Slovakia (MNN) — With the help of a recent grant, a Slovakian ministry center rich with history will soon be able to accommodate and minister to more people.
The center is the JAC Center, which stands for John Amos Comenius. Comenius was a famous pastor and educator in Slovakia, who greatly encouraged people to receive a Christian education, according to Rody Rodeheaver from I.N. Network.
Rodeheaver said in 1945, evangelical pastors, with Comenius’ vision in mind, built a center, brick by brick, to serve as a retreat center for pastors, their families, and church leadersl.
Unfortunately, this only lasted until the end of World War II when Slovakia again became part of Czechoslovakia and the Russian empire. Communists then came in and took over the center, using it as youth hospital.
Almost 40 years later, in 1993 after the fall of communism, evangelicals were able to go back to the building, which had fallen into disrepair. They began to restore it and get it running again.
This is when I.N. Network saw the building as a great place where lives could be transformed. They began using the building for youth ministries and outreaches, as well as English camps in the summer, involving short-term mission teams from the USA.
Public schools have also used the building for day camps; churches have used it for retreats for men, women, and youth; and regional ministries have brought church planters there to establish churches in the area.
Since 2004, a very detailed and strategic renovation of the JAC Center has been in progree by I.N. Network.
“The I.N. Network is in charge of restoring and operating this building,” Rodeheaver said. “Our job was to increase the capacity, the number of beds in the building, as well as installing individual showers in the rooms and things of that nature in order to make the facility more appealing to people.”
Throughout this major task, the building is still being used, but it will not operate at full capacity until the renovations are complete.
To complete the renovations, I.N. Network still needs $300,000. Recently, 75 Carpenters for Christ came to the center to help. They became inspired to help with more renovations and have since raised over $20,000. If others can match their $20,000, they will raise an additional $20,000 as well, which is $60,000 towards the renovations.
However, I.N. Network does not want to stop at just $60,000, but they want to raise all $300,000. Once this is done, the center will be completely self-sustaining and will be able to reach more people with the message of Christ. Rodeheaver said when the renovation is complete, the housing and meeting rooms will be the perfect place to gather people and present the Gospel.
“This is a building that has a lot of use and has an important impact not just on Slovakia, but on that whole region,” Rodeheaver said. “This is the kind of project that’s a great investment for people.”
Consider donating to this cause to help impact Slovakia with the message of Christ and what it means to grow deeper in the faith. Go to the I.N. Network Web site for information on how to help.
