ya that didnt work... still not able to import pics...
just want to update while i have a minute... camp is going great. today we didnt actually have english class but took all the kids on a field trip. we went to a lighthouse that was about 300 years old. we all (about 60 people) stood in line for over an hour to get the chance to walk up 220 steps to the top. it was quite the workout for our calves.. but the view was incredible. i stuck my arm over the edge to take a picture of the people down below... i couldnt actually LOOK over... it was raining all day so our beach trip was cancelled. we brought all of our stuff back to the church (it was Hawaiian theme night) and had the activities inside... so fun.
tomorro is back to class time... then we teach for three more days....
we actually loved the rain and played and danced (they taught us a new dance .. a danish dance...) in the rain. big suprise for us !! was that they had a 4th of July celebration for us.. they had us sing the national anthem and then they brought out two huge cakes decorated like American flags..... SO cool..... it was special... they really know how to show us the love.. they feed us very well every day too... (though it is very different than we're used to).
well... love to all.....
God is SO present here with us... when we are weak, He is strong... when we are failing.. He is Succeeding... i am feeling His presence every day....... we are so blessed! i'm too exhausted to write too much right now... but wanted to touch base...
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Monday, July 2, 2007
actually teaching...
wow!!! TODAY - as every day - was fun! and CRAZY.. and exhausting... today was the first day of class... yesterday we had the students register and did placement testing to see what level class they would be in.. we have 54 students..!! and i think 6 classes.. then we had a full afternoon/evening of music, games, skits, videos and loudness ! they really loved it.. then we broke up into our class groups to get to know each other... (i was really intimidated... i have advanced and they really are.. ) it went very well and we all felt better after getting our feet wet.. this morning they came back for actual class.... this is what we prepared for !! and boy were we prepared! haha... of course, we had no idea what it would really look like till we got started... it was great... all of the teachers (me, too) and all of our students are really loving it!! we feel very much at home here, and the language barrier is not as scarey as it was .. we are learning some Polish (the Polish students and youth from the church love teachign it to us and laughing at our pronunciation... there are so many consonants) .. i know that our actual teach time will go by SO quickly now.... we are already wishing we had longer. we are just finishing up today... after starting 13 (14) hours ago... pretty much nonstop hangin out and being ACTIVE...... LOL.... if i dont lose weight on this trip it will be ---- well... lets just say i wont be happy... we are walking what seems to be miles and miles every day and climbing steps multiple times a day, and ... DANCING a lot! (that mostly means jumping around for me...) i'm pretty wiped out today and we are going to get back and get an early night tonight... that means about midnight if we are lucky.
tonight was cowboy theme night... we actually brought 6 large cans of chili from AZ ... we brought about 70 cowboy hats.. tons of bandanas...the works... they have quite a picture of Arizona now! it was a smash hit teaching them line dancing! so many tight friendships are being made.. the Poles are seeking out their Ameircan friends when they come in the door.
thank you so much for prayer.... God has been TRULY blessing our time here... it is SO exciting to see our students reaching out and loving on the Polish students.. some of the students felt stressed and nervous about coming but after about the first hour.. they were playing 4square or spoons or learning new dances or learning slang from our students, or just talking to each other and definitely having fun... some of the classes are challenging.. like the beginners -- Dustin is teacing the beginner class.. and the students dont speak ANY english.. but he and our students are doing great with them... its so nice to watch how God works... Megan has an intermediate level class and she also needs to have an interpreter in the class, as her students are not that willing (or able) to speak and understand much. she came out of her classroom with a huge smile and has had great success already.
One of the best things is that i have been told by so many of the people here (Daniel and Iwona who are the missionaries here, Peter and Monika who are the Youth Pastor and his wife, and many of the Polish families that we have met here) that this is such a blessing and they are so impressed with our students! They cant believe how engaged the students are and how much love they are showing every student they come in contact with... they are also so respectful and polite and friendly --- what a compliment to Highlands and our students' parents !!! truly ... praise God.
we have been eating like kings... more of God's abundant blessings. two of the women who have been helping out and spending time here invited to spend the night at their flat... i'm honored... and i'm hoping maybe the last night here, i can do that.
We are thankful every day that we are here and that we are part of this camp... also.. i am sleeping through the nights.. (of course they are very short.. it gets dark around 10 or later and light very early...) we get to bed between 1-2 and up by 7. so thank you again for your prayers.
well.. we're getting out of here soon... sorry i cant put any pics on .. i am hoping to be able to tomorro night.. if i can find the connection thingy somewhere in town.
tonight was cowboy theme night... we actually brought 6 large cans of chili from AZ ... we brought about 70 cowboy hats.. tons of bandanas...the works... they have quite a picture of Arizona now! it was a smash hit teaching them line dancing! so many tight friendships are being made.. the Poles are seeking out their Ameircan friends when they come in the door.
thank you so much for prayer.... God has been TRULY blessing our time here... it is SO exciting to see our students reaching out and loving on the Polish students.. some of the students felt stressed and nervous about coming but after about the first hour.. they were playing 4square or spoons or learning new dances or learning slang from our students, or just talking to each other and definitely having fun... some of the classes are challenging.. like the beginners -- Dustin is teacing the beginner class.. and the students dont speak ANY english.. but he and our students are doing great with them... its so nice to watch how God works... Megan has an intermediate level class and she also needs to have an interpreter in the class, as her students are not that willing (or able) to speak and understand much. she came out of her classroom with a huge smile and has had great success already.
One of the best things is that i have been told by so many of the people here (Daniel and Iwona who are the missionaries here, Peter and Monika who are the Youth Pastor and his wife, and many of the Polish families that we have met here) that this is such a blessing and they are so impressed with our students! They cant believe how engaged the students are and how much love they are showing every student they come in contact with... they are also so respectful and polite and friendly --- what a compliment to Highlands and our students' parents !!! truly ... praise God.
we have been eating like kings... more of God's abundant blessings. two of the women who have been helping out and spending time here invited to spend the night at their flat... i'm honored... and i'm hoping maybe the last night here, i can do that.
We are thankful every day that we are here and that we are part of this camp... also.. i am sleeping through the nights.. (of course they are very short.. it gets dark around 10 or later and light very early...) we get to bed between 1-2 and up by 7. so thank you again for your prayers.
well.. we're getting out of here soon... sorry i cant put any pics on .. i am hoping to be able to tomorro night.. if i can find the connection thingy somewhere in town.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Koszalin
hey this will be quick.... we're in Koszalin and it is awesome !!! we ALL feel so much better today after a great night's sleep! i actually slept about 7 hours --- straight !! we have met the Polish youth group and they are really really nice... our students are so good at mingling around and making friends already... very cool. we have had a long day and are going out for ice cream right now on our way back to our sweet digs... very nice, clean, comfy. check out this pic ----from Krakow --
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
we're here...
ok.. this may work. i'm on a polishcomputer and guessing where things go... we have arrived and had a great (and long) day today (well, it started, of course, yesterday --- i think). please pray harder for my rest --- i havent slept yet. .. haha.. well, actually i did get 2 hours early this morning from 6-8. its now 10:30pm i think.
quick travel update... flight from Phoenix to London delayed a little.. no prob... arrive London, get bags take train to terminal 1... find out flight from London to Warsaw is delayed, will misconnection . spend about an hour -- (really more like 2 or 10?) getting rebooked... arrive Warsaw -- ? o'clock (10? 11?) .. collect our bags (thank you Lord for arrival of ALL our bags).. board a buss (nice with airconditioning and sandwiches) to Krakow...
here is what i wrote last night (this morning?) on the bus...
As i sat on teh step on the floor next to our bus driver Remi, so many thoughts cam into my mind. i went up there to talk to him about 3;40 in the morning as he was driving us from Warsaw to Krakow... we still had almost 2 hours to go and i got the feeling he was probably as tired as the passengers he was charged with transporting. So i thought some friendly conversation would be a good pass-time for us both. He had told Josh earlier that he knew olnly very little english. This would be a challenge for me as i know ZERO Polish and ZERO German. we muddled through a hilarious conversation (which you can ask Megan about -- she got a big laugh out of my part in the convo --- i was pretty excited when our words connected and we understood each other). i told him it was BEAUTIFUL here (yes, it was already starting to get light) adn very GREEN. we talked about the SUN coming up, in the EAST.. that we were driving SOUTH. i asked him if there were ANIMALS.. YES WOLF, FOX, DEER.. we chatted about where he lived, where he has traveled, the weather, (rains alot).. ok so after i went back to my seat, i was thanking God that we were able to converse (he seemed to like the company). and i was thinking about the day of Pentacost. i truly believe God still gives us words to say and understanding of words in our own way for His purpose. Meaning that if our words and conversations are glorifying and honoring of Him - that convo transcends language. He allwos the bond of minds and thoughts. i really think that is So Awesome - and i'm so excited to see that happen again when we are building relationships, lovin on, giving of ourselves in service to Him while interacting with the Polish students. Lord, i pray our hearts and minds and words will be pleasing to you, an dthat you will use us in your miraculous way to convey your message. That our words will not be our own, but yours. i'm not trying to redefine or spout incorrect theology - i'm just saying God is Great.
ok.. so i typed this from what i wrote this morning... it may not may a whole lot of sense, but heay.. it was after many hours of sleeplessness....
the students, i know, were able to sleep on the planes and bus rides... and wheile very tired this morning.. are doing great! we had a few hours after arrival this morning to rest .. then breakfast.. then some training meetings.. in the afternoon we went into the Krakow town square.. a FUN time was had by all... great food.. some shopping.. and tight friendships.
tomorro - more!
love and hugs,
k
quick travel update... flight from Phoenix to London delayed a little.. no prob... arrive London, get bags take train to terminal 1... find out flight from London to Warsaw is delayed, will misconnection . spend about an hour -- (really more like 2 or 10?) getting rebooked... arrive Warsaw -- ? o'clock (10? 11?) .. collect our bags (thank you Lord for arrival of ALL our bags).. board a buss (nice with airconditioning and sandwiches) to Krakow...
here is what i wrote last night (this morning?) on the bus...
As i sat on teh step on the floor next to our bus driver Remi, so many thoughts cam into my mind. i went up there to talk to him about 3;40 in the morning as he was driving us from Warsaw to Krakow... we still had almost 2 hours to go and i got the feeling he was probably as tired as the passengers he was charged with transporting. So i thought some friendly conversation would be a good pass-time for us both. He had told Josh earlier that he knew olnly very little english. This would be a challenge for me as i know ZERO Polish and ZERO German. we muddled through a hilarious conversation (which you can ask Megan about -- she got a big laugh out of my part in the convo --- i was pretty excited when our words connected and we understood each other). i told him it was BEAUTIFUL here (yes, it was already starting to get light) adn very GREEN. we talked about the SUN coming up, in the EAST.. that we were driving SOUTH. i asked him if there were ANIMALS.. YES WOLF, FOX, DEER.. we chatted about where he lived, where he has traveled, the weather, (rains alot).. ok so after i went back to my seat, i was thanking God that we were able to converse (he seemed to like the company). and i was thinking about the day of Pentacost. i truly believe God still gives us words to say and understanding of words in our own way for His purpose. Meaning that if our words and conversations are glorifying and honoring of Him - that convo transcends language. He allwos the bond of minds and thoughts. i really think that is So Awesome - and i'm so excited to see that happen again when we are building relationships, lovin on, giving of ourselves in service to Him while interacting with the Polish students. Lord, i pray our hearts and minds and words will be pleasing to you, an dthat you will use us in your miraculous way to convey your message. That our words will not be our own, but yours. i'm not trying to redefine or spout incorrect theology - i'm just saying God is Great.
ok.. so i typed this from what i wrote this morning... it may not may a whole lot of sense, but heay.. it was after many hours of sleeplessness....
the students, i know, were able to sleep on the planes and bus rides... and wheile very tired this morning.. are doing great! we had a few hours after arrival this morning to rest .. then breakfast.. then some training meetings.. in the afternoon we went into the Krakow town square.. a FUN time was had by all... great food.. some shopping.. and tight friendships.
tomorro - more!
love and hugs,
k
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Ready?
Well, we have been waiting and preparing and praying and fasting and anticipating our upcoming mission trip to Poland. And its almost here! In just 2 days we will be boarding our first of three flights to our destination in Krakow, Poland. I think we’re ready!
I feel so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity to be part of this journey with these amazing students. I have gotten to know some of them pretty well during this frenzy of preparing ourselves to serve our Awesome Lord together in a far away country. And I’m lovin’ every minute of it.
Sleep? not so much. Which brings me to my personal prayer request – that I would be able to rest at night.
God bless you… and thank you so much for being with us in prayer.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
i'm practicing...
Hey... i think i did it! This is my first attempt at keeping a blogspot... and i'm hoping to try to keep it up throughout our trip to Poland... if i have access to a computer :o)
more to come, hopefully....
more to come, hopefully....
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