english camp #2: Vikyrovice Camp

hello.

old friends 

one of the best parts of this week of camp was that there were so many people returning from last year [czech students, czechs from the youth group, american youth group]. this is pretty much a recipe for a great camp relationally...and it was. two things left a mark on me: a greater appreciation for how czech's process thoughts and ideas [i was asked many interesting questions this week]...and a beautiful picture of the intellectual process [though often long] of coming to accept God [and how it ends up not even being answered by our own intelligence].

new friends 

pavla, krista, terka

art with eva

goodbye.

one thing i've been loving at the end of our weeks of camp...being able to say "i'll see you in the fall!" thank you so much for your support. know that i am so greatful to be able to stay here and do ministry beyond the summer. i can't believe there is only a few more weeks of our summer ministry left, but i'm so looking forward to spending more time with these students in the coming months!!

haggai

i've been reading/studying the old testament book of haggai this past week and half after hearing someone refer to a certain verse as a way God led her to leave america to do ministry in czech...

haggai 1:4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"

haggai is a book about delayed obedience [that of the Jews at the time, in rebuilding the Temple, to be exact] and about making your own life cushy while "the house of the Lord" lies in ruins. something i was feeling as i prepared to come to czech was this looming expectation as a young college grad to go and "make a living"...go and find success...go and create security for myself. these things aren't bad necessarily and i couldn't even tell you where these expectations really came from. but what i DO know is this: the LORD who made this whole world fulfills ALL my needs for security and success. and i know this: there is a country that is filled with darkness and a deep need for God to restore them and bring them hope...and God is in the process of doing just that.

so, here i am. even though sometimes i really do want my silly paneled house, i ask God to keep reminding me that one day in His house is better.

yes? no?

language barriers can surely be frustrating...but i try to be amused by them as often as possible : )

one great one in the conflict between english and czech language is the word "yes". in czech, yes is "ano". sometimes though, people choose to not use the "a". it's true..."no" now means "yes". this past week at camp, i taught a beginner level english class, so this became really interesting as sometimes they would answer in english, sometimes in czech. a few times, one girl would get nervous [understandably] if i asked her a question without a translator around. i would ask something like, "did you like the food?" she would answer "no." i would usually just smile and nod, not really knowing which answer she was really giving. sometimes though,  she would correct herself... "did you like the food?" "no...no, uh... yes? yes." [cue the nervous hand gestures and dash to the other side of the room]. i love it and totally understand [for example, every time i forget to put a price sticker on my apples at the supermarket and then panic  when they say something to me at the register--cue majorly nervous hand gestures and a dash to the other side of the store].

camp pictures!

   me, lucka, and paja. (one of my favorite parts of the week= talking with lucka on our hike...reminded me of why i'm here and why i love czech students)
autumn, aubrey, jen, me, and cassie in front of an old church
   cute little nelly during face painting
       my english class of all girls on "hollywood" day...wearing awesome wigs so we'd be ready    for the red carpet!
                                                          our camp location

please continue to pray for the students that heard about God this week. pray that they'd continue to connect with the czech christians...