ENGLISH CAMP AFTER-PARTY 2011

Two weeks after the North Bohemia English Camp, we had an English Camp after-party at Zakopane Pes, the Christian Youth Center in Liberec. (A local church has a ministry center which is like a mini-Dream Center that houses various Christian ministries to the community.) It was in the 90's and one of the hottest days of the summer. So what else than to have a WATER theme.

For the first game, we divided into 4 teams. Each person filled their mouth with water from the small pool, ran around the large yard and then spit the water into their team's bottle. First team to fill their bottle won.

Next a full fledged war with water balloons. It's every man for himself!

The water balloon fight quickly escalated - everyone knows that balloons don't hold much! What else can I grab? .. buckets, bottles, orange cones, the hose ...

After everyone is as wet as can be, what else can we do? How about an improvised Slip-n-Slide? No, a BIGGER ONE!!!!

What better way to end the party than with Pepsi (or Kofola) floats!

N BOHEMIA ENGLISH CAMP Aug 6-13, 2011

This year's English Camp included many new and younger teens, many of whom had little knowledge about Jesus. It was a fantastic outreach. These teens grew up in a post-communist society and they were much freer to hear and ask questions about Christianity than groups in the past. The evening meetings were followed by small discussion groups and the Holy Spirit often changed the planned topic to go into depth to answer their questions. I often heard leaders say, "I didn't plan to say that, but ...", throughout the week (even Ken and I).

There were 40 Czech teens, 10 American teens, and 12 leaders. Everyone seemed to have a great time. Each day had a theme with a different leader/team responsible for the day. It worked out well, no one felt overwhelmed. Being an English Camp, we had English for a few hours everyday which Linda planned and prepared ahead of time. We divided almost evenly into 4 groups, each at a different level of ability.

Following are some photos of our time together.

Each day had a theme. One day was Houston Day where the teens climbed into a space capsule. One day was Hollywood Day where the teens made a movie. Another day was New Mexico Day. During the evening meetings we sang a camp song. This night it was led by a "famous" rock star, Kigi.

The teens were divided into 4 English groups with Aretta, Ken, Linda and Stephan as teachers. We have pictures of 3 of the 4 groups. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of Stephan's beginner's group.

The teens had fun hanging out. On the last night we had a campfire. It was the first time for many to roast marshmallows and eat "ewy sticky sweet smores."

Ben, do you have what is takes to be a leader? (How much pain can you endure?)

Aretta and Johanka. Notice one hand has US flags and the other has Czech flags. English Camp was truly a unifying experince.

3 WEDDINGS

As in the United States, Spring and Summer are the seasons for weddings. We had the privilege of attending three weddings. Each was unique and special in its own way as are the people who were getting married.

Petr and Wanda Jarkovi Wedding

We were pleased to have our car chosen as the "limo" for the Bride to be taken to the church, and the new couple to be taken to the reception. It was decorated with a doll and ribbons. Petr's family and friends met at his house and we drove together to the bride's house. There Petr was offered other potential brides but he refused until they offered him Wanda. Then both families formed a procession of cars and went to the church together.

Petr Jersak, the gypsy church pastor, performed the ceremony as Petr and Wanda vowed their love and commitment to one another.
After the ceremony there is a group picture of everyone who attended.
And another picture of the immediate families of both the Bride and the Groom.

They did some fun things we have not seen before at a wedding. The bride was put in the middle with her maid-of-honor holding a tray covered with a cloth and the best man held a tray of shots. People danced in a circle around the bride. One at a time someone would dance up to the tray and put some money under the cloth. Then they could choose to dance with the bride or take a shot (or both).

The couple were blindfolded and fed each other wedding cake.

The bride and groom broke a plate and then had to sweep up the pieces together. Among other things this symbolized the separating from their parents and beginning a new family of their own.

Vlasak Wedding

Martin Vlasak was the youth pastor in Liberec with whom we did many activities. He is now the pastor in Rychnov nad Orlici in East Bohemia. His bride, Tereza from Turnov, is Petr Boudny's sister-in-law. They had their wedding in the garden of the Liberec ministry center on Knopna Street. (see October 2009 Liberec English Camp which built the stage used in this wedding) Tereza was also a member of the Frydlant Drama team, hence the live chicken in a skit at their wedding.

As they were introduced as Man and Wife the first thunder sounded and soon we were inundated with heavy rain. Fortunately the food was under shelter on the balconies. The Bride was gallantly carried by the groom from the stage with a children's swimming pool held above her as an umbrella. As the evening fell, the rain stopped and the dancing began and continued well into the night.

Fronek Wedding

Jarda Fronek lives and goes to church in Frydlant, works in Liberec, attends our English conversation group in Turnov and got married in the garden of the Nove Mesto church. These are all towns that we work in also. His wedding was less formal and outdoors. It was a cold and windy day, but thankfully no thunder, lightening or rain!