Jason Valdez

I came to Vienna from the United States in 2006 to work as an intern at projekt:gemeinde. My plan was to remain in Vienna for one year to learn the Austrian Baptist life, and afterwards to return to the United States.

However, after six months of sharing life among the precious people of the Austrian Baptist Union, and especially of projekt:gemeinde, I knew that one year would never be enough for me to really be a part of what was happening at projekt:gemeinde. I prayerfully canceled my return plans, and made my commitment to Austria open ended.

After yet another six months a growing friendship with, Silvia, a beautiful Austrian woman developed into the beginnings of a life-long partnership. Around that time I also became part of the pastoral team of projekt:gemeinde.

Silvia and I married in April of 2008, and moved into Haus Bethel, the student living project of the Austrian Baptist Union. Since then I have resumed my theological education, via distance education, from the International Baptist Theological Seminary, in Prague. For me life with Silvia and the blessing of shared life in the larger community of faith, and the study of theology in the global and postmodern context all come together, in the vision of God’s kingdom, as one single passion.