February 2022

Winter Retreat

At the beginning of the month, we were able to take a group of 30 of the youth kids to the mountains on a quick weekend retreat.  As Covid numbers were high in Czech at the start of February, we didn't know if Winter Retreat would be possible, but there was so much interest from the students!  We made sure everyone was healthy (though we missed a handful of kids who were quarantined that week), and went to the mountain cabin for a three-day trip.  It was refreshing to see all the youth kids together.  Some of the students hadn't been at youth groups for a really long time because of all the lockdowns Czech experienced these past couple years.  While many of these youth students are at very different walks in life (from graduated and working all the way down to middle school students) and coming from a couple different cities, we were joyously pleased that they all interacted together in games at the cabin, on the slopes, and evenings during programs.  It has been fun to see how their bonds have continued into clubs and youth group gatherings even after retreat!  I know many of the students are already looking forward to returning next year. 

The Winter Retreat Gang

I've really missed riding these slopes with the youth group and was so happy to be back this year! 

Winter Retreat Video is always my favorite to make! 

English Class - Level 1 

Class Picture

There were a few weeks my translator and I were worried we may not have enough students for games at English Class as Covid, colds & fevers, stomach bug, and chicken pox made its way through the class during the start of the new year.  (Thankfully, my amazing translator always jumps in the games when we need another player!) We have been happily surprised the past few weeks with how full classes have been again as the spring-like weather brings new energy to the students.  My favorite part is watching them build friendships with each other and encourage each other in this class.  It is the core to English Class - developing confidence - and it is so fun for me to watch these young students boost the confidence in their classmates through encouragement.

They are always asking for more "movement" games, and I am always happy to create more!  Just trying to snap a picture while they are all moving can create some difficulties. 

Working together in team games

English Class - Level 2

We've been working on more conversation grammar in Level 2 English Class.  The students continue to pick up on new rules (and exceptions) quickly as they practice English.  This group is quick to help each other and also quite competitive!  It is fun to see how these two skills work together in different games and activities.  The most exciting is watching many of the students become more bold in class as they step out to try new games, speak in front of the class, and some are even beginning to give me tips for what to add to next lessons!  I'm always so proud of their progress and determination.

Connecting Conjunctions

Piggie is always a great support partner for a game

Little Linguists

Working on matching letters

The Littles are now quite familiar with the space at Elim, with each other, and with me.  They come running into the room with smiles and waves!  They've started developing friendships as they follow each other and share their toys and snacks.  I love when they come to sit on my lap, pull my hand to show me a toy, and start singing songs that we've learned at Little Linguists.  (Often they are just singing the tune, but the moms and I are able to figure out which song they want to sing.  Soon, the toddlers will be running the class without me!)  The moms are always so excited to see what new games I have prepared for the Littles each week and how they can replicate the same activities at home.  I try to make sure the activities I have in relation to theme are ones can recreate at home or add onto throughout the week. 

(1) helping little brother on the bridge. (2) magnet fishing! 

Little helpers :) 

Letovice Club

Our kids at Letovice club are coming so consistently that when one is missing, we are writing and calling them to make sure everything is okay.  It is wonderful getting to know these kids deeper as they come each week to club and are developing stronger friendships with each other and gaining lots of leadership skills.  We added to our team of half-leaders this month with four awesome young leaders.  They have already proven to have great tournament ideas, help around the building, and encourage their friends to come join us at club! 

Surprisingly, all the students who joined me and the other leader were all boys on this club day!  They were feeling competitive, so we played multiple rounds of Kahoot! Quizzes and then Ping-Pong.  When there is candy as an incentive, I think these kids are competitive in anything!

Team meeting with new half-leaders in Letovice

Boskovice Club

The club kids in Boskovice have two modes - 1) a constant blur of movement, or, 2) in the same position for the duration of club.  There is so much to do at the Boskovice club center that many kids jump between games of basketball, foosball, ping-pong, billiards pool, and air-hockey; simply rotating among the games.  The kids are also really clever at starting games of their own like chase and hide-n-seek.  With these kids, the second I take a break, one of them will come and ask "what will we play now?" or "can you play again with us?" so the other leaders and I often tag-team this energetic group!  The other type of kids arrive to club, scout out the perfect spot on the sofa or at the game table, and are content there in conversations with friends and leaders for quite a long time.  It is never dull at club with these kids!

Lots of energy!

Velke Opatovice Club

While the first couple months after opening our new youth club center in Velke Opatovice felt like we were simply trying to remember the names of all the kids, we are now beginning to develop deeper friendships with them.  It is fun to see the same kids returning week after week and excited to play games and competitions together.  At the start of opening the center, there was a lot of patience in teaching the kids how to hit a ping-pong, rules for billiards pool, tactically moving the players in foosball, and the cleverness of Mafia (we are still working on this one...).  Now, it is really a lot of fun as the kids are getting better each week at the different games and getting to know us more too.  I always look forward to my time with this group of kids. 

Winning a foosball tournament

Kid's Bible Club

Our little Pirates at Kid's Bible Club are having fun learning new games and challenging themselves.  While the group is still pretty small, we are glad the kids feel comfortable with us and are excited for the programs.  We are especially excited for how we can continue to invest into this group and grow in the future!

A fun game of Go Fish

When the youth kids arrive early and we need more players for a Kid's Club game, they actively join in!  Even noticing our pirate hats and quickly putting them on before beginning the game.

Youth Group

We as leaders sometimes wonder on Fridays if we are having youth group or club because the start of youth group looks so similar to clubs - the same kids, the same games, background music - and then after 15 minutes, the students begin to gather the sofas and armchairs in a circle and chose a place for our program time.  Watching this group come together each week and discussing the topic is teaching us all so much and it carries through the week as these same students and leaders come together at clubs and in school classrooms.  I am very excited about the bonds these students are creating together.

Youth group game time!

Mission Church 

Watching the kids at Mission Church develop a close friendship is one of my favorite parts of Sunday mornings.  They are best friends and there seems to be a lot of negotiating with the kids when church finishes to go home because these little kids want to spend as much time as they can together.  I am often reminded of my childhood and the deep friendships I had at church also.  Our Mission Church joined the Main Church for Sunday morning service this past week, and it was great to see everyone together.  The encouragement and support is so needed as we all desire to share God's love with the community.

This lovely woman is essentially everyone's grandma.  Not only is she relationally connected to nearly everyone in the church, but she intentionally knows everyone - she always calls me by name, so I also call her "granny" like everyone else does.  She chatted with me as these two bubbly preschoolers sat on my lap making silly pictures on my phone, and then we decided it was the perfect time for a selfie :) 

*Regarding the War in Ukraine*

In Czech, we are safely protected under NATO, and currently not worried about the war coming here.  We do have a high number of Ukrainians living in Czech - it is the largest minority in Czech (sometimes considered second largest after Slovakians, but since Czech and Slovakia were once a connected country, many of the Slovakians who live in Czech have been here since before the split of Czechoslovakia).  There are multiple students I work with at my youth club are Ukrainian and have relatives in Ukraine.  A couple of my club kids were even in Ukraine visiting relatives just weeks before the invasion.  Because of the high number of Ukrainians already living in Czech, Czech is helping many refugees who have fled over the borders.  We are planning how to help more with this situation as a community, church, and through ELIM.  Please continue to pray for Ukraine!