Team Reflections (CZ08)

by Ted Su

It has been two weeks since the Czech missions team has been back to San Diego, and yet we are still buzzing with excitement over all that happened during the trip. As we have been sharing individually with people about the trip and also preparing for the missions report night, we have had an opportunity to reflect more on the great work that God did in and through our lives, and how He continues to affect the lives of the people we met in the Czech Republic.
One central theme about this year’s missions trip was prayer. As the team would pray together to start off each day and pray together to end each night, we saw how God accomplishes His divine purposes through the prayers of His people. From the lesson planning to the travelling to the dynamics of the team to the conversations we had with the students at the English camp, there was nothing too insignificant to pray for. In particular, many of us were challenged when we learned that one of the members of the church in Ostrava had been praying for the weather during the English camp. According to His perfect timing, it started raining moments after we had completed all the outdoor activities we had planned for that week! It simply affirmed the reality that God answers prayers—even about something as simple and seemingly mundane as the weather—and that as we pray, we are able to see His sovereign plan unfold and to marvel at His greatness and majesty.
Another major theme of this trip was being faithful to whatever the Lord calls us to do. Initially, some of us struggled with not having a defined role on the team and trying to figure out how God might use us. But as the trip progressed, we saw how our usefulness to God was not to be measured by our position or responsibility, but rather by a heart that is truly yielded and faithful to Him. Whether it was organizing the luggage tags for the team, leading the singing time, or praying for and encouraging others, what God desired from us was a humble spirit that is eager to serve and be used in any capacity. In coming down from heaven to this earth and living a life of a servant, Christ gave us an example for us to follow. We were thankful for the opportunities we had on this trip to grow in humility and in likeness to our Lord.
A third theme that stood out about this trip was having the proper perspective in building personal relationships. A significant focus of the missions trip was on developing relationships with the Czech people so that through our conversations and through the testimony of our lives, we might be able to share Christ with them. During the week of English camp, we tried to be intentional in our interactions with our students, not limiting ourselves to superficial conversations, but really challenging each of them to consider the truths of the gospel. When we spent time with our host families and with the members of the church in Ostrava, we sought to encourage and spur them on in their walks with the Lord. As our team discussed during debriefing how this missions trip would affect how our lives back home in San Diego, many of us felt challenged to be more purposeful in our relationships with people in the church, at work, and with our families and friends.
Needless to say, these reflections merely scratch the surface in terms of all that God did in and through our lives during the missions trip. We eagerly look forward to being able to share more of our experiences and reflections with you during our missions report night.

It has been two weeks since the Czech missions team has been back to San Diego, and yet we are still buzzing with excitement over all that happened during the trip. As we have been sharing individually with people about the trip and also preparing for the missions report night, we have had an opportunity to reflect more on the great work that God did in and through our lives, and how He continues to affect the lives of the people we met in the Czech Republic.

One central theme about this year’s missions trip was prayer. As the team would pray together to start off each day and pray together to end each night, we saw how God accomplishes His divine purposes through the prayers of His people. From the lesson planning to the travelling to the dynamics of the team to the conversations we had with the students at the English camp, there was nothing too insignificant to pray for. In particular, many of us were challenged when we learned that one of the members of the church in Ostrava had been praying for the weather during the English camp. According to His perfect timing, it started raining moments after we had completed all the outdoor activities we had planned for that week! It simply affirmed the reality that God answers prayers—even about something as simple and seemingly mundane as the weather—and that as we pray, we are able to see His sovereign plan unfold and to marvel at His greatness and majesty.

Another major theme of this trip was being faithful to whatever the Lord calls us to do. Initially, some of us struggled with not having a defined role on the team and trying to figure out how God might use us. But as the trip progressed, we saw how our usefulness to God was not to be measured by our position or responsibility, but rather by a heart that is truly yielded and faithful to Him. Whether it was organizing the luggage tags for the team, leading the singing time, or praying for and encouraging others, what God desired from us was a humble spirit that is eager to serve and be used in any capacity. In coming down from heaven to this earth and living a life of a servant, Christ gave us an example for us to follow. We were thankful for the opportunities we had on this trip to grow in humility and in likeness to our Lord.

A third theme that stood out about this trip was having the proper perspective in building personal relationships. A significant focus of the missions trip was on developing relationships with the Czech people so that through our conversations and through the testimony of our lives, we might be able to share Christ with them. During the week of English camp, we tried to be intentional in our interactions with our students, not limiting ourselves to superficial conversations, but really challenging each of them to consider the truths of the gospel. When we spent time with our host families and with the members of the church in Ostrava, we sought to encourage and spur them on in their walks with the Lord. As our team discussed during debriefing how this missions trip would affect how our lives back home in San Diego, many of us felt challenged to be more purposeful in our relationships with people in the church, at work, and with our families and friends.

Needless to say, these reflections merely scratch the surface in terms of all that God did in and through our lives during the missions trip. We eagerly look forward to being able to share more of our experiences and reflections with you during our missions report night.