One week later, I was meeting another American team for another camp. When I volunteered for this camp, I told them to use me where they need me. So I arrived without being really sure what was about to come my way. All part of the adventure, after all.
This camp was hosted by the church plant I attend in the Rajska Zahrada neighborhood in Prague. At the beginning of the summer, we had only about a dozen students signed up. We were counting on about 20. By the time camp rolled around, the number was in the 30s, and between campers and staff we managed to max out our facility. Praise God both for His abundant provision of campers and for His miraculous working out of space and resources!
Camp was at a chata ("cottage"...in this case, an inn with dormitory style rooms) in the Krkonose Mountains of northern Czech. These are stunning mountains (which I learned on the "medium" hike of 13 km a couple of days into camp). The team from Story City, Iowa, was a blast to work with and brought much experience and a good bit of fun with them. Like my previous camp, this camp had themes in the first part of the morning, followed by reading and conversation (in this case from the book "The Little Prince"), followed by lunch and afternoon activities (often games or different workshops), followed by dinner, and then fantastic evening programs that featured great music and really GREAT straightforward gospel teaching. And the kids were listening. (You'll have to wait for the next post for more on that!)
I co-taught with a couple of the Iowa City teachers. When I got switched from one class to another part-way through the week, at first I was really sad because I was so enjoying the relationships I was forming with students in that first class. But what ended up happening is that I "kept" my old students and gained some of the new ones! I am so excited that I will get to see so many of these students at English Club during the new school year, and also for some of the follow-up possibilities. Please pray for these kids! Many sound seeds were planted. There was some absolutely amazing stuff happening in some hearts, some of which was verbalized and some of which came out in other ways. Pray for good soil where the seeds fell! We have some watering and tending to do now, but the increase is the Lord's to plan and to bring about.
Up next...What's next?
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Camp Season, Part 2: Frydlant
So camp was over, and follow-up begins. As I mentioned before, one thing that I love about this camp is the emphasis placed on loving and ministering to the children from the children's home. Let me emphasize: The children's home in Frydlant serves these children to the best of their ability. The children live in "family" units with tetas--"aunts," or what we might call a dorm mom. The children in each family are of a mix of ages. They eat several meals each week together as a family rather than in the home's dining hall. The older kids help look after the younger ones. They share chores, much as they would at home. The kids physical needs are provided for, which is better than what might have happened in the homes of their natural families. However, this is an institution, and these children are desperate for love and attention that their tetas simply don't have the time or resources to give.
Camp helped us develop relationships with these children that I would so love to preserve. So when Ben and Helena Middleton, who organize the American team, asked me to join them for follow-up at the children's home during the week following camp, I was so excited to be able to join them. The first day, Friday, we went to the home and picked up our students. We then proceeded first to an ice cream shop, then to the only really decent restaurant in this tiny town, where the kids got another round of ice cream. It wasn't the most nutritionally sound ministry opportunity, but those kids felt so special sitting in a grown-up restaurant with grown-ups (well, sort of) who had eyes and ears only for them. It was so fun to spend that special time with them.
The Monday following that, we brought board games and card games to the home and played games with not just our students but with about a dozen other kids in the home. There was more energy and enthusiasm and liveliness in that room than I ever get to see in my sedate little suburban home here in Ricany!
So the challenge begins now. Frydlant is 2-1/2 hours away from Prague, but I want to continue these relationships. Would you join me in praying for wisdom about shaping this relationship? How often do I go? When? What do I do with the kids when I'm there? How do I form a good relationship with the staff there? And--very importantly--how do I draw some Czechs into this scheme of mine? Pray for the churches in Liberec (20 minutes away) and Jablonec (30-35 minutes away) to become more involved in reaching out to these children and this community.
Up next..."Ain't no mountain high enough...."
Camp helped us develop relationships with these children that I would so love to preserve. So when Ben and Helena Middleton, who organize the American team, asked me to join them for follow-up at the children's home during the week following camp, I was so excited to be able to join them. The first day, Friday, we went to the home and picked up our students. We then proceeded first to an ice cream shop, then to the only really decent restaurant in this tiny town, where the kids got another round of ice cream. It wasn't the most nutritionally sound ministry opportunity, but those kids felt so special sitting in a grown-up restaurant with grown-ups (well, sort of) who had eyes and ears only for them. It was so fun to spend that special time with them.
The Monday following that, we brought board games and card games to the home and played games with not just our students but with about a dozen other kids in the home. There was more energy and enthusiasm and liveliness in that room than I ever get to see in my sedate little suburban home here in Ricany!
So the challenge begins now. Frydlant is 2-1/2 hours away from Prague, but I want to continue these relationships. Would you join me in praying for wisdom about shaping this relationship? How often do I go? When? What do I do with the kids when I'm there? How do I form a good relationship with the staff there? And--very importantly--how do I draw some Czechs into this scheme of mine? Pray for the churches in Liberec (20 minutes away) and Jablonec (30-35 minutes away) to become more involved in reaching out to these children and this community.
Up next..."Ain't no mountain high enough...."
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Family Notes
An update on my sister Kelley: So far, all her scans indicate she is still free of cancer. The doctors are continuing to investigate what is causing the pain, but we are thankful for their assessment that the cancer has not returned.
My brother Greg is due to have an EKG soon to check on a heart valve that seems to be failing. In the meantime, he has been traveling the country this summer and getting on with his life, which is great. Please continue to pray for his health.
My grandfather has been hospitalized this week with something that seems to be worse than angina and not quite a heart attack. They are still running tests to figure out what is happening with him.
Thanks for remembering my family in your prayers.
My brother Greg is due to have an EKG soon to check on a heart valve that seems to be failing. In the meantime, he has been traveling the country this summer and getting on with his life, which is great. Please continue to pray for his health.
My grandfather has been hospitalized this week with something that seems to be worse than angina and not quite a heart attack. They are still running tests to figure out what is happening with him.
Thanks for remembering my family in your prayers.
Camp Season, Part 1
So camp season is finally over. It has been exhausting and exciting and very, very fun. So much to share, and so much work yet to do! And so you will get camp stories in installments. Here is part 1.
As July began, I was off and running to Slovakia for a Roma youth camp (see the previous posts). When I got back, I had less than two weeks to finish writing teaching materials before a team arrived from Kenosha, Wisconsin, and whisked me away for English camp in the north--hosted by churches in Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic. This camp is special to me for two reasons. First, because I came with the team from Kenosha last year, before I was in the field full-time. So it was great to be back with old friends, and to return to a camp where I already knew some campers and some members of the Czech contingent. Second, because the camp organizers hold out a certain numbers of spots at this camp for children from a nearby children's home. These kids are close to my heart, and they are such a joy to be with. So coming back to this camp was something I looked forward to all year.
What a week! I started the very best possible way: riding to camp on the bus with all the kids. This was super fun, and it gave me a head-start (which an introvert like me always needs) in getting to know the kids and gaining their acceptance. Never have I had so much fun on a bus! By that evening, camp was in full swing. The theme was "The Biggest Loser," built around the stories of people in the Bible who gave up (or otherwise lost) a lot because of their faith in God, but then got to see God do amazing works in their lives. It was good stuff!
Most days followed roughly the same schedule: English theme lessons (such as sports, fashion, and education) in the morning, then reading and conversation from these Bible stories for an hour before lunch and an hour after, followed by some incredible games and activities organized by the Czech team in the afternoon. The evening programs included music, testimonies, and usually a special message by a guest speaker. Thursday was a special day, though: THANKSGIVING. The whole camp worked together to act out the story of the first Thanksgiving, and then we worked together to prepare a Thanksgiving feast, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie.
Wow.
The last night included a gospel invitation, and three young men responded. Please pray for these young men. Zdenek left camp with a reading assignment in the book of John, which he was half done with less than a week later and wants to continue talking about it. He is one of the older children from the children's home, and has been to the camp several times. This year, he seemed so much more cynical for the early part of the week, so it is a great gift of God that his heart was softened again and that he is willing to continue to learn more about the hope that can be his in Christ. Vojta meets sometimes with a youth group in the Prague area, but he is struggling with understanding what God wants from him. He really needs a mentor in the faith. Please pray that we can help him find just that.
Coming up next...How many food joints can you hit in one day in a small village in the Czech Republic?
As July began, I was off and running to Slovakia for a Roma youth camp (see the previous posts). When I got back, I had less than two weeks to finish writing teaching materials before a team arrived from Kenosha, Wisconsin, and whisked me away for English camp in the north--hosted by churches in Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic. This camp is special to me for two reasons. First, because I came with the team from Kenosha last year, before I was in the field full-time. So it was great to be back with old friends, and to return to a camp where I already knew some campers and some members of the Czech contingent. Second, because the camp organizers hold out a certain numbers of spots at this camp for children from a nearby children's home. These kids are close to my heart, and they are such a joy to be with. So coming back to this camp was something I looked forward to all year.
What a week! I started the very best possible way: riding to camp on the bus with all the kids. This was super fun, and it gave me a head-start (which an introvert like me always needs) in getting to know the kids and gaining their acceptance. Never have I had so much fun on a bus! By that evening, camp was in full swing. The theme was "The Biggest Loser," built around the stories of people in the Bible who gave up (or otherwise lost) a lot because of their faith in God, but then got to see God do amazing works in their lives. It was good stuff!
Most days followed roughly the same schedule: English theme lessons (such as sports, fashion, and education) in the morning, then reading and conversation from these Bible stories for an hour before lunch and an hour after, followed by some incredible games and activities organized by the Czech team in the afternoon. The evening programs included music, testimonies, and usually a special message by a guest speaker. Thursday was a special day, though: THANKSGIVING. The whole camp worked together to act out the story of the first Thanksgiving, and then we worked together to prepare a Thanksgiving feast, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie.
Wow.
The last night included a gospel invitation, and three young men responded. Please pray for these young men. Zdenek left camp with a reading assignment in the book of John, which he was half done with less than a week later and wants to continue talking about it. He is one of the older children from the children's home, and has been to the camp several times. This year, he seemed so much more cynical for the early part of the week, so it is a great gift of God that his heart was softened again and that he is willing to continue to learn more about the hope that can be his in Christ. Vojta meets sometimes with a youth group in the Prague area, but he is struggling with understanding what God wants from him. He really needs a mentor in the faith. Please pray that we can help him find just that.
Coming up next...How many food joints can you hit in one day in a small village in the Czech Republic?
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