heads up on follow up

The boys tearing down after our Strak camp after party. Any kind of camp is great--it gathers people, encourages, motivates and often helps reveal a new vision for the following school year. Once classes start again, though, the CZ youth group team has to be wise about planning activities and energetic and loving enough to pursue individuals. Year long follow up is one of my fave things eva--I think about it constantly and am always trying to get better at it...please join with us in praying for the seeds from camps to keep germinating and the fruit to ripen!


Kuba and I during Alpha showing how Christ took on our sin and gave us His righteousness. In Strakonice, our follow up activities are Alpha for youth courses, sports afternoons, Bible reading and the faithfully random party/hang out/etc. When the school year starts, Strak will again host Monday English Clubs and VIP parties and most def small groups for the ladies AND the gents. In Pisek, English Club will be Wednesdays, smallish groups will be for sure, as well as basketball and soccer teams. And there are also parties happening at varius venues: mr's haus, Verca's garden, Iva and the girls' place.

Crossover 2010 Aug 2-5

"The Denver Nuggets." I am not an athlete. In spite of that, I ended up being a part of one of our church's basketball camps with the help of Crossover Int'l. My role, uh, yeah, role was to be a link between the boys and Pisek English club. I was assigned to the youngest boys team and had a blast. :)


Ondra talking, me translating. The boys practiced and did drills all morning, and from 1-2pm had "Bible hour" which consisted of games, songs, testimonies, a devo and small groups.


Guys leading their partners in English through the court for points. The last day of Crossover there was an optional basketball English club--the guys were great and we added lots of important vocab that day: "trash talking" "layup*" "rebound*" and the ever popular Southern slang "finna" (thanks Rod and Andre!). **both of which I now know in Czech!--dvoutak and odskok...maybe...


Vojta and Kuba were at Pisek English camp and Crossover--please pray that they and others like them find a true home in God's family!

Pisek English Camp :) July 17-24

On the hike with Marushka, one of my all time favorite people (even though she ruthlessly corrects my Czech :)


Cutie petuties Marketa, Dominka, Kamila, Julka. :*


Ivca's clasmate Bara came to camp for the first time and loved it--she's been hanging out with us ever since. Oh yeah, and Reid was there too :) As was the supercool team from Christ Community coming at us outta Elgin-ish IL! Bah BOOM!


Last day of camp--there was a lot of love up in that place!


The Sunday after camp we all headed to our church Elim. Dominika's holding our little Martin after the service was over and people were changing the sanctuary back into a basketball court.


Later that night we went to various restaurants to hang out and, mmm, eat. And take incriminating pictures. Here Zahry, Simon and Petr are looking tres intelligente at the Chinese fast food place. Love you Pisek!

campy with my Strakies: how it was

This year's camp was quite large, but in spite of that we somehow maintained a family atmosphere. Miss you cuties!!!


One day the ladies decided to give each other hand massages and pedicures, so the guys decided to take off their shirts and tackle each other...hence, VIP girls and Viking football met during free time, in mutual appreciation of each other (I think).


Lucka from the CZ team with Ryan from the intern team. We loved the intern team BonJon as well as the wonderful team from Cherry Hills, CO! Come back soon peeps!


Max and Majda. Max fell victim to the dart game and Majda's taking advantage of his frozen state. The dart game's peak glory day (that is, Tuesday) came fast, but we all carry fond memories of it.


Back in Strak, after camp, at the island. Petr, Leni, me, Zuzka, Petr F and Martin hovering like an angel, er, a falcon. ? Please pray that the truth heard and experienced will grow and bloom this school year!

The Cramers at camp!!! Eeeeee!!! :))

Danie taught English and did a GREAT job! They flew in Saturday and Sunday morning she had to dive right in, pushing aside the jet lag. Here she and her Colorado sidekick Aaron teach body parts. Dana was a champ: being a great mom, loving students, teaching, encouraging and even got to share her testimony!


Josh motivating his afternoon sports team. I thought Josh would have to spend more time keeping up on things back at the home office, so I was happy and blessed that he got to be with us and invest in our students, especially our young men.


The leader of the American team brought their 4 kids with them: Max, Miriam and Zeke had a blast playing with Hannah, Asher, Caiden and Hayes!


One of their favorite things to do was to play in the creek--that is, until the dry clothes ran out.


Zeke helped me teach English :)


I loved seeing the kids interact with our students. And our students were GREAT with them, even taking turns babysitting so the parents could teach English during the mornings. Here Miriam gets to hang out with Leni, who she knew from our trip to the States in 2007 :)


Hanging out at the Ellenwoods. I knew it would be great to have the Cramers there, but I had no idea how great. They blessed our camp, our students and me by the way they served selflessly and loved continually. It meant so much to me that they saw my world and got to meet people who are very important to me...and that my dear friends here could meet them...and that I got to be with the kids! Since they left, I've had these bittersweet flashbacks: going to the little store with Miriam and Zeke, doing the robot with Max, lunch at the Brno Ikea, talking late into the night with Dane and Josh, laughing with them and the Ellenwoods...thank you Cramers. I love you!