I have created this blog so that I can share stories, pictures, and prayers with you while I am in the Czech Republic this summer and while I am preparing to leave.
A quick background - I will be going to the Czech Republic for three months this summer (2014) to help the youth pastor with all the children's activities. I am going back to the same place I have been going to for the past four summers on a two week mission trip, so I have been connecting with many of these kids for a while now; yet, God has placed it on my heart to reach out even more to all the children. This past summer, there were over 50 kids in the Children's English Camp program, and I found two weeks was simply not enough time to build relationships with them all!
This is my passion - For the children in Czech to see God's love in a personal way. A couple years ago, I realized something that changed my perspective on the mission. I learned that love is a universal language. One of my biggest concerns I had when working with the Children's program was that the kids and I would not be able to connect since I don't speak much Czech and they don't speak much English, but God showed me that love can conquer all language barriers. It is only through expressing God's love in my actions that these children and I were able to start a friendship that has only continued to grow. That is why I titled this blog "Love is a Universal Language," since it is one of the greatest lessons I have learned in all my travels to Czech.
A verse I found that is my prayer for this trip is Mark 16:15. I made the word "proclaim" an acronym to help me remember how I can be a witness for Christ while I am in Czech. This is also why the web address for this blog is "universalmarkoflove".
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim
the gospel to the whole creation.” Mark 16:15 (ESV)
P – Pray. I
will pray continually for the Czechs before, during, and after my time serving in the country.
R – Relate. I
hope to spend time individually with the Czechs to build relationships and connect with all the kids personally .
O – Observe. It
is important for me to observe the Czech leaders and learn from the way they act, especially with
the kids.
C – Communicate. I
will practice the language and Czech customs to communicate better with the Czechs, and I will
communicate through Christ-like behavior.
L – Love. I
will show Christ’s love through my actions and devotion to see the Czechs grow to know God better.
A – Ask. When
there is something that is confusing culturally or through translation, I will ask questions and gain a clearer idea
of what is being requested of me.
I – Invest. Since
I will be spending more than just two weeks in Czech, it will provide me with more time to invest in
the kids and be a Godly influence in their lives.
M – Minister. By
staying focused on the other letters in “proclaim”, it will provide me with opportunities to minister and share my
faith with the Czechs.
Thank you all for your prayers and support! I can't wait to share more with you soon.
Kendra