After all the delays of Day 1’s travel, Day 2 of our trip began quite tired. In fact, since most of us got little sleep (or none for some) on our transatlantic flights – the line between Monday and Tuesday is well and truly blurred. Our “surprises” while traveling weren’t over just yet when we got to Chicago either. While boarding we found that Kendall, J.J., and Kennedy were booked on a different flight from the rest of the team. However, the Lord was faithful to reunite our over-caffeinated, weary team in London with no issues. There we had a few hours to burn, which we did with naps on the floor and the game Heads-Up depending on level of exhaustion. Our London to Prague flight was slightly delayed as well, but we made it alright at about 1630 local time with the exception of Kendall’s checked luggage (it’ll come later). We’re thankful to report no problems in customs and met up with Jen Stahl at the airport. Our original plan being scrapped as soon as our rebooking happened, Jen and the others on the Czech side worked hard to plan out alternate means of getting us to Malenovice. We started with a bus ride to Prague’s train station where we got a pleasant surprise – our very own Justin Wevers was there to say hi to the team while we had another hour or so of wait time. We are on that train now, zipping cross-country at 140 KPH towards a city by the name of Ostrava. We were going to have to wait there for yet another hour for a final train to Sumperk (followed by a taxi ride to Malenovice) but God had other plans. Josiah Venture has decided to make things faster for us by sending taxis directly to Ostrava to intercept us there which will make for a direct trip to a good night’s sleep in Malenovice. One day of travel being stretched into two has been tiring, but the team have been excellent sports about the extra hours of walking, sitting, and waiting. Please keep such basic things like mental health and energy in your prayers. We know that without God, we can’t make a ton of difference here. Pray that in our tiredness, our God who never slumbers nor sleeps nor ceases to be enough, will work through in and through us.
- Matthew
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Well, the day is finally here! Backpacks filled, passports in hand, carry-ons loaded with travel essentials and most importantly, snacks (I'm bringing sour gummy bears, dark chocolate espresso trail mix and Gardetto's – yum). WE'RE HEADED TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC!
Our team got to the MPLS airport at 8:30 this morning and our loved ones had the opportunity to pray over the 16 of us before we headed to ticketing and security. It was such a sweet moment to witness the parents of our students releasing them to go and do work for God's kingdom. After the final goodbyes, we headed to American Airlines desk and it was my responsibility to connect with someone to help us check our bags and get the boarding passes. Before I even had a chance to take out our flight information, I heard the words "it looks like your flight to Philadelphia has been cancelled". Not even an hour into our trip and the Lord was already testing our patience and adaptability. While I was surprised – and a little flustered – by the fact that we now needed to book new flights and that we would be arriving in Prague later than expected, I was not surprised that the Lord would use this as an opportunity to fully trust that he would provide for us and protect us in the midst of change. Insert Robin – a very sweet and very helpful lady who took care of all the details for switching the itinerary for our big group. Pretty soon, we were all set and ready to go through security. I thanked Robin for all of her help and thanked God for providing her to calm our nerves during the slight chaos that had just occurred. Also, shout out to Jon, Tracy and PDM for sticking around to make sure that we got everything figured out. Now that we're sitting at our gate waiting to board the first of three flights, I'm challenged by the lesson we've already learned today – the Lord is in control and all we are called to do is trust His plan and provision. Isn't it funny how He works in ways like this? I pray that this lesson will be a foundation that myself and the rest of our team (including the Czech leaders) rely on for the entirety of our trip from start to finish. I would love if our friends and family members at home were praying for this as well! Until next time, Kendall Hi friends! I'm sorry there haven't been more regular updates. If you check out "A Day At Camp" you'll see why it's hard for students to get time to write here. But I want to give you guys a few highlights.
First, the people on our team have been incredible. They are just being so faithful. Everything we've asked them to do, they have done joyfully. They are pouring themselves out and giving every ounce of energy toward being faithful witnesses of Jesus here in Czech. It's incredible to watch. I wish I could transport you here to see it. I'm confident you would be moved in your soul to worship Jesus for what He is doing in and through these students. Second, thank you. Thank you to so many generous people at New Hope Church and beyond that make this ministry possible. You all make a partnership with our beloved brothers and sisters at Kostel Jinak possible. And God is glorified in your generosity. Third, some more specific highlights.
- Justin Two nights ago, I sat along the residential streets of Prague with three girls I had only just met. “Why Czech?” is the resounding question. As I give a brief explanation of the partnership between two churches, an invitation from the Kostel Jinak elders, and a gravity toward the people and culture of this beautiful country, I hear a whisper inside of my heart, desperately searching for an escape, “Because of this moment, right here and now; because of you.” I want these girls, and everyone who asks, to understand that our presence in Czech (whether it’s Daniel’s and my move here, our pastor’s brief stop as he passes through on his way to a conference, or a team of high school students visiting for a week of English Camps) can’t be neatly packaged into a single statement. It’s so much bigger, beyond us, and above our scope of knowledge, both past and present. It’s a series of little moments shared over cups of coffee, of meetings in the streets, of laughter over language barriers and bridges, of games and adventures, of mutual and comfortable silence.
I was eating toast and cheese as one of the three girls told me of her travels, of difficulties at her new job; and then she fell into nostalgia of memories along Wenceslas Square as a little child, perched atop her father’s shoulders, clamoring keys in air, shouting, “This is it! This is it!” Because of this moment, right here and now; because of you. I stopped chewing my toast, startled by the recognition and enamoured of the Velvet Revolution. I choked back tears as I envisioned half a million people packed together along those historical streets, united in a demand for freedom. Freedom; Christ says, I have come to set the captives free. My new friend noticed my emotion welling and I tried to give an excuse; but she was insistent - “You are here to tell others about the Czech Republic; this is your calling from God.” Again, I’m not so certain I can place my unique and specific calling into such a tidy statement. But friends, let me tell you, God is doing big things here; He is expanding His kingdom in ways we can’t even begin to imagine. He is igniting sparks of hope and Good News that is spreading like wildfire. And it’s nothing that we can make or do in our own efforts. It’s 100% God’s goodness and grace and all for His own glory. New Hope Church high school students are currently in training to be a part of that through an intensive week of relationship-building, of energy exhausted, of questions prompted, and [dis]comforts stretched. There are going to be stories to be shared after these weeks. Please hear them. Please don’t only ask, “What did/do you do?” Ask for memories of things that felt beyond us. Ask for the things we could never contrive on our own - the laughter, the sense of exploration and adventure, the discomfort of stretching and growing. Ask, “When did you think, ‘Because of this moment, right here and now’?” Ask for the connection with people that made our hearts whisper, “Because of you.” My stories of living here in Czech are of meeting people, just like you and me. Business women searching for balance in their personal lives; fathers seeking connection with their sons; tired moms; university graduates looking for work; parents sending their children to summer camp; teens starting their first jobs; singles wishing for a partner; people doing their best to find happiness and share happiness. I have come that you might have life and life in all its fullness. God, let us be faithful to these people, to these moments. Make us present here and now. Father, Give us eyes to see your children and ears to hear their stories. Holy Spirit, give us discernment of when to speak and when to listen; give us sensitivity to hear another’s heart. May we have courage to share Your Way, to speak Truth and Life in all its fullness. Make us open to the things you have set before us. “Why ______?” (Fill in the blank with wherever you’re at; whatever you’re doing right now). Because of this moment, right here and now; because of you. For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 (AMP) One of the best aspects of our time here is the difficulty of the work. Make no mistake, we’ll have plenty of fun (and gelato). But it’s not easy. The task at hand is exhausting.
If you haven’t checked out the page “A Day At Camp”, that will give you a picture of our daily schedule. What it may not communicate is that between 7am-12pm, students have zero minutes set aside to nap. They have about 30 minutes when it is just the team together. The rest of the time we push them to look outside themselves and to the needs of others, namely, to the spiritual needs of those far off from Christ. There’s this passage that really resonates during our time here, from Philippians 2:3-4: “3Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” And this is our focus. Or at least what we strive towards. There is always a day at camp where it feels better to think about ourselves. When students get tired, it can be so easy to go inward – to ignore the kids at camp who are harder to talk with, to stick with Americans, to be selfish and self-centered, to be lazy. Yet, we look at Jesus, who emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant. And it’s at the foot of the Servant King’s cross that we find all the things that are written in the verses just before we’re commanded to look outward: encouragement, comfort from love, participation in the Spirit, affection and sympathy. So pray that we would be both filled by Christ and emptied for Christ. The days are long. The work is important and difficult. The King is worthy. Pray for us. During training we talk a lot about loving the students that we get to meet. We discuss cultural aspects, relational aspects, and spiritual aspects of who they are. But something else is extremely vital for our trip over the sea. In Philippians, Paul shows us the value of vulnerability in encouragement. He is writing a letter to his dear friends at the church in Philippi, encouraging his brother and sisters. Paul intentionally uses verbiage that opens up his heart to them, revealing the calling God has put on his heart to participate in relationship with them.
As a team it is our calling to thank God for our Kostel friends, to come alongside them to partake in grace; opening ourselves up to the imperfections of ministry while also calling each other to love and purity and to defend the gospel. Although relationship and friendship are easy because we find ourselves fond of each other, God has called us into a more intimate partnership with people who serve the same purpose – to follow Christ and bring others with them. As it turns out, they feed us just as much if not more, their circumstances requiring a reliance on God and his providence in such a way that ours may not require at times in the US. There is a special intensity to their purpose in Christ and that calls out the leaders and students on our team, creating a more vigorous motive in each of us. Thanksgiving and Prayer “3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. “ 1 WEEK! Camp starts in just one week! It will be here before we know it and we are getting the finishing touches together!
Last week we had a promotional event for camp, which was a hike around Šumperk. We had four students come to the hike that are coming to camp, which was super encouraging! This was really great opportunity for us to get to know them and makes it easier for us to introduce them to the American team when camp starts. Our goal is to build relationships with students, share the gospel with them and invite them to church. A few things to pray for:
-Isaiah As I begin to start packing, I become more and more excited for the day that we will say goodbye to our family & friends from Minnesota and fly across the Atlantic to see our friends in Czech. Over the past year, through social media, I have been able to keep in touch with numerous Czech friends. It’s been so sweet to Facetime and talk with them, but nothing will compare with hugging them after so many months apart.
However, as a team, we have been focusing on not setting any expectations for the trip. For those of us who are returning, that we don’t expect it to be the same as the previous year(s). For the new team members, that they don’t expect things to be a certain way. As much as I’d like to plan ahead for what’s to come, I am not in control. God is. He decides what things go well & what things are hard. As a team, we want to follow God’s plan and let His will be done. One of the outcomes of God being in control is that we don't have to worry (see part 1). But it's not just that we don't have to worry about things going wrong (leaving the guitar on the train), or unexpected challenges (sprained ankles), or not having our expectations match reality (say goodbye to naps). It's a far better truth than that.
As a team, we talked about how God's sovereignty also means that it is God alone who saves. Since He is in control we know that 1) He has the power to save and 2) we can and should plead with Him to do just that. So as you pray for us (and we really can't thank you enough for praying) we know that God is in control. And because He is in control, we don't have to worry about asking too much for Him to accomplish. Nothing is impossible for God. Which is good, because if it were up to us to make people believe the gospel - we would be in quite a bit of trouble. Pray we would be faithful. And even more, pray that God would draw our friends to Himself. All the beauty of Czech, all the delicious fruit dumplings, all the laughter and experiences pale in comparison to the joy of seeing people believe the gospel and move from death to life. Pray for that most of all. And pray with so much confidence, because God isn't helpless to do it. He can even use jars of clay like us to do it. It's almost here! On Monday morning, we'll meet at the airport. No one will be late. No one will be sick. No one will forget anything at home. No flights will be delayed. No passports will be left in a bathroom. No people will be left in a bathroom (sorry Emma).
At least that's the plan. Of course, we've spent the last 5 months making plans. And these students have worked hard to prepare well. I'm really proud of them. But all of our plans - Amy's best ones and my worst ones - are nothing compared to God's plans. As much as we try to get all of the details, training, strategizing, and preparing done correctly, we ultimately rely on God to work. And thankfully, he's in control. So we can look forward to July 9th without worry because Jesus tells us we don't need to stress out (Matthew 6). We have a heavenly Father who cares about us. And He is in control of the results of this trip. God is in control of everything. There is so much freedom in that. So pray for us to be faithful, and celebrate with us that God is always faithful. The theme of the English Camp this year is "Forever Reign". How cool that we don't have to be afraid of anything because of the good King who saves us? Pray for us that we would believe that more and more. Soli Deo Gloria, Justin |
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