School Missions Week in Pardubice, Czech Republic
A team from our churches in Dereham, Wymondham, Aylsham and Sheringham recently visited our gospel plant in Pardubice, Czech Republic. They ran a missions week in the local school there, and Michelle Foster wrote this report about how significant the time had been for the pioneers in that town:
On behalf of Noah School: leadership team, teachers, assistants, parents, children, The Ark church, Oaks community and us as a family we would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU!!!
The time we spent together was a time of planting something very significant, something that is part of God’s plan for the Czech Republic.
Truly we had a fantastic time from the beginning to the end. The lives and hearts of the Czech people have been touched by God quite deeply and we believe the effects will stay with us for some time. I would like to share just few testimonies to paint the picture:
1. One Christian teacher in our school said: “What the English team brought and put in was something that was missing. Something that we needed. It is what we are here for. It was interconnecting the whole school in prayer and through sport, story and songs.”
2. One non-Christian assistant said: “The feeling of the last three days and the one-hour assembly on the last day is indescribable.” – in other words, she is feeling God.
3. The other non-Christian assistant said: “I travelled to the sports day and got soaked on the way as it rained so hard. I thought the sports day would be cancelled, but what did I see when I arrived? You all (teachers, children and parents) having a fantastic time and the storm missing the tiny sports ground place, but rains everywhere else in Pardubice. I know the Christian teachers have prayed so much today – I think I also need to start praying.” The next day when Amy and Toby shared the gospel story, our Christian teacher saw this woman really thinking about it as she really is an internal processer. The last assembly she was dancing to the songs and begged at the end for the bracelet that the kids were given with title “GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE”. Yesterday at the staff meeting she shares how she was touched by everything and felt this amazing positive feeling” – she is beginning to realise that God is touching her and has his finger on her.
4. Our principal and the leadership team were extremely encouraged and felt the prayers they prayed for years even before they started the school and the promises from God they have had for years are starting to unveil - God has promised for this school to be a starting point of a bridge that will lead Czech people to Jesus and to church. They were amazed how the oldest kids from non-Christian families did activities that they would never do in Czech but somehow through English it was fun!
5. Many non-Christian parents came up to me yesterday begging me for the songs, as the small kids were crying at home that they were starting to forget the words and wanted the parents to sing with them before bed time. Other non-Christian parents asking me if it is possible to do this next year as they see it had a very positive impact on their kids.
6. Most teachers cried at the last assembly as they felt the presence of God so powerfully, especially through the prayer that the UK team sang - these are teachers from different churches and some of them experienced the Holy Spirit for the first time so some spirit-filled teachers had to explain that it was the Holy Spirit on us and touching us.
7. All the teachers and assistants want English lessons next year at school as some of them were sorry that they could not talk to the English team even to say ‘Thank you’!
I could tell story after story after story, and I am sure that I haven’t heard it all! It was a fantastic week and we just knew that God was with us and for us as lots of prayers have been put into this throughout the school year.
My husband Pete and I, and our daughter Ema and son Jan were so blessed by the people you sent us!
As for me, I know that the spiritual atmosphere in Pardubice changed and something was broken through prayer. Lots of people including children now know and see the truth. Three churches who started this school stood in unity in prayer and prayed for our week with the English team. They prayed that the hearts of people would be touched and they were.
I know that this and our Oaks Community is just beginning of something new and fresh for Pardubice, but also for this nation and it will touch many churches.
So we all are so grateful and glad for what the UK churches have done for us through little and big things and prayer, and most importantly sending us their great kids and youth leaders to work with us. We are sending our love, prayers and blessings to you too – may you be richly blessed each one of you and your churches in Norfolk and beyond. Please come again English team and strengthen us!