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John and Kathy Lesondak live in Trnava, Slovak Republic where John teaches Bible studies and conversational English classes as a part of the church planting team for Mission to the World.
Children: Reuben, Benjamin, Aaron, Ethan, Laurel and Alanna (click here to see an earlier picture)
God's work in the town known as the "Rome" of Slovakia continues to be "rooted and established". On Sept. 28, we celebrated the first anniversary of "The Building."
We rejoice to see the Word of God taking hold in marriages and among university and high school students.
We are entering our second year of formal English classes at two universities, a public English program, a weekly Bible study and a Sunday evening fellowship hour. In addition, we are having a married couples/parents meeting monthly, and we're beginning a women's and a men's study.
We are involved in numerous individual studies and do a good bit of counseling (both personal and marriage). This summer God helped us to hold our second English Camp and God is already at work among attendees. We have 3 Slovaks on staff and now rent the entire top floor of The Building!
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Organization
Mission to the World
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Biographical Sketch
John was raised in California. He became a Christian in 1970. After working in carpentry for several years he moved to Chattanooga, TN. He earned a B.A. from Covenant College. While at Covenant, John taught ceramics for two and one half years which enabled him to begin his career as a pottery instructor in 1981 in the Republic of Seychelles. Together the Lesondaks worked for four years in the Seychelles doing pottery during the day and teaching theology and Bible Studies at night. During this time God developed a group of believers into a church.
The Lesondaks then continued their service in Kenya. There the work included evangelism, pastoral care of a church, helping to preach at the missions clinic as well as assistant team leader of the Muruu team. Kathy home schooled three of their children besides helping John. With the work John was doing in Kenya being carried on by nationals, the Lesondaks were free to go elsewhere. The vision of John and Kathy was to respond to the opportune time afforded by the opening doors in Eastern Europe. Their deep desire was to minister in Christ's name to those who are "hungering and thirsting after righteousness." This God permitted, and they have subsequently served in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Currently they live and work in Trnava, Slovakia. They have six children: Reuben, Benjamin, Aaron, Ethan, Laurel and Alanna.
John is the team leader of the MTW team serving in Slovakia. The work in Slovakia includes the following: university work, orphanage work, children's clubs, teaching English (high schools, middle schools, professionals, etc.), Bible studies, overseeing Covenant College's Studies Abroad Program, Covenant's Management Program at Trnava University, and lots of contact building with nationals.
Kathy, the daughter of retired P.C.A. missionary Jack Armes, came to the Lord at a young age. Kathy grew up in Kenya, attending boarding school for most of her education. She earned the B.A. degree in Education from Covenant College.
John and Kathy own a home in St. Elmo, Tennessee which serves as their "base" when home on "Home Ministry Assignment." John is a member of the Tennessee Valley Presbytery (P.C.A.) and the family attends New City Fellowship (Chattanooga) when on H.M.A.
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