From Alyssa

So…this was my second year in Czech and I went into the trip so incredibly excited to be here again, to make new relationships and to spread God’s word to un-believing people. However, this year’s trip was not nearly as easy as last years for me. My class last year was talkative and really earnest to learn. This year I had a few quiet and a few louder, and all of the topics that we were doing they seemed to show no interest in. So, once this started happening, it put incredible stress on me as the teacher. I started praying, and the whole team prayed for my partner and me. And prayer, I found again, does so much. Sometimes in the hustle of day to day lives we can take prayer for granted, but these trips always show me just how powerful it is. I also built relationships with people while I was here. I really plan on keeping in touch with the friends I made. The friends I have from last year I have kept in close contact with and I can’t wait to see what God does with the relationships we have, and I can’t wait to see them again tomorrow. On a happier note- this year I started the daunting task of attempting to learn Czech. I wanted to use it as a way to connect with the students if they seem nervous about speaking English. And my work was not in vain! I used my Czech a lot and I absolutely love it! During follow-up I had the opportunity to stay with a girl from the Frydlant youth group whose family are unbelievers. I tried my best to communicate with them and just show them a great example of a Christian. Follow-up was fun, but hard. By the time we got there the energy of the team was slacking. Not only were we tired, but many of us, including myself, just kept thinking of our nice warm beds at home that we would soon be in. We spent a day in town with the students and then yesterday we went to Poland to visit Aushwitz. This was really hard to do. I felt so overwhelmed emotionally just because it was so much to soak in at once. It really hit me when they talked about how the Nazis thought that the people of eastern Europe weren’t as good, even as human, as they were. They were talking about the Czechs, the people that were standing right next to me. The friends that I have built relationships with over last year, some of my closest friends in the world allegedly weren’t as human as the rest of us.. That just really hit me. Over all it was a great trip and some amazing spiritual things happened at camp. I could really feel God’s presence with us.