Transitions

Saturday ended the marathon of camps this summer. I had the privilege of being the English teacher for the advance class. A group of wonderful young adults who are not afraid to discuss some serious topics and who helped create many inside jokes with me. I also received the blessing of having Happy Birthday sung to me many times even though it wasn't my birthday. Apparently, my name reminded someone of a singing card that would say "EMILY! Happy Birthday to you!". Everyone was quite confused.

The reading material for the camp was The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis. In an attempt to keep everyone alive and alert, I suggested to Brian that we do a dramatic reading of the chapters in the evening. I didn't realize until 20 minutes before the reading was to occur that by suggesting this idea I was now the one in charge of it. The evening readings continued to go well with minor confusion that added to the charm of it all. It is such a blessing to be able to come together from all over the world to spend quality time with others.

I find myself in the midst of transition again as I gear up/discover what my fall schedule will look like. There are some really wonderful opportunities ahead of me for this fall but it's going to take some discernment to figure out what to agree to. A wise American pastor living in Switzerland told me that I will need to learn to say no so that I don't burn out. Something that the people pleaser in me finds hard to do at times.

These next couple of weeks are being spent discerning and filing for my visa renewal. All the paperwork is getting in order and I have my appointment with the Ministry of Interior Affairs on Wednesday next week. Prayers for a smooth visit and visa processing are most appreciated.

Camps, Camps, Camps, Retreat, Camps...

I woke up this morning in my flat in Praha and sighed. I didn't have to leave today for a camp! Time to rest before Saturday when I leave for the last English camp of the summer for me.

In mid July, I started this marathon of camps by helping with a City Camp in the Cerny Most area of Prague. I worked with an incredible team from Texas and the REACH Global team, along with some awesome Czechs to reach out to children in this neighborhood. Stumbling over the little Czech words that I know, and learning that games and laughter translate well across cultures, I began to become energized. I love spending time with people and now I was able to start a period of time where I would be surrounded by people. The City Camp was a success and we even had a few children accept Jesus.

The next week, I went off with the RZ Czech Brethren Church to the northern mountains for Family English Camp. Traveling with us were two woman from Iowa and a man from Texas who came to teach the adult English classes. I worked with another missionary to teach the elementary age children for the week. We had a lot of moments that called for adaptability and all of us were able to laugh and move on with life. I also taught some martial arts during the 3 days of rain. Our focus for the week was the story of the Prodigal son and my group of 10-12 year olds went from thinking the father was stupid for forgiving his son to believing that he wasn't stupid for forgiving his son. I loved watching the transformation and watching Christ work in my teammates and students. I was given the privilege to sing on the worship team in the evenings. We sang wholesome songs like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "We Will Rock You".

I then headed back to the Czech mountains for my Czech Church's retreat. Seven days with my church family in an incredible hotel that reminded me of a castle, with 5 awesome women sharing a room with me, and gorgeous weather. The focus of the week was on family and how to show Christ's love to one another. I didn't always have a translator but found ways to be filled through the talks. I even understood one whole sentence all by myself! It was a stretching time for me, having to use more Czech and be patient with communication. I began to get frustrated that I couldn't communicate at the level that I wanted to. Patience. Yet, the chance to connect with the young adults in my church was wonderful! We went on day trips together and had some deeper conversations. They were very supportive of me as I tried to communicate and pick a song to sing. I was asked to sing and play guitar for the group. It was lifegiving for me and to God be the glory! I am looking forward to singing more in the months ahead.

The most recent camp that I attended was a Young Life camp for all of the Czech Republic. I taught the first martial arts workshop. I loved it! I love working with other martial artists and seeing the students confidence grow as they begin to understand what they are doing. I had fantastic martial artists helpers and translator. The biggest challenge we faced was getting the girls in the class to be okay with hitting a person. Well success was found when one girl kicked our helper, Michal, through a slightly opened door causing some bleeding. Michal and I were grinning from ear to ear. There was a group of 30 Americans from all over there to assist with the camp. It was a rough transition from me to come from a place where I was the only American to having 30 of them around me! But I'm thankful for this experience in many ways. One way is having some much needed processing time with long term missionaries in Europe as well as being an American with the group from California. As a staff, we focused on building relationships and interceding for other leaders and the campers. The camp is still going on! Prayers are more than welcomed!

God continues to show me small ways that He is working. It's humbling that He choosing to use a broken vessel like me to accomplish His plans.

Bed Rest?! What?!

The past 8 days I have been on "bed rest" due to a sinus and respiratory infection. Loaded with medicines and a now clear schedule I thought to myself "what am I going to do for 7-10 days at home?" I was fortunate to be asked to stay at a missionary family's flat and to look after their cats during most of this time. Oh sure I have tasks that I could be doing, long awaited skype calls to complete, English camp preparations to get started on, etc. Plenty of tasks to complete. Yes I did do some of these things...but I mainly chilled with God. We would have 4 or 5 hour dates just digging into His Word, playing guitar, journaling, praying, reading the book Radical (ahem you should read this book). I would have a mind blowing God moment, then send skype a message to Amber or Marsha and go back to talking with God. During the first few days of this retreat/bed rest time, my friend Amber was in the same boat as me being stuck at home. But God used her yet again in powerful ways to speak into my life, remind me of truths that I should be claiming, and being a companion for me via skype. What an incredible retreat I've been having. Only a few days left but wow! This was definitely needed. I'm sad to say this, but sometimes I need to be hit with some form of sickness before I give God the time He deserves. Don't you hate that? And for those deeply concerned, I am feeling better. I still get tired easily but I am praying that in the next few days to be back to my normal perky self.

During one of these mornings in the middle of journaling my thoughts and questions to God my cell phone rang. After a nice chat with a Young Life leader, I am now going to be teaching a martial arts workshop at a camp the first week of August. This is the idea that God tapped me with when I first heard about EMM's ideas for ministry in the CZ, reaching out to youth via different clubs. It's becoming reality after 3 months! Praise God! I'm so excited and believe that a huge door has been flung wide open for me to continue a martial arts club for the remainder of my time here in Prague. More details to be worked out at a later date.

Next week I start my marathon of English camps, church retreat, and martial arts workshop. Five weeks total of being in and out of Prague. It's what we do here during the summer holiday months. The first English camp will be held in the city. I've never done an English camp before and find myself a bundle of nerves and excitement of what this will look like. I'm anticipating watching God move in the next 5 weeks.

One Door Closes & Another One Opens

The past few weeks since Germany have been incredible! I have enjoyed digging into 1 John at English Bible Study with my Czech brothers and sisters in Christ. We've begun to explore what it means to be a child of God. We discuss each week the ways that we have witnessed or extended Christ's love throughout the week. I love these discussions and the reminders of the little ways God moves in our lives everyday.

I was able to spend a full day at my host mom's flat with her and her friend, Paul because of a public transportation strike. She was still working from home and I was working on things too, but we took 2 hours for lunch and coffee, conversation, fellowship.

I've spent time with Czech friends, investing into each other, getting to know each other, opening up. That is the sweetest part about being here! The people. I have had Chinese food twice in one week with different people. I joined a group of artists from the Czech and America for supper after an art exhibit. I joined an American missionary family and their friend from the states on an exploration of Podebrady, a smaller town outside of Prague known for it's crystal making. I've helped out with coffee and tea time after church. After Mladez on Thursdays we all go to McDonalds and continue fellowshipping, me trying to figure out what is being said in Czech and having conversations in English too.

I also closed one chapter of my time here this weekend. On my 3 month mark of being in Prague I moved out of my host mom's flat and into ETS (Evangelical Theological Seminary). I'm living in a flat for the next 2-3 months until Stacy, the EMM long term missionary, arrives at the end of August. I was blessed with help in moving and even though I have more cleaning to do feel quite settled in my new home. It is another chapter of adjusting to life here in the CZ.

Two times this week at church, God has spoken very clearly. Maty led the program at Mladez on Thursday. He had us go around and share how we see God's creation. There are many things that I could have said and I choose to say the sunrise and sunset. But upon further reflection, I would say I see God's creation through laughter. Laughter is a way of expressing joy. It's a universal language, an ice breaker, a chance for us to bond over something humorous. "a time to laugh" says Ecclesiastes 3:4. I love hearing laughter and...well...laughing myself. Isn't it incredible? God made our languages diverse but still gave us ways to communicate without words?

The second time God spoke clearly this week was on Sunday. A guest pastor spoke from 1 John 1. To be in the light we need to be intimate with the Father. He shared from his on faith journey of finding God. I love the image of pursuing God that he used: "All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him. The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. 'Have you see the one my heart loves?' Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go." -Song of Songs 3:1-4a. Wow...that's an intimate relationship with God. When was the last time you or I searched that passionately for God?

Oh! look at...wait...re-focus...We fix our eyes on Jesus

An enlightening thought...sometimes Jesus just wants me to be alone, with him. I'm in the middle of my short time here in Germany visiting another mission intern who is also a dear friend to me. We went to an international church youth group Friday night. The pastor talked about the passage in Genesis where Jacob wrestles with God and doesn't give up until he receives the blessing. For his identity to be changed into the one that God has deemed for him. "If you wanna get blessed, you gotta fight. And when you fight, you're gonna get wounded." Hard times come but they build our faith, character, and remind us that we have a God who is greater than the troubles of this world. I've realized that even though I am enjoying my time in Prague it has been a very challenging 2 and 1/2 months for me. There have been many times where I felt swamped by the weight of not knowing where to turn to or what ministries to be involved in. There have been events or situations happening with friends & family that make me long to see them. To be there physically to walk with them. As I cry out to God for strength I realized that although I spend time alone, I'm not seeking him as much as I should or thought that I was. I'm not engaging in the fight that God has set out before me. We entered a time of worship. I felt the freedom to dance and sing praises to my Father! I was able to sing out God's name in Czech which was a heartfelt prayer for me. I felt the presence of God walking with me through Old Town Square, Letna Park, Mala Strana. Hand in hand we went.

I know that hard times will continue, that I will have to look back on this many times, that I'll stumble and fall. I'm human. But I also am the daughter of the true King. The King that looks on me with love and picks me up, dusts off my clothes, and says "it's ok. I love you. try again."

Sometimes Jesus just wants to be alone with us, so that we can know His voice...

English...no wait Czech...oh shoot that's Spanish

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind and at the center of it has been an intensive beginner's Czech language course at the Caledonian School. Monday-Friday, 9am-12:15pm I could be found in a room off of Narodni Tria, a few blocks from the National Theatre with 8 other students learning Czech. All of us from different regions of the world and learning Czech for different reasons. For myself there were moments of laughter, frustration and holding back tears when teh words wouldn't come out right, and moments of shear satisfaction and joy when I was able to communicate and understand. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that my Spanish came back very quickly to my brain. If I coulsn't find the word in my heard in Czech the Spanish word came flying in. Luckily, I didn't blurt out any Spanish words during class.

I am discovering that I can comprehend Czech better than I can speak it. And I was thrilled when I had to ask for directions in Czech, received them in Czech and understood the entire exchange. My Mladez (the young adults at the church) friends don't let me quit my Czech language learning. Every Thursday you could find us talking and me attempting to remember what I learned that day, or me trying to figure out what page number the song is on in the songbook. You could also find my workbook being passed around and laughed at. Then the moment comes when I remember what I learned and begin to slowly speak it. Bodies are leaned in to hear the Czech words stubble out of my moth and my face turns redder and redder as I speak until I am glowing red. Gentle voices correct and encourage me. What a blessing!

"The Cupid Shuffle" Can Help You Remember Your Directions!

Dobry den! (Good day!) Time has been flying since Easter two weeks ago. Much has happened but I will try to just hit the highlights.
Marta's son and daughter-in-law came into Prague the last weekend in April. It was wonderful to meet them and I was blessed by their visit. We went to Vsyehrad to see the gardens and cemetery. We then proceeded to Starbucks. This was my first time to Starbucks since arriving in Prague and I learned that Prague is the only place in the Czech Republic who has Starbucks. We continued to visit other gardens in Prague. It is incredible to me (and a blessing) that I can be in the middle of the city yet feel like I'm in the woods. There are gardens near Prague Castle that are definitely worth visiting should you ever find yourself in Prague.
Our church last week celebrated the 60th wedding anniversary of a couple! Flowers were presented to the couple and they repeated their wedding vows to each other. It was beautiful! I teared up a little as I sat there thinking about how rare it is to see a couple married for 60 years. I'm glad I was able to witness this occasion.
This week I began my Czech language study this week. It is a 3 week intensive course that meets every morning for 3 hours Monday through Friday. There are 9 of us in the class from all over the globe. Our teacher is very patient with us and dynamic. She normally has me laughing within the first hour of class. I have learned how to ask questions to clarify something, formal and informal ways of asking questions and greeting people, numbers, how to give directions, and what buildings are called (i.e. theatre, store). I was studying my direction words on the metro one morning on the way to class and thought of the song "The Cupid Shuffle". During my time at HDC as a participant, we would have dance parties to this song. The dance has you take 4 steps to the right, 4 steps to the left, 4 kicks to the front, and then you do the twist as you turn around. So I began to sing in my head vpravo (right), vlevo (left), for the kicks I sing nahore (up), dole (down) and repeat and then for the twist I sing uprostred (center). It's quite fun and hey it helps me remember my directions! Overall lanugage study has been fun but exhausting. However, I'm enjoying that I can understand more of what others are saying around me. I'm also enjoying the opportunity to speak to my Czech friends in Czech even if it doesn't last very long. They are also willing to teach me more vocabulary words which is good.
I had the privilege to teach 5th grade at an international school in the afternoons this week. It was wonderful to work with the kids and be able to practice teaching skills because I know that sometime this year I will find myself in a classroom teaching English.
God continues to remind me that I am His. I am learning as my schedule gets busier that it is important to take time to listen to what He has to say to me. In my moments of exhaustion, He tells me that I'm His beloved daughter and I feel an overwhelming sense of peace and gratitude.