Perhaps you have seen the picture "A Dog's Diary vs. A Cat's Diary." In the picture, the dog has written the time with each activity he does during the day. Each activity is prefaced with "YAY!" and followed by "My favorite thing!" (7:00 Yay! Breakfast! My favorite thing!; 7:30 Yay! A Walk! My favorite thing! etc.). The cat's diary, antagonistically opposite begins with "Day 983 of my captivity..." and further explains all the failed attempts to successfully accomplish anything meaningful during the day.
During this time of country-wide quarantine, I spend my days thinking like "Dog" - everything is exciting. (8:00 Yay! Coffee! My favorite thing!; 8:30 Yay! Reading! My favorite thing!; 9:30 Yay! Devotions and Prayer! My favorite thing! 10:30 Yay! A Hike! My favorite thing!... etc.) As the day concludes, I become "Cat." I keep a running list of the days - it had started to keep track of all the new changes and all that I am able to accomplish in the days, as many of you read the week before. Without any new law changes and very repetitious days, the last entry on the list currently says "Quarantine Day 40: went on a walk to the park this afternoon, rain and dreary morning. Finished another book."
To bring you quickly up to speed with what you missed in the last 20 days:
- I've finished three more books.
- I go on a walk/hike or bike ride nearly everyday.
- We are asked to wear disposable gloves in the markets.
- Government has created a five-step plan to slowly begin opening places if all goes well next month.
In quarantine, ministry and connecting with the kids looks very different than what we are traditionally used to here, though it isn't at all absent! Each day, I spend some time writing with a handful of club kids, sometimes playing games like Connect4 or Guess Who? through messaging. Twice a week, I send out club challenges for the kids to complete to win "club points" - the students respond with a picture showing how they completed the tasks. Each week, we have video calls with the Youth Group (and sometimes with the Connect Girls). With the nice weather, I have been out on walks and bike trips each day, and as I make rounds through the city, I call a youth student who is at home studying just to wave from the window or talk across the yard for a couple minutes. It is amazing to see how God is still using this time - His time - to continue connecting with the kids and youth.
Enjoy the following pictures from my camera roll these past weeks.
My Easter Bunny :)
The Catholic Youth Group put up an "Easter Prayer Walk". It was a beautiful Palm Sunday to walk and pray looking for the crosses.
As a child, I often climbed a tree to read... and I couldn't stop myself on this nice day!
The blooming trees!
With Letovice built in a valley, the hiking hills around here give spectacular views.
A bike trip to the lake!
Church "coffee time" on Sunday.
Video calling and listening to these little readers!
Spontaneous youth calls
youth group online
Club at home challenge pictures
Playing Connect4 with a club student via messenger.