So much to do, so little time!

Sorry for the hiatus after the hiatus...I'm really trying to get my (blogging) life together here.

Since I my last trip, life has changed a bit.  My job promoted me, and I have lots more responsibility added to my plate; a group that I co-lead at church; the worship arts ministry, and my young people at home (yep, I'm a momma!) and therefore, not as much time to blog.  So, I guess now, I really need to make my blogs worth something, huh?

Anyway, since I last blogged, I've met most of my team.  We got together with all of the rest of the teams that are going on mission this year, and had a brief time of meet and greet.  I am excited about my new team, as I have seen many of their faces out and about around church, and our leaders are both folks that I have wanted to hang with for awhile, so this is a great opportunity.  One of my friends that I have really been getting close to is also going on this trip, and I feel so blessed that she is able to do it, for a number of reasons, selfish and otherwise.

I've also been called to the carpet by one of the new leaders, as something happened on the Prague trip that needed to be addressed.  I'm glad that it was...I certainly don't want to make that same mistake twice!  From that, I was able to look at myself, and see what character flaws needed to be addressed...I was also able to apologize to one of the two people that I effected in a choice that I made (I haven't seen the other just yet, but plan to talk when I do see them).  Thank God that He is a God of second chances!

So anyway, we are full swing into fund raising, and I don't know how I'm doing just yet, but I know that I have sent out letter, tweeted about it, and (after finishing this blog posting) am about to Facebook message folks about it.  So much to do!

The thing I really wanted to blog about though, is one of my teammates.  I only met her for the first time at our group meeting, and honestly, didn't get a chance to speak to her one on one.  However, her story astonishes me.

She is a mature woman of 80+ years old, and is going on this trip with us.  80+ years!  I look forward to her wisdom, and everything that she can offer on this trip.  I think most, I look forward to her challenging us as we go about our service.  To know that she is able to Go and Do and Be the Hands and Feet of Him...all I know is that there should not be one complaint coming from my mouth!  If she can, I know that I am more than able!  After all, Isaiah 46 reads "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, and I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you".  It seems that my teammate TRULY believe in this, and I look forward to sitting at her feet, and learning from her what all she has to offer.

I hope to not take so long between posts again, to keep you updated on the progress of the teambuilding and fundraising aspects, as well as other things.  One of my friends was recently offered a job working with CMFI, or Christian Missionary Fellowship International, and I want you to get to know her and how she got to be an intern, and now a fellow worker in the mission field.  Also, I plan to interview teammates of mine, both experienced, and those going on mission for the first time.  I'm excited, and hope that you are as well!

Thanks for reading and supporting!
<3,
~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!

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

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.