Monika Buknová

Student 2013/2014

It has been a while since I got back to Slovakia. Being a GO Student definitely changed my life and I benefit from it every day. As I had mentioned at the summer camp I founded a Service Club in my High School in Ruzomberok.
During the summer I shared my ideas with some of my friends, so last September we started realizing our ideas with great excitement. Well, really soon we found out that many things wouldn´t work the way we wanted them to. We were struggling with getting people to come, coordinating a certain time to meet, with finances, etc.
Our first project took place in October. We met during the lunch breaks and wrote some positive ideas and quotes on sticky notes. The next day we came to school really early in the morning and put them on the lockers, dressing rooms, and tables for the teachers. It was great.
As we began our second project, unfortunately unexpected complications made it impossible. I kept praying and felt a little sad. Well, the prayers started working in December and was our greatest month.
In December we began creating the "Personalized Postcard". During the breaks we met and drew handmade Christmas postcards. On the backside we wrote short messages or put quotes. Then, we delivered these postcards to the people suffering from cancer in the hospital, then to the people with long-term hospital care, and even to the people in the nursing home. The hardest but most beautiful part was talking to the people suffering from cancer, seeing the smile at their faces when we gave them the postcards, and listening to them wishing us Merry Christmas. It was an especially strong experience for me because exactly that same week I learned that my grandma was also suffering from breast cancer (fortunately, she is doing better now).
We organized a food drive for the families from our community that are facing financial struggles.
Then we put a message in the windows of our school saying that "Jesus is born" for all the people to see.
Lastly, we prepared a short drama performance - fairytale and we sang Christmas carols to the kids and their parents in the Children Care Department in the hospital on Dec 23rd.
All these projects in December worked out with no issues. There was always someone who could help or support us (especially, the principal of our school). We could feel that God was assisting us the whole time.
Currently, we are planning some new projects for this year. I
So, I am doing great. I keep in touch with my host family and my host sister is planning on coming to Europe this summer. I continue doing drama and singing in the Children´s Choir in our parish. I also am a mentor in our school Youth Group. I have applied for colleges in Scotland (econ and business major). I also want to apply for the University of Economics in Cracow.
I hope everything is working our fine with the current GO class. I keep you all in my prayers. Thank you again for everything that you are doing.