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

We've landed!

Dobrey Den!

It is now eeeearly, Tuesday morning.  My roommate's alarm clock went off at 6am, versus my own,which goes off at 7) and of course, I can't sleep, so I thought I'd update you and let you know what's going on here.

We arrived on Saturday, after an overnight flight.  Sleeping on the plane was such a pain, and I didn't do very well at all.  However, the meal was pretty good, as were the movie/tv choices, so I made it work.  We had a SHORT layover in London...enough for the airport staff to pick us up at the gate, put us on a bus to our next terminal, then run to the next gate.  We made our connecting flight, and I proceeded to fall right asleep.

Once off of the plane,we went through customs (got that passport stamp!), went to the ATM and money exchange and waited for our bags.  Besides everyone's carry on, we all checked one bag, and checked a Rubbermaid tub full of items we were bringing over for the Mudrik family.  Praise God for friends in high places: a man that  I went to church with at the DC Regional Christian Church just happened to be on duty as a TSA agent at the departure airport, and he made sure that all of our baggage and bins got through security checkpoints together.  With all of the tools we were bringing, we thought they'd end up searching every bin, but they only had to search one.  That could have been so much worse!  But hey, if it keeps the country safe, I say CHECK THEM ALL!!

Anyway, after collecting all of the bins, we discovered that 2 bags had not been placed on the belt, so those team members went to make a claim for them.  The rest of us took pictures and video, and exchanged money (if they already hadn't).  Once we finished, we walked to the public side of the airport, outside of security, and found Marek Mudrik, who greeted us warmly, then got us in a taxi for transit to our hostel.

We made it to the hostel by 4pm, and needed to stay active so none of us would fall asleep.  Here, we are 6 hours ahead of our home time, but everyone was very tired from such a long trip over.  So Marek took us to the Rivenhill Farm, where we would be working while here.  Such an amazing place, but in need of a TON of work.  (A photo blog is in the works!).

After the tour, we came back to the hostel for dinner, then finally retired for bed.  We were beat, and had a long day planned for Sunday.

On Sunday, we had breakfast, then met the Mudrik's (including 2 of the children!),and walked to work, about a mile.  We sat in church and Marek and Elaine translated for us, since it was fully in Czech.  Strange,I couldn't understand what was being said, but I still felt the presence of God in that room.  A children's choir sang, and one of the songs the worship leaders sang was not only in English, but also one of my VERY favorite songs....and I got extremely emotional as she sang it.  We fellowshipped a bit after church, then went to lunch with the Mudrik family.  Then,we decided we wanted to go into the city and tour around for a bit.  We took the Metro (train)into the city center, and saw amazing sites...and then walked back to the cars from there, uphill.  My legs are still sore from the walk, all 9miles of it (though, at this time, the distance is still being disputed).  We returned to the hostel, had dinner,and went to bed.

I know this is a very brief description of the trip so far, and I apologize.  I have very limited internet time, and want to tell everything, but can't.  I will post a picture blog soon, and hopefully, you'll be happy to see some of the sights I was in awe of.

Next time:  out first day of work, and pictures!

Also, check THIS LINK to read what the other MO5 teams are doing on their mission trips!

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

Details, details!

Last night, Team Red got together for what we THOUGHT would be our final meeting before takeoff.

BTW, before I even get started and well into the blog...11!  11 days until we take flight to go and do His will.  YESSsssss!

Back to business...we got together and began going over the details of our trip.  Our schedule has been planned out for meeting and getting to the airport; parking situations spoken of; departure wear was discussed (I'd already planned my flight wear, but we all need to be unified and in uniform...Jesus is Lord, and I work for the Lord, and someone else was chosen to lead, so I will follow!).  Detailed paperwork is still needed from some team members; insurance cards and documents were passed out and discussed (had to make sure it covered prescription meds, in case I lose my inhaler while I'm over there!).  LOTS and LOTS of details!

We went over the 'proposed' schedule of our days while we are there, with the great warning that it may/possibly/might/more than likely change, and that we need to be flexible and ready to roll with the punches for whatever may happen.  At this point, we are still unsure of exactly what we will actually be doing while we are there, work-wise.  Being that we are the smallest team, I'd say that being open to any changes that are thrown our way has really got to be our biggest strength right now, and I am honored to be part of a team that just accepts it like it is.  The Mudrik's have had a big change of plans with what they thought they'd need, so we have to go with the flow.  The only thing that we absolutely know for sure is that we are going over there to assist them with ANYTHING that they need help with.  Also, we are planning to go and run Camp Rivenhill while we're there, but even that is subject to change at this point.

So we've talked about packing and rides from airports and hostel amenities, and so many other things.  Taylor and I will be leading worship while we're there, which eases my heart a bit, because that is something I am comfortable doing anywhere, plus it doesn't take much set up at all.  Taylor is a great guitar player, and having been on a worship team together before, I think we will have no problems just giving our hearts wherever we are.

Also, it was discussed that we need to 'leave home at home' and kind of disconnect while we are away, so that we can focus on our task while we are there.  That means no cell phones.  3 months ago, this would have been a huge issue for me, considering the fact that I am a single mom...but I already know that my kiddios will be in good hands.  I take them to my mother for their summer vacation this weekend, and they are excited for that.  I will be taking my laptop, and the entire team will be posting updates from here on this blog while we are away, which I am excited about.  Having new writers with different perspectives should be interesting, and fun!  So please, be on the lookout for postings from my teammates!  (I'm working on getting individual pictures of each of them, so I can post a face along with a name!)

Also, since I'll have my laptop (along with the free wi-fi at the hostel) I will be able to skype my family...and hopefully, with the time difference, and my kids "on-the0go summer schedules" I'll be able to catch them a couple of times while I am away...maybe.  If not, I will know that i tried...

So...its almost that time.  One more (packing) meeting, and we're off!  A huge thanks to all of you who have donated financially; to you who have purchased items for me from my amazon wish list and to those of you who have been praying for us from afar, the time is almost here!  Please stay tuned for updates from the field, and a great debriefing as well!

Dobrou noc!

~yonna

11 days!

Bittersweet.

I am bringing myself to write this post on purpose.  Writing this blog makes me happy, because I always get the chance to share something that is so exciting to me.  I come here to talk about my first short term missions trip, which begins in just 17 short days!

I need to be on my purpose, because I am slightly depressed right now.  See, tomorrow is the third anniversary of my father's death.  It was unexpected, and quite a traumatic experience for me, as, I'm sure, it is for anyone losing a parent.  In his last year, I'd become his legal guardian, and helped his move from the hospital, into a rehabilitation home, into his own apartment.  He'd worked hard to mend his strained relationship with my younger brother, and was successful.  He spent lots of time with all of his grandchildren, which made him happy.

I just spoke to my best friend, who told me that I don't have to let tomorrow be such a sad day...I decide that.  And I am deciding to make it a good day.  For me, it may be quiet, but it WILL be good!  After all, I will be strong and take heart, because my hope comes from the Lord! (Psalm 31:24)

My father would be so proud to know that I am going on a missions trip.  I think I got my travel streak from him.  He would hop in his car and just drive anywhere he had the gas money to go.  He talked about driving to California and back by himself.  We drove to Florida and then Texas for vacation when I was 11.  With the exception of the plan ride, he would be so excited that I a going so far...and then to do it to serve God!  I am sure he'd be beside himself with excitement, and extremely proud of me.

Last night, we had the MO5 Family Night, which was a really cool event.   2 of my 3 children joined me for dinner and fellowship.  As a group, we learned a memory verse, and then we got to 'meet' all of the teams.   Each team stood before the group, talking about how they've been preparing and what they'll be doing on their trip.  When it came time for Team Red to report, we were ready!  We finally had all 8 team members there, and were the only team fully represented.  I was able to speak Czech (though it was simple Czech, I felt VERY confident in sharing before such a large group!), and felt genuinely bonded with y team.  We are still the smallest team going, but I think we are exactly the size that God intended to send to Prague.  We are certainly hoping to go and be a blessing to the Mudrik family.

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Listen to "Oh Lord You Know" here

On a completely different note...I just took a 20 minute break from writing this blog to go and pick up my oldest son from his evening class.  On the way, I turned on my iPod...before I moved to Northeast Maryland, I went to an amazing church, the DC Regional Christian Church, where I also served on the Worship ministry.   The Worship Arts Minister, Carlos Scott, is an amazing songwriter and evangelist.  I had the honor of serving on a small ensemble singing team with him.  When he was going through a rough time in his life financially, he decided to use the talent and gift that God gave him, and recorded a CD.  He gave me the privilege of being one of his supporting singers on this project.  I mention this because I just got in the car, and one of his songs was playing, a song simply called "Oh Lord, You Know".  And I had to think..."yeah, He does know".  It wasn't even the final version from the CD...just one of our practice, scratch sessions.  I heard Carlos singing the verses, and myself and a couple of other sisters singing the background, and felt just a peace come over me.  The lyrics are very simple, but so powerful:

"Oh Lord you know my doubts, my pains and fears
And Lord you know the number of my years
Lord you know my flesh is fighting me
Thank you Lord!  Hold me close to you"

So while it is bittersweet that my biological father isn't here with me any longer, I know that I have my Heavenly Father working in my favor.  He knows how depression hurts me, and has no desire to see me go through that.  I have already decided to make the best of tomorrow, and its like He just reaffirmed that Yes, I'd made the best decision.  My flesh may be fighting me, but my mind and heart will remain steady in Him!

Thanks Carlos, for being the vessel through which that word came to me this evening.

Thank you best friend, for the reminder that the decisions I make determine the life I live.

Thanks Daddy, for instilling into me a world wandering spirit.

Thank you Lord, for the opportunities to make my decisions, to love God, love people and serve the world.



17 days until I embark on the next leg of that journey....



~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

Dobry Den, ahoj! (An update)

Not much going on lately.  Still meeting with the team, and learning the language with a new friend, Gaby.  She is originally Slovakian, but moved her to the US 14 years ago, and has been helping us learn the Czech language.




Our yard sale turned out well...we had a steady stream of customers the entire time, and were able to raise pretty good funds.  What I didn't sell went to Tabatha's House, a thrift store run by my church...which made me feel good, since not only did I have to take it all back home, but someone will find joy in the items I no longer needed.

My excitement hasn't died down (even though I have been posting less lately...) I've been working hard to meet these final deadlines, and continuing to make preparations for departure.  I'm making arrangements for my home and car right now, checking with my bank to find out how much overseas charges are for ATM withdrawals, as well as purchases; making sure I have plenty of asthma meds during the trip...you know, housekeeping items.

So that's what I've been up to.  As of today, we have 41 days until departure...and I must admit, I am still a bit anxious.  I still have about 1/3 of my funds to raise, and am prayerful still that I will reach my goal.  My God planted a seed, and I need to go and water it for him;  I will be serving with my team in the Czech Republic!

So please, continue to pray for myself, and my team, as well as the entire missions group (pictured above).  We will be going to 5 nations, all to serve 1 Mighty God.  Your prayers are much appreciated!

Dekuji,

~yonna

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Quite a few things have been going on, which is why I haven't had a chance to post lately. Just a quick run-down:

*My birthday! I turned 26...again (lol) this past Friday, April 27, and have been asking my friends to forgo getting me a gift, or taking me to dinner, and use those funds as a donation towards my trip. Some of them were able to do so, and I Thank you all, for getting me closer to my mission work!



*Team Red Skype'd the Mudrik family, which was so fun! We got a chance to pray with them, and watch/listen to the kids. We got to discuss alot of the things that they are planning for us to do; got some songs in the Czech language to learn (being the worship leader of our group, THIS is a challenging task!), and things and places we need to see. I am really looking forward to this time of service...even though I m not the greatest at handling hammer and nails...I will still go and give my all!

*Planning our yard sale to continue in raising funds. This Saturday, May 5, Team Red is hosting a yard sale, with all funds going to our fundraising. If you are local, and interested, you are welcome to join us at 8025 Bradshaw Road, Upper Falls, MD 21156 from 8am to 1pm. There will be lots of clothing (and if you really know me, SHOES!), books, DVDs, household items...and that's just what my home has to offer...there are still 7 other members. Please join us, if you're able, and help our cause!

Alright, back to business. I'll be posting another interview here shortly, from a seasoned missions traveler, as well as from another team member. Also, I'm hoping to post more of what we will be doing while in Prague, if allowed.

Either way, please continue to pray for our efforts, for our team, and for all of the teams going on this MO5 adventure. I know, for myself, I will ask that you pray that I keep from being anxious. While I am excited about going, I am also very nervous. I know what the end results will be in all cases, but I still have such a hard time with the actual process leading up to the outcome, and can use your support there.

Thanks so much, and thanks for being faithful!

Retreat Day!

So, I am supposed to be napping right now, but I am too excited to do so.  So I figured I'd go ahead and post this blog while everything is still so fresh in my head.


Today was our MO5 Pre-field retreat, where all 5 of the teams come together to build as teams, learn a few things, and continue preparing for our trips.  My team chose to go as a unit to the morning session (we had our choice, morning retreat, or afternoon), which was a great choice for us, since 6 of the 8* were able to make it.

Team Red, L to R: Liz, Jeff, Me(Yonna), Phil, Theresa and Sherril.

We arrived by 8 this morning, and immediately got to work.  After a few small housekeeping things, we began the morning with team builders...but since the other teams weren't all in attendance like Team Red was, we ended up counting off, and splitting up that way.  We had different tasks/games to complete, and the team with the most points in the end won a prize.  One game was a ping pong ball toss, where 2 'blind' people tried to toss the balls into a basket across the room,where 3 'blind' people were holding baskets.  No one tossing or catching (was supposed to) talks, but there was one open eyed guide who would tell the tossers how to throw.  Our team, the green dots, did REALLY well on that one!


The next game was a scavenger hunt, where all of the team members were arm in arm.  That last person in line was 'blind', and was the only person who could grab and hold the items found.  Once we got our list, we kind of planned out where we'd be able to find our items, with a 10 minute time limit.  Luckily, I had about 5 items right in my purse, to our benefit.  Not so much to my benefit, I ended up being the blind person.  It was quite interesting, not only being blinded, but completely relying on others (some, strangers!) to guide my way to picking things up, and almost running around the church.


The third game was the alligator pit, where one person was to act as a verbal guide to the rest of the team who had to cross an area littered with clothing without stepping on anything.  I was the first person from our team to make it across, and then ended up being the guide after that.


We then debriefed, and talked about how we were able to take risks, and trust one another, something we will most certainly need to do once we get to our mission fields.  AAAAnd my team won, so we got a chance to pull from an assortment of travel sized gifts...I chose a sewing kit, since I always seem to be in need of a safety pin!


We then did a few more exercises, figuring out our personality types, which my team will discuss further in detail later.


Then it came time for lunch...the World Meal, as it was being called.  Our host walked around the room, and everyone chose a slip of paper from a basket with the name of a country on it.  There was a beautifully set table for 2 set in the middle of the room, and we made a circle around the team.  Then, the people who pulled USA and the UK were invited to have their meal at the table.  The table was set with wine glasses, china and silverware.  They were offered sparkling water, sweet tea, an amazing salad, an entree of chicken, rice, rolls, butter, and fruit, as well as a pastry dessert.  Next called was Czech Republic, who were offered chairs (no table), glasses of tea, chicken, rice, a banana and 2 slices of bread on fancy paper plates.  Mexico was offered a linen table cloth on the floor, hard plastic cups of tea, chicken, rice, banana and a slice of bread, with a plastic knife and fork.  The rest of the groups were served as follows:


Brazil: vinyl tablecloth on the floor, hard plastic cups of water, plastic fork, rice, banana and a slice of bread.
Thailand: thin plastic tablecloth on the floor, red plastic cup of water, rice, half a banana and a slice of bread.
India: a square of napkin to sit on, small cup of water, a slice of bread.


I was in this final group, which was Kenya.  We were told to sit right on the cold floor.  We were given a small cup of dirty water, and a half slice of bread.


So many things ran through our minds.  I actually thought that we'd end up getting the scraps from the table, especially since they didn't finish all of their food, and had it packaged to go...but no such luck.  I guess that really IS they way of the world.  How sad...the rest of the world watches as we in the USA eat when we're not hungry, waste food, 'save it for later', feed it to our pets...instead of sharing it.  I thought about it...even when we give for food drives, we usually give whatever we have that we aren't eating,or what we have had the longest - we reach into the very back of the cupboard, and dust off a couple of cans to give.  We aren't giving our best to help our neighbor...and in doing this, are we also revealing our hearts for God?  Hmmm...


Just a little something to think about...


Next time: Team Red's Skype chat with the Mudrik family!



*We are now down to 8 members.  Due to familial situations, 2 of our members made the decision to withdraw from our trip, one of them being my beloved partner, Becci.  I know that for her, it was not an easy decision, but after much discussion and prayer, she decided that this was the best thing to do for her family.  While I am sad to see her go, I am happy that she is at peace with her decision.  I will miss her while I am gone, but look forward to our growing friendship.

Experienced Perspective

I apologize for not having written in awhile.  I've been trying to put together a yard sale, with the proceeds going towards this trip, and I just got back from vacation as well.

I went to visit family in Missouri, whom I hadn't visited since 2005.  7 years!  For me, it was quite a relaxing time, and a bit eye opening as well.

I attended church with family on Easter Sunday, at a church a considerable bit smaller than the one I go to.  The first thing I noticed when I walked in though, was that for such a small church, they sponsored quite a few missionary families, I'd say maybe 10.  I was amazed!  A church of approximately 140 members supporting 10 families all over the world!  God is truly working through this church!

I was lucky enough to hear an update from one of their missionaries who recently returned from a 6 month trip to Haiti.  After church, I ran up to her, because I wanted to talk to her about her experiences.  I explained that while my church sends short term mission teams out all the time, but this would be my first trip, and asked if she had any advice for me.

We discussed her experiences as a missionary.  She and her husband live in Missouri for 6 months, then move back to Haiti for 6 months, and have done this for the past several years.  Both places are now home to them.  She has helped to establish an orphanage in Haiti, and in special cases, raises money to bring the critically ill to the USA to seek medical treatment.  She could not imagine her life being any more full right now, and would hate it if it were any less.

As for her advice for me, she told me to be incredibly flexible, but at the same time, to be myself.  So many times missionaries go to these places, and have to 'live up to being model Christians', which eventually depresses the missionaries, and leaves those that they are helping let down.  I cannot put on a front that I am perfect, when I am not.  I am still a work in progress myself, and need to be able to show that as I teach the gospel to those who do not know it.  James 1:2-3 tells me to consider it joy when I face trials because my testing through those trial produces perseverance.  But verse 4 teaches "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything."  I will continue to be a work in progress, and will continue to strive towards perfection, though I may fall short...but all of this is to mature me in my walk of faith.

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Right now, I am a bit discouraged.  Team Red had a great meeting last night, and we are bonding as a team quite well.  We had a language lesson from a Slavic woman who now lives in our area, and it was really cool to hear the language we will soon be surrounded by.  As for the discouragement, we got our monetary progress reports last night, and I still have A LOT of fund raising to do.  I am now one third of the way to my goal, but if I don't bring in a lot more funds here in the near future, my plane ticket cannot be purchased.  Right now, all of our tickets are reserved, but have a deadline for payment.

I am faithful that God answers prayer, especially those submit my more than one person.  Would you please pray that I am able to bring in the funds for my trip?  I appreciate the support I've been given, through this blog as well as in the real world, and having folks who have my back is ALWAYS reassuring.

Hence, the reason for our yard sale.  I am now going through outgrown kiddio clothes, books I read but no longer need, DVDs we just don't watch anymore...all sorts of things that are doing nothing but collecting dust in our home, but can help buy my trip plane ticket.  It's quite exciting, to be purging everything that I have, so that I may go and do His work, I'm just hoping it all pays off (and I will be joining my team on the trip)!

Once again, (shameless plug) if you are willing and able to donate an offering of support to the trip, please click the link at the top left of the page.  You will then be sent to a secure payment page, where you can donate to the Prague Short Term Mission Trip, in the name YONNA, and I will be credited.  Thank you so much, even for just considering this option.

Hoping to write again soon with some good news!  In the meanwhile, be sure to stop over at The Mudrik's Blog and check out what they've been up to...pretty good stuff!

Meet The Team: Becci

Here is an opportunity to meet the rest of Team Red: Czech Republic for the MO5 Short Term Missions Project.  I'm sure there will be others, so stay tuned for them!

First up is my prayer partner, travel partner, and partner in silliness, super-preparing and 'crime', (lol) Becci!

Who are you, and where are you from? 

I'm Becci and I'm from Levittown, NY.  I'm currently a full time graphic design/ photojournalism student. 

 

Who are you at home?  

I'm an army wife (not like the show), 'mama' to a very cute, but very destructive corgi pup, and avid adventurer. 

How long have you been a Christian?  

I have been a Christian all my life (raised in a christian home) but I made the decision to give my life to The Lord and was baptized when I was approximately 11 years old.

 

What small groups are you involved in at Mountain? 

I am involved with the Mountain Riders, the motorcycle ministry and small group at mountain.

 

Is this your first mission trip?  If not, where else have you gone, and when? 

This is not my first mission trip. I have also been to Kentucky, West Virginia and Reynosa, Mexico.

 

What made you decide to take this trip to the Czech Republic? 

 I have felt God calling me to go on another mission trip for years, but it was tough to find the time and the means since I was in the military.  I originally thought I was going on the trip to Southeast Asia but  during my interview, it was thought I would be more well suited for the Czech trip. 

 

How are you feeling about the trip as of today?  

I am absolutely psyched for this trip!  It really feels like God handpicked this team, and He really has a plan for us. 

 

What are some of your worries about the trip?  

Hmmm, worries?  No, I really don't have too many and the ones I do have are mostly irrational. 

 

What are you hoping to see/do while we are there? 

I'm really hoping to building a lasting relationship with not only the Czech People, but also the Mudrik family. I certainly want to see Prague too; I hear it's absolutely gorgeous. 

 

Do you have anything you'd like to add?  

I'm not sure what to add...I'm just really excited. :)

So there we have it!  The beginning of the interviews with Team Red.  I am excited to have Becci on the team, since she and I share so many things, and are growing in our relationship.

Just a note, our team of 10 has dropped,and we are now a team of 9.  One of the members felt that now is not the right time for them, and I am sad to see them go.  We are still a small team, however, I know that we will still make a HUGE impact on the Prague community, in His name!!

Once again, we are asking for your support.  Through prayer or financial assistance, we are grateful for any help you are willing to give.  Please click the link at the top left of the page to offer your support.  We thank you for the support that you have already shown by reading this blog, and would love to know you were here...please comment below, and let us know!

Let's get to work!

Last night, we had our first Team Red meeting.  A couple of folks were missing, but it was a great time anyway, especially since it was Pi Day (3/14, get it?  I thought it was funny), and Sherrill brought in an AMAZING Caramel Apple pie in to share.  Now, you may not know this, but anything Caramel, and Apple has got my vote...so I made sure to express my fondness of that amazing masterpiece to Sherrill!

*Sidenote:  Because I was in a hurry to get out of the meeting last night, I forgot to ask our new members for permission to use their names in this blog.  Forgive me, please.  I will try to do so at our next meeting.

Anyway, we did a couple of things last night, all of them exciting in some way or another:

~We found out who our Prayer/Travel partners would be, mine being Becci!  I know that I was fired up about this, since she and I have been chatting back and forth, giving advice and tips, and building a friendship.  I look forward to sharing some of her insight, since she has LOTS more travel experience that I do (she's backpacked Europe already...how cool!)...not to mention, some of the other Team Red members already know what the 'trouble' will be, lol! (It's all in good fun though!)

~We then made a prayer bead reminder, so that when we see each bead, it represents a team member, and we can remember to pray for that person specifically.

~We wrote down our biggest worry/fears for the trip, shared it with our partner, and prayed for them.  Mine was not being able to keep in contact with my kiddios, and not sleeping well.  God seems to know exactly what he's doing, because Becci has a phone that can be used worldwide, and is equipped with Skype as well, so I will be able to keep up with the kids while I'm gone.  As for the sleeplessness, once again, it seems I have the perfect partner, because she said she'd be willing to walk the fields in the middle of the night with me, if needbe!  (BTW: Becci's was pretty funny, she said I'd laugh at hers, which I did...but it is something that I know we can handle!)

~We then had a brief devotional as to why we were called to be missionaries.  Basically, it all stems from the Abrahamic Covenant, found in Genesis 12:1-3.  We are blessed, to be a blessing; we are to go to countries around the world and bless those who are in the dark in His name....  There are SO MANY things I want to say about this right now, but can't...but not to worry, I am sure that will be another blog for another day!

~Next up was a update from the Mudrik family (EXCITING!).  Our trip leaders, Liz and Sherrill had a Skype session with Marek and Elaine, and got to find out some great information.  My mind was put a bit more at ease in finding out that we would not be camping out under the stars, but rather in a hostel.  I am no stranger to hostels, and look forward to hanging out in the one that will be chosen for us.  They Mudrik's are still building on the retreat center, and will need lots of help with that, which we will be doing...but also, we will be engaging with local college-aged people who are interested in speaking English...so basically, we will get to talk to them (ABOUT ANYTHING!) all day while doing our work.  YAY!  Also, we will be worshiping, singing, praying and whatever else they want us to do while there. 

~We also worked on scheduling our meetings, setting up a Skype session for the whole team and the Mudrik family, learning the language, and fundraising....

...which leads me to fundraising here.  Dear reader, I humbly ask that if you are at all moved to support our team efforts to spread the light of Jesus in the Czech Republic, I invite you to click the link at the top left of the page, and give as you may.  At this point, every person on our team is behind in fundraising, but not due to a lack of effort.  We are all very prayerful that we will reach our goal amounts, but as of yet, we do not even have enough to begin reserving plane tickets.  Any amount will do, no matter how small, and we are grateful for every cent.  If you are unable to give financially, then please support us in prayer.  I thank you in advance.

So now that we know what some of the plans are, everyone is eager and ready to get to work!  I am in the process of planning interviews with my teammates, and will be posting them here.  If you are interested in asking any questions about the teammates, please leave them in the comment boxes below, and I will be sure to ask.

In the meantime, keep praying, and stay excited!

Seek Ye First...Matthew 6:33

Hey there...

I know I've got things I need to catch my readers up on, pertaining to Team Red (our new team members)...but I need to meet with them again, and get their permissions first.  We meet again as a team on Wednesday, so hopefully, I can bring you up to speed after that.  I am hoping to learn some things about them myself!

So, lately, I've been in 'super planning' mode.  I mean, at the last meeting, we got a bunch of information, including packing lists, etc., so I've been all over the internet, searching for options, pricing things out, looking for deals and things of that nature.  I've been looking at cash options (for spending money once I get there), checking with my bank for their international policies; checking international calling plans with my cell phone provider; studying all kinds of things, trying to be prepared, and almost over prepared for this trip.

And of course, I took a minute, and thought to myself "I must be crazy".  Who else does all of this planning 4 months out still?  Who else is combing details like this?    My teammates are gonna think I have OCD or something, lol.  Who else does that?

Well, today at church, I talked to my teammate, Becci.  As it turns out, she is in super planning mode as well! 

Yay, for real!  I'm not the only crazy one!

Seriously, though...for a little while, I had to admit that I was feeling insecure.  I had no idea how I would fit into the chemistry of my team.  I mean, with the exception of Taylor, all of my teammates are married; most have traveled overseas before (well...I've been to Cancun, and Toronto...but those don't count since I didn't need a passport).  Most have serve on missions teams before, and know what to expect.  Not me, on all accounts.

So I prayed.  I prayed for Him to ease my mind, that I would fit exactly where He needed me to.  I have NO IDEA, honestly, of how I will be used when I get over there, but He made a way for me to be on the team, and I specifically prayed "Lord, send me to where I can serve you best"...so He knows how I can serve best, and I know I will be used.  I also prayed for great relationships within my team, and after today's conversation with Becci, I feel like I am making progress.  See, she too, is thinking about the same things I am....how and what to pack...our sleeping situation...Euros or Czech Krowns?...

and I immediately felt at ease!  She told me that she sees my posts sometimes, and thinks to herself "okay, WE can be friends".  YAY GOD!

On a sidenote:  I recently read a book called Kabul Beauty School, written by Deborah Rodriguez.  In the book, Deborah is volunteering to go on a missions trip to Afghanistan after 9/11.  She goes on the trip with doctors, nurses and therapists, and wondered what would be her role, being a lowly hairdresser.  Her heart was in for the work, though she had no idea what her job would entail.  When she was introduced to a large group that she would help serve with, she was introduced, and was found to be a hairdresser.  Hands shot up; so many people wanted haircuts, hair color and styles that she found herself busy for days on end.  She decided to stay in Afghanistan permanently, and began teaching Afghan women hairstyling, eventually opening a beauty school, and helping women start their own businesses.  Of course, this story helped me, since I kind of feel like I have no place on my team.  But who knows what God has planned for me (Jeremiah 29:11); I just need to allow Him to do His work on me, and follow Him in life and service.  Great book!

So we meet again on Wednesday...I'll be updating soon.

Thanks for reading my blog!  Should you so feel inclined to comment, please do so below!  If you are interested in supporting our trip, click on one of the links at the top of the page (on the left) to help!  Anything you can do is greatly appreciated.

See you soon!


Thank you God, for hearing my prayers.  Thank you for knowing the desires of my heart, and fulfilling them so that I can serve you with the confidence that a disciple of Christ needs.  You are merciful and wise, and have the master plan for how this entire trip is gonna go, and I am honored that you chose me to be on Team Red.  Thank you for my team,and watch over us as we begin team building; help us to be transparent and flexible with one another.  Thank you for Becci...though she be only one person, I appreciate you giving me someone to relate to, bounce ideas off of, and hold me accountable, and vice versa.  I pray that we grow not only as teammates, but as friends as well.  Lord, I ask that you help us in fundraising, so that no one is left behind due to lack of funding...but thank you for everyone who is supporting us, not only financially, but through prayer as well.  Team Red was put together by you, and we are traveling and serving WITH Jesus, and for that I cannot be more grateful.  Thank you for being an amazing God.  In Jesus' name...amen.

Retreat highlights....I'm tired!

I just returned from a beautiful Women's Retreat weekend with my sisters from church.  I got to stay with my new friends, mother and daughter Barbara and April.  And while it was a wonderful time away with them, I am WORN OUT!

So, just a few highlights, so I can go an focus on my work (it IS Monday, afterall!).

Tracy Tiernan from 95.1 SHINE FM was our keynote speaker and worship leader for Friday and Saturday...and boy, was she challenging (I was openly sobbing by the end of the first session!).  As a worship leader at my church, I was immediately convicted by some of the things she scratched to the surface within me.  I have already begun putting her practicals to work.

Sandy Cove Retreat Center is truly a wonderful place (no TVs in the room, so you can focus on the people you came with...I'll admit, this was hard for me, since I usually fall asleep to the TV, and let the sleep timer turn itself off)...HOWEVER, the wall are thin.  I could hear my neighbors having regular conversations through the walls, and would be afraid to take my kids to stay in the lodge while visiting there.  However, they do have cabins, bunkhouses and campgrounds, so I would take them.  Also, this is how my group became known as "The Noisy Girls", lol (but I PROMISE you, we weren't anymore loud than anyone else!)

There was an amazing Commissioning and Annointing Service while we were there, where we were asked to listen to His voice, speak our Mission Fields, and be Commissioned to Go Forth and begin our works.  I have been commissioned as the leader of my children in pointing them towards Christ, and I have been commissioned to dedicate my life to the Worship Arts Ministry.  I am excited!

Finally, the thing that strikes me most as I think of this weekend is a snippet of a scripture that I memorized years ago, and how it is now burned onto my heart.  1 John 4:18 says "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.". 

There is no fear in Love. 

There is No Fear in Love.

I woke up thinking about this, and am now sitting here at work, thinking about it as well...

...and drinking this coffee!  I'm TIRED! {I will discuss my feelings on this with those who comment :) }

I'll be back later this week, to talk about more things from Team Red, the MO5 team going to Prague.  We've got 3 new members that you need to meet...and had a large group meeting, discussing conflict resolution and spiritual warfare...but for now, I need rest.

In the meanwhile...tell me what you think of that quote, "There is no fear in Love."  What do you take away from it?

We are NOT going for Jesus...

We are going WITH Him.  
We are going to do His work right by His side, just as He will be along ours. He tells us so in Matthew 29:20: "And surely I am WITH YOU always, to the very end of the age".



These were the words that struck me last night as I sat in on the meeting where I'd eventually meet the rest of my team.  About 50-60 people gathered in the room where display boards and colorful pamphlets had been neatly placed, along with 3 ring binders with the names of the places where the teams would go.  Red for Europe, Orange for North America, Blue for Latin America, Green for Africa and Yellow for Asia.  Of course, we were told to sit at any open chair at a table, as they were not yet splitting us up by group.


I chose to sit at one of the tables, and in speaking with those there, found myself surrounded by both veteran mission trippers, and newcomers as well, which made me very comfortable.  I was secretly hoping that my own group would be the same in make up; that we'd have veterans, as well as a first timer to share my experiences with.


After a prayer and an icebreaker, we sat and discussed some of the basics of the trips.  I found that I had been one of the first people chosen to go on one of the trips (I turned my application in as soon as I could after they had been released), and that they had still been interviewing people for the trips, as late as just before the meeting began.


One of the biggest things we talked about last night was health issues.  Not only do we want everyone healthy during the trip, but we want to make sure that everyone stays healthy enough to go!  Immediately, I put a reminder in my phone to make an appointment with my own doctor, so that I could get a check up, and make sure that my asthma is in check before I go.  I also need to see a dentist, since we all know that one little toothache can kill anyone's good time anywhere in the world.  I am so grateful that we have doctors in my church who are not only willing to share this information and their services with us, but are actually going on these trips with us, to serve just as we will.  We were given reminders and tips (with more to come, I'm sure) to keep all original prescription containers (boxes for my inhaler and daily meds), to pack those in carry ons, to bring about 25% more than we think we will need; bring a personal first aid kit and pain medications; walk around on long airplane flights to prevent bloodclots, etc., etc.

Also, explained briefly, was the issue of fundraising.  While each person is to make efforts to raise their own funds, we are working as a team.  For instance, let's say that I work hard, but only get 75% of my funds raised.  Another person on my team may raise more than enough, and then would be able to share their donations with me, ensuring that I am able to participate fully.  Your donations will not go to waste.  They will be used fully, to ensure that all needs are taken care of.  Also, periodically, we will be given a tally of how we are doing (financially), as well as who gave (amounts don't matter here!)...so please, if you plan to donate in my name (or for my team) share with us who you are.  I would personally like to thank you for your gift, and keep you up to date on what is being done with your funds.


Finally, we were asked to gather in our groups to finally meet and greet one another...I was so FIRED UP to meet mine!  I had already been given the head's up that we'd have a pretty small group, but that's cool with me.  I see it as an opportunity to be a tight knit group.  Last year, there were 81 people who went on one of the trips, so I am sure that not every person got to have one on one time with all of their travel mates.


Disclaimer:  Once meeting my group, I did inform them of this blog, and asked their permission to use them in the blog.  I may or may not use their real names, but the experiences we share, along with some of their personal thoughts will be used.  From each of them, I was given permission, though at any time, if they are uncomfortable with the information I release, I may edit the blog with revised information.


As I mentioned before, I knew of my team coordinator, as she was one of my interviewers. "Liz" is someone I have seen around the church quite often, as she serves in great capacities there.  Her son "Taylor" will also join us on the trip, though he wasn't at the meeting last night.  Taylor is completing his third year in college now, and joined our group by phone last night.  This is cool, because it will be the first trip that Liz and Taylor have ever taken together, and he is using it as a learning experience.  Taylor and I met about a year and a half ago at the North American Christian Convention, where we both served as a part of the Worship Team; I as a singer, and he as a musician.  He's a cool and talented guy, and I look forward to sharing this experience with them.

"Jeff" is another servant I have seen around church, and can now include a name with his face.  He is going on this trip because he wants to serve the Mudrik's themselves.  He once went on a business trip to Rome, and had some downtime, so he wanted to find some missionaries in the area.  After contacting home to find out who was in the area, he met the family, went to dinner with them, and found out that they had never had anyone come and seek them out, just to show them support.  "Cheryl" is another woman going on our team that shares in this feeling with Jeff; she has the heart to go and serve the Mudrik's, and provide them with whatever support they need.  After reading the Mudrik's Blog, I, too, feel compelled to go, and be for them whatever they may need (my daughter is also wanting to serve them, and suggests that we send some goodies over for their children!).
"Phil" has been a member of our church for years, and actually taught one of the classes The Mudrik's attended when they were members of our church, back when they were newlyweds (before the children and the move to Prague), and has a relationship with them already, and can't wait to go and serve them, and see what their life is like, now that they are parents, and teachers.


"Becci" is another who, like myself, had intentions on going on another trip, but God felt that she'd better serve with the team in Prague.  As it turns out, He knows best, because she LOVES carpentry and building, which could be alot of what we will be doing on this trip.


As it stands right now, this is our team.  Right now, there are about 70 people being sent on the Mountain On 5 (MO5) mission, but there are a few more still being interviewed (Reminds me of Luke 10*!).  We may have one or two more join us within the next week, but its still looking like we will be the smallest group being sent out.  I look forward to getting to know these folks, growing as a team with them, and preparing our hearts to go out into this world as The Hands and Feet of Him, collectively.  When you support me, in finances or in prayer, you also support them, as well as The Mudrik's.  We look forward to adding your name to our team.  

Let's Go, Team Red!


So, is there anything else you'd like to know about our team?  Anything you'd like to know about The Mudrik family?  Myself?  Our trip to the Czech Republic?  Please ask!  Comment away!  Let me know what you think, feel, or suggest anything you'd like me to blog about.  You are taking this journey with Team Red, and I want to make sure you feel welcomed.  You are the reason why this blog is here, as YOU are The Hands and Feet of Him as well!  Comment away!

*Luke 10:1-3: After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. ² He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. ³ Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.