Thursday March 30, 2017

The 2017 Spring English Club Teams are home.  10 USA teachers from Maryland, Virginia, Colorado and Wisconsin together gave thanks and praised the Lord for His grace.  Over 200 students were involved in English Club for the two week period.  One on one meetings with students the last week provided the opportunity for teachers to speak with and even pray with students who were interested in knowing more about 'this Jesus' of whom they had been introduced to during class.

The power of God's Word is amazing!  It opens minds and melts hearts.  This power humbles us as we see, it is not 'us' it is totally the Lord doing His work.  Thank you for your prayers for strength, wisdom, health and safe travels.  We were protected and cared for our entire time away. 

There was a request made by the Cru Staff for Americans who may want to spend a 'year' in Kiev to help with follow up and continuing programs.  Please pray that the Lord will touch hearts to respond to this request.  The fields are 'white' for harvest, Lord please send your workers.

This will be the last post for the Kiev English Club 2017 team.  Thank you again for your partnership in this mission.  God's blessing for your faithfulness in prayer.

Isaiah 55:10-11 "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Kiev English Club Team Spring 2017

What does English Club look like?  

During a typical night in English Club, the class time goes by very fast.  We start promptly at 6PM and have 1 hour of English Vocabulary, Idioms, maybe a video on a featured topic,  all focused to give the student the maximum amount of discussion time,  to utilize their English speaking skills.

Below you will see a typical night where they have been asked to share with their partner using the English Vocabulary words they learned that evening.

We break for about 5-8 minutes to give the students time to grab something to drink before starting our Bible Hour.  The Bible hour always has a passage in Scripture, this could be select verses or a parable which the students will read in their own language first, then the passage will be read to them in English. They also have the opportunity to read this same passage several times,  in English in their small group.  After reading we ask them to 'retell' the story or verses in their own words, picking out the main characters, describe the plot, address the theme or main points before engaging them in their own personal opinions about the text.

It gives for lively discussion and openness in regards to what they are truly thinking.  I personally enjoy this time with the students as it shows me how they may be struggling with what to do with this new information.  The Lord always shows up when His Word is shared and I pray that the students are as much aware of His presence as I am.  It is very humbling and such a blessing.

Our third hour is all about relationship building.  Students are asked to create a power point presentation about themselves to share with the class.  The University here is very big, and these students 'do not' know each other before English Club.  These presentations give the class the opportunity to get to know more about each other.  Students get excited when they learn a fellow classmate comes from the same region or hometown, shares a hobby or class, and even may have the same love of books, sports or another topic of interest.

When I came back this year, I found out that one of the friendships that came about from English Club last year is still intact and thriving this year, even though there is a large age difference between the two students.  

Besides the presentations, third hour is a time for games!  Students and teachers play games that help us get to know each other, build trust and just plain have fun. 

My takeaway from each night is how much bigger God has stretched my heart.  The students definitely become very special to you and in a way change your life forever.  There is a song from the Broadway Show 'Wicked' that is called 'FOR GOOD', its about how knowing you has changed me, maybe for the better, but nonetheless, it has changed me 'for good'.  English Club will do that, it will change you, it will not leave you where you are now.  It will impact your life, your thinking and your ability to love- for the better, and it will do it for good....

2017 SPRING ENGLISH CLUB

What a great group of students!  The attendance and participation of these young people has touched our hearts in a way only our Dear Lord could orchestrate.  This week individual meetings with students continue, may the Holy Spirit create within each of us a heart to love beyond words, and when questioned, give us the words to speak for the hope that we have in Christ Jesus, and let those words be seasoned with gentleness and respect.
All teachers will be sharing their testimony with their class this week.  May our Lord use these stories to touch the souls of students for His Glory.  Keep us humble as we walk hand in hand with you Jesus.

American Party!

A traditional event with each English Club is the American Party.  A time where the American Teaching Team hosts a party for the students and faculty of English Club.  The agenda includes, games, music, information about the U.S.A., and of course American Food.  Ukrainians love peanut butter, popcorn, veggies with dip and candy, so that is what we served, and lots of it :).

After eating, students join in games of foosball, jenga, uno, or they dance en mass to the sounds of the popular 'Just Dance' videos.  Below are some pictures of the event, along with a short fun video.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

English Club Jeopardy Game

Another team in the Jeopardy Game

Fern and Grant Brown Leading Music

Rich from Virginia with Campus Staff

Grant with a Jenga Competition

Fern playing a card game with students

Students with a different Jenga Game

Thursday March 16, 2017

It's so fun to engage the students with stories from our lives.  It opens the door to have significant conversations with them.  We are also enjoying reconnecting with our friends from last year's English Club, both students and teachers alike.

Paul Currier, 2nd trip EC.

Paul & Cheryl Currier-Rifle Colorado

You may have heard those names before, as Paul and Cheryl were part of the 2016 Spring English Club.  Cheryl is a teacher and her background in ESL helped to create the new Lesson Plans for the Spring Classes.  We are so appreciative to her for the hours of prep work she, Fern and Rachel put into this.  The lesson plans were created such, that they could be used over and over.  Great thinking gals.

Tonight is the American Party, where students come and get a 'taste' of America.  Literally and figuratively.  There will be presentations on the USA, and American Cuisine -- that's where the peanut butter comes in :). A few games and singing all to create relationships and show how people all over the world are God's creation and we share so much.  Paul will be giving his testimony and although this is last minute please pray for God's glory to touch the hearts and minds of the students and anyone within ear shot!  Even if you read this after the fact, please pray the seeds that were planted are watered and tended, as we never know who, when or where a soul make may the decision to follow Christ.

We have tons of pictures to post but that will have to wait until tomorrow, when we will also have some of the American Party.
God bless you and keep you

(Thank you so much, Rita, for blogging for the team!!) (Family and friends, these are the members of our team from Medford, WI -- Fern & Grant, Rita, Sandy, and then me with my Ukrainian friend, Natalie.)

Our first Sunday here in Kiev was such a sweet day. One of my friends from years ago was able to join us for church and for lunch. Please pray with me that she (Natalie) would want to join a church family and grow.

I am especially humbled to see how many young families there are in the churches here now and what sincere believers God has raised up here on staff with Cru. It is so beautiful to see how God's church has grown over these last twenty years -- I have cried tears of joy and awe several times in these few days since we arrived.

We have had quite the whirlwind this week. Preparing for class time and setting up the rooms each night does take a lot of time, and the classes are full of eager students hanging on our every word; however, it is all worth it when I take time to reflect on how God is at work, patiently drawing us to Himself -- how He has touched me and trained me so that now I can reach out to others.

Our first night (and every night since), as I stood up to read the passage from scripture to the students, I got chills when I realized I was reading God's Word aloud in a former communist university classroom! What a beautiful, crazy, amazing privilege.

Today was our third class time, and my co-teacher and class administrator, Lena, said she really enjoyed the class and my teaching time. She said I spoke loudly and clearly and that I was relaxed and "enjoying the stage" (the limelight?). I am so thankful for her comments because I have been worried about how class was going.

I would greatly appreciate your prayers for my class. Five students keep leaving before the Bible lesson time, and their attitude is one of "it's not cool" to stay around for Bible study. They seem to leave as a group. Please pray with me that they would have a change of heart.

Praise God with me for how the other students are leaning in to learn and read more in the Bible. Praise God with me for how I have been able to share examples from my own life of how God has touched and changed me.

Last but not least, Friday I will travel alone to my "hometown" in Ukraine, where I lived back in 1997-98. It is an overnight train ride. I would appreciate your prayers for my trip there and back (I will take the overnight train back on Sunday night). I need discernment about who to visit and who to call, etc.

Thank you so much for your love and prayers.

Kelly Schafer