Cliff Diving

Every year the Razorbacks for Christ go on a fall retreat to Burnt Cabin, right off Lake Tenkiller in Oklahoma.  On Saturday afternoon, some of the braver and/or more stupid souls go cliff diving.  It is an interesting experience, to say the least.  Once you do it, it is pretty much cemented in your mind.  The long walk there, trying to focus on anything other than jumping off the cliff so you don’t psyc yourself out before you even get there.  Standing on the edge looking down, trying to see the rocks and where it would be best to jump from.  The short run, getting enough momentum to clear the edge of the cliff and any rocks right at the base.  The jump, the point of no return, the moment you actually reject the safety of the cliff for the thrill of the fall and the unknown landing to follow.  The fall, a bit of preparation for the landing.  And then you hit.  Complete immersion, then struggling to the surface.  Swim back to the shore, recuperate, then get back to the cliff and do it all again.

Coming to the Czech Republic has been remarkably similar to jumping off a cliff.  In the days leading up to coming here, I was trying my best to not thing too much about leaving home for a full 2 months without an adult there with me the entire time.  Eventually, the time came to leave home, and I was running like crazy.  Volleyball with the RFC’s Tuesday night, then packing, sleeping a few hours, chores Wednesday morning, then to Glen Rose/Hot Springs for FFA state convention Wednesday afternoon, off to Pocahontas Wednesday night/Thursday morning, sleep a few hours, then to Memphis airport Thursday afternoon.  I can’t quite decide which point is the jump- stepping foot on the plane in Memphis to start our flights, or stepping on at Minneapolis with the next stop being across the great pond at Amsterdam.  Regardless, somewhere along the line I jumped and began flying through the air, with the inevitable immersion into the Czech culture at the end.  I think landing in Prague was getting the feet wet, and the subsequent talking to David, riding on a train (it was quite nice), riding on a tram, getting settled into the dorm (home for the next 2 months), eating supper (sandwiches in the girls room with flat Kofola to drink and Milka for dessert), and then making my bed (traditional Czech bed, comforter with dubet(?) cover) put me about up to my waist.  Saturday, meeting with the team for lunch (at Opera off the main square in Olomouc- Italian, but good food) and then the tour around Olomouc (due to the festivities on the square, we missed quite a bit, plus we were tired, but we did see a couple of cathedrals and had time for grocery shopping) dunked me under.  Sunday, with intern’s orientation (just a little bit of information, ha ha ha!), then church (a small, rather informal, but very good, service with several Czech students and other locals attending), and running around Olomouc with a couple of the Czech students, I hit bottom about 10 feet under the surface, and started fighting back up.  It has been a crazy couple days! 

A few things about cliff diving/entering a foreign culture- 

Make sure you jump, and then focus on where you are going.  It does you no good to look back at the cliff as you are falling, wishing you were back there.  You aren’t going to make it.  Focus on the landing, on how you enter into the culture you are falling towards.

Be careful how you land.  Too far forward and all the air is knocked out of you.  You end up 10 feet below the surface looking up, knowing that when you surface you won’t be able to breathe for quite a while.  Not fun.  If you try to make a big splash, or you aren’t careful, you land doing a cannonball and break your tailbone.  Remember, you aren’t in Kansas anymore- the same rules do not apply.  Let go of your preconceptions and assumptions, try to accept and embrace as much of the culture as you can.  Sure, you go deeper into the water, but you don’t get everyone wet and you don’t get hurt.  Just because you accept and enjoy their culture doesn’t mean you are losing yourself.  Unless you are made of sugar and melt in water, in which case jumping off an 80 foot cliff isn’t a good idea to begin with.  Luckily(?) I don’t have that problem…

I hope this finds everyone well.  We are all safe and healthy here, and certainly enjoying our time.  It is hard not to fall in love with the Czech culture!  Just today, on one tram ride, three different Czech people, from low teens to mid twenties, offered to give up their seat to older people.  It warms the heart to see such kindness and respect.

As for entering into other cultures, I am reminded of Paul’s assertion to the Corinthians in I Corinthians 9:19-23, “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.  To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.  I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”

God bless!

John Coffey