Why should I serve at English Camp?

Check out my first podcast!  It's all about a day at English Camp!

http://liveonpurpose200881936.podomatic.com/entry/2012-10-21T18_30_29-07_00

English Camp is Addictive...

The  first summer I went to Germany for English Camp, July 2009, I was sitting through orientation.  I remember Russ Kraines saying "English Camp is addictive".  My thoughts...."I'm ok with that".  I can now say, they ARE! I didn't get to go to camp this summer because I'm in grad school and had summer classes.  This is the first summer in 4 years that I spent in Texas and not at camp.  Thankfully, the weather wasn't too awful in Texas this summer, but I did miss actually being at camp!  I saw all my friend's pictures on facebook each and every day and it made me miss being there more. 

Tell your FRIENDS!

 



It's an amazing place to be and invest your time and energy into. 

A favorite camp song is Pharoah, Pharoah!  Check out the words below!

Pharoah pharoah from jwo1980

With the new an improved gadets you can now email me right from this site and ask more questions and you can translate it to your language so you can know more! 
 

Firewood and trails....

I was walking one of the trails that we are going to use for an activity at English Camp this summer and I was just taken by the beauty of the trail, so I had to take a picture to share with you. :)

On my walk I was reminded of how the families here acquire their firewood. Companies cut down trees in the forest. The trees that the company doesn't/ can't use goes up for auction. Families go to these auctions and buy piles of the logs. This is a picture of a couple of the piles.

This is a picture of the initals of someone who bought this pile. Then, before winter comes, this person comes to this spot in the woods and cuts the logs and makes a pile here or takes them home.

What a wonderful way to use all the wood that is cut!

Opportunities.....

Well, if you know me very well at all you know that I have a hard time saying "No" if you ask me to help.... I blame my dad for that one. ;)

Last week, on top of the very busy schedule of getting ready for the summer English camps I helped out some friends. :) I was glad to do it! But, I thought it was blog worthy because it is very unique to this community.

First, people are heading home for the summer to make connections with family, friends and supporters. I drove 2 different families to the airport on 2 different days. One was a very early morning run and I had to leave my house at 4:30 in the morning. But, that's English Camp! I'm just getting a head start! Now that people are gone or on vacation I'm checking people's mail, watering flowers and DOG SITTING!!! Yes, for the next 10 days I'm keeping Daisy! She's so sweet! She does some tricks and just loves to be near you. :) awwww, to have a dog! Not to mention, I'm staying at Daisy's home and it's a 5 minute walk to work instead of from my house that is a 30 min walk!

The following picture is a container! Growing up in La Porte this is not a strange sight for me, but I have to admit, I am more used to seeing them at the port! LOL and not on a truck! Well, the signifance of them here is people who have been here for a few years and either bring furniture and a lot of personal things, or they acquire them here, they will get a container to ship things home. This is one that I helped load so that she could go home to the mid-west.

Daisy's family has been here for a few years and their daughter graduated from BFA this year, so they are moving back to Texas. They got a conatiner and they had room for my 2 very overweight bags and a small box of things that I wanted to take home. So, most of my stuff is packed here! I really just have clothes and my bedding still here! So, I'll be able to come home in my one suitcase that I can check and my back pack and I won't have to pay for extra bags or overweight ones! What a blessing! And the best part?! (as if that wasn't good enough...) They live in Brenham, Texas! Yes...the Blue Bell Creamery Capital of Texas! So, what does that mean? I HAVE to go to Brenham to get my things!

God is amazing in how He works things out. :)

Ester Camp....

Well, I know it's been a while since I blogged, but I didn't realize I didn't talk about April at all!

So, during April was Easter. Janz Team has an English Camp during the Easter holiday for German kids from 11-13 years old. It's only a week long for these campers (where in summer camp it's 10 days). These guys were at such a wonderful, cute age! The girls are taller than the boys, the boys still don't really talk to the girls..... you know.... JUNIOR HIGH!!!

We had 55 campers and 16 staff people. Most of the staff people were German people that I work with in my office building. I've worked with them all year, and I know kind of who they are, but this was a great way for me to get to know them! It's really be tremendous in building the relationships in the office. People just stop in and chat and I feel more comfortable talking to them also.

At camp, that was an amazing time! Every night after chapel service we had at least one camper pray and ask Jesus into their heart! One of the activities that they could do was to memorize Bible verses (in English, German or both) and even the msot limited English speaker told us at least 1 Bible verse in English! That's what it's all about!

This is Charlotte. One evening after our chapel service she was sitting alone. I felt I needed to go and talk to her. I had no idea what her English level was, so sometimes I didn't always talk to the kids as much as I should have. I asked her what she was thinking about. She told me that she wanted to pray and ask Jesus into her heart, but she felt that there was darkness blocking her. We talked about that and prayed and she was a new creature in Christ!! We've kept in contact via letters and email since camp. She's an amazing new lovely young lady!

This is Laura. She grew up going to camp and she is now following Christ because of English camps! She came back this year as a staff person to teach English and be a counselor. Her parents are from Budapest, so she knows Hugarian. She grew up in Germany, so she knows German. In school she has learned (and is proficient) English. She has learned French and Italian. Yes, she knows 5 languages! Her English is flawless! Our first night together as staff we sat down to have a devotional time. I had my Bible and she said, "Oh and English Bible, I've always wanted one of those!" On Saturday before we left camp I gave her my Bible. I've had it for about 7 years and it has all kinds of notes and writings in it and post it notes stuck all through it with verses that mean a lot to me. I gave it to her as is. She was crying, I was crying. It was a wonderful moment!

This is the YELLOW TEAM! Being a teacher at summer camp I've never been able to be an activity team leader. Those are the people who get to have fun with the kids! I was so glad when I could at this camp. We had fun! We played baseball, capture the flag and all kinds of relay races. Fun times.

This is a calf. ;) One afternoon during activity time we went to a dairy farm that was close by. Not only was the walk fun, but the cows were so cute! The smell wasn't....but the cows were cute. Seeing the campers interact with the cows was fun. They were trying to feed them hay and some of them would eat and some would just turn their head. I have some great pictures! This little guy was born the week we came.

Easter camp was a success!

We reached German kids for Christ!

Now, less than 40 days before the staff arrive for this summer's camp!

the knee....

About mid-March my knee was hurting so bad that I could barely walk! After fighting with it for a week I made a doctor's appointment. I was nervous about going because all I knew was my knee hurt! I didn't have an injury or anything. So, I wasn't sure what the outcome would be.

I got to the doctor's office, told them I was there, filled out papers (because it was the first time for me to be there) and waited in the waiting room. After a few minutes they called me back into the room and I waited for just a minute. The doctor came in and I told him that my knee was having pain and I had no idea why.

He told me to sit on the table so he could examine my knee. He poked and pulled and prodded and decided that it wasn't anything serious like a ligiment or pulled muscle or anything. SO "We make bandage for you!" Ummm, ok.

So, my instructions were: we are going to put a bandage on your knee now. You take the perscription to the pharmacy and get it filled. Then, bring the bandage from the pharmacy back here. Wear the bandage for 4 days and don't get it wet.

This made me appericate NOT breaking a bone in my body! This was a "soft" kind of bandage/ cast. I was able to walk, although a little slower and maybe a little more like hobbling, but I could walk. Showers were creativly different so I wouldn't get my knee/ leg wet, but I could still shower! Although, it felt like my skin was burning and the bandage was pulling it off!! My knee was feeling better. :)

On the 4th day my neighbor and I went for a slow walk in the vineyard. While we were walking it started sprinkling. No big deal, right?! By the time we got back to the car we were SOAKED! Yes, my bandage was wet! I decided that I was going to take it off before I took a shower and warmed up! As I was taking it off it felt like I was peeling duct tape off my leg! The reason: my leg had broken out in an allergic reaction!

No wonder it felt like my skin was coming off my leg!

The good news.....my knee was better!!!

There were lots of prayers being said along with "the bandage"! God healed my knee and I've been great ever since!!!

Random thoughts....

Only coming to Germany for 14 months is difficult in a lot of ways.

It takes time to make the transition into living in another culture, or just moving in general. To learn where to go shopping to buy food. To learn your way around. To feel confident in "your area". Just about the time you get to that place where you can say "this is my home", it's time to move again.

There are a lot of buzz words in the missionary world. One of them is "transition". I almost don't like using it myself, but it's a fact of life. The first transition I had moving here was a new job. I fit in well and so it wasn't that hard. Next, the language....I'm still working on that (and there's no end in sight). Next, making new friends and living life here while keeping connected back "home".....work in progress....it's hard. Next, just taking care of myself. Next, being an active part of the community. I think I'm good with this one. Next, I'm 4 months from going back to Texas and I have to start thinking about transitioning back!!! NO! I want to live in the present! Ok, OK. My next transition is moving back to Texas, going to college, and physically moving things, getting a job, not having a car....... BUT HAVING FAITH THAT IT'S ALL UNDER CONTROL.

I know that God has me in Germany to minister to teenagers who come to English Camp because it's fun, they get to practice their English in a way they don't get to in school, and they learn about God while doing it! It's an amazing time and unbelievable that God has entrusted ME to do this work. I'm honored that He chose me. I love my job. I love all the ministry opportunities that He has given me while I've been here.

Please keep me in your prayers that I may do what God wants me to do, and say what He wants me to say. A verse that I have leaned on in this season of my journey is Micah 6:8....act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

I have just one picture to share with you this time. It makes me smile when I think about the awesome conversations that I've had with Danielle. :) She's from Australia and just and amazing Godly woman. The greatest lesson I've learned in the year preparing to come to Germany and my year here is: relationships with people are the most important thing. Everything else will perish, but your relationship with God and man should be our primary focus. Thank you Lord for letting me see this, now give me the strength to apply it.