Food, Fun, and Sharing Our Stories

Hooray! Everyone slept well and was ready for Thursday! Some team members even slept in a little longer and skipped breakfast, knowing that yummy Czech pastries, coffee, and tea would be waiting for us when we arrived at the school. We can hardly believe we have only two teaching days left!
Our morning devotional reminded us that every one of us has a story worth sharing. We were challenged to think about what our lives were like before we trusted Jesus, how we came to know Him, and how He continues to work in our lives today. Our personal testimonies are powerful reminders of God's grace and love, and we should always be ready to share them.
We also reflected on how this applies to our time teaching English. We don't need to complicate language; we simply need to communicate clearly and honestly. As students learn English, they begin with simple words and phrases. The same is true when sharing the gospel. We don't need complicated language to communicate the life-changing truth of Jesus Christ. We can share the good news using clear, simple words that help others understand His love.

After our devotional, we walked to the school. The air was crisp and damp from the previous night's rainstorm, but the clouds seemed to highlight Teplice's beautiful fall colors. What a lovely way to begin another day of teaching!

When the bell rang, it was time to head to class! Today's English lessons focused on food and cooking, with plenty of fun, hands-on learning.
Students participated in a scavenger hunt to find pictures of different foods, raced on a board game to identify food groups, and practiced the English phrases needed to order at a restaurant. Then things got interesting as we introduced the differences between the metric and imperial measurement systems.

Using measuring cups and kitchen utensils, students compared the two systems. They were fascinated by the differences! To top it off, students read a chocolate chip cookie recipe. They loved this activity, especially since chocolate chip cookies aren't something they typically eat in the Czech Republic.  Who knew food could provide so many opportunities to learn English, share a few laughs, and build relationships?
We also had a special visitor! The Mayor of Teplice had heard about our English week at the school and stopped by to meet our team. What an honor to welcome him and share a little about what we are doing!

The day seemed to fly by. Each day, we see our students grow more confident in their English. They are becoming more comfortable speaking, participating, and interacting with us. What a joy it is to be part of their story, even if only for one week! We pray the relationships we are building will leave a lasting impression long after our time together ends.

As the final bell rang, the excitement in the hallways grew. The students were eager for the afternoon activity: a student-led photo scavenger hunt around Teplice with their English teachers! But first, SNACKS! Seriously, how many Pringles and bottles of Kofola can an eighth grader eat and drink? Apparently, quite a lot!

Once everyone had fueled up, Matt explained the rules. Each of the six teams received a list of 25 items and places to photograph around Teplice. Each group member had to appear in every photo alongside their English teacher. The teams had 90 minutes to complete as many photos on the list as possible. Of course, there were rules! Leave someone out of a photo, and your team could be disqualified. If you returned to school late, you could be disqualified, too. With all the directions explained, it was time to send the students on their way. We gave them the signal to GO, and off they went!

Ninety minutes later, the teams began rolling in—well, more accurately, running into the school! The competition was close, and the excitement was contagious. After a tight race, Logan and Rachel's class came out on top! Prizes were awarded, congratulations were shared, and then came the bittersweet part of the afternoon: saying goodbye and sending our students home.

It's hard to believe tomorrow is already our last day of teaching. We have shared so many smiles, learned so much about one another, and watched friendships grow in just a few short days. We are grateful for every opportunity to connect with these students and show them the love of Jesus through our words and actions.

After a full day of teaching, exploring, and running around Teplice, we headed back to the hotel. We had some extra time to work on our lesson plans for Friday before gathering for another delicious Czech dinner. There was certainly no shortage of good food!  As we enjoyed dinner and reflected on the day, we were reminded once again that missions is about more than lessons, activities, or even the language we teach. It's about people. It's about relationships. And it's about being willing to step into someone else's story and share the hope we have in Jesus. Our time here is short, but we trust that God is at work in ways we can see and in ways we may never know.  Tomorrow is our final day of teaching, and we want to make every moment count. Please pray that our words will remain seasoned with salt, that our conversations will be encouraging and meaningful, and that our students will see something of Jesus in how we love them.  We are thankful for the opportunity to serve in Teplice, and we look forward to seeing what God has in store for our last day!  Trust and obey, for there is no other way!