Greece!!!

We went to Greece this summer, as I said below, and it was DREAMY!!!! It was warm, bright with vivid colors, and the food was fresh and healthy. My family and I were on a boat which cruised around some of the Greek Isles. It was my favorite vacation I have ever had. Enjoy the pics!

Family in Prague

This summer my parents, sisters and I spent some time together in Prague and then in Italy and Greece. Altogether I was with them for 2 weeks. It was so great to be able to hug them, as I have not seen them since end of Feb. when I moved to Prague.

During our week in Prague, we explored the city together, took a day trip to Terezin, and ate a meal with my team and two with my dear friend, Lucie. It meant a lot to me that they were able to see my life here. These are pics of us here in Prague. Mary Margaret, my other sister, joined us for the Italy and Greece portion.

Summer Interns

This summer we have hosted 5 interns. These folks are college students who wanted to get a taste of foreign missions. So they joined us for the summer and served alongside us. I have overseen them this summer. Amanda, Bryan, Lauren, Luke and Drew have live in my bldg. in flats on the floor below. I have discipled the women each week while Phil has discipled the men.

The interns have been so much fun and such an encouragement to me. They have spent lots of time building relationships with Czech and American believers and non-believers here in the city and have been salt and light in their lives as well as brought them to church. The interns have also done special outreach projects such as hosting free barbeques at Sir Toby's youth hostel as a way as reaching out to backpackers and getting the name of our church, Faith Community Church, out in the community.

I love love love these new friends of mine and will be lonely for them when they depart back to the States at the end of July. It has been such a gift to be able to grow alongside these awesome men and women of God.

Worship team

For several months now I have been serving as the worship leader at church. I love that because our church is so new, I get to be a part of helping shape and lead our worship. Our little worship team is typically composed of 2-3 vocalists (currently me, Laura and Elizabeth, 2 amazing American women who are teachers), and an awesome guitarist/ musician, Ondra, who is a Czech believer. He is in university here in Prague. But this summer the fabulous interns have been helping out, and they have added so much fun and creativity to our sound and time together.

Each week, based on the upcoming sermon topic, I choose the songs we'll sing :) (so fun) and then lead practice each Wednesday night in preparation for Sunday's service. I have learned a lot more about how God's grace is more than sufficient as He enables me to do this job for which I feel inadequte. Serving the church in this capacity continues to bring me much joy and satisfaction.

Here's a photo of us in our old location (which was a cafe). Pictured from left to right is Ondra, me, Elizabeth (an English teacher), and Luke (an intern and student at William and Mary. He usually plays a mean bass guitar but now he's hammin' it up with the shaker.:) Our services are no longer meeting at the cafe, but we now rent space in a Czech church.

Sixth Grade Prayer Warriors

Until last year, I taught 5th grade at a Christian school just north of Charlotte, NC. I taught there for six years. It was such a rich experience for me in many ways. The lower school faculty were like a family. We supported each other in prayer and shared honestly our prayer needs with each other in our meetings. AND we laughed and laughed together all the time. I feel like God grew me a lot spiritually, professionally, and emotionally during that time. Plus, I learned more about what it's like to be in real Christian community. Our amazing lower school principal, Susan, took me and a team of teachers down to Peru 4 times in 3 summers. There we had the privilege to work with Scripture Union (Union Biblica) and their Bible teachers. We held interactive workshops in which we taught fresh ideas for teaching the Bible to kids in the public schools in Peru. The missions teaching trips still continue today!!

This year's sixth graders (about 60 in all:) adopted me as their misisonary to support through prayer. What an honor!! I have really felt their prayers and am so encouraged by their faith. Recently, I have received 2 fat envelopes in the mail containing beautiful encouragement cards from the sixth graders!!! The cards were full of birthday wishes, scripture verses, and words of support. Several of them had jokes and funny memories we shared last year. I felt hugged about 60 times!! I want to thank the sixth graders again for their cards and their fervent prayers. I am honored to be your friend and sister in Christ. I love you all!!!

Escape

Sunny and I helped paint at the Davises' new flat the other day. They just moved in yesterday, and it is beautiful!! I am excited about the ministry that will take place there. So, Phil left before Sunny and I and shut the gate which locked behind him. When she and I went to leave, we could not get out!! So, we climbed over the fence and risked our lives, but we were not scared at all. Sorry, retraction.....we did not risk our lives, although Sunny (with her fear of heights) was a tad nervous. We tried to be incognito, so the neighbors would not wonder, but just as Sunny was climing down, a huge group of people appeared from nowhere. We were laughing so hard, she froze and couldn't do anything. You had to be there I guess, but it was a good time.

Weston

This is my youngest sister, Weston. She is a sophomore at a college in Virginia. She is studying in Spain for 6 weeks. On June 6 she is coming to stay with me for as long as I can keep her :) I am so excited about the time the Lord has given us to be together!!!!!