After talking with some relatives who had been on furlough many times before, they suggested splitting my time into thirds - rest, intentional personal growth and development, and ministry outreach. Not knowing how to exactly organize my schedule, I simply began creating a new routine, and was surprised at how I felt each of these three categories were equally represented throughout the weeks. Now, looking back on the time in Minnesota, I know I couldn't have planned the time better if I would have had months in advance for planning. God knew it all and had already prepared it!
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Some of my favorite moments I have spent back in the states were with these 7th and 8th grade girls in a discussion group. I have had so much fun getting to know the girls and seeing how God placed them in each others' lives to encourage and build each other up. Each time we had a discussion, I was in awe of the atmosphere that would bounce between seriousness and errupting giggling as quick as a snap of fingers. Our openner question for the girls last week was something along the lines of "What was a surprise that made you super excited?" The first girl in our circle said, "Any time anyone gives me food, I get really excited!" The question got passed around the circle as the girls explained the excitement of getting a puppy, the anticipation waiting for a little sibling to be born, and joy in spending memorable time with friends. The last girl in our circle had only started with, "Once, at Thanksgiving..." before the first girl jumped in exclaiming, "Yay! FOOOD!" All the girls and leaders busted laughing! I suppose it are those spontaneous giggle-fits that I will remember most with this group.
If you were to look back to my blogpost from April 11, 2019, you would find a nearly identical photo of star beads ornamenting shoelaces. A couple years back, I met a friend from Michigan who told me her track coach used to give out star beads as a reward for winning races. The winners proudly displayed their beads on their shoelaces and throughout the school, it was known that those who had stars on their shoelaces had won the race. In 2019, when I shared this story with my Connect Girls (Girl's Bible Study), I explained that the Bible says we are all running God's race together. So, I gave all the girls beads to put on their shoes as an image of us all running the race together (1 Corinthians 9:24). I found a handful of star beads as I was cleaning out some craft supplies while in MN and knew I had to share the same story with the 7th and 8th grade discussion group. They were even more thrilled when I told them that their sisters-in-Christ in Czech (whom they have never met) had matching stars on their shoelaces too! They are running the race together - on opposite sides of the ocean for now, but someday I hope they will all get to do ministry together.
I also eagerly looked forward to time with a high school youth group each week during my time in Minnesota. The fun part about this group was that the majority of these high school students were kids I babysat 10 years ago! 10 years ago when I started going to Czech on short-term mission trips, they were the kids in Sunday School who were curious and asking what it means to be a missionary. Some of them have spent their childhoods praying for the kids I work with to know God's love personally. You can imagine how fun it was for me to join them over these past few months in Youth Group! It was great to see them all diving into God's Word together and encouraging each other. This group is reading through the Bible this year (Genesis - Revelations), and I loved seeing how God is growing in each of these students as they spend time daily in Scripture! While many of the youth students I work with in Czech didn't grow up in the church and don't have a background for daily Bible reading, it is my prayer that we can have the same experience in Czech as I did with this high school group.
As I am getting ready to travel back to Czech, there are many factors in place. With current world situations and restrictions on travel, there are some extra hoops I need to jump through, but I know it will be worth it to be back with the kids again. While some of them still log onto our online Kid's Clubs, many of the kids are waiting until we can all meet back in person. We are hopeful that restrictions will lessen in Czech in the next couple months and that we can jump back into our traditional routines. Until then, I should be able to meet with students individually and begin preparing for regular activities. (As well as be more active in connecting online with the students being in the same timezone.) We're not completely certain how things will continue to pan out, but I know some of these kids need me back in Czech - just to know I'm across town feels to these kids that things are little more normal, and some kids have been looking forward to a piece of American candy for the past 6 months. With everything else being taken away from them, it is one little thing they are holding onto, and I'm happy to bring a little joy to them. It has been nothing short of an adventure, but in a sense, that's the only way many of us can describe this year anyway.
Some fun times with club kids online!