June - August

Summer Adventures

In June I returned to Canada for a 6 week visit.
It was a wonderful time of catching up with friends and family, celebrating birthdays and skipping off to Texas to see an old roommate get married.
I also got to share about my ministry at an evening informational night and spent a week packing over 400 books that had been donated through a book drive at my home church.

I have become more invested in living in the moment lately and less about documenting on camera so I have less pictures than normal but here are a few snapshots from my adventures.

June

I got to spend a couple of days helping in the kitchen at Sunnybrae Bible Camp
A place near and dear to my heart; Sunnybrae was my jump start into working with children that greatly honed my classroom management skills. Working at Sunnybrae in the early 2000's prepared me for a future career in wrangling groups of children.

Family Fun
I got to spend a number of days with my nephews, visiting "Grandpa" at Davisons Orchard, celebrating birthdays and having sleep overs.

The last time I was in Canada my youngest nephew was just born. Now we celebrated his 2nd birthday. Time just flies. From holding a squirming 10day old infant to chasing after a toddler.

 

Catching up with my brothers was a highlight and this picture says it all!

This picture captured our personalities perfectly!

My younger brother and his wife and two children moved this last fall to a small place on an acreage just under an hour drive from my parents' place. So nice to have family closer together.

Texan Experience

In the middle of July I had the opportunity to go to Texas to visit my old roommate and be there for her wedding. It was a gorgeous day and a wonderful time catching up with some friends who I worked with in Prague who are now living stateside.
It was a great trip (despite the fact that my jar of jam that was supposed to be part of a wedding gift was confiscated for being 10mL over the 100mL limit.) I understand having to do their job but I highly doubt that a sealed jar of jam is a weapon of mass destruction.

 

Czech it Out

When I returned from Texas I had an evening dessert night where I shared about my ministry and what God has been doing at CISP this year. We had a good turn out of about 50 people, where I shared some of Czech language learning experiences as well as homemade kolače.

Packing Packing Packing

Mom was coming back with me to help get the classroom ready; so between the two of us travelling on humanitarian fare we had 6 suitcases allowing us the room to pack over 400 books.

The packing process of weighing and re-packing took me about a week. I had a wee companion watching over all my work the whole time. I do believe he was hopeful I would pack him too.

Last get together with the Robinson clan before jumping on the plane.

July 28 Flying "Home" 

Returned back to Prague accompanied by my mom who stayed for two weeks to help me get things ready for the next school year.

5 suitcases and over 400 books thanks to all who helped find and donate books and supplies 

I wish he had before pictures of what this closet looked like before my amazing mom whipped it into shape. Took us 4 days to clean, organise and make it look this good.

Gearing up for a New School Year

This year I have 9-10 students (have one family that is waiting on a Visa so may not be coming)
representing 6 countries. Majority of my class are not familiar with the Bible or have any understanding who is our Creator. Please pray for this new crew of students and the year that is ahead of us!

Hotovo!

Life Long Learning

On June 12th I got to celebrate with my classmates that we completed 10 gruelling months of Czech Language study. There is a sense of accomplishment when you receive a piece of paper that certifies that you have completed something. Over the past ten months I have learned so much beyond proper grammar, noun declination or verb conjugation. I have learned what it is like to be a language learner. How our students feel being immersed in a foreign language all day. What it is like to see the teacher's frustration that their students are just not understanding and all seems hopeless; or that beaming face when they see you finally have it! 

I have been learning to take one small step at a time. In learning Czech there have been many steps made. Although I am far from being fluent I have taken great strides and I am at the level where I am no longer considered a beginner. However I tell people:
"Budu se učit česky celý život!"  = "I will be learning Czech for my whole life!"
One of my co-workers jokes that Czech will be the language we speak in heaven because it has 7 cases (the perfect number) and it takes an eternity to learn!

I finished out the course with a lovely ceremony with my classmates and received a certificate to recognise my learning achievement.

This is my teacher for the past year. She is holding the gift I painted for her of my favourite statue and square in Prague 

 

What is Next?

Currently I am back in Canada for the next 6 weeks to visit with friends and family and gearing up for the next school year. Praying still for my extension request of my CoC to be granted (see previous post for explanation). I will be returning to Prague on July 28th in faith that I will get to finish out the 2019/2020 school year before returning to Canada to complete my 6 month totalization requirements.

The granting of my extension request can take anywhere from 30-90 days so now we just wait and pray.

Praying for Teachers

We are still in desperate need of 2 certified elementary teachers a PE teacher and secondary science teacher. It is not too late! If you are interested or know someone who may be interested in serving overseas be sure to contact our school at teach@cisprague.org