Plans what plans?

 My Plans are Not My Own

When we last left off it was July. I arrived back in Prague on July 21st and hit the ground running, and I haven't stopped! I was gearing up to teach grade two and my new classroom was nearing being all set up. Bulletin boards ready, desks in place, planning nearing completion I was almost all set to go. 

However, we were still in desperate need of a 5th grade teacher. I sat down with our leadership team trying to find a way to piecemeal schedules do get enough teachers to cover the grade 5 classes. In the end it looked like grade 5 would have up to 7 teachers and even some classes having two different teachers teaching it. This was not going to work. In walks our amazing grade one teacher (who was hired to teach grade one while I was on home assignment) with the offer to take on grade 5 if we had someone for grade one. It was not my desire to do a split class but the grade one class only had 6 students and the grade 2 class had 10. Teaching 16 grade ones and twos I have done before. So 5 days before the first day of school I was moving classrooms again, setting up shop back in my old room and gearing up to teach 16 grade ones and twos!

 

 

 

Needless to say it has been a busy start to the year. Along with balancing ever changing Covid-19 restrictions I have had my hands full. Yet I have been holding everything with open hands. We praised the Lord for each day that we were allowed to hold class in the school building. In October the Czech Republic saw a rapid increase in covid-19 cases and restrictions began to steadily tighten. High schools were the first to be mandated to online shortly followed by middle school. Elementary went to online classes on October 14. The country has now been declared in a state of emergency until December 2. We are under curfew, no one to leave their houses between 9pm and 5am, except for emergencies, returning from work and walking your dog within 500m of your home. Daily outings are restricted to essentials, grocery shopping, medical visits, and work.

Online teaching is definitely not one of  my favourite things but it allows for opportunities to reach whole families that classroom teaching can not. We are now present in our students' homes. Their parents are hearing their lessons and interacting with what their child is learning. Especially when it comes to the Bible and our scripture memory. Families are participating in hearing our chapel talks and Bible lessons. Teaching online is difficult but God is using every seed planting opportunity to bring glory to his kingdom.

Outside the Classroom 

Even covid-19 is not going to keep me down. I managed before restrictions tightened to have a thanksgiving celebration.

Although I did not get to travel for my fall break I was able to get out of the house before lock-down fully had gone into effect and got to see the lovely Fall colours.

Please keep the Czech Republic in your prayers. The first time through lock down in March the people were rather compliant and calm but this time around people are a little more edgy. Riots have take place in the city centre and the overall feeling is one of tiredness and wanting it all to be over. Death toll is on the rise and flattening the curve seems a long way off. We don't know when schools will reopen and longer term online seem inevitable at this point. Please pray especially for our students who are learning English and can not have the help of their parents with their school work.

The Journey

Leaving on a Jet Plane

So the last couple of months zipped by and they were filled with birthday celebrations, packing and goodbyes. 

Happy 3rd birthday to my nephew. Helped build his awesome alligator birthday cupcake cake with my sister-in-law.

  

  

  

  

From Canada to the Czech Republic

Once I arrived I have hit the ground running so I am only slowing down enough now to share what has been happening. Covid-19 has wrinkled a lot of plans and has made life very unique and travel even more so.

I would have to say that other than having to wear masks this was was probably the smoothest trip I have ever taken. 

My temperature was taken before departing Kelowna, other than that all security checks were normal. Everything was extremely orderly. I think what surprised me most was due to social distancing everyone was not as pushy. When deplaning in Vancouver the flight attendants instructed that you only stood to depart when the person in front of you had already departed and to remain seated. I think it was the first time that I didn't see people already standing before the seat belt sign had been turned off!

  

Walking through practically empty International airports was a bit eerie but so nice to not have to fight for the good lounge seats.

    

  

 It has been years since I have had 3 seats to myself on a plane! Getting through passport control was easy as I have a residence card for living in the EU so they waved me through no questions asked.

I did not have to quarantine upon arrival because I was coming from Canada which is on the safe zone list. So all and all it was an uneventful trip.

Back to School

Since my arrival I have been back in the classroom and gearing up for the new school year. I am going to be teaching grade two this year as well as being elementary department head so lots of changes. New classroom, new toys and a lot to accomplish in a short time frame. 

Here are a few snap shots of the process:

  

  

  

Still a long way to go but progress is being made.

Praying for Mountains to be Moved

Due to the pandemic many hurdles have come up for our school, namely staffing. For our new hires, usually once they have raised their support, they can hop on a plane and come on a tourist visa before applying for their residence visa. However with the current world situation everything is in new territory as far a procedure. Tourist visas are not being issued for many outside the EU especially those from the USA. My new flatmate is coming from Florida and is currently stuck and we are praying for a way for her to get into the country.

WE NEED TEACHERS

We still do not have a teacher for grade 5, or for some of our high school sciences. We won't be able to have music because we don't have a music teacher. Our grade 3 teacher is having visa renewal issues and may be sent back to her home country. We have yet to find some one for our director position and our newly hired principal is delayed until maybe January. The needs are great and they are mountain sized. I have been thinking about the words in scripture that say: if we have faith as a mustard seed we can move mountains. Our mountains are colossal in size and seem impossible. Yet, we serve a God of the impossible.

We have 18 days until the first day of school. Please pray with us for the impossible:

Qualified grade 5 teacher who is already in country or has EU residency and can start immediately.

Qualified grade 3 teacher who is already in country or has EU residency and can start immediately.

Qualified Chemistry and Physics teacher who is already in country or has EU residency and can start immediately

Travel approval and way to attain a visa for my new flatmate and middle school teacher Jennifer. That she can arrive by the end of September.

For a new director and provision for our new principal that everything his family needs to depart will be in place.

"Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matt 17:20