Budapest

We took an intern trip to Budapest!  It was a two-night, three-day adventure.  I have never been to Budapest and I loved every second of it.  It was a gorgeous city and we saw so much.  I am not sure what to write about though.  Ever have one of those?  You know that you saw so much and did so much, you had some great experiences, but.. you don't really know how to tell other people about it?

I mean, I can tell you all about the castle and how gorgeous it was, especially at night.  I can tell you about seeing the amazing architecture.  I can tell you about sitting in the coffee shops in the morning and having quiet time while looking out at the Basilica.  I can even tell you about sitting by the river, looking across to the other side of the city while discussing God's awesome power and plans.  But, none of that will do this trip justice.  So, instead, Miriam is so graciously allowing me to use some of her pictures to show you what we saw.  :)  I hope that is okay with everyone.  If you want to know more - just comment me, skype me, or FB me.  OK??  Here we go!!!

Our group on our way up to the castle.

The beautiful view.

Sitting by the river having awesome conversations.

Getting silly!

Lovely ladies.

The city at night.

More posts coming soon,
xx

Bratislava

So... there may or may not have been one free day in our intern schedule this summer.  (HINT: there was.)  Being us clever/crafty/intelligent/wanderlusting young people, we decided that we should not use this day for rest, as was intended.  Rather, we wanted to use it to explore some of Europe's finest.  You may be thinking, "That's crazy!  They should be sleeping!" or "They shouldn't be spending that money on traveling!" or maybe even, "Oh, those darn interns... always causing trouble."  But... the fact of the matter is... it. was. awesome.

Most of the interns decided to go to Prague.  Now, I know that Prague is amazing and I know that many of you are aware that it is one of my favorite cities in the world.  However, I had another plan in mind.  Once one of the other interns seconded my plan... there was no stopping us.  This was the plan:
Take the train to Bratislava... see the Chase's... sightsee... sit in a coffee shop and talk for hours... return home.  What happened was even greater than this plan!

The Chase's are the newest missionaries for JV in SK.  They have two daughters and two sons.  And, in case you are wondering, they are fabulous.  I got to meet them at our intern picnic and knew that I wanted to get to know them better, had I an opportunity.  Well, this free day was just the opportunity I was looking for.

Mir and I called them and asked if we could see them... their answer was beyond great.  They said not only could we come and see them, but we could stay the night at their new house!  :)  So, we came back from our HCV and hopped on a train that night to Bratislava.  It was so amazing to see all of them!  We talked for a long time before heading to bed.

The next morning, we and the kids took a bus into the city centre.  We did a lot of walking around.  The boys knew a lot of history about the city, so it was super interesting.  We ended up walking up to the castle and looking out over the city.  We could even see Austria from the top of the castle!  How cool?!  Josh ended up coming soon after that and the boys went and had "bro" time with him.  The girls continued on our merry way and had some really good talks.  We went and had bagels for lunch (a rarity here in Europe!) and yes, we eventually got Coffee and Co  :)  YAY! YAY! YAY!  However, looking back --- this day was a scorcher!  It was so hot outside.  I remember being thankful I was only wearing a dress because it was only one piece of cloth and it was thin.

We ended up at this mall... and I thought to myself, looking out over the river - this is almost exactly like Milwaukee.  Could I live here?  Could I move here if God asked me to?  The answer was booming out of my chest... "YES!!!  I will follow Him where ever He leads me!"  The answer in my head... "Not so much."  So, clearly my head and heart have some things to work out.  ;)  We sat in a bookstore for 40 minutes while Ally attempted to read us a children's book in Slovak.  Then we went out and sat by the fountain and just talked.

Josh came and picked us up... man oh man... that drive home was something special.  I will never ever forget it.  We managed to fit 7 people in a car.  Not saying it was legal, just saying it was fun.  I think I laughed more in that car ride than I have in a long long time.  We missed a few turns and the trip took a bit longer than expected.  Gavin kept popping up from the back and asked if he should wave at the strangers in other cars to "make their day a little brighter."  :)  Ian tried really hard to follow the GPS, but it kept changing on him.  Ahhhh - I wish I could share all that laughter with you.

So, after a delicious dinner and a beautiful time with friends, we drove back to Zilina.  I cannot describe to you how much this trip meant to me.  It was much needed.  I loved getting closer to the Chase's and Mir.  God is moving so swiftly here and I get to see glimpses of it every day.  How lucky am I?!  In case you were wondering, the other interns had a really good time in Prague.  It was great meeting back up with everyone.  When we are seperated, its almost like we are apart from our family.  Being reunited is an amazing thing!

Okay, so I loved Bratislava!!  I hope I get to upload some pictures at some point!

Until then,
xx

Host City Visits: Roznava

Well, well, well... my third and last HCV.  I must say, God knew exactly how my heart would respond to the people in Roznava.  It was a moving time.  I was able to connect to a lot of the people in their youth group.

I really wish that I could put into words the experiences that I have, or at least... better words.  I don't really know how to convey the things I see and experience with all of you.  I can tell you - I really connected with this person, we had some really good talks, but I don't think it does the situation justice.

Anyway, in Roznava, we spent so much time with the team and formed some great friendships.  I felt like I gained new family.  I did not want to leave at the end of the week!  I think it was the closest I got with a group of people in one week (just wait, that will change in my post about camp).  I got to hear a lot of their stories and how God is working in their lives.

The school vistis were truly amazing.  It was the best few days of visits I could have asked for.  Students (generally) were super receptive.  We had a lot of great feedback.  I wanted to tell you guys one story that will forever remain in my heart.  I was with a fantastic group for promotion and we entered a class full of younger students (14-15 years old).  We came in with a lot of energy... but we hadn't had a lot of responsiveness earlier in the day.  When we were having introductions we asked one student who is favorite futbol team was.  I cannot remember how he responded, but one girl started yelling profanities at him.  It was a scary way to start the day... I was definitely praying for smoother sailing the rest of the class.  Then, the kids actually responded to us!  They loved playing the icebreakers and actually started chanting names for people who they wanted to win!  We got done and had a bit of discussion group time.  When we shared the details about the camp and asked if anyone wanted a registration form, almost every student raised his/her hand!!!  We ran out of forms!!  It was incredible.  We ran around and gave high fives to everyone and they were cheering us on as we left the room.  It was insane!  God totally changed the feeling in the room and hopefully a lot of the students will come to camp!

I hope that this story is an encouragement to you; it definitely is to me.  Please realize that your prayers and support are appreciated... they are working to further the Kingdom!!

This was my last HCV.  It was bittersweet.  I will not get to return to Roznava, but they friendships I made there will definitely last.  I'm so thankful that God allowed me to experience these visits and even though they were hard sometimes, they were worth every second.  I'm so excited to tell you guys about the intern trip to Budapest and camps!  I will try to get them posted before I leave for my second camp! :)

Thank you again, for being part of this ministry with me!  God is really moving in SK!

Many hugs from miles away,
xx

Host City Visits: Zilina

My second HCV was to Zilina.  This was kind of strange because our home base is in Zilina.  It didn't feel right not leaving the city... but, I must say that I formed some really great friendships.

One other intern and I stayed with this adorable girl, Miska.  Her family was so open and took us in and gave us so many wonderful things.  Her mom always cooked delicious meals for us and her parents took time to talk to us for a few hours one night.  It was truly a blessing to be staying with them.  They reminded me a lot of my parents... they were so sweet and helpful.

School visits in Zilina were interesting.  It was kind of cool because then I got to see the students out on the streets.  :)  Students were a bit more receptive, but it could have just been my perspective of things.  We had two 45-minute classes... gym classes... it was so different than what I was used to.

Again, I got close to the youth group... I am so excited to see them again in a few weeks!  I have been missing them!  They are a younger group, but have some great leadership among them.  I will be the only intern there for camp, so it is important for me to really be focused in on their group and learn more about their dynamics.

Actually, apart from the HCV, they invited me to a picnic in the park.  It was their church service, but outside.  It was so great!  Bekah came with me!  It was so interesting to see their culture in a different way.  It was this huge potluck type event... except, there was way more food than I was expecting.  I got so full off of snacks that I didn't have any room for lunch!

Miska asked us to help lead games for some kids and that was so adorable.  They loved us - being older and American and it was so interesting to see how they followed our every move.  It reminded me that we should be following Jesus like this.  Clinging to Him and living as He lives!

I'm so excited for this camp - not only is it a great youth group, but it will be my church coming!!! :)  I am excited to see everyone and get to know them on a deeper level.

Until next time,
xx

Host City Visits: Banska Bystrica

My first HCV was in Banska Bystrica.  It was the first week I arrived in Slovakia and I really had no idea what to expect.  It was the epitome of flexability... which, if you know me, you know is not my forte.

I was staying with another intern, thankfully.  We stayed with an older couple, Dano and Betka.  They did not speak any English, and we did not speak any Slovak.  We did not have a phone or internet.  We were completely reliant on other people and kind of just flew by the seat of our pants!  It was such a strange concept for me. We didn't have much translation, but then their daughter and neice came.  They were so sweet to us and always had plenty of food available.  :)  I wish I could describe what it was like staying in other people's homes, but I think it really is just something you have to experience for yourself.  It is a pleasure and a challenge all at the same time.  I am so grateful for their generosity and willingness to serve Him by taking us in!

The school visits themselves were kind of difficult.  The students were receptive, but hesitant.  It is hard to judge Slovak interpretations.  Sometimes they look so disinterested, but come to find out, they loved every second of it.  I also think that this being my first city, it was just awkward to stand up in front of a class and promote a camp... but with time, it became easier --- and more fun, really!

The best part of the entire week was hanging out with the youth group.  They took us in as family and treated us like brothers and sisters.  They had a special bond fire night and we could look out over God's creation.  We watched the sun set and it was so majestic.  The most memorable and touching part for me was when someone pulled out a guitar and started singing.  They sang in Slovak, and we sang in English.  The mixture of the two languages just singing out to Jesus, worshipping Him, and lifting His name up... intoxicating.  I didn't want the night to end.

I actually go to this camp next, so we will see how it goes!!

Stay tuned,
xx