Monday, December 24, 2012
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Late Pics
Random pictures from the past month!
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| I did a mini unit on Christmas symbols... any guess which symbol these boys are illustrating?! |
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| The school's Christmas tree! Ornaments are consistent with Polish tradition: dried fruit and ornaments made out of straw, lace and bark! |
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| Beautiful stairwell going down the school's basement (gym and lockers). |
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| Kaylor's class after their Christmas gift exchange on St. Mikolaj Day. |
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| The youngest two grades during their gift exchange. |
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| Last year the school participated in a "gift drive" (there's a Polish organization that runs it... just don't remember the name) where each class had a family to buy gifts for... everything from kitchen and bath supplies to clothing and gifts. On St. Mikolaj Day, the entire school participated in organizing, sorting, boxing, and wrapping up the gifts. It was way cool to see the kids so excited to give in this way. |
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| Kaylor's class posing with their Christmas cards they created for her class back in the states at Nashua Christian Academy. Needless to say, we just got them sent out this week... guess they'll be New Year cards!! |
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| Exodus 15, Proem's band, was asked by the big mall (Manufaktura) in Lodz to put on a Christmas concert. It was fun going over on a Friday night (although traffic caused us to get there late!) and see people walking through the mall and then stopping to hear them sing and play! |
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| The church's iCafe... open to the public during the day and widely used! |
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| Kaylor's half of the room. :) |
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| Lauren's half of the room (with the cool skylight!) |
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Dzien Swietego Mikolaja!
Happy St. Mikolaj! Today, December 6th, St. Nicholas is celebrated... children awake to a small present, typically candy or food of some sort, and I'm told usually under their pillow. Yes, St. Nicholas (aka Santa) visited the girls!! Then, the kids eagerly await Christmas Eve and see if St. Nick brought the presents they requested in their letters to him. Traditionally, in Poland, they celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve with a dinner once they've seen the "star" in the sky. Then, after dinner, they get to open presents. So far, this is what I've learned, so I shall see what else I learn or what I've gotten wrong!!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Happy Belated Thanksgiving!
Well, now that we are 4 days into December, it seems only fitting to extend our Thanksgiving greetings and reflect on all that I am thankful for as we've now been here 4 months.
First, I am thankful for those who have partnered with us financially month to month. Your monthly commitment allows us to be here in Poland serving with ProEm. It pays for our heat (and we need it now!), our water and keeps food in our bellies. It seems so one sided... as we are the ones who get to meet some incredible Polish people. Our only wish is that you could meet them too!
Second, I am thankful for our prayer warriors! Obviously, we've had lots of challenges, but we've seen over and over how God alone sustains us... how He takes fear and sadness and refines it to a deeper faith.
Third, I am thankful for being able to witness His handiwork here in Poland. I've heard countless stories, and even have had the privilege to be a part of some of His work through circumstances in our own lives.
Fourth, I am thankful to be serving with Proem (this goes with point 1 and 3!)... there's alot of excitement in the air! From Journey to Bethlehem (expecting 1500 people!!!!) to the new office space in Lodz (called P109)... to growth at the Tomy church. I'm very mindful, that us being here has nothing to do with the excellence of the ministry itself. The Polish people that make up Proem are incredible and have such a deep desire to share His love and message to their fellow countrymen.
There is a distinct awareness that I am very limited; simply because I don't have enough Polish to communicate. So- I just strive to be excellent in my teaching, working diligently in the teacher's room and laugh with the other Polish teachers at my inability to learn Polish when they try and teach me something, and continue to take advantage of those little moments when I meet parents and "try" to share how their son/daughter is doing. I just try my best to pour Jesus' love out on the students and the other teachers. I really LOVE teaching at the Tomek school!
Fifth, I am thankful for the relationship Josh has built through his help with the PE teacher at the Tomek school. Pray for Bartek and his family.... we want to invite them over sometime, but have had to postpone it until the coming new year! He had lived in England for three years, so he was excited to have the girls in class and practice his English again. It's been convenient for Josh as they can easily communicate with one another. I am eager to meet his wife and their children. Josh is in the same boat as me with having to focus on our energies in leading by example and just being open to the fact that we are here to serve alongside, not through leading with words or being in charge of something. It truly helps sooo much in knowing the heart language of the people your are serving, so it's frustrating when we are hindered in doing so with only knowing the basic survival phrases and words!
Sixth, I am thankful for God's care and concern for the girls. Overall, the adjustments have been good. We continue to focus on the fact that God has given us such an incredible gift in having this opportunity to live in another country, instead of focusing on how much we may miss "home" (friends, school, family, etc). They recognize that they've met wonderful new friends and people, get to have Mommy walk and work in their same school all day, and experience so many "new" things. I am confident that they'll reflect on this time in their lives with fond memories. The best thing about it is that we are only four months into it!
Honestly, there is just so much that I could write about in regards to my thankfulness. I am thankful for your patience when I don't post nearly enough with what I should!
I will close this post up for now....post a picture of the girls in London's airport when we were coming back a couple weeks ago from Wisconsin. God bless!!
First, I am thankful for those who have partnered with us financially month to month. Your monthly commitment allows us to be here in Poland serving with ProEm. It pays for our heat (and we need it now!), our water and keeps food in our bellies. It seems so one sided... as we are the ones who get to meet some incredible Polish people. Our only wish is that you could meet them too!
Second, I am thankful for our prayer warriors! Obviously, we've had lots of challenges, but we've seen over and over how God alone sustains us... how He takes fear and sadness and refines it to a deeper faith.
Third, I am thankful for being able to witness His handiwork here in Poland. I've heard countless stories, and even have had the privilege to be a part of some of His work through circumstances in our own lives.
Fourth, I am thankful to be serving with Proem (this goes with point 1 and 3!)... there's alot of excitement in the air! From Journey to Bethlehem (expecting 1500 people!!!!) to the new office space in Lodz (called P109)... to growth at the Tomy church. I'm very mindful, that us being here has nothing to do with the excellence of the ministry itself. The Polish people that make up Proem are incredible and have such a deep desire to share His love and message to their fellow countrymen.
There is a distinct awareness that I am very limited; simply because I don't have enough Polish to communicate. So- I just strive to be excellent in my teaching, working diligently in the teacher's room and laugh with the other Polish teachers at my inability to learn Polish when they try and teach me something, and continue to take advantage of those little moments when I meet parents and "try" to share how their son/daughter is doing. I just try my best to pour Jesus' love out on the students and the other teachers. I really LOVE teaching at the Tomek school!
Fifth, I am thankful for the relationship Josh has built through his help with the PE teacher at the Tomek school. Pray for Bartek and his family.... we want to invite them over sometime, but have had to postpone it until the coming new year! He had lived in England for three years, so he was excited to have the girls in class and practice his English again. It's been convenient for Josh as they can easily communicate with one another. I am eager to meet his wife and their children. Josh is in the same boat as me with having to focus on our energies in leading by example and just being open to the fact that we are here to serve alongside, not through leading with words or being in charge of something. It truly helps sooo much in knowing the heart language of the people your are serving, so it's frustrating when we are hindered in doing so with only knowing the basic survival phrases and words!
Sixth, I am thankful for God's care and concern for the girls. Overall, the adjustments have been good. We continue to focus on the fact that God has given us such an incredible gift in having this opportunity to live in another country, instead of focusing on how much we may miss "home" (friends, school, family, etc). They recognize that they've met wonderful new friends and people, get to have Mommy walk and work in their same school all day, and experience so many "new" things. I am confident that they'll reflect on this time in their lives with fond memories. The best thing about it is that we are only four months into it!
Honestly, there is just so much that I could write about in regards to my thankfulness. I am thankful for your patience when I don't post nearly enough with what I should!
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