of 11 million people and is slightly smaller than South Carolina. The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe.

It's also one of the least reached countries of Eastern Europe. Regardless of what the spiritual state of the country was at one time, today upwards of 60% of the people identify themselves as atheists. In the city of Prague roughly three of four people do not believe in the existence of God. Many villages throughout the country have no evangelical witness.

The Baptist Union of the Czech Republic has a burden and vision to reach their own people for Christ, and they have called upon ABWE to come and help them in the work. I believe that God may be directing us to answer their call in the affirmative, and we are working to seek out and affirm if this would be a good place for us to serve.

Over the next weeks, I'll keep posting information about the Czech so that you can learn about it along with me.

Adam