Sunday, June 23, 2013

Teaching English Twice a Day!

Sorry it has been so long since the last entry. We have been rather busy.

On Monday, June 17 we started our English classes at two sites. In the mornings at 9:00 am we teach in Patrinja, we average about 25 in levels 1 and 2. In the evenings we travel about 8 miles to Sisak to teach at 6:00 pm, we average about 30 in levels 1-3. Between the classes we respond to the students journals for the morning classes and when we return from the evening class we respond to those journals. In between all the classes and journalling we find time to eat, shower, and sleep. It is hard work, I am having fun, even if I am tired!

I have met and am teaching some really awesome people. They try hard everyday to speak a language that is not easy to learn. I teach level 2 in both sites, these are people who know some English already. I still need to have some things I say translated at times, yet for the most part we only speak English to them without the aid of a translator.

We have a focus every evening for instance Friday was about professions. There was a conversation that was the focus and they practice it many times. The key to learning this way is repeating words and phrases 40 times or more. They may get bored a little yet they know that it is important.

We have Assembly (Chapel) everyday, the message follows the reading lessons presented in class. We are focusing on the book of
John. We sing songs in both English and Croatian. Chapel time is an important part of the class.

In the journals I try to focus on the lesson or the reading. These journals help us build
relationships with our students. I can not share what we talk about because I promised that they would be kept between and the individual. I an say that I have some very bright students and I enjoy corresponding with them.

I will try to write more soon. God knows the needs and how we need to serve these people. Pray for God's leading. Bog Ljubi!

Also please pray for India and the people there suffering in the floods. I have missionary friends there that I pray are safe!

Monday, June 17, 2013

Groceries and Church!

Two important things in our lives, physical food and spiritual food!

By the way, I am going to most of the photos at the bottom of the page. There are so many of them it will just be better. Remember you can click on them to see them bigger.

On Saturday we went shopping. In the morning we went to a store called Plodine.
There many interesting things about shopping here. One is that you have to put a deposit on your shopping cart. Since most everyone walks or rides a bike I am sure that is to discourage people from taking the carts. You use a key to push the coin out when you place the cart back in the rack. They have some familiar items in the stores and some not so familiar. They also eat a lot of processed meats.

After a trip through the store we decided to have a cup of coffee at the cafe outside. That was not all they served but it was all we felt we should partake in. There was a cat who thought he should join us for some coffee also.

We went back to the house where we prepared dinner. Lois has a garden outside and she grows her own lettuce so I helped her pick a little for my salad and the tacos we were going to prepare. Unfortunately there was no seasoning to finish the tacos so I walked to a grocery store not far from the house. They had a packet of seasoning that worked for the tacos. All the seasonings in that store were in bags. They did not have bottled seasonings so I could make tacos the way I do at home.

After lunch some took naps, while some of us went to look at some local art. The clocks on the table were made by a man who John knows. He makes some in the shape of Croatia, they are very nice. His wife is blind, she uses a loom to make purses and things out of wool. She is the only woman in Croatia who uses this kind of loom still. Later, Diana and I picked some cherries and I took some photos.

Later that afternoon we went to another store called InterSpar. It was a larger grocery store with some other items like toys, art supplies, etc. There was a strip mall behind this store. One thing that we found there were the spices. Now Lois will not have to rely on packaged seasoning for Tacos. After this trip, we returned home and had leftovers.
On Sunday, we first travelled to Sisak to church. There is so much to see here and history to hear about this area. I have noticed that there are a lot of fruit trees, vines, and bushes. Many people have vegetable gardens. There also a lot of Roses all over the country.
The church service was very nice. I loved the fact that the children were allowed to help with the music and then have their own service in a different part of the church. Because there were a number of people from different places the paster did his welcome in American and Croatian. The speaker was another missionary from Korea, his name was Yangkee Kim. After the service we travelled back to the house and had a wonderful lunch.
On Sunday evening, we travelled to Glina to have a service there, John our host was the speaker. There was a little girl named Silvana, there who was drawing flowers during the service, she was doing a great job. After the service we enjoyed some pastries and juice with the congregation. I told the little girl I thought her drawing were wonderful, and I drew her a picture. She drew one for me.
Before we left the town of Glina we filled some bottle from the spring there.
All in all our weekend was full and fulfilling as we had fellowship with each other, God and with other Christians. As God's children we should always seek to share time with others, and allow God to be there in all we do.
Please continue that God will bless this trip and use all of us for His honor and glory.


Saturday, June 15, 2013

Made it to Croatia!

I hope this blog entry finds all of you happy and well in the US. I for one am a very tired traveller. I have not been to sleep since I woke up on Thursday morning in Louisiana. My friend Jan, my daughter, and I travelled to The George Bush International Airport where I boarded a Luthansa plane for Frankfort Germany. Thee were a lot of people on this flight, all the seats were full. (PS. I started this entry on the day I arrived in Croatia, I did have to take a break to sleep, and finished it today, the day after)

The flight was about 10 hours long. They served a very nice meal for dinner, I was surprised for an airline. As we approached morning in Europe the The sun started coming up.



They had a way for the passengers to see out side without look through the windows. The picture isn't really very good, you can see the outline of the nose of the plane and the bright light is obviously the sun.

When I arrived in Frankfort, Germany the walk to the next gate was very long, then I had to get on a bus to get to the Croatia Airline plane. This plane was much smaller.



I arrived in Croatia a little later than I was supposed to, Then we drove to Petrinja, It was a lovely drive. They drive on the same side of the street as we do in America.


John and Lois Stefan are the missionaries from the United States that we are staying with. They have been part of this ministry for many years. After eating lunch and resting a little we went to church at the Petrinja Baptist Church.

The music was wonderful. it sounded a lot like cajun or zydeco music. You may see the accordion in the picture. That may be why it reminded me of home.

There was a special speaker, he is a missionary to Europe from Korea, Sangyee Nam. The translator is Bozidar Knezic he is a member of the church from the Czech Republic.

Missionary and Translator

All in all, my first day in Croatia was very busy and a lot of fun.  I was very sleepy and could barely hold my eyes open yet God gave me the strength to stay awake and see the day through to the end.  Please continue to pray for us as we prepare to begin our English classes on Monday. I pray God will bless all of you for keeping us in your prayers.
Church Pastor
Miroslav Nadazdi




Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Almost Time!




Tomorrow is the day I leave for Croatia. I started going through my mind of what to pack long ago, and now I have started. It is hard to make sure you have everything you need. Then there is the issue of baggage weight, which believe me is not easy. If I was not so afraid my checked bag would not make it with me I would be okay.


In packing one of the things I am trying to remember is to leave my personal "baggage" here. What I mean is the things that would hinder me from serving the Lord and helping the people I am meant to help. There are a lot of issues I am dealing with here at home that just need to stay here for now. I am asking all of you to help me by praying that God will give me the grace and strength needed to do that.

I also don't need to make extra "baggage" for myself. That is new worries, like the plane crashing or my checked baggage not getting to the airport with me, getting sick on the plane, or while in Croatia. Those are all things that I can not foresee and I need to just leave them out of my mind. That is hard. And there are many more that are creeping in. I believe the devil wants me to worry and I am trying to resist him and the thoughts that are not going to be helpful to me or anyone else. 

Please pray for all of us who are going to Croatia. Most of the others are there already. I will be leaving tomorrow from Houston at 4:10pm (CT). It will be a long flight. Pray for the mission and the teaching we will be doing. The next time I write will be there I hope... Check back and thank-you all!


Sunday, May 26, 2013

Preparing the Lessons

I have been in the process of getting the lessons ready for Croatia. I have finished coloring the pictures I wanted to
add color to and I color coded the lessons by placing the
pages on construction paper. Then I laminated all of those pages and cut them out. It really was a fun process even if it was a long and time consuming one, I am sure it will be worth the effort in the end.
 
Now I am in the process of writing the lesson plans for each of the lessons. This is also going to be time consuming and I am trying to do this prayerfully as I go, so that God will be in the lessons and He will guide me in how to teach them. This is not only a mission to teach these people English, helping the achieve more in their lives. It is a mission to share the Love of the Savior, Jesus and if the opportunity rises, to lead someone to Him.

I pray that God touches my life in a way that I can reflect His loving kindness, and tender mercies to all those I come in contact with. I pray that He prepares the hearts and lives of all of us who are preparing for this journey, and for all of those we will come in contact with.

Wileen Brumley will be leaving in a week to get the sites ready for the rest of us. I pray for traveling mercies for her. That God will guide her in all she has to do. She has a big task of not only directing this mission trip, but also teaching. Please pray for her and for all of us as we embark on this wonderful journey God has for us. Praise the Lord we have this opportunity.

I will be leaving on June 13th. I am a little anxious, this is a big step of faith for me. I know God has me in His loving care, he has supplied so much already and I know His storehouses are full of more for me and everyone who will be working in Croatia.

Thank-you for visiting this blog. I ask that you remember us all in prayer. Thanks again! Come back and check for new posts as time gets closer and while we are there.