With this new weather, I am most excited about spending time with my class again in nature. In continuing our study of the five senses, we were able to go outside to practice "look." The students went on a scavenger hunt for outdoor items and described the items based on color, size, shape, material, and opinion. I noticed many of the students finished the scavenger hunt in record time with their partners, but they continued to wander around the backyard exploring the littlest items in nature - and I was more than happy to let them continue their exploring!
Outdoor Scavenger Hunt Review
We also practiced different ways to describe sounds we hear with the words loud, soft, squeaky, noisy, and rhythmic. The favorite activity that day was rotating instruments in our group circle to practice the different words on the various instruments. My personal favorite was when the class worked together to make a rhythmic beat, but I believe the kids' favorite was playing all the instruments together to create "noisy!"
Instrument Circle
Besides teaching a kids class and adult class each week, I have also started helping weekly at a Middle School in Boskovice. I have already met the 6th and 8th grades, and this week I should meet the 7th grade. I help an excellent English teacher at the school who loves the opportunity to give her students some experience with a native speaker. I am loving the time at the school too as I get to experience the Czech school system and meet many more students. This school is right across the street from our youth club in Boskovice, so I get to see some familiar faces and invite the students to come after school to continue conversations and play games with me at the club. Two weeks ago a small group of boys from the 6th class came to the club. The next week a small group of girls came with the boys and told me "the boys said it was a fun club, so we decided to come too!" I am very excited about the opportunity to build relationships with the teachers and students at this school.
The Middle School
The nice weather has brought our Letovice kids pouring into the club! One day last week we had close to 40 kids who came to the youth club in one day! However, it doesn't get crowed in the club room as the kids venture to the backyard, a nearby park, and to the pavement out front. Between those spaces and the bouncy castle in the main hall, it is not space that is the issue, but finding a child when you need him/her that proves to be the adventure. We also recently had a youth club with more girls than boys! It was tied for a while with the number of boys and girls, but our only girl half-leader came to bump the girls to first. I thought it was very fitting as my friend (the girl half-leader) was one of the only girls who came to club for the first few years; now she was the reason there were finally more girls. Meeting all the new little friends and remembering names is a practiced skill, but I am thankful for this gift of being able to get to know so many of the children in this city!
Foosball Fun
We worked together to color this intense Fuzzy Poster!
Kid's Bible Class is one of the many highlights of my week as I love watching this group of kids work together and lift praises up to the Lord. We have recently been practicing for a Bible competition the kids will go to in May. They must find verses in the Bible quickly and recall what we are learning throughout the book of Mark. Additionally, the kids will also be challenged in outdoor life skills - like following a compass, using a map, and tying a rope! Between practicing for the upcoming competition, we also play lots of team building activities. These are my favorite to plan for this group, but I also sometimes get the opportunity to plan the teaching. Last Friday, I taught on Mark 13. I related Jesus' second coming to the Lion King movie (a favorite movie here as well!). This connection especially connected when we listened to Scar singing "Be Prepared!" and looked at the scripture to see how we can be prepared for when Jesus will come again.
Team Building Activities
I was also asked to give the message at youth group that same Friday. I always find I learn more about the Bible passage when I am studying to teach it - I supposes the best learner is also the teacher! It was an uplifting chapter in Acts about Cornelius and Peter. Peter finds out that he and Cornelius are the same in God's eyes and God does not show favoritism. I knew this message was important for our youth group as some of our youth group come from the church, but a large portion of the group are those we met and built relationships with through Elim. To demonstrate Peter's realization, I asked the youth group to sit in a circle. In the middle of the circle, I poured out a huge tub of blocks from the nursery room. Then I said to the group, "take a block for each time you went to youth group this month, take a block for each time you went to Sunday service this month, take a block if you have been baptized, take a block for each member of your family who believes in God, etc." At the end, I told each person to build a tower with their blocks. Of course, all the towers were different sizes. I then explained that we can't do anything to make God love us more - He has NO favoritism! With that, I knocked over my tower and told all the others to follow suit. With a pile of what resembled Jericho in front of us, God gave me the words to conclude the lesson - "Doing all these things doesn't make God love us more, but it strengthens our love for God."
These next couple of weeks will be exciting as my former youth pastor/team leaders from Minnesota will be coming for a few days! While they are here, my parents and brother will also come to visit for a week! I am excited to be able to spend the time with all of them, to show them all God is doing here, and celebrate the days leading up to Easter with some of the most influential people in my life in my "storybook" home.
With My "Czech Family"