Wow, where has the time gone? It does not seem like we are at the end of our time in the Czech Republic. Although we are almost finished, we had a very full day today. First, we were able to sleep in a little longer than normal which I think everyone appreciated. At about 10 AM we were in a gym close by playing basketball with Gypsies. It was a lot of fun. It was fun to watch them not care about the rules (i.e. dribbling the ball as you run, staying in bounds) and just enjoy playing. We were able to play full court and all of them seemed to be having fun. The time passed by quickly. After our game, Travis, Brandon, and Aaron decided it may be a good idea to go through some fundamentals of basketball. So, we used slippers, socks, and hoola-hoops as "cones" for all of us to dribble around. We split them into two teams to make it more fun, and some of us joined the teams. I was very thankful to have another opportunity to spend time with the Gypsies. I've learned a lot from them in the few encounters that I have been blessed to have with them. They are not afraid to be themselves--what you see is what you get. They also were very friendly to us and wanted us to be a part of what they were doing. Many times the language barrier would hinder conversations and it was in those moments that I was able to pray for them. I was also blessed to see their interactions with Joanie and Irena. As soon as the Gypsies see them they are giving hugs and having conversations. They really wanted our attention and for to just spend time with them.
After lunch we split into 3 groups. One group went bowling with some girls we met through teaching English, another group went to Roszachatec to give a presentation and share apple pie with the people there, and the third group went to visit a handicapped man named Johnny. Adam, Josie, Ernie (another American here helping Joanie), and I went to Johnny's parents house and spent time with all of them. Boy did I learn a lot. First, his family fed us a ton! We ate many good cakes and snacks. I was amazed at Johnny's English. He spoke fluently and was the most clear speaker of English I have met here in the Czech. I was amazed at how he hasn't let his disability hinder him. Sure he is in a wheel chair, but as soon as you start talking with him, you don't even notice that he is handicapped. We were able to share pictures with he and his family and through that share a little about Jesus. Then, his father played the guitar while he played the keyboard with his left hand--he doesn't have use of his right--and sang songs to us in English. Watching his interactions with his parents was beautiful. It is obvious his parents love and care for him. His father's love brought joy to me. You could see the love he has for his son all over his face as Johnny talked with us. Watching Johnny's father reminded me of my Heavenly Father's love and how much he enjoys watching His children serve Him. After talking with Joanie after our visit, she informed me that generally when she brings others to visit Johnny with her Johnny's father does not stay in the room to visit. I was in awe of what I saw God do today. Not only did Johnny's father stay and visit with us but he played his guitar for us and wanted to take lots of pictures with us. After he and Johnny played, Adam played the guitar while the rest of us sang "Blessed Be Your Name" to them. I just kept praying for all of them as we sang that God would draw them to Himself, that they would see Christ in us and desire a relationship with Him. We were able to invite them to the lasagna dinner we are having at our church service Sunday afternoon. If they cannot come we are planning on taking them some lasagna and visiting one more time before we come home. Praise the Lord for the way He has ordered our steps here in the Czech Republic and allowed us to be a part of people's lives who we may have never met if it weren't for Him!
In the evening time we all split into two groups and went to youth groups in Havlickuv Brod and Horni Krupa. I am always blessed by being able to worship and fellowship with believers of different countries. One thing I have noticed is the significant difference between people in the church here and everyone else. The transformation of Christ in their lives is evident and sets them apart. We returned late in the evening and did some packing before going to sleep. Thanks for all your prayers and please continue praying for us. We feel your prayers and are blessed to have all your support. Pray for our transition back into the states and for safe travels. We will be going back to Prague late Sunday night and all day Monday. Also, we have a couple people not feeling well on our team, please keep praying for their healing. We only have a few days left, but God can do so much in the time we have left, so keep praying for us to be led by His Spirit and to be able to bless the lives of the people we interact with the next couple days. We are all excited to share all God has done here. See you in a few days!
Tabitha :)
Monday, January 26, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
1.23.09 (Ruth)
Today was another busy day for our team. It was actually our last day of teaching English classes. Some people were in Horni Krupa and others were in Havlickuv Brod. Lisa, Lauren and I actually stayed back and went to Irena’s house to bake some desserts for an activity we had later that night. Although it was a little sad to not be participating with the rest of the group, we had a good time baking and talking to Irena. One of the things that we made was Rice Krispie Treats. We were a little bit nervous about those because we had to use marshmallows that were tasted like strawberry and cereal that was not the same, but although they tasted a little different, people seemed to like them.
After baking we went grocery shopping for some ingredients that we needed for a Lasagna dinner that we will be having on Sunday. We were then able to meet up with the rest of the team in a nursing home in Havlickuv Brod. We started off with a program that consisted, of some powerpoint presentations, songs, and a testimony. I would have to say that a couple of my favorite parts were when all the residents of the nursing home would sing a song for us and when a man stood up in the front and started talking to us in English, thanking us for being there and then going on to tell us about his experience with people from the United States during WWII and how much he appreciated us. We got to hear a little bit more about his experiences later which was great as well.
Once that ended we headed back to Chotebor and went to a building near the dorm. We held a special program where people could come to learn about the United States. We had presentations about the different regions, holidays, foods, and government in the U.S. We also sang a couple of songs and did some line dancing. There were a good number of people there and it was good to see some familiar places from the schools that we had been at. It was a good opportunity to try to establish more connections with the people here and to get them connected to Joanie’s ministry. Although we were all really tired by the end of the day, we really enjoyed all of the activities. Thank you for all your prayers throughout this trip!
Ruth
After baking we went grocery shopping for some ingredients that we needed for a Lasagna dinner that we will be having on Sunday. We were then able to meet up with the rest of the team in a nursing home in Havlickuv Brod. We started off with a program that consisted, of some powerpoint presentations, songs, and a testimony. I would have to say that a couple of my favorite parts were when all the residents of the nursing home would sing a song for us and when a man stood up in the front and started talking to us in English, thanking us for being there and then going on to tell us about his experience with people from the United States during WWII and how much he appreciated us. We got to hear a little bit more about his experiences later which was great as well.
Once that ended we headed back to Chotebor and went to a building near the dorm. We held a special program where people could come to learn about the United States. We had presentations about the different regions, holidays, foods, and government in the U.S. We also sang a couple of songs and did some line dancing. There were a good number of people there and it was good to see some familiar places from the schools that we had been at. It was a good opportunity to try to establish more connections with the people here and to get them connected to Joanie’s ministry. Although we were all really tired by the end of the day, we really enjoyed all of the activities. Thank you for all your prayers throughout this trip!
Ruth
1.22.09 (Aaron)
well, today was a busy one with no let up in future through the weekend. Personally i taught 7 hours of english classes followed by a discussion led by david Novak. He talked about faith and basically defended Christianity to about 6 or 7 nonbelievers in the coffee shop. Others went to a children's home tonight. I did not hear much, but from my experience at children's homes i'm fairly certain there is a good chance that it was a great time for all of those involved.
sort of an inside joke, but i told Tabs (tabitha) that i would give her friends and family a shout out from her and a quote "HEY!"
So basically, everyone started the day by going to separate schools and teaching English. This generally involves lots of pictionary, various "intro" games, and lots of cha cha slides (line dancing). I have been unable to get cha cha slide and the cupid shuffle out of my head. I also highly doubt that I will ever be able to forgot how to dance to these memorable beats, as they have been pounding in my head during and after classes.
The kids seem to be having a great time. I would imagine this has to do with the change of pace and the amount of games we like to play with them. Not to say that the teachers mind, all have seemed very welcoming and excited to have us in the classes and to invite us back.
There is not a lot of new business persay, alot of the same ole stuff for us out here in the Czech! We are going to be very busy until we get back, please keep praying for energy and great attitudes as we hit our home stretch. Also praises that all of our team has been somewhat healthy for about the last 5 days.
I'm also throughing out a hi to my family and Kristine, can't wait to be back, but im having a great time here! cu all soon!
Czeching out, Aaron
sort of an inside joke, but i told Tabs (tabitha) that i would give her friends and family a shout out from her and a quote "HEY!"
So basically, everyone started the day by going to separate schools and teaching English. This generally involves lots of pictionary, various "intro" games, and lots of cha cha slides (line dancing). I have been unable to get cha cha slide and the cupid shuffle out of my head. I also highly doubt that I will ever be able to forgot how to dance to these memorable beats, as they have been pounding in my head during and after classes.
The kids seem to be having a great time. I would imagine this has to do with the change of pace and the amount of games we like to play with them. Not to say that the teachers mind, all have seemed very welcoming and excited to have us in the classes and to invite us back.
There is not a lot of new business persay, alot of the same ole stuff for us out here in the Czech! We are going to be very busy until we get back, please keep praying for energy and great attitudes as we hit our home stretch. Also praises that all of our team has been somewhat healthy for about the last 5 days.
I'm also throughing out a hi to my family and Kristine, can't wait to be back, but im having a great time here! cu all soon!
Czeching out, Aaron
1.21.09 (Bethany)
On Wednesday we went to Malec again. This time my group got to teach the kids what American football is all about. I am not sure who was more excited about it -Aaron or the kids. Aaron did a great job at trying to explain how the sport works. During the first fifteen minutes of explanation, all I saw was mass confusion. But once the kids caught on, they seemed to really enjoy the sport. After gym class, my group taught some 4th graders. It was a nice change to teach some of the younger kids because, as of lately, we have been teaching mostly high schoolers. It is very refreshing to be around younger kids once in a while because they are so full of energy and curiousity.
In the afternoon, I went with Aaron, Brad, and Adam to Joanie's house to hang out with some Gypsy boys. Joanie wanted me to be a part of this get-together because of some of the relationships I started to build with some of the Gypsies when we went bowling with them last week. While at Joanie's house we played some fun card games and had some good fellowship.
In the evening, we all went to a Chotebor ice hockey game. The ice arena was just right down the street from our dorm. Our team got to the game a few minutes late, however, it didn't seem like we missed much. I am glad we have the opportunity to experience a hockey game while in the Czech Republic, but there were several of us -mostly just the girls -who weren't all that interested in the game. Half of us, myself included, left the game before it was finished because we were losing feeling in our fingers and toes. The air inside the ice arena seriously felt colder than the air outside. The game was close but Chotebor beat the other team -whoever it was -by one point. If we got anything out of this event, it was good to have some fellowship with our fellow teammates in a less stressful situation.
As we near the end of our trip, please pray for our strength and endurance that we may finish strong. Please also continue to pray for positive attitudes as we may be wearing on each other in the wrong way as much time has gone by now. In addition, please keep those of us who are sick in your prayers. This week has been a little hectic and many of us are getting run down. Finally, please keep us in prayer as we travel back home in a few short days.
Bethany
In the afternoon, I went with Aaron, Brad, and Adam to Joanie's house to hang out with some Gypsy boys. Joanie wanted me to be a part of this get-together because of some of the relationships I started to build with some of the Gypsies when we went bowling with them last week. While at Joanie's house we played some fun card games and had some good fellowship.
In the evening, we all went to a Chotebor ice hockey game. The ice arena was just right down the street from our dorm. Our team got to the game a few minutes late, however, it didn't seem like we missed much. I am glad we have the opportunity to experience a hockey game while in the Czech Republic, but there were several of us -mostly just the girls -who weren't all that interested in the game. Half of us, myself included, left the game before it was finished because we were losing feeling in our fingers and toes. The air inside the ice arena seriously felt colder than the air outside. The game was close but Chotebor beat the other team -whoever it was -by one point. If we got anything out of this event, it was good to have some fellowship with our fellow teammates in a less stressful situation.
As we near the end of our trip, please pray for our strength and endurance that we may finish strong. Please also continue to pray for positive attitudes as we may be wearing on each other in the wrong way as much time has gone by now. In addition, please keep those of us who are sick in your prayers. This week has been a little hectic and many of us are getting run down. Finally, please keep us in prayer as we travel back home in a few short days.
Bethany
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
1.20.09 (Josie)
Ahoy! (Hello)
Today was a great day for the entire Czech team to catch up on some much needed sleep. We had just spent yesterday in Poland visiting Auschwitz and salt mines, and we didn't arrive in Chotebor until one o'clock in the morning. It was wonderful to be able to sleep in a real bed after three days since we had an overnight on Friday, homestays on Saturday, and Sunday night we slept in the cramped bus. It was also great to sleep in until 11 or 12 in the afternoon (this is the only time we were ever able to sleep in this late).
The girls and I washed our clothes by hand today, which was actually really fun! The washing machine here definitely does not work, so the women on this time decided to get our hands dirty :) We all felt like women scrubbing our clothes and we all laughed by how ridiculous we looked with all of us in the bathroom scrubbing away; however, it was a great time! Later on that day some of the team went to "Exit Klub" at four while others went shopping for our events we will have this weekend and the Horni Krupa group went to the village to make crafts with the children.
I was able to go with the group to the Exit Club, and we were really able to see God at work tonight in incredible ways. For those of you that don't know what Exit Club is, it is a small group time where missionaries Joanie and Irena talk with young teens about specific issues. The small group times that we have been a part of have included the topics of forgiveness, and broken hearts. Normally Exit Club starts with a game and then the teens watch a short clip made from a Czech Christian organization about the specific topic being addressed that night. After the clip we split up into groups and share our experiences and we pray together.
Tonights topic was on forgiveness, and Joanie was nervous that no young teens would show up. Joanie mentioned that normally they have five to ten people that show up and tonight Joanie and Irena were scared that no one would show up since the kids had also gone to Poland with us the day before. However, praise be to God that six NEW kids showed up!! The kids that came were kids that we had been ministering to in the schools, we had been at an overnight with them, and we went to Poland with some of them. We had handed out the flyer about Exit Club and they came!
After playing games the young teens watched the film and then we split into small groups. In my group some of the girls on my team (including myself) shared some testimonies about forgiveness and about how God had moved in their lives through forgiving others. The testimonies were powerful and at the end we prayed together. What I didn't realize was that the new girls who were in the group with us didn't really know what prayer was. Joanie told me afterwards that the girls didn't know what prayer was so Joanie was able to explain to them what prayer is and why it is important to pray. Again, praise the Lord that these young teens were able to experience prayer for the first time!
Joanie also told me that the NEW boys in the small group came up to Joanie and asked her if all the Americans (taylor team) were also Christian and she was able to share that we were, and why we were here in the Czech Republic.
Joanie was so excited tonight to see all of these newcomers, and we are so excited for Joanie and what God has done tonight in her ministry. Please keep praying for Joanie's ministry and for these kids who came tonight that their eyes will be open to Christ, that they will see Christ, and that they would respond. Thank you so much for your support!
Josie
Today was a great day for the entire Czech team to catch up on some much needed sleep. We had just spent yesterday in Poland visiting Auschwitz and salt mines, and we didn't arrive in Chotebor until one o'clock in the morning. It was wonderful to be able to sleep in a real bed after three days since we had an overnight on Friday, homestays on Saturday, and Sunday night we slept in the cramped bus. It was also great to sleep in until 11 or 12 in the afternoon (this is the only time we were ever able to sleep in this late).
The girls and I washed our clothes by hand today, which was actually really fun! The washing machine here definitely does not work, so the women on this time decided to get our hands dirty :) We all felt like women scrubbing our clothes and we all laughed by how ridiculous we looked with all of us in the bathroom scrubbing away; however, it was a great time! Later on that day some of the team went to "Exit Klub" at four while others went shopping for our events we will have this weekend and the Horni Krupa group went to the village to make crafts with the children.
I was able to go with the group to the Exit Club, and we were really able to see God at work tonight in incredible ways. For those of you that don't know what Exit Club is, it is a small group time where missionaries Joanie and Irena talk with young teens about specific issues. The small group times that we have been a part of have included the topics of forgiveness, and broken hearts. Normally Exit Club starts with a game and then the teens watch a short clip made from a Czech Christian organization about the specific topic being addressed that night. After the clip we split up into groups and share our experiences and we pray together.
Tonights topic was on forgiveness, and Joanie was nervous that no young teens would show up. Joanie mentioned that normally they have five to ten people that show up and tonight Joanie and Irena were scared that no one would show up since the kids had also gone to Poland with us the day before. However, praise be to God that six NEW kids showed up!! The kids that came were kids that we had been ministering to in the schools, we had been at an overnight with them, and we went to Poland with some of them. We had handed out the flyer about Exit Club and they came!
After playing games the young teens watched the film and then we split into small groups. In my group some of the girls on my team (including myself) shared some testimonies about forgiveness and about how God had moved in their lives through forgiving others. The testimonies were powerful and at the end we prayed together. What I didn't realize was that the new girls who were in the group with us didn't really know what prayer was. Joanie told me afterwards that the girls didn't know what prayer was so Joanie was able to explain to them what prayer is and why it is important to pray. Again, praise the Lord that these young teens were able to experience prayer for the first time!
Joanie also told me that the NEW boys in the small group came up to Joanie and asked her if all the Americans (taylor team) were also Christian and she was able to share that we were, and why we were here in the Czech Republic.
Joanie was so excited tonight to see all of these newcomers, and we are so excited for Joanie and what God has done tonight in her ministry. Please keep praying for Joanie's ministry and for these kids who came tonight that their eyes will be open to Christ, that they will see Christ, and that they would respond. Thank you so much for your support!
Josie
1.15.09 (Adam)
Sorry, this blog entry is a little overdue. We have been going non-stop, and I finally have some time to sit down and write about January 15. The day started out in our standard way; we split up into groups, and went to teach English in local schools. Our group ended up heading across the street at 7:45 to begin teaching. Our lessons have pretty much stayed the same, so we have become professionals at U.S. geography and singing the itsy-bitsy spider. After teaching four classes made the trek back across the street to get some lunch and rest for part of the afternoon.
The rest of our afternoon was great. We split up into two groups and visited two different children’s homes. These are essentially orphanages run by the state in which parents can put their children if they are becoming too much of a burden(Their parents can also take them home at any time.) We learned that the Czech Republic government gives parents money when they have children; some parents exploit this system and have kids only to get the money – then send them to the children’s home.
When our group first arrived, Ben, Aaron, Joanie, and I went around every floor trying to get kids to come hang out with us. Most of the kids were already in the gym, but we found 3 small siblings playing house. We were kindly offered some pretend tea and pretend cookies – which were delicious. The woman who was supervising them began to tell us about their story. She mentioned that their parents came to get them for Christmas, but ended up taking them back early because they were too much to handle. It really broke my heart that children this small had to deal with something this big.
After that, we went back downstairs to the cafeteria where the rest of our group – and the kids- were waiting. We started out playing cards and games with the kids. We had fun just interacting with the kids and watching them play. After a couple hours of games we tried to get them to line dance with us, and some of them did. The rest of the kids just watched us and laughed. Then, some of the older kids showed us their hip-hop dance (which, I must admit, was a lot better than our line dance.) Then they tried to teach it to us. We learned part of it, but let’s be honest – people from the Midwest can’t hip-hop dance.
When we were done embarrassing ourselves, we started talking with some of the hip-hop dancers. That surprised me because they were always acting like they were too cool for school, or at least too cool to talk to us. After talking with them for a while, one of them brought Ben and I out in the hallway and showed us his beat-boxing skills. This was some of the most impressive beat boxing I have ever heard, and he was only about 16. We got some on video, so hopefully you will be able to see it. I really wish I could remember his name, but he was too cool for a nametag and sometimes I’m too cool to remember names. This was a great end to our trip to the Children’s home. It was great to be able to just spend time with these kids and show them love- something they don’t get to see very often.
Adam
The rest of our afternoon was great. We split up into two groups and visited two different children’s homes. These are essentially orphanages run by the state in which parents can put their children if they are becoming too much of a burden(Their parents can also take them home at any time.) We learned that the Czech Republic government gives parents money when they have children; some parents exploit this system and have kids only to get the money – then send them to the children’s home.
When our group first arrived, Ben, Aaron, Joanie, and I went around every floor trying to get kids to come hang out with us. Most of the kids were already in the gym, but we found 3 small siblings playing house. We were kindly offered some pretend tea and pretend cookies – which were delicious. The woman who was supervising them began to tell us about their story. She mentioned that their parents came to get them for Christmas, but ended up taking them back early because they were too much to handle. It really broke my heart that children this small had to deal with something this big.
After that, we went back downstairs to the cafeteria where the rest of our group – and the kids- were waiting. We started out playing cards and games with the kids. We had fun just interacting with the kids and watching them play. After a couple hours of games we tried to get them to line dance with us, and some of them did. The rest of the kids just watched us and laughed. Then, some of the older kids showed us their hip-hop dance (which, I must admit, was a lot better than our line dance.) Then they tried to teach it to us. We learned part of it, but let’s be honest – people from the Midwest can’t hip-hop dance.
When we were done embarrassing ourselves, we started talking with some of the hip-hop dancers. That surprised me because they were always acting like they were too cool for school, or at least too cool to talk to us. After talking with them for a while, one of them brought Ben and I out in the hallway and showed us his beat-boxing skills. This was some of the most impressive beat boxing I have ever heard, and he was only about 16. We got some on video, so hopefully you will be able to see it. I really wish I could remember his name, but he was too cool for a nametag and sometimes I’m too cool to remember names. This was a great end to our trip to the Children’s home. It was great to be able to just spend time with these kids and show them love- something they don’t get to see very often.
Adam
Sunday, January 18, 2009
1.17.09 (Amy M.)
Today was very different from the rest of our time here in the Czech Republic. Our team was split into groups of 2’s and 3’s and we spent the day/night with families from the area. Most people went to the houses of students from the primary school across the street, and despite the language barriers, we all had very good experiences.
I spent my day with Amy Barnett and Ben at the home of Roman, the pastor of Horni Krupa. We have been blessed to work side-by-side with Roman every day this week in three different schools near Horni Krupa, and have seen God’s love pour forth from this man. He has truly been given the gift of leadership and he is doing great things in this village. His family is simply incredible, and we were so thankful to spend the afternoon with them. I must be honest…we were pretty much spoiled all day long. Zdenka, Roman’s wife, is an amazing cook and we ate a delicious meal of wild boar, potatoes (of course) and cake. Whoever said the Czech people are not very warm clearly never met this family.
In the afternoon, Amy and I set to work to make five apple pies for a presentation on America we had at the church that night. We weren’t really sure how many people to expect, because all 460 people in the village had received an invitation to the event! Only about 25 people showed up, but it was a great time for us to share about our home and answer questions. The kids had a lot of questions about Disney World and the National Parks.
After our presentation, Ben and I went to our new friends, Ondra and Eva’s house for the night. Ondra was on our soccer team during last week’s tournament (and was pretty much the reason we made it to the championship game) and he, along with his older sister Eva, have been helping us with translating in the schools. It was a really cool time to hang out with them in their homes and get to know them better. We had dinner, played some card games and stayed up way too late.
I know for me personally, today was one of the highlights of this trip so far. Years from now, the thing I will remember most about the Czech Republic is the people I met here and how they impacted my life. We have learned so much from the people here, and we can’t wait to tell you more about it when we get home! We love and miss you all!
God bless.
I spent my day with Amy Barnett and Ben at the home of Roman, the pastor of Horni Krupa. We have been blessed to work side-by-side with Roman every day this week in three different schools near Horni Krupa, and have seen God’s love pour forth from this man. He has truly been given the gift of leadership and he is doing great things in this village. His family is simply incredible, and we were so thankful to spend the afternoon with them. I must be honest…we were pretty much spoiled all day long. Zdenka, Roman’s wife, is an amazing cook and we ate a delicious meal of wild boar, potatoes (of course) and cake. Whoever said the Czech people are not very warm clearly never met this family.
In the afternoon, Amy and I set to work to make five apple pies for a presentation on America we had at the church that night. We weren’t really sure how many people to expect, because all 460 people in the village had received an invitation to the event! Only about 25 people showed up, but it was a great time for us to share about our home and answer questions. The kids had a lot of questions about Disney World and the National Parks.
After our presentation, Ben and I went to our new friends, Ondra and Eva’s house for the night. Ondra was on our soccer team during last week’s tournament (and was pretty much the reason we made it to the championship game) and he, along with his older sister Eva, have been helping us with translating in the schools. It was a really cool time to hang out with them in their homes and get to know them better. We had dinner, played some card games and stayed up way too late.
I know for me personally, today was one of the highlights of this trip so far. Years from now, the thing I will remember most about the Czech Republic is the people I met here and how they impacted my life. We have learned so much from the people here, and we can’t wait to tell you more about it when we get home! We love and miss you all!
God bless.
1.16.09 (Molly)
Friday was a relaxing day for my team—we had one class at the Gymnazium (high school) in Chotebor in the morning, and a gym class in the afternoon (with the Gymnazium students again.) We’ve had mostly middle school students, so it was a nice change to work with students who could speak a lot of English.
Two other groups went into Havlickuv Brod and got to take a tour of the town with the students, and the Horni Krupa team had a very full day. They taught at two different schools, went sledding on a ski slope and had Club Lavina (where all the kids beat them at tic-tac-toe.)
Friday night, we had a lock in at the primary school across the street from the dorm we live in. We had all been dreading the loss of sleep, but it ended up being a lot of fun. Most of the kids couldn’t speak very much English, but we found ways around it. We played a lot of games, danced (we taught the Cha Cha Slide and they taught a few of us a waltz!), sang songs, and taught each other names for different objects around the room. We also did a program, of course, with singing a two testimonies. My favorite part of the night was the game of hide-and-go-seek several of us played (although hiding in the boy’s bathroom with three other girls who couldn’t stop giggling was probably a poor choice on my part.) All in all it was a really fun night (and definitely worth the lost sleep.)
Two other groups went into Havlickuv Brod and got to take a tour of the town with the students, and the Horni Krupa team had a very full day. They taught at two different schools, went sledding on a ski slope and had Club Lavina (where all the kids beat them at tic-tac-toe.)
Friday night, we had a lock in at the primary school across the street from the dorm we live in. We had all been dreading the loss of sleep, but it ended up being a lot of fun. Most of the kids couldn’t speak very much English, but we found ways around it. We played a lot of games, danced (we taught the Cha Cha Slide and they taught a few of us a waltz!), sang songs, and taught each other names for different objects around the room. We also did a program, of course, with singing a two testimonies. My favorite part of the night was the game of hide-and-go-seek several of us played (although hiding in the boy’s bathroom with three other girls who couldn’t stop giggling was probably a poor choice on my part.) All in all it was a really fun night (and definitely worth the lost sleep.)
1.18.09 (Brittany)
Today was a wonderful day and definitely a Sabbath. That is one thing I have loved about being here in the Czech Republic, so far both of our Sundays have really been about God and about resting. Last night, we all stayed with different host families throughout the city. My hostess was one of the English teachers here in Chotebor. She spoke English fluently, which made conversation a lot easier, and she was really great to talk to. Her name is Olga and she is not a Christian, but she was extremely hospitable. We had some great conversations about literature and language and castles. Since she isn’t a Christian, we didn’t go to church this morning. Instead she dropped us off at our dorm around 11:30. About half of our group was back by then, and we all ate lunch together in the Restaurant on the square.
After lunch, We all had some quiet time for naps or devotions and then we went to the language School where we had a church service for our team and some Christians in Chotebor. The service was great. We met a few new Czechs, and one of them was a new Christian who shared his testimony with us. It was powerful to watch him because he had a beautiful passion for Christ. It reminded me that I want and need to be that passionate about Christ everyday. After the church service, we ate dinner and then went to Joanie’s house for a team meeting and really just a time to get quiet before God. It was an absolutely beautiful evening. We started off by praying and watching the YouTube video about Cardboard testimonies. If you haven’t watched this video, you should. It’s very powerful because it is all about people being vulnerable about who they were before they met Christ and who they are now because of the redeeming power of Christ. This was the third time I had watched the video and I was still moved by it.
After the video, we split into three small groups and we prayed for each other and then wrote out our own cardboard testimonies. I was really struck not only by what God has done through my life in the past, but also what He is doing right now. I’ve really been struggling with complete trust and obedience in God and through out the last week He has been speaking very clearly to me about obedience and faith. After we shared our cardboard testimonies, we had some praise and worship time. It was absolutely beautiful. I also had some time to begin a conversation with Joanie about her struggles and her joys in living in obedience to God. I’m looking forward to continuing that conversation. I realized tonight, that if for no other reason, I know that God put me here so that I could talk with Joanie and with Ernie about ministry and boldly following Christ. What that will mean for me right now I have no idea, but it’s a wonderful journey.
In about 2 hours, we’re getting on a bus and travelling over night to Auschwitz in Poland. We’re traveling with 19 jr. higher, so please pray for us!
Thanks for all of your prayers and support on this trip. God is doing marvelous things!
Britt Hughes
After lunch, We all had some quiet time for naps or devotions and then we went to the language School where we had a church service for our team and some Christians in Chotebor. The service was great. We met a few new Czechs, and one of them was a new Christian who shared his testimony with us. It was powerful to watch him because he had a beautiful passion for Christ. It reminded me that I want and need to be that passionate about Christ everyday. After the church service, we ate dinner and then went to Joanie’s house for a team meeting and really just a time to get quiet before God. It was an absolutely beautiful evening. We started off by praying and watching the YouTube video about Cardboard testimonies. If you haven’t watched this video, you should. It’s very powerful because it is all about people being vulnerable about who they were before they met Christ and who they are now because of the redeeming power of Christ. This was the third time I had watched the video and I was still moved by it.
After the video, we split into three small groups and we prayed for each other and then wrote out our own cardboard testimonies. I was really struck not only by what God has done through my life in the past, but also what He is doing right now. I’ve really been struggling with complete trust and obedience in God and through out the last week He has been speaking very clearly to me about obedience and faith. After we shared our cardboard testimonies, we had some praise and worship time. It was absolutely beautiful. I also had some time to begin a conversation with Joanie about her struggles and her joys in living in obedience to God. I’m looking forward to continuing that conversation. I realized tonight, that if for no other reason, I know that God put me here so that I could talk with Joanie and with Ernie about ministry and boldly following Christ. What that will mean for me right now I have no idea, but it’s a wonderful journey.
In about 2 hours, we’re getting on a bus and travelling over night to Auschwitz in Poland. We’re traveling with 19 jr. higher, so please pray for us!
Thanks for all of your prayers and support on this trip. God is doing marvelous things!
Britt Hughes
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
1.14.09 (Christina)
Today has been great. It is January 14th. We started out the morning by splitting in groups. Amy B, Amy, and Ben all went to Horny Krupa again. They had an awesome time of hanging out with the students and learning some awesome things. After their time there, they went sledding with some of the students at the school. They told us they had a lot of fun just fellowshipping with the students. The rest of the team went to a city called Melech. We took a 15 minute bus ride into the country and arrived at the school. The kids started greeting us from the windows of the school building! It was fun to see their excitement upon our arrival. We split up into our groups and started to teach grades of 1st, 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 9th. Tabitha, Adam, and Amber were feeling a lot better. They were able to come to the school with us and enjoyed interacting with the kids. After teaching very successful class sessions, we had lunch. Lunch was very fun. It consisted of having conversations with our teammates, having soup spill all over Josie, and watch kids walk in the room with just their long johns on. The little boys would look at some of us girls and just sigh or turn away. Their being shy was funny. I am positive they enjoyed our presence in the lunchroom! Praise God for hearts that are warming up to the “strangers” from America.
After lunch, there was some down time to go on the computers in the school. We enjoyed some time to ourselves. It was a low-key break. After break, ¾ of the group left to go back to the dorm. Ruth, Tabitha, Josie, Lauren, Lisa, Travis, and I stayed afterwards to make chocolate chip cookies and play card games with the 8th and 9th graders. They had so much fun! I was very grateful for that opportunity given to us. Half of us would bake cookies while the other half played UNO or Phase 10…then we would switch. It was fantabulous! The kids enjoyed baking the cookies and we would talk to them in English so they could learn better English conversational skills. After the cookies were made, and the kids had their fill, they copied down the recipe while we gave it to them in English. They asked for a picture and we had fun with that. The guys would joke around about eating the entire plate of cookies and informed us that they loved having us come and they wanted us to come again. Hearing those kind of things are always encouraging! God is good, and I am glad He provided an opportunity to bake and interact with the kids at that particular school!
We left the schools and took the bus back to the dorm. Having an hour worth of rest was rejuvenating for some. We went to dinner, and quickly rushed back to the hall to get ready for the coffee house with Russian and Czech students. We walked there and arrived safely. (Travis did not have a heart attack about getting lost in the small town, so that was great!) Upon arriving, we met some of the students of the Language class and we were greeted with many smiles. We were all split up, and even though we were in a very small space, we all had fun interacting with the youth and young adults. Some of the conversations we had were awesome! I was glad that I went into two different groups throughout the 2 hours of conversation. Even though there was an initial barrier of not understanding each other’s language, we made it through by writing, hand motions, and translators. God is so faithful in providing for translators and willing hearts, like Misha’s and Lyda’s. They are wonderful and we could not be doing so much without them! After some hearty and funny conversations with the youth, we headed out and had our typical team meeting. It was nice to sit down and relax and be able to pray as a team. Getting through the days is sometimes tiring, but once we are done…I always think: “I CAN do all things through Him who strengthens me.” He is our Rock and our Strength. What better Person/One and only God to rely on than our one and only Lord of all Lords, King of all Kings, Friend, Savior, Creator, and Father.
God has been faithful throughout this trip. We still need prayers for our teammate, Brandon who is very sick. We also need prayer for strength for the missionaries of Caleb’s Heart Ministry and for Misha, Lyda, and Irena who help so much. Irena is also sick. We can pray for her as well. Pray for us to remain strong in the Lord. Spiritual warfare is very real, and is evident. Pray that we will know that God is truly stronger than anything…and all we need to do is rely on Him and seek Him. Thank you for your support and encouragement throughout this month. God is good.
Proverbs 3:5-7 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
Thank you, Christina
After lunch, there was some down time to go on the computers in the school. We enjoyed some time to ourselves. It was a low-key break. After break, ¾ of the group left to go back to the dorm. Ruth, Tabitha, Josie, Lauren, Lisa, Travis, and I stayed afterwards to make chocolate chip cookies and play card games with the 8th and 9th graders. They had so much fun! I was very grateful for that opportunity given to us. Half of us would bake cookies while the other half played UNO or Phase 10…then we would switch. It was fantabulous! The kids enjoyed baking the cookies and we would talk to them in English so they could learn better English conversational skills. After the cookies were made, and the kids had their fill, they copied down the recipe while we gave it to them in English. They asked for a picture and we had fun with that. The guys would joke around about eating the entire plate of cookies and informed us that they loved having us come and they wanted us to come again. Hearing those kind of things are always encouraging! God is good, and I am glad He provided an opportunity to bake and interact with the kids at that particular school!
We left the schools and took the bus back to the dorm. Having an hour worth of rest was rejuvenating for some. We went to dinner, and quickly rushed back to the hall to get ready for the coffee house with Russian and Czech students. We walked there and arrived safely. (Travis did not have a heart attack about getting lost in the small town, so that was great!) Upon arriving, we met some of the students of the Language class and we were greeted with many smiles. We were all split up, and even though we were in a very small space, we all had fun interacting with the youth and young adults. Some of the conversations we had were awesome! I was glad that I went into two different groups throughout the 2 hours of conversation. Even though there was an initial barrier of not understanding each other’s language, we made it through by writing, hand motions, and translators. God is so faithful in providing for translators and willing hearts, like Misha’s and Lyda’s. They are wonderful and we could not be doing so much without them! After some hearty and funny conversations with the youth, we headed out and had our typical team meeting. It was nice to sit down and relax and be able to pray as a team. Getting through the days is sometimes tiring, but once we are done…I always think: “I CAN do all things through Him who strengthens me.” He is our Rock and our Strength. What better Person/One and only God to rely on than our one and only Lord of all Lords, King of all Kings, Friend, Savior, Creator, and Father.
God has been faithful throughout this trip. We still need prayers for our teammate, Brandon who is very sick. We also need prayer for strength for the missionaries of Caleb’s Heart Ministry and for Misha, Lyda, and Irena who help so much. Irena is also sick. We can pray for her as well. Pray for us to remain strong in the Lord. Spiritual warfare is very real, and is evident. Pray that we will know that God is truly stronger than anything…and all we need to do is rely on Him and seek Him. Thank you for your support and encouragement throughout this month. God is good.
Proverbs 3:5-7 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
Thank you, Christina
1.13.09 (Lisa)
Ahoj Stateside!
We just finished an eventful Tuesday in Chotebor. Our team was split up for most of the day. Three of our team members were a little sick. Three traveled to Dolni Krupa again to work with some youngsters in a school there. Then they got to go sledding with students in their classes. Two had an amazing opportunity to tutor some gypsy kids. They said that it was a noisy but, an eventful experience, one they will not forget. The rest of the group taught 5 classes of English to students ranging from 5th-9th grade. I was a part of this group. After today I have great respect for teachers. I praise God that he gave us the energy and patience to make it through the day. He had also blessed Joanie with these opportunities to have English speaker come into these schools. God has blessed Caleb's Heart and her in so many ways. She is one of the reasons we are able to minister to these students. The second to last class that my group of six went to was a last minute decision and at another school. This has become a typical phenomenon with this trip. Our schedule changes by the hours, which has been keeping us on our toes and ensuring that we are flexible. That class was one of my favorite parts of the day. This class had 8th grade students who were experienced speakers, so we were able to have conversations without much help from Joanie (our translator). We also played games and joked around with them. Being able to go to that class was another praise for today.
Then later tonight most of the team gathered at a local youth center in town to join Joanie at a weekly youth group called, Klub Exit. For about an hour we got to play games and cards with the couple of girls that joined us. We taught them some favorite card games, like spoons and Dutch blitz. Then we watched a video (in Czech) about Heartbreak. This video talked about the bad ways people, especially girls' deal with heartbreak. Then it addressed the positive ways to cope. It was neat how they compared it to King David and how he dealt with all the heartbreaks from his relationships. After the video we broke up into small groups and each of us shared stories of heartbreak. The whole time I was blown away by the openness of the young girls in the group. They shared their own heartbreaks and how they tried to cope with them. It was also sad that these girls who are 13 and 14 have already gotten their heart broken. Then the 2 other girls from the team and I got to share our stories and advice for them. It was such an awesome experience.
This day has been a blessing and it has only been one because God was a part of it. Without God, our days are less, because He is everything.
We do have some prayer requests for today. Please continue to pray for the health of all the members of the team. Also that we will continue to depend on God as our source of strength.
We miss you all, Thank you for your support!
Chow! Lisa Dvoratchek
We just finished an eventful Tuesday in Chotebor. Our team was split up for most of the day. Three of our team members were a little sick. Three traveled to Dolni Krupa again to work with some youngsters in a school there. Then they got to go sledding with students in their classes. Two had an amazing opportunity to tutor some gypsy kids. They said that it was a noisy but, an eventful experience, one they will not forget. The rest of the group taught 5 classes of English to students ranging from 5th-9th grade. I was a part of this group. After today I have great respect for teachers. I praise God that he gave us the energy and patience to make it through the day. He had also blessed Joanie with these opportunities to have English speaker come into these schools. God has blessed Caleb's Heart and her in so many ways. She is one of the reasons we are able to minister to these students. The second to last class that my group of six went to was a last minute decision and at another school. This has become a typical phenomenon with this trip. Our schedule changes by the hours, which has been keeping us on our toes and ensuring that we are flexible. That class was one of my favorite parts of the day. This class had 8th grade students who were experienced speakers, so we were able to have conversations without much help from Joanie (our translator). We also played games and joked around with them. Being able to go to that class was another praise for today.
Then later tonight most of the team gathered at a local youth center in town to join Joanie at a weekly youth group called, Klub Exit. For about an hour we got to play games and cards with the couple of girls that joined us. We taught them some favorite card games, like spoons and Dutch blitz. Then we watched a video (in Czech) about Heartbreak. This video talked about the bad ways people, especially girls' deal with heartbreak. Then it addressed the positive ways to cope. It was neat how they compared it to King David and how he dealt with all the heartbreaks from his relationships. After the video we broke up into small groups and each of us shared stories of heartbreak. The whole time I was blown away by the openness of the young girls in the group. They shared their own heartbreaks and how they tried to cope with them. It was also sad that these girls who are 13 and 14 have already gotten their heart broken. Then the 2 other girls from the team and I got to share our stories and advice for them. It was such an awesome experience.
This day has been a blessing and it has only been one because God was a part of it. Without God, our days are less, because He is everything.
We do have some prayer requests for today. Please continue to pray for the health of all the members of the team. Also that we will continue to depend on God as our source of strength.
We miss you all, Thank you for your support!
Chow! Lisa Dvoratchek
1.11.09 (Lauren)
Today was a wonderful, cold Sunday here in the Czech Republic. Besides attending church in the morning, our group was given hardly any instructions or activities for the rest of the day - a first since our arrival 5 days ago! In many ways, we were really needing a low-key day and we were so thankful for a chance to rest. Our experiences with church this morning, however, were the real blessings of the day. We broke up into 3 groups and were sent in different directions to help lead church services in Havlicuv Brod, Horni Krupa, and another small village. Most of us felt pretty intimidated and confused about leading worship, sharing testimonies, and preaching, but God was so good.
Amy Barnett, Bradley Favazza, and I were sent to a house church in a small village. Before hand, we really were given no information other than Brad was to share his testimony and I was supposed to sing a few songs. We entered an elderly woman's kitchen and found 9 older Czech people sitting in a circle with a key board on a table in the middle of the room. Our translators, Jana and Milos, helped to introduce us and we immediately entered into a time of singing Czech hymns and prayer. Afterwards, the people had questions about Taylor, our majors, and the trip itself. With the help of Jana and Milos, we sang a few songs in both Czech and English and Brad shared about his life as a missionary kid and the countries he has lived in - they had so many questions for him afterwards! As the service concluded, Milos told us that the wanted to pray for us, and even though we had no idea what they were saying, it was so meaningful.
We were then rushed out of the woman's kitchen and followed an elderly couple to their home up the road, where they had lunch prepared for us. They served the three of us (and Milos and Jana) a full home-cooked meal-which was so good! They had a lot of questions about America and thanks to our translators, we were able to answer and ask questions too. After lunch ended, we were offered any type of homemade dessert you can think of, and entered into deeper conversation. The couple shared pretty openly about their lives during the communist era, which we have discovered is still very much a real memory for most Czech people. We also learned that the small church has been meeting in the same kitchen for over 90 years.
We had been warned that most Czech people are extremely private and reserved, so their stories and hospitality really touched us. As we left, the elderly man told Brad and I, "Thank-you so much for coming here, and I hope you never forget your time today." We were so challenged by the people's strength and commitment to the Lord - even through communist regime. It is so clear that the Lord has been at work in the Czech Republic long before we arrived and will continue to do great things long after we leave. For now, though, we are doing our best to commit our service to these people and the Lord's work.
Thank-you very much for your thoughts and prayers,
Lauren Free
Amy Barnett, Bradley Favazza, and I were sent to a house church in a small village. Before hand, we really were given no information other than Brad was to share his testimony and I was supposed to sing a few songs. We entered an elderly woman's kitchen and found 9 older Czech people sitting in a circle with a key board on a table in the middle of the room. Our translators, Jana and Milos, helped to introduce us and we immediately entered into a time of singing Czech hymns and prayer. Afterwards, the people had questions about Taylor, our majors, and the trip itself. With the help of Jana and Milos, we sang a few songs in both Czech and English and Brad shared about his life as a missionary kid and the countries he has lived in - they had so many questions for him afterwards! As the service concluded, Milos told us that the wanted to pray for us, and even though we had no idea what they were saying, it was so meaningful.
We were then rushed out of the woman's kitchen and followed an elderly couple to their home up the road, where they had lunch prepared for us. They served the three of us (and Milos and Jana) a full home-cooked meal-which was so good! They had a lot of questions about America and thanks to our translators, we were able to answer and ask questions too. After lunch ended, we were offered any type of homemade dessert you can think of, and entered into deeper conversation. The couple shared pretty openly about their lives during the communist era, which we have discovered is still very much a real memory for most Czech people. We also learned that the small church has been meeting in the same kitchen for over 90 years.
We had been warned that most Czech people are extremely private and reserved, so their stories and hospitality really touched us. As we left, the elderly man told Brad and I, "Thank-you so much for coming here, and I hope you never forget your time today." We were so challenged by the people's strength and commitment to the Lord - even through communist regime. It is so clear that the Lord has been at work in the Czech Republic long before we arrived and will continue to do great things long after we leave. For now, though, we are doing our best to commit our service to these people and the Lord's work.
Thank-you very much for your thoughts and prayers,
Lauren Free
1.12.09 (Brandon)
Hello everyone! We just finished our first Monday and it was a day with a lot of good news and some news for which we want you pray. First the good news: We have now been in the Czech Republic for six days. Today some of our team went to a school across the street and taught English, others went a few blocks away and taught high school English. My group went to a town called Dolni Krupe and taught English to elementary students. At Dolni Krupe, Amy, Amy, Ben and myself played Pictionary (which is a big hit) and also introduced ourselves by giving the students a map of the U.S. and having them mark where we are from.
At my table were two nine year olds and two ten year olds named Andre, Alice, Barbara, and a little boy who was very shy and kept giving his first name and last name in a soft murmur. I asked them questions in English using complete sentences from a sheet that had English and Czech so I could point to the question to give them a hint of how to reply in English. I was very impressed to see these kids light up with joy when they said something correctly or when one of us messed up a Czech pronunciation. Apparently Czech is one of the hardest languages to learn. We are starting to pick up some phrases which is pretty cool as we connect with the kids. We often resort back to neum czesky, which is “I don't understand.” I know the Lord is using our language attempts even if we are laughed at by children. Here are a few phrases that the I've learned:
Kolik je li let (pronounced Coal-lick yeah key let) which asks, "How old are you?"
Dva-set-dva (is 22 and is my age)
Jak se mas? (Yak se ma-sh) like mama in the ma asks how are you in the informal and is usually only said to friends.
It is really cool to gradually pick up on bits and pieces of Czech.
Later in the afternoon some of us went sledding with some Gypsies while others taught high school English. I went sledding and it was so cold that only a few came. When Joanie (our incredibly humble and hospitable host who is a full-time missionary here and has been for the last 14 years!) showed up a little boy named Oliver ran to her and jumped into her arms and gave her a kiss—it was powerful and all of us who were there witnessed Christ at work. It has been incredible, as Brittany mentioned tonight at our team meeting, to witness Christ already at work and the power of his love that is breaking through barriers.
Here is something everyone can be praying for: Three of our team members were sick today and Czeched out of the activities due to their illness. Please pray for our energy and especially for those who are sick. Yet know they are in good hands.
We miss you all, but please know that the Lord is working here and it is great to play a small part in it, and to grow in our walks with Jesus Christ!
Nashledanou (n-aaa-sh-lay-don-ue, Czech for goodbye), Brandon
At my table were two nine year olds and two ten year olds named Andre, Alice, Barbara, and a little boy who was very shy and kept giving his first name and last name in a soft murmur. I asked them questions in English using complete sentences from a sheet that had English and Czech so I could point to the question to give them a hint of how to reply in English. I was very impressed to see these kids light up with joy when they said something correctly or when one of us messed up a Czech pronunciation. Apparently Czech is one of the hardest languages to learn. We are starting to pick up some phrases which is pretty cool as we connect with the kids. We often resort back to neum czesky, which is “I don't understand.” I know the Lord is using our language attempts even if we are laughed at by children. Here are a few phrases that the I've learned:
Kolik je li let (pronounced Coal-lick yeah key let) which asks, "How old are you?"
Dva-set-dva (is 22 and is my age)
Jak se mas? (Yak se ma-sh) like mama in the ma asks how are you in the informal and is usually only said to friends.
It is really cool to gradually pick up on bits and pieces of Czech.
Later in the afternoon some of us went sledding with some Gypsies while others taught high school English. I went sledding and it was so cold that only a few came. When Joanie (our incredibly humble and hospitable host who is a full-time missionary here and has been for the last 14 years!) showed up a little boy named Oliver ran to her and jumped into her arms and gave her a kiss—it was powerful and all of us who were there witnessed Christ at work. It has been incredible, as Brittany mentioned tonight at our team meeting, to witness Christ already at work and the power of his love that is breaking through barriers.
Here is something everyone can be praying for: Three of our team members were sick today and Czeched out of the activities due to their illness. Please pray for our energy and especially for those who are sick. Yet know they are in good hands.
We miss you all, but please know that the Lord is working here and it is great to play a small part in it, and to grow in our walks with Jesus Christ!
Nashledanou (n-aaa-sh-lay-don-ue, Czech for goodbye), Brandon
1.10.09 (Amber)
Dobre Den! This is Amber reporting in from Chotebor. We have been keeping pretty busy lately. Our days have been full of walking, teaching, playing soccer, and hanging out with the people of the Czech.
Today, we participated in a soccer tournament here in Chotebor. By we, I do mean every single member of the team played at least five games of football. Some members even played on to the championship game. The team most worth mentioning, the Cyclones, took some rough beatings to one of their great defensive players, Christina. No need to fear though, everyone is doing fine despite a few minor injuries. There were two teams that came to play from different children’s homes here in the Czech. The team from the children’s home nearest Chotebor actually won the championship. During the tournament, we took a break to share some testimonies and songs with the kids. The whole day with them was a lot of fun. Even though some of us aren’t the greatest at football, it was time very well spent.
After the tournament, we helped with a youth group event here. It consisted of mostly high school students and young adults. A few of them spoke English pretty well. So, it was really nice to be able to communicate a little more clearly. During the service, we sang some worship songs in English and some in Czech. It is always a blessing to worship God together with another culture and in another language.
I would like to take a moment and mention some important things. First of all, when traveling in the Czech, always remember to look for toilet paper before you enter a bathroom stall. Sometimes, they keep it by the sinks. Secondly, always be careful when playing football with Czech children when you do not have shin guards and they do. That can result in some serious growths on the leg. Ask Tabatha about that one. Finally, when dealing with a new roommate, it might not always be a good idea to stay up till 1:30am talking about life stories when you have to get up at 6:00. It can lead to late starts in the day. This one, I know from personal experience. I hope you find all of these things useful in your own lives.
We are having a great time getting to know each other and the people here. Every one we have met has been a blessing to our team. I am really looking forward to all that God has in store for the rest of this trip!
Thanks for your prayers and support! --Amber Nicole Everson
Today, we participated in a soccer tournament here in Chotebor. By we, I do mean every single member of the team played at least five games of football. Some members even played on to the championship game. The team most worth mentioning, the Cyclones, took some rough beatings to one of their great defensive players, Christina. No need to fear though, everyone is doing fine despite a few minor injuries. There were two teams that came to play from different children’s homes here in the Czech. The team from the children’s home nearest Chotebor actually won the championship. During the tournament, we took a break to share some testimonies and songs with the kids. The whole day with them was a lot of fun. Even though some of us aren’t the greatest at football, it was time very well spent.
After the tournament, we helped with a youth group event here. It consisted of mostly high school students and young adults. A few of them spoke English pretty well. So, it was really nice to be able to communicate a little more clearly. During the service, we sang some worship songs in English and some in Czech. It is always a blessing to worship God together with another culture and in another language.
I would like to take a moment and mention some important things. First of all, when traveling in the Czech, always remember to look for toilet paper before you enter a bathroom stall. Sometimes, they keep it by the sinks. Secondly, always be careful when playing football with Czech children when you do not have shin guards and they do. That can result in some serious growths on the leg. Ask Tabatha about that one. Finally, when dealing with a new roommate, it might not always be a good idea to stay up till 1:30am talking about life stories when you have to get up at 6:00. It can lead to late starts in the day. This one, I know from personal experience. I hope you find all of these things useful in your own lives.
We are having a great time getting to know each other and the people here. Every one we have met has been a blessing to our team. I am really looking forward to all that God has in store for the rest of this trip!
Thanks for your prayers and support! --Amber Nicole Everson
This is a blog for the 2009 Czech Republic Lighthouse Team
All of the blog posts that don§t make it on the T.U. website.
CZECH US OUT!!!
-yoder
CZECH US OUT!!!
-yoder
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