More photos...

Entire team...and my eyes are closed, lol

Yes, we DID actually work while we were here!

NOT Posed!  Real work here!

Discussing important things with young Miss AM

Church Youth Group Cookout

The Living Room, before

Kitchen, before

Living Room, after

Kitchen, after

Since I've been here...

About to land in Prague

Jeff (looking back) and Liz, on the jet bridge into PRG airport

The children's choir at church, singing to us in Czech

The AstronomicalClock

Statue on Charles Bridge

The Crucifixion Statue on Charles Bridge

View of Prague Castle from Charles Bridge

City of Praha/Prague from Prague Castle

Prague/Praha from Prague Castle

Prague castle guard. Stood still...but his eyes followed me.  Creepy.

Liz, trying to be still like the guard.  She couldn't stop smiling though.  Her son, Taylor, is there to the left in the green shirt.

The "Baby Tower", just outside of the Mudrik family's apartment building.

Myself and the Mudrik's daughter, A. She helped me buy my new shoes, since the salespeople didn't speak English.

J and H wanted to show off their shoes too...

H, the Mudrik's youngest child, and according to her, my new "best friend"...(I french braided her hair, and want to paint her fingernails...you would have thought I'd created cartoons or something, lol).  So cute, and a sweet girl!

Sorry I haven't written much; we've been busy, working!
More to come...stay tuned!
~yonna

CHVALA BOH...Today is the Day!

It's here.

Throughout the night, I've been half sleeping.  I'm excited!  I would wake up and begin thinking about all kinds of things, pray to myself, and hope to go back to sleep for another (short) period of time...

The Mountain On 5 movement has begun.  On Wednesday, we had a small team return from a short trip to China.  Thursday, our Southeast Asia/Yellow team took off.  Just a few hours ago, the Kenya/Green team met at church,and as I type this at 7:47am EST, they are on the plane, ready to take flight.  Both groups had a team of well wishers at church, ready to send them off with a cheer.  Tomorrow, at 4:30am, both the Mexico/Blue team, and Arizona/Green teams will be meeting at church for their send off.

Team Red/Europe meets at church today at 3pm, which honestly, is a really great time to be meeting.  The middle of the day; I can still run last minute errands, have a great breakfast, and spend time with folks I love before I go.

I am still excited.  I am hoping to feel this way all day...instead of the nervous/anxious mess that I could be.

Team Red is prepared.  We have packed.  We have prayed. We are unified and we are ready to work.

LET'S GO!

~thank you all for the support, prayer and love you have shown Team Red so far.  It is greatly appreciated.

CHVALA BOH,
(Praise God),

~yonna

One month from today...

In case you weren't aware, I am literally one month from departure.  YAY!  ARGH!

Excitement.  Anxiety.  Nervousness.  Intrigue.  <<Some of the things I'm feeling.

I've been researching packing lists, suitcases, walking/work shoes, digging out my 'travel sized' Bible, nit picking over the tiny things that only I seem to nit pick over...all in preparation.

Last Friday night was the Blacklight Zumba party, and it was a BLAST!  My Zumba teacher, Daie, is also going on her own MO5 trip (to Arizona) while we are in Prague.  She put together the blacklight zumba party as a fundraiser, and it was an amazing time!  I take her regular class on Monday nights, and was excited to participate in the party, with 2 other teachers (and styles, Bokwa and Belly Dancing).  As it turns out, the party was so successful that not only have people asked when the next one will be, but she is able to donate to my fund as well.  PRAISE GOD!  If you've never done Zumba, give it a shot!  Its high energy aerobic dancing, but for once, I am finding exercise to be FUN!

We are having another Team Red meeting tonight, with our entire team.  All of this time, we have been meeting without one of our members, Taylor, who has been away, finishing his junior year in college.  Exciting times, since I know he will bring a new energy and perpective to our team.  We're taking a full team photo as well, so I will do what I can about getting all 8 of us on this blog shortly.

Please, continue to pray for our small, yet powerful team.  I have been in contact with Elaine Mudrik, letting her know what my daughter's class is up to (the fifth grade class wants to send items over the the children, so I'm hoping to take plenty of books in English over for them to practice their language skills, thanks to my daughter's class!), and honestly cannot wait to meet and hang out with this wonderful family.  Marty is our expert carpenter/craftsman, while Taylor is an amazing musician.  We all have such different talents, but are all strong, and I know that God will use them in awesome ways.  Pray that our team dynamic strengthens, and that we are all able to submit to the will of God, and His plans for us while we are away.

ONE MORE MONTH!

...it will be here before I know it!

In Him,
~yonna

More information!

Had another big group meeting, where we got LOTS of information.  I am now scouring these internets for more on the Czech Cultures, traditions and rituals.

As for you, take a look at the MO5 website, and check out the information about our Europe Trip.  You will get to see what M)5 is all about, and should you feel so inclined, DONATE (hint hint :D )

From the beginning...

I guess I should begin at the beginning (duh) of how I got onto the team going to Europe.


My church has a Glocal (Global and Local) outreach ministry that is serious about serving the needs of others around the world.  They have been charged with making sure that those who are sent to serve do so with a pure heart.  Afterall, the purpose of these short term missions (STM) trips are to serve!


Once I had it in my head that going on an STM trip was something I wanted to do, I seriously prayed about it.  This is a huge deal, and I didn't want to go into it blindly.  I talked to others who had gone on trips about their experiences, and they were real with me.  "Not everyone can do it", "When you know  you're called to go, you WILL know" were some of the things they told me.  There was even one woman who told me"while it sounds great, that just isn't something that's on my hear to do".  Clearly, this has been on my heart for years, but it was never the right time.


Well, the Glocal team was pushing a new thing, called MO5. This stands for Mountain (my church) on 5 different continents/regions of the world.  There are needs that need to be served everywhere in the world, and we are planning to send 5 teams out at the same time.  Teams will be going to Mexico (North America), Arizona (USA, North America), Mathare Valley in Nairobi, Kenya (Africa), Southeast Asia (exact location is not being made public, for the safety of the team), and Prague, Czech Republic (Europe), which is where I will be going.


Of course, when I finally felt the call to go on a missions trip, I just knew I'd be going to Kenya...but clearly, God had other plans for me.  I'll talk more about that in a later blog...


So I filled out the extensive (12 pages!) application, prayed and turned it in.  I had gone to an informational session to hear about the different works that would be done on the trips, and had scheduled my interview.  These trips are pretty popular, and we even have some people who a veteran STM servants, which is why interviews are needed.  The ministry staff wants to make sure that the people who are sent on these trips know that this isn't a vacation; that they are spiritually ready for the task; that those who go on the trips know what they are getting into and can handle the stresses that come along with being a missionary.


So I prayed and prayed...and asked for prayers, and had my impatient and anxious moments...and then i finally got my notice.  I was accepted onto the team!


Now I am sending out e-mails, drafting a letter to send out snail mail with an insert to describe my trip to supporters and praying, still, to be prepared for this trip.  Net week, I will be attending the Glocal Ministry's monthly meeting, to hear what they have been up to, and what plans I can help out with.  I don't yet know who else is on my team with me, but I have met our leader (I had no idea at the time, but she was one of my 3 interviewers!).  All of the teams meet together at the end of the month for a big celebration, and then we will begin team building on a monthly basis.  Just before we leave, we will be meeting more and more often, to learn personalities and conflict resolution styles, etc.


I look forward to these next 5 and a half months, and cannot wait to embark on this journey.  Glad to have you along for the ride!