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
