English for Kids

This last month has been a little crazy for me. I have finished my first summer of three weeks of English day camps for kids. We had three different teams come every week from Canada and from the United States. Not only did these groups have to work together, but they also had to live together in the same house during the week. It can sometimes be difficult working with different people from different backgrounds, but with a lot of communication and with God's help we didn't have any serious issues among the team members. We also had a very full camp every week. This year was the first year the church has had to put kids on a waiting list. We had 54 kids the first week and decided that was too much. Our teacher, for the 5-7 year-old kids that week, had 17 children in one tiny classroom that was most likely made to hold 10 kids or less. So we created a limit of 50 kids per week. We had around 5+ kids on the waiting list for the next two weeks. That was amazing to think about! We are hoping a lot of those kids will return next year and we already had some parents say they wanted to sign their kids up for the next year. We are so thankful for that!

This whole experience was so new to me. Yes I have done VBS camps before, and yes I have done English camps before, but nothing like this. I have never done three full back-to-back weeks of camps all in a row. My first week was a little more stressful for me than the other weeks. It was my first week, so I was learning the ropes of how the camps worked but I was also leading music. I have never led music before in my life, let alone lead 50+ kids to sing songs that they don't know or don't want to sing. So I was singing as loud as I could with high songs the entire week. My throat was sore, and my voice was nearly gone by Wednesday evening! I also learned some lessons on how to deal with misbehaving kids that week. The theme for that week had been about Jesus being the one Mediator between God and man. The fact that another camp leader and I took on the role of being mediators between these misbehaving kids and their teachers was a lesson to me. Our pastor, in his sermon the following Sunday, even talked about how we as Christians can be mediators and intercessors for those that we love. It was a lesson that reminded me of God's grace toward us.

Those two kids improved their behaviors just enough to get through the end of the week. But one of the two came back the following week and seemed to have an improved attitude that week. I was glad to see that, but still hope and pray that God will change their hearts.

That week had a few rough starts, but we made it through with a lot of prayers and patience. I learned that I don't always do too well in stressful situations. I am still working on that and I saw some small changes and progress throughout the next two weeks. But I don't know how that first team put up with me and I am thankful for their forgiving and positive attitudes throughout the week. They were a great help and a witness to me. I am so thankful to be able to now call them my friends.

The second team was a larger team and was set up differently. They had too many volunteers to run the camp, so we tried something else with a few of the extra people. Our original plan was to take five members with us to camp with teenagers during that week. But because we didn't have enough teenagers signed up, we had to cancel that plan and come up with another plan. 

But first, here is the whole team. 

The rest of the team still did the English for Kids program as planned. They also had a full week with 50 kids on a very hot week. So they were very tired at the end of the week, but I never heard about any major issues with the kids, which was a good thing in my opinion. There were a few issues of miscommunication at times, but once that got cleared up the whole team worked well together. They had a successful week. Even though I wasn't with them during the days, I still had some good times with them at the end of the day and I enjoyed their friendships.

But what did we do with those extra five people? We did English Conversation activities. We went to one of the nearby malls in the morning to talk to people in English, we would go out to parks in the afternoon to talk to people in English, and then we would return to the church to have more formal English Conversations with people who would stay for that. We may not have been corralling 50 kids all week, but we were still busy. Every day we had to push away our insecurities to ask random strangers walking by if they would like to practice their English with us. People in Quebec have lots of opportunities to learn English if they want to, but not a lot of chances to practice it. I have come to realize that when someone, who wants to learn English, finds out you speak English, they can be really excited to practice with you. So that is what we were offering to the local people surrounding the church. We had many good conversations and some great connections were made between some Americans and "Quebecers." We did have our own struggles though. On Thursday morning, an official from the mall came and said we couldn't be their at the mall anymore. It was a little disappointing at first, but we learned about what we can and cannot do next time we try to have English Conversations in the mall. We also had several people walk away or flee from us as soon as the word "church" was mentioned. But I was very encouraged by this teams reaction to that. They prayed. We prayed every day for the people we would talk to, for those we had talked to before, and even for those who had turned away from our conversations. It was a great reminder to me to bring everything, even the smallest details of life to God. Nothing is too small to bring in prayer to our loving Father. 

I really enjoyed getting to know this entire team. I made a lot of connections with some of these people and they were such a blessing to me. My birthday was during that week with this team. They were so sweet and actually bought me some very nice gifts such as wine, tea, and a tea travel mug which I have used and am enjoying a lot. They were a wonderful team to be able to spend my birthday with. 

The third team was quite a bit smaller than the other teams, which meant more work for every person. Almost every person on that team had at least two to three jobs to do throughout the week. I remember thinking, how will they manage this, but every person worked so hard and did their best that the whole week went smoothly. This team also brought many things to God every day, and I was very encouraged to see that and to hear their prayers. Even when I got scared with the threat of a pulmonary infection, the team was so supportive to help me recover and prayed for me. I was very thankful they had a nurse to help us decide what to do. Thankfully my lung sounds were clear by Wednesday, and I have continued to improve with each day.

We were also blessed to see small improvements in some of the kids throughout the week. Some of the trouble makers weren't as troublesome by the end of the week, and one child actually came back and asked for forgiveness and fixed a problem he had created. We were very thankful and excited to see that. It was a successful week and I had a lot of fun with the team that week. They had a lot of fun people on their team which made the whole group have a fun and positive outlook on the week. I really enjoyed working with them. 

I really enjoyed working with every team. I felt very blessed to work with every person from every team. I learned a lot from each team, and I am so thankful call them my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. 

I need to give one last "shout out" to my  good friend Suzy who was my partner in all of this. This was her third year being the camp manager and I don't know what we would have done without her. She is a wonderful godly woman who loves these kids and this ministry so much. I am so thankful to have been working with her these last three weeks, and I am so thankful that this work has created a close friendship between us as well. Thank you so much Suzy!!

Thank you to everyone who prayed for the camp, the kids, the teams, and for me when I felt a little "under the weather." God answered our prayers and we had three successful camps. Please continue to pray for the kids that we taught. Pray that a love for God will grow in their hearts and that it will spread to their parents and families. We may not be seeing the fruit of our labors right away, but we hope and pray that God uses the seeds we have sown to bring these people to Him.

God bless!

I'm alive and by God's grace!

I am so sorry that I have not written anything in a long time. I have been so busy the last three weeks that I have barely had time to settle into my new apartment, let alone write about it or the English for Kids camps. But I wanted to let you know that I am doing well. I am in the middle of my third week of English for Kids. Things have been up and down every week between issues with kids and also issues among team members. But it has all been flowing smoothly. 

I would ask for a few prayer requests from you:

- That things would go smoothly for this last team. They are the smallest team we have had so far this summer, and they are realizing that a few extra people would have helped. Pray that they will have enough energy for the rest of the week and that the kids would listen and learn from them.

- For our English for Teens group coming up in less than two weeks. We are in need of another person to join us teach teenagers English while camping. And also for my friend Suzy and I as we prepare the lessons and plans for this trip.

- That the gospel will be heard and received by these children and teenagers.

- And lastly, for my health. Three full weeks on going nonstop has been the most I have done in a long time. I strained my voice and my body by doing music during the first week. As a result of all of this plus many different points of stress from these camps, I seemed to have caught a pulmonary infection of some kind. I brought it up to the team nurse on Sunday after I had been experiencing symptoms for a few days. But thankfully it seems to be slowly getting better. She says that my lungs sound so much better now and I am slowly feeling better. I thank the Lord for that. But please pray for continued health and strength for the next few weeks. 

Thank you so much for all your prayers. It has been a comfort to me knowing that people are praying for me and the many team members and children that have been coming to these camps. I thank God for you intercession, knowing that He hears your prayers because we have our own intercessor through Jesus. (Hebrews 7:25) 

Thank you and have a wonderful week. I hope to write again and in more details soon.
Jennifer

Family Visit

I am sorry I haven't written anything in a while. Things have been getting busier with all of my preparations for the English for Kid's camps, plus I am moving into a new apartment this week. So life has been very busy for me. But I am doing well, and I had a wonderful week that I am sure I will tell you about soon.

But what I am excited to tell you is that my family came for a visit! My parents and two of my brothers came to visit me here in Quebec City. I had a great time with them. We got to see the touristic things around the city, we experienced a local art/theatre exhibit, ate the popular chocolate dipped ice cream cones, and spent a lot of time with some of my friends from the church here. It was a very busy week with lots to see, lots to do, and many late nights with my brothers as well. Also going back and forth between the languages of French and English can be tiring when you are not used to it. Needless to say, I was pretty exhausted by the end, but I had a great time and was sad to see them go. I am thankful that they got to see a little bit of what my life is like here in Quebec City.

We took a bus tour around the city.

 (Scott, John, and me) 

 My Parents

(Stacy and Mike)

The Chateau Frontenac 

The old city. 

My parents 

My Dad, Mike 

 My Mom, Stacy

Scott 

 John

 With a few friends who showed us around. 

My family :)

I will post more soon. But until then, I hope you all have a blessed Lord's Day. Enjoy the warm June weather!
In Christ,
Jennifer

The Imagination and Faith of a Child

My life has been getting very busy over the last few days. Lots of preparations for the English for Kids camps are filling up my email account, things that should have been done a few weeks ago need to get done now, organizing applications, answering questions, seeking answers, it all seems to be happening at once. My family is coming for a visit soon and I need to prepare for their stay, but that means getting a lot of things for the camps done before their visit. Life is just seeming very stressful at the moment. But I realized it isn't, at least it shouldn't be.

Almost every week I babysit one of the kids from the church so that his mother can learn how to drive. The father of the house is teaching his wife how to drive a stick-shift, and have asked me to watch their three year old son while they take an hour to practice her driving skills. The unique thing about this is that the child doesn't speak any English or French. They speak Russian in the home, and that is the language he speaks and understands. He is starting to learn some things in French, but he still mainly talks in Russian. So he sometimes doesn't understand me, but I definitely don't understand him, especially when his parents aren't around to translate. He is a talker and he likes to talk. And of course he talks in Russian, of which I know nothing except "good-bye."

Sometimes I am able to actively play with him, chasing balloons and toys and cars around the room, and other times I have tried reading to him in French. But today he was pretty content to play by himself and let me observe him. Even though I could not understand what he was narrating, I was still able to watch as his toys scaled mountains and ravines, built boats and bridges, created races and accidents and saved each other. I couldn't understand his words, but I could somewhat follow him and see his imagination take him anywhere.

Just watching him gave me time to think. I slowly forgot about the hassles that have been going through my head, and my stress levels went down as I quietly watched him play. His imaginations, his beliefs that these things in his head are happening made me think. What happened to our imagination? What happened to our faith? Children have such a strong faith in things and in people. When they believe something, they believe it. Even if you try to prove them wrong, like persuading them that unicorns and that Santa Claus doesn't exist, they will fight you so hard against what you say. They will very often believe something with no questions asked, they usually don't need proof to say it really exists or not. Yes their arguments can be faulty or weak, but their faith in that fact is so large that it will take a lot to persuade them otherwise.

Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." Luke 18:16,17
"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3

I believe that our faith in God and his salvation has to be like that of a child. But I think we forget that our faith in God for other things need to be like that of a child as well. Does a child worry about what he will eat later that day, or even tomorrow? Does a child worry that he/she has too much stuff to do in one day? Is a child worried about where he/she will be in their life in the next month, year, five years? The answer to that is no, but we as adults do worry and stress ourselves over these things. But if we put our childlike trust and faith in God during these times of stress and worry, we will be reminded that He is in control and that He will take care of us.

"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,  not about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more that food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seed after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."  Matthew 6:25-34  
(I added my own stress to certain aspects of this scripture passage.)

This is a lesson that I am in continual need to be reminded of. God is taking care of me and I do not need to worry about it. I may have a lot to do and "a lot on my plate," but if I bring my childlike faith to God, I know He will bring me through it. When we bring our stresses to God, he takes them away. We do not need to worry because we have an all-powerful, all-mighty, and all-loving God watching over us.
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31
" In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" Psalm 56:4

I hope you all have a good and stress-free weekend.
In Christ,
Jennifer

Ottawa- March for Life

This last Thursday, May 14th, I had the opportunity to be a part of the large March For Life that happens every year on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, the Canadian capital.  On May 14, 1969, abortion was made legal in Canada and in 1988 all laws regulating abortion were omitted. (You can read more on that here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_v_Morgentaler ) There are basically no laws against abortion right now. Since 1998 there has been a march through the streets of Ottawa in protest to these laws for abortion. This year was the 18th anniversary with an estimated number of 23,000 people.

This topic of abortion has always been a topic close to my heart. My church back home in California has always been very supportive of the local Pregnancy-Care Clinics and the Pro-Life movement. Within the last five years, my involvement and knowledge of this issue has increased. I am more aware of the sad truths of abortion and of the lies these clinics tell the world. It is a difficult topic to bring up, but the sad truth of the matter is that abortion is murder. I pray for those who do not realize this truth.

This last week, the government of California was going to discuss passing a bill that would force all pregnancy clinics to tell their clients about all options, especially abortion options. This would be a large "game changer," so to speak, if this bill was passed. I do not know what lies ahead for California or the United States, but I pray that many hearts will be changed on this topic. The bill was supposed to be read for a third time and voted on on Thursday the 14th. That has been rescheduled for another time next week, but please pray that this bill will not be passed. You can read a little more about the bill here.


Thursday started with a five hour drive with Pastor Ben from Quebec City to Ottawa. We got there a few hours early to attend a prayer meeting. Many Protestant and Reformed churches gathered together to pray for an hour before the march. It was a good service of singing hymns, prayers, and a message. The pastor reminded us that Jesus brings life even in the midst of death. If He could do that 2000 years ago, He could still do that today. And that is what we prayed for, that God would change the hearts of the men in Parliament and that a movement to end abortions would happen.

Then we made our way to Parliament Hill where many people were gathering for the speeches before the march started. It was a large gathering with the news crews watching.

(Justice for the unborn child)

 Pastor Ben and I in front of Parliament.

 The crowd grew larger as the march began.

I was amazed at the size of this event. You could see it going down the street, and when we turned to make a circle, you could still see the crowd at the other end of the block. Traffic was stopped for a good hour to let us walk.

There were some outbreaks against our cause during the speeches at the beginning, and there were also a few standing against us along the walk. At one corner there was a large group of around 30 people (maybe more) yelling and screaming at us. They had signs and chants against our walk. I was surprised at how much hatred came out of that corner full of curses and rude gestures. Even the police were there to keep them away from us and from creating a disturbance. I have experienced some oppression before at Life Chains, but nothing like this. It was a really sad thing to see. 

We could not stay for the closing time of more speeches and prayers, so we left early. But as we left the city and looked back at the Parliament building, I couldn't help but pray for Canada. Abortion is an issue all around the world, and not just in the country we are born in. The situation is possibly worse in Canada than it is in the US, I don't know. But both countries need prayer. All the countries of the world need prayer. That is something we forget about. 

Do not forget to pray.

 Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." 

John 16:20, 22 "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.... So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you." 

Let us rejoice knowing that Christ is coming and his coming will bring victory over death and sin forever. His coming will turn our sorrows into gladness because He has won. 

English Conversations

   For the last several months, since November, I have been organizing events that we call English Conversations. Once a week, we have been offering a free, relaxing evening where Francophones can practice their English. It is a time of making conversations in English and, if necessary, help correct them with their grammar or words.
   At first I had not idea what to do. I didn't know what to expect, or how I was even going to get people to come. I was able to receive lots of help from the pastor here, and also from a member of the church who teaches English. She has done events like this before and was able to really help me understand how it had worked in the past. Since then, it has become much easier for me to organize and prepare for, but I know I wouldn't have been able to get this started without their help. They both come to the groups when they can, but I can still come to them for help if I run out of ideas or questions to ask people. Every week I am so thankful for their help.
   Our schedules for the evenings are pretty simple: we start with social conversations, people mingling when they come in, we will most often have a game of some sort, and then we split into smaller groups to discuss the subject for the evening. Subjects have ranged from talking about the upcoming holidays, to local new reports to general topics such as family, culture, technology, music, and comedy. We never know who exactly will show up for the evening, but we have seemed to always have a decent amount of people. Some people come for a few weeks, but slowly don't come back. Some come for one week and don't come back, with or without an excuse. Some people contact us ahead of time to get more information, and sometimes they show up that week or they don't. Some people are disappointed when they realize it is not an actual English class, and others don't come when they find out we meet in a church. But we still have those people who keep coming back. We can't get rid of them!   :)
   The size of our groups vary every week, but God has been faithful to us and we usually have between 6 to 10 people every week. We are thankful for all who come, not matter if they are new or a "regular" person.
   This week was our last session for a while. We decided to take a long break for the summer in preparation for the long week of kid's camps this summer. I was very encouraged by the fact that a lot of the people who have been coming, still want to try and get together a few times this summer. They love practising their English and want to see more of each other as well. Hopefully I will be seeing some of them this summer.
   I am very thankful to God for our success in this, and I pray that we will be able to reach even more people next year.


Here are a few pictures from our last session.

The people

The food

 Socializing

Group discussion

I will miss these people, but Lord willingly, I will see them again later this year.

Spring

 

Spring is finally here, or at least it is coming. In the last few weeks the weather would not stick to one type of weather. It would snow one day, then rain, and melt the snow, and then snow and rain and freeze. And then it would all start to melt and then snow again. Needless to say, it has been confusing, for me at least. But the last week has included a lot of rain and warmer weather above the freezing point. I haven't worn my winter coat in a few weeks now and that feels really good.

 

But today was special.

It was a crisp cool day of 50F/ 10C,

But you could feel something different in the air.

The birds were singing,

Many people were walking about,

And some trees have started to bloom.

There is a freshness in the air that cannot be described;

That feeling of new life.

Rebirth has come to the city

In the form of Spring.