For 15 days in May, five MNU students and alumni immersed themselves in Czech culture, forming friendships, teaching English to middle schoolers, and working with at-risk youth. During the fourth annual Pioneer Trek to the Czech Republic (Czechia) under the leadership of MNU Professor Dr. Addison Lucchi, new collaborations were established as the group transitioned to a new initiative. The previous three mission trips were spent setting up a self-sustaining storytelling camp for English language learners as a mode of ministry.
This year, the team partnered with two local Czech private middle schools in Hradec Králové. The MNU team prepared lesson plans before the trip on topics such as information technology, fine arts, physical education and more. The Czech students rotated through the various subjects that each MNU team member taught. Designed to teach English to the participants, the Czech teachers who observed the lessons were impressed with the quality of education their students received.
After a week of teaching, the team traveled to the small Czech village of Hlinsko, where they collaborated with Youth For Christ workers. There, the MNU students helped plan a Friday-Sunday event for at-risk youth, including games, activities, Bible stories and outings. Before the event, MNU students underwent training on how to share their own stories as a means of ministry. As a ministry experience, the time spent in both initiatives was powerful for both the youth and the MNU team.
“This experience provided an outlet for that ministry training to be actualized in a real-life, relational context with Czech youth,” Lucchi said. “In addition to the team being successful in their ministry and teaching, they were able to practice hearing God’s voice throughout the trip and growing in their own relationships with Jesus and with each other.”
The students echoed Lucchi’s thoughts about the trip’s impact on their development. Olivia Ford had just graduated with a degree in information technology and was unsure how God would use her expertise as a ministry. When asked to choose from several classes to teach, she was pleased to learn one of the choices was IT.
“I ended up teaching a group of students about computer science using Legos,” Olivia said. “When I said ‘yes’ to this trip, I never imagined I’d be using my computer science degree. I realized that God just wants me to say ‘yes.’ He’ll take care of the rest.”
Current student Anna Chaverin said she learned more than she expected. “Building relationships with people was crucial before sharing Jesus,” she asserted. “We had to wait for the students to come to us with questions about our faith. Sharing Jesus by building a relationship with someone first has been a unique experience for me, which I find subtle and ingenious when put to action.”
The students also enjoyed the beauty of Czechia and the cross-cultural experience.
“I would highly recommend the Czech mission trip to any student who wants to teach English to foreign students, experience the cultural differences, see how God is working in lives and build genuine relationships,” said English major, Makenna Andrews. “I never would have imagined that the kids would be sad to see me leave, an American they had only known for a few days. You do not have to be the best at teaching; you just have to be willing to have conversations with the kids!”
Mission and service-learning trips through Pioneer Trek are one way MNU students learn to build a purposeful life. Learn more about Pioneer Trek at mnu.edu/pioneer-treks/.
