OM Artslink

Czech Republic, Summer 2004. Arts Group Shows Different Side to Outreach By Rebecca Barnhart OM Central Europe Area Communications
In conjunction with OM Czech, the artists hosted workshops and went out on the streets to do sidewalk drawings and sketches, which attracted many people. They invited people to attend the OM Czech's nightly coffee house meetings, where they could play games, draw pictures, and be exposed to the Gospel and to the OM Czech ministry. "The arts workshop reached people that wouldn't come to a church function," noted Abigail from the US, one of the outreach participants.
Painting a mural at a handicapped children's center was the focal point of the artists' time in Ceske Budejovice. Within two short weeks, the artists agreed to a design (after praying together), sketched it with pencil on the wall, and then painted the 9x13 meter mural, which depicts Jeremiah 17:7-8. All of the artists marveled at their ability to accomplish such a task, in a short timeframe, and only credit the Lord's leading and guiding to the end product.
When first contacted by the OM Czech team, the director of the children's center couldn't understand why a group of foreign artists would come - at no charge - to her center to paint the wall. But, the interaction between the center, OM and the artists has opened up a door for possible future ministry. And, the artists have been invited back to paint another mural in the center. "We are very happy to have volunteers from this christian organization," said Vanda Polivkova, the center's director.