Links to the Past

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while. I have been worrying about my nephew and haven’t really had the mind set to update the sites.

Last Tuesday my nephew was hit by a car while crossing the street in Whitewater. He is still in critical condition, now a week later. We are praying for him constantly. You can email me privately if you are interested in any details.

His parents put up a blog here so that all that love him can monitor his progress more easily:

http://sewcrafty-mikesprogress.blogspot.com/

Many people have asked if they can send flowers or if they can help in anyway. I believe whole heartedly, besides your prayers and positive thoughts, we all can help Mike best by supporting him in his recent decision. On August 13, Mike wrote the following letter to me:

Hello,

I hope this letter finds you well and that you’re enjoying your summer. As you may know, this past May I graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater (UWW) with a Bachelor’s degree in Management Computer Systems (MCS). My time there was well spent, I learned so much about myself, the man I wish to become, and had a blast doing it! While I enjoyed my major, my future goal is to become a campus staff worker with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at UWW rather than “using my degree” in the typical sense.

The decision to join staff took me almost a year to make, but after much thought, prayer, and council of others, I truly feel called by God into the ministry of InterVarsity and therefore am pursuing it with every effort. Not having a relationship with Christ when I first attended college I understand first-hand the need for college Christian ministry. Staff and students in InterVarsity poured their love, training, and generosity into me during school and I want to pless others in the same way. The best way for me to do this is through joining InterVarsity staff.

As a campus staff worker I’ll be helping students grow in their relationship with Jesus, learn to love all people and teach them how to become future leaders in the church. Becoming a campus staff worker will allow me to use many of my natural skills. I’ll be relating with people, expressing my passion for God, and making a difference in people’s lives.

In order to make this goal a reality, I’ll need a team of support to keep me going. My support team will consist of people willing to pray for me, people willing to travel with me and help me with my personal cares, and financial support to meet my salary and ministry expense needs. It’s my hope and prayer that you would be interested in being part of my team and helping me meet some of those needs and challenges.

I will be contacting you within the next few months, along with many others, and would appreciate you to being thinking and praying about your interest in supporting my ministry with InterVarsity. If you have any questions I welcome your response through a phone call (he left his number) and his email (I won’t post that since he cannot respond right now), or sitting together face to face and discussing it. Thanks for reading and please look forward to our future contact.

Blessings,

signed Michael J. Chaloupka

If you feel the wish to help, it would be spectacular if when Mike wakes up and is further on his journey to recovery that he finds his salary needs for the upcoming year are met. Please help support Mike, by going to http://www.intervarsity.org/ and clicking on the donate link on the left. You can give by credit card, phone, mail or automatic withdrawal from your account. Any amount is good, even if it is just a dollar or two.

It will ask you if you want to give towards a certain person. Put in Chaloupka and it will come up with his name. Check the radio button and then continue.

Thanks for reading,

Mike’s Auntie Ellie

In may 2007 I adopted the grave of PFC Hans Bergmayr from Wisconsin (reg.number 36826126)He is burried at the millatary cemetery in Margraten The netherlands. He served in the 49 INF BN 8 ARMD DIV and was killed on 26-02-1945 in the Netherlands. He took part in the ASTP programme. A friend of him, who was in the same company as Hans, told me that his home address was 2224 North 7th Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My motivation for the following request is that people around here still consider it to be an honour to take care of the graves of the fallen U.S. soldiers, buried at the Margraten Cemetery. For me it is the least I can do to show my gratitude and respect for what so many young men from far over the ocean did for us more than 60 years ago. The adoption of a grave means: visiting the grave on a frequent basis, placing of flowers on special days or occasions (like e.g. Memorial Day or Christmas) and when relatives wish to do so, corresponding with the homeland. His friend told met that a sister (Josephine) of Hans is still living. She is married to Herman Foster and they live at 11225 82nd Ave at Seminole, Florida.I wrote her a letter, but to this date she did not reply. I don