Grace Avenue UMC, Frisco TX

I just posted some pictures from our last day here.  We had a great day from start to finish.  It is always so sad to leave, but we must return home.

Jen

Well, we are alomost done. Sorry for not blogging. I have been elbowed by a Castle Guard, (Long Story tell ya later). But over all it has been a good trip. Working with the clients this year has been great. The clients were open with us this year. All of them shared their story which is so good. I am sad that we are leaving but I will return next year. See all of you in a few hours…

Yesterday we went to Friday Club which is a youth group for teenagers that are at risk of using drugs or drinking.  They were such a delight and we spent about 2 hours with them talking about our youth at Grace Avenue and learning of the similarities.  We invited them to come to church this morning at Maranatha so we could see them again.  A few of them had been to church only once or twice but most had never been there on Sunday.  To our delight, 3 of the girls from Friday Club came to church this morning for the first time ever!  They came to see us and Lisa gave them each a Grace Avenue t-shirt which they quickly put on so they could match us.  We were all wearing our blue team t-shirts as well as the Teen Challenge staff and clients.  It was a sea of blue in the church that was quite impressive to see.  It made the girls, the clients, and us all feel as though we were one team….an awesome experience for them and for us!

 Paula

It’s hard to believe that this is our last day.  The church service was awesome!  Three of the teen girls from the Friday Club we visited on Friday came to church for the first time ever.  Then they went to lunch with the girls and the guys went to visit Marek, one of the clients who is still in the hospital.  We have our final farewell dinner tonight.  Please look at the new pictures that are posted and see our sea of blue in the church service. 

Blessings galore,

Lisa

Hello from Maranatha / Teen Challenge.

This was a Blessed Day - yet another wonderful Comment by Janet Odom was posted.

Janet we thank you for your support and emails/BLOG comments and cheering us on. We really appreciate your words, and look forward to reading more from you and everyone.

I cannot tell you how much that helps us through up-times and challenges. You are an awesome friend in Christ. We are asking the Teen Challenge and Maranatha to keep us all in their prayers, as they ask us also.

The TEAM (comprised of Holy Hill and VIM) shared stories and thoughts, along with prayers and singing. Petr Balous plays the guitar so well - Barry, we should try to get him in the “group”.

Will upload pictures tomorrow.

Goodnight and God Bless,

Charles

Ahoj

Worked hard Friday morning, to get ahead so that we could have lunch, then return to hotel for shower and going to Teen Challenge to meet with the teenagers at Friday Club. We walked our traditional climb to the top of the mountain and took team pictures. They are on the BLOG for your view of our ONE TEAM, CZ and American members

At Friday Club we listened to them, introduced ourselves, showed them clips from the DVD of Joesph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Then we brought out the prayer scarves and let them pick their own. They dove in and scrambled for the one they wanted!!    We have pictures many of us took for your view of the young folks, and what fun they had trying on the scarves. Each one immediately wanted to know the prayer enclosed note, and obviously loved the scarves. We carefully explained how each scarf was made, and they tried them on with obvious joy ( it does get very cold here in winter). Each of the CZ teens had made a special picture to give us. John and his sister each made one, and when he handed out all the pictures, it turned out that Lisa and I had his sister’s and his given to us!! (Dequi, Pane)  Thank you, God.

This American team is an awesome team - in my 5 years coming here, I am most impressed with the outpouring of love and faith each member has shown the clients and staff of Teen Challenge. They have been patient with the delays in government showing up for meetings, and ready acceptance of the different foods (Jessica LOVES the traditional CZ meal, svickova!!! Ask her when you see her!!

Today we go to Holy Hill for no work, rather sharing prayers, thoughts, laughter and small gifts. Then back to Maranatha for a CZ wedding of a new Teen Challenge staff member. Then the plan is to visit a castle in Bohemia and grab dinner. …..wonder what Jessica will have !!   <;>))

Tomorrow Sunday will be a very special day for us - we will go to church on our last day, hand out the bracelets we have and special shirts to each cient. Then, the surprise dinner with the clients in Plzen, a treat for them to visit the city, and a special emotional time for the whole TEAM, CZ and American.

Lots of new pictures are on the BLOG - enjoy and pray for and with us, as we near the end of our mission trip. THis trip has been a blessing, and God has watched over us with angels the whole time. Petr Ballous, Pastor Petr, Marek have taken care of our every move and every request - what wonderful angels they are, once again.

Watch for news as the BLOG continues (thanks, Jason) and pray for safe and timely flights on Monday.

In God’s Love and Grace,

Charles

Today was our last work day at Holy Hill.  Two journalists from two seperate newspapers came to interview some of us and to take pictures of us working with the clients.  After the journalists left we walked up to the top of the hill so that we could get our group picture with the clients and workers at Holy Hill.  I have looked forward to this walk simply because it is a great reason to take a break and enjoy a pretty view.  It is also a time to look around and enjoy the smiles on the clients’ faces.  I posted these pictures for you to see.  I also posted some pictures from when we met with the Mayor and Councilman on Wednesday.  Today we were also able to go to the Friday Club at the Tea Room at Teen Challenge.  The Friday Club is a group of teens that meet twice a week to do various activities together.  It provides them a great way to work through any issues they may have in their life.  I really enjoyed getting to meet this group of teens and hearing about what they do at the Friday Club.  The thing I enjoyed the most was being able to see the smiles on their faces as we talked with them and gave them gifts.  I posted some pictures from our time at the Friday Club for yall to look at as well.  Check out the smiles on their faces.  Tomorrow we will get to have a different kind of bar-b-que with the clients.  Since we are all going to a wedding Saturday we are going to go to Holy Hill in the morning for cakes and coffee.  The bar-b-que was my favorite part of the trip last year because this was when you really got the chance to just hang out with the guys, talk and laugh with them.  So I look forward to what smiles tomorrow will bring, not to mention we are going to tour a castle or two in South Bohemia after the wedding.  I am finally going to get the chance to go to sleep before 12am or 1am so I am going to go to sleep now.

Jen

It is Friday evening and we have had another busy day.  Our schedule is always very “tight”.  Today we went to Holy Hill to work with the clients again.  They all seemed so happy to see us.  I did my usual job of scraping the bricks as this job allows my sitting down.  After walking in Prague yesterday, my old knees raised their “ugly” head and have talked back to me all day.  I hope I don’t hold back the team from doing all they want to do. !!!!

While at Holy Hill, several newspaper reporters came out for pictures and interviews.  The more publicity for Teen Challange the better.  After lunch, we walked up to the top of the hill  to join the Graqce Avenue team to the Holy Hill team.  We took a number of pictures and then came back to Plzen to go to the Friday Youth Club.  Jessica and Caleb were great with the Plzen youth. 

Satuday we will go to Holy Hill for the annual cookout with the clients and then we are invited to a wedding of one of the social workers there.  Should be another great experience for us.  In the afternoon, we will tour another castle and do some more shopping.  It is just toooooooooooo fun!

Thanks for all the support and prayers everyone has lifted up for us. 

Love,

Trish

We spent the morning at Holy Hill.  I worked in the kitchen with Patrick (who speaks English) and Pavel.  It was a wonderful experience.  We cooked, we chatted and we laughed.  I helped them make what they said was a German dish, and I laughed when they opened a packet of Old El Paso Fajita seasoning for in the “German” dish!!  Then I had to explain what fajitas were and how we use the seasoning.  Pavel told me that his mother who is a pastor at a church in Prague went into the hospital for a problem with her heart.  I told him that we would all pray for her…so I would ask that everyone at home pray for her recovery as well. 

Love to everyone at home!  I can’t believe that it is Friday already.  Tomorrow we do the “cook out” with the guys at Holy Hill, then we are attending a wedding for one of the new staff members at Holy Hill.  Our first Czech wedding!  How cool is that????

Love, Donna

Hello everyone! Today was our last work day. The newspaper came out again. Fredia, Caleb and I are hoping for 3 years in a row for being in the paper. If so we will bring one back so you can see. You will have to learn Czexh to read it to us ok??? All is good today. We still have two more big events with the Students tomorrow and Sunday. Sunday is always the hardest for me. I can only imagine how hard it is for them. BUT we will be back. Not next year for me but in 2009 i will be. Please continue to pray for all of us. Dana nad Chip ck e-mail.

Rommie the coffee is ready!

Janet how is it going for you?

My prayers are with you all. take care and we will see you soon! Joyce