Who: Staciemae Brown, 34, who had been a nurse at Guardino Elementary School, Clayton. Ms. Brown left for the Czech Republic Monday for an extended missionary trip through Word of Life Church, Watertown. The Gouverneur native will teach English and art to children at a school and orphanage.
She spoke to us before she left:
What drew you to Czech Republic?
"My pastor had gone once, and said beautiful things about it. Then he announced one day at church that they were going back and whoever wanted to go was welcome. I woke up the next morning knowing I was supposed to go. Plus, I needed a vacation. I needed an adventure."
Do you know the language?
"Very, very little. I did learn a few words when I first went over there in March. That's part of my challenge. When I teach English, my challenge will be for the students to teach me back what I teach them, so I'll be learning in this process as well."
What do you hope to get out of this experience?
"I want to give people hope in something positive for their future. I get to live out some of my own dreams, too. Part of what I'm doing there is just being a Christian woman and fulfilling a calling."
Do you think you'll stay there permanently?
"That's up in the air. It depends on when I feel the calling to leave, but I think I'm supposed to be there for the long term. I've sold everything. The only thing I have left is my car, and I'm having a hard time selling it. I'm only leaving with three bags, a dog and a cat. The apartment I'm moving into over there is one an American missionary is leaving to me with everything she bought over there. I bought it for a small fee."
So would you call this a leap of faith?
"It is. This is probably one of the biggest leaps of faith in my life and probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. The transition was very difficult for me emotionally, mentally and physically. I'm leaving everything I've ever known. I've established my life for the last 10 years in this area, and I have good people in my life, a good position in my working career, but there was still a hunger that wasn't being fulfilled."
Does anybody tell you you're crazy?
"I have a lot of support, but I do have a lot of people who just look at me with this blank look when I tell them what I'm doing. Yeah, they do think I'm nuts. But when you have a calling from God in your life, you just can't deny it."
If you have an idea for a Times Q&A, contact staff writer Elizabeth Graham at egraham@wdt.net.
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