by Grace Wu

In four months, Lighthouse will be sending a team of members to Tucumán, Argentina and another team of members to Ostrava, Czech Republic. With the missions applications out, we wait eagerly to see who God will call to fulfill the Great Commission in South America and Eastern Europe.

The trips, which are scheduled for July 10-24 for Argentina and July 30-August 14 for the Czech Republic, will have similar objectives as previous years. In Ostrava, LBC plans on partnering with the Mellwig’s church ministry. They will be holding an English camp and community outreach as an avenue to evangelize to the Czechs, many of whom have grown up in an atheist and Communist environment.

In Tucumán, LBC will be partnering with Iglesia Biblica Misionera, pastored by Jorge Ahualli, in door-to-door evangelism and neighborhood activities to evangelize to a predominantly and nominally Catholic population. Though the format this year will be somewhat similar to those of the previous years, there is a change in leadership. Eugene Park, who used to be just the team leader’s supporter, will now be taking on the position as Argentina team leader for the first time.

“My worry is being an adequate team leader. Every year… decisions have to be made on the fly. I hope that I would make wise decisions that would honor God. In a sense it’s been easy these past couple of years because I just focused on being a support to the team leader. My goal was to support them…because I know it’s stressful being the leader,” Eugene said.

As stressful as these trips can be, members from the teams from past years have been blessed by the experience. Teddy Yu, who went to the Czech Republic in 2007, is reapplying for the Czech trip again this year for a number of reasons, one being the natural longing to fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ in Ostrava.

However, beyond the sentimental reasons many people wish to reapply for Argentina or Czech trips, there is also a greater calling. “I want to be involved in missions overseas… while it is not a sin issue whether or not people do overseas missions, there is the Great Commission, and with regard to how I will obey it as a sender versus goer, I know God has blessed me with a heart to evangelize and also minister and encourage the church in Ostrava,” Teddy said.

As Lighthouse prepares to send the two missions teams out, remember to be mindful of the importance of prayer for these trips and the financial needs of financing these trips.