Still Divine Serendipity

     The young intern Drew was really hoping he could find a way to join a string quartet. This would give him the chance to develop relationships with Czechs while pursuing his love of classical music. I was hoping to teach him to pray as we had learned so that he could eventually experience God's serendipitous arrangements for such things.
     While getting lost on a new path to show Drew a familiar monument on the cliffs above the Vltava River, we happened across a ball capped man reading through an old music score. I walked past him only to be nudged back by that familiar inkling of the Spirit. Striking up a conversation, the elderly man quickly told us that he was a conductor of an orchestra playing that Saturday night in Smetana Hall. He invited us to attend and meet up with him afterwards.
     The concert was profoundly moving. Listening to Smetana's Vltava (the piece being studied while seated high above that same river) and Dvorak's New World Symphony performed in an historic Czech venue, by Czech musicians, directed by a Czech composer was a rapturous fulfillment for me. After ten years studying the Czech spirit ... for a brief hour I was transported behind the curtain to experience this testament of their history through their eyes. After the ten minutes of standing ovation, we eventually found a moment to express this to the conductor. He replied, "We must have coffee together this week!" Then his friend insisted we take a picture together in the moment.
     Later that week we met Jaroslav Vodnasky, the founder of the South Czech Philharmoic. As Drew asked him how he has remained successful to still be directing orchestras in his eighties, Jaroslav sagely replied, "Let me tell you about success. I am married to the same woman for 60 years. We have two sons who regularly bring our grandchildren to visit us." (That was an encouragement from the Lord for me, for in the pursuit of this kind of success we moved back to Canada!) As a deeply spiritual man, he was encouraged to learn of Drew's purpose as a missionary intern, and quickly agreed to assist the realization of Drew's goals. "I mentor a conductor who is the director of a music school. I will ask him if there is a group of students you could join, and perhaps you could offer them lessons in English."
     From an accidental meeting above the Vltava River, we are seeing a divine appointment emerging. Please pray for Drew as he follows this through to the next layer of discovery. Pray for boldness in sharing the gospel with those he comes in contact with.