Full Team Reflections: Czech Republic 2025
If you're here, thank you for taking the time to dig deeper into our trip. A shorter version of our team’s reflection was shared by email, but this post contains the full set of responses from each team member to the three main questions we discussed as we wrapped up our time in the Czech Republic.
We’re grateful you're here and hope these honest reflections encourage you as much as they’ve encouraged us. Scroll down to read how each of us answered the following:
1. What have you learned about yourself?
“One thing I have learned is how important it is to be present in each moment and to look for the opportunity that God is giving me in that moment. When we first arrived at the Mont Blanc challenge, I was asked to step in for someone who had to leave. I wasn't even sure what our directions were or exactly what I was supposed to be doing. But I said “sure,” took the stamping marker, and sat down next to a brand new friend named Stephan. I immediately started stamping the cards of students who were in the middle of the climbing challenge. I was also able to encourage the climbers. Even though I was speaking in English (saying things like: “great job”, “you've got this”) the kids seemed to appreciate the support. Near the end of the challenge, the woman in charge thanked our team (through an interpreter) and said she was so grateful for all of the help and encouragement we brought to their event. She said that Czech people aren't normally that encouraging and she was so happy we added so much positive energy to their event. This is just one example of how God is teaching me to be present and aware of opportunities that are already surrounding me.” — Carrie
“This trip taught me that I’m more capable of connecting with new people than I thought. I was honestly pretty nervous going in, not knowing most of the team, and unsure if I’d find my place. But from the start, everyone was encouraging and kind. It reminded me that even when I doubt myself, I do have the ability to build meaningful relationships. I often doubt my ability to connect with new people, even though others tell me I’m good at it. As an example, during the Mont Blanc challenge I had the opportunity to connect with a girl named Maria. Despite our differences in age, language, and background, I saw a lot of myself in her. It was really meaningful to feel understood by someone so different from me.” — Mina
“Coming into the Czech trip was a series of God events that deeply tested my faith and discernment of the Holy Spirit. Initially I had applied for the Canada trip. I thought: I wanna do this thing and follow this calling, but in my power and ability. I felt comfortable that I could handle kids and VBS-geared things. But from the 1st meeting, Jordan encouraged me to attend the Czech trip. Shortly after, Amber also met with me over coffee to get to know me, talk about the trip, and ask me to consider it. She encouraged me that I would be a great fit and had a lot to offer the group.
My biggest hesitation/fear/spiritual warfare coming into this trip was that I wasn’t equipped enough. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to do what I needed to, or somehow I’d let the group down, or I wouldn’t make any connections because I’m so introverted and shy. I kept thinking: I don’t know why God would bring me to this space where I feel like I would let this team down. I just trusted what God had put on my heart and I trusted in Amber's guidance.
The outreach bonfire really was a turning point in figuring out my purpose on this trip.. I immediately jumped into an all-out water balloon fight with a group of teenage boys, (which from my perspective I won! but then they all plotted to dump a tub—yes TUB—of water on me when I was unaware!) Another American missionary Mark (who’s part of the church plant team and has been working with the teens for a few years now) said to me, ‘You’re a natural! Do you work in ministry? Cause you should!’ At the time, this was encouraging, but I still didn’t have my ‘aha’ moment. I still felt what I had voiced to my trip roomy Donna: I feel like I’m not gonna make any connection or accomplish anything. The devil is so sneaky in his assault! In my greatest moment of weakness, when I was feeling as if I didn’t matter, God moved. God showed up to remind me these fears are of man and it’s his hand that moves, not mine. I was approached by a young girl named Terka. She was so kind, so eager to know me and engage me, and we bonded over YouTubers, being introverts, cultural likes and dislikes, and reality TV shows. I had moments of being stretched and learning all along, but connecting with these teens has opened a door for me to consider new spaces God might be leading my life in the future.
Stepping away from this experience, I feel more confident in trusting in God and the discernment he gives me. I can step into more spaces than I thought I could and serve God and his purpose. I can rest knowing that even when I’m weak, he will show up. I only have to be faithful and open to his call.” — Autumn
“This mission trip has taught me so much about myself—and reminded me of what God can still do through me.
Before this trip, I had pretty much given up on the idea of connecting with teenage ‘dudes.’ With three younger sisters, two daughters, years of teaching 4th and now 6th grade, and working mostly alongside women, I just hadn’t had much exposure to teenage guys—nor did I want it or seek it out.
That being said, most of the connections our partners in Pardubice had made were with 15–18-year-olds. Tall, loud teen guys. But also teens who were eager to connect with me. They asked meaningful questions and even invited me to go go-kart racing with them. (Sadly, I had to decline since we were leaving.)
Still, I got to join them on a photo scavenger hunt. I taught them how to run football routes with some basic 2-on-2 drills. I learned how to play Spikeball. We had deep conversations about the political climate in the U.S., hung out during the American tasting event, played Headbanz (loud, very loud), walked and talked on the way to the mall, and shared meals together.
All that to say—it was amazing to see that God is still growing me. From sports to music, God has given me areas of connection with the next generation of leaders. I’ve learned that I still have so much to offer—if I’m willing to step out and show up.”
— Adam
“Although I’m somewhat reserved and it’s not easy for me to make conversation with someone new from a different language group and background as me, I can show Christ’s love as I smile and show genuine interest in them. I prefer smaller social settings so I felt a bit shy during the American Tasting event with many people in a small space. The headband game with all its noise and commotion was out of my comfort zone, but I found God can meet me and use me in that place. As I sat and watched the commotion, Victor, Paul, and Michal came to me, and we laughed and interacted while trying to guess their cards. I learned I don’t have to be loud and overly energetic to make great connections with others. I just make myself open and available and God does the rest.” — Donna
“I learned that being in a different context can help me to understand the context I live in, and that God doesn’t waste any of our experiences. I came into this trip feeling weighed down by what’s going on in the world, but I believe that God is at work. I saw him at work in Ostrava and in Pardubice. I believe he is at work everywhere, and that we can join in his work by encouraging one another and stirring one another up to do good. We got to participate in praying over the leaders of a young church plant, and we gathered with a small group of Christians from four countries to pray for them. God gave us one another because we need each other, and depending on him often means depending on our brothers and sisters.” — Ryan
“There were many moments on this trip where I felt inadequate—like I was failing. I didn’t feel as on top of many details as I wanted to be. I struggled to find the moments and words to connect with people the way I'd hoped to. I felt unsure of when to press in on certain things and when to ease up. And when making decisions, I often second-guessed myself in ways I don’t usually. Many of the thoughts in my head were along the lines of ‘I thought I’d grown beyond this particular struggle already!’
“But, as always, God met me in that place—reminding me that his grace is sufficient and his power made perfect in weakness. And that I’m a work in progress—and that’s a good thing. Months ago, I chose Philippians 2:1-11 as our theme passage for the team for this trip, and so throughout training and our time in Czechia, we worked our way through the whole book. Philippians 1:6 provided that much-needed reminder that God who started a good work in me will be faithful to complete it! In Chapter 2 I was reminded that as I work to figure out how my salvation impacts everything, I can trust that God is at work in me to fulfill his good purpose. And in 3:20 I found that sweet promise that Jesus will one day transform me to be like him.
“While I struggled in many ways I hadn’t expected to, God graciously reminded me that he’s not done with me yet, and when he is, I’ll be perfect. Until then, he’ll continue to work on me and through me—sometimes in spite of my weaknesses, and sometimes even through them!” — Amber
“So how do I process all this? What does it mean? I have learned that God is there in my weakness. From the beginning, I had flu-like symptoms that held me back from team outings or made me uncomfortable as I participated. I had anticipated that I might have trouble keeping up with everyone, but it was more disappointing than I expected. As I look back, I can see the hand of God in helping me connect and encourage others. God is able to use me no matter what my age or physical condition. Isaiah 46:4“ — Sylvia
2. How has your view of God and the church grown or changed?
“In Prague, we explored several significant historical places, and many of them highlighted the religious history of the country. At different points, Catholics and Protestants—all of them calling themselves Christians—did horrible things to each other (and to the Jews), and often did these things in the name of Christ. Though claiming the name of Jesus, they failed to faithfully represent his love, compassion, and mercy to the world around them. And yet, here in this same place, many years later, I had the joy of spending time with the leaders and members of different sectors of City Church—in both our time in Ostrava and Pardubice—and seeing the depth of their love for Jesus and their desire to show that love to their communities. Jesus promised that he will build his church—a kingdom of those who follow him—and that there’s nothing in this world that can get in the way of it. Even when we get it wrong—when those who claim the name of Jesus fail to represent him well—he is at work anyway. He’s bigger than the messes we make, and he’s at work in those places too.” — Amber
“Our time in the Czech Republic reminded me that God’s church is beautifully diverse. There’s no one ‘right way’ to do church, and God meets people where they are. As believers, we’re called to engage with those who are different from us, including whether they share our faith or not. During Sunday’s service at Kudy Kam, most of our team had no idea what was going on, as their programming wasn’t their norm due to Father’s Day, but it was beautiful to see the regularly attending families lean in and engage one another in fun and wacky ways. In each of our spaces, we have the opportunity to seek out people who are different from us, and we should pursue those connections with intention.” — Mina
“In the United States, it is not uncommon for someone’s default position to be ‘I guess I’m a Christian,’ whereas in the Czech Republic, it is more likely to be ‘I’m an atheist.’ Someone even told Donna, ‘I don’t believe in God because Czechs don’t really believe in those kinds of things.’ That can make growing a Czech church feel really slow. On the other hand, when someone commits to following Jesus in the Czech Republic, that’s not a decision they make lightly. They have to mean it. In the US, how often do people lightly make a ‘commitment for Christ’ that fades as soon as their circumstances shift? God is always at work even when it feels like things are crawling along or when it feels like it’s always three steps forward and two steps back.” — Ryan
“My view of God has grown by being able to witness the actions of my teammates as we worked together in ministry opportunities. Just as it says in 1 Corinthians 12, there are different types of working but in all of them is the same spirit. When we arrived at each event, everyone leaned in and took on the roles that needed to be filled. For example, at the bonfire some people stepped up and engaged with the teenagers through a water balloon fight and games. Others stepped in and had conversations with Czech people who wanted to practice speaking in English. Some played games with the younger kids. We all took turns sitting around the fire and showing our new Czech friends how to make s'mores and learning how to cook špekáčky (a Czech sausage). Some lingered around the fire continuing conversations while others began cleaning up. This was just one example from the trip of how each person stepped up and helped out to make every event a success. Seeing and participating with the body of Christ in action was encouraging to me in my faith. — Carrie
“What I have seen in the past ten days has reinforced what God has been teaching me about Himself and about His Church. Each time I go on a mission trip, God reveals to me again how big He is and how small I am – yet He loves me. He does not just love me, but each person in this world. He knows us intimately—knows our thoughts, our actions, our motivation—yet He loves us enough that He sent His Son to take the punishment for our sins so we can live with Him forever. And He has loved us from before the world was set in motion. My mind is not large enough to understand the wonders that He reveals in the world around us, much less to understand God. Yet the older I get, and the more I understand the Bible and see His body around the world, the deeper my love for Him grows. Wherever there are believers in Jesus Christ meeting together, no matter where in the world, the same Spirit is. So whenever I go on a mission trip, I am connected in a new way with brothers and sisters. And even if I never see them again (and at my age I know it is a real possibility) I know we will be together one day in Heaven, worshiping our Lord and spending eternity getting to connect. As I said goodbye to Michal and Lenka and to the Ukrainian woman and to the church planters I met in Ostrava, this thought was on my mind: Maybe not again on earth, but one day in Heaven, we will have time to truly know each other!” — Sylvia
“God doesn’t need me to do anything ‘for’ Him. He wants to transform me because of what He has done for me.” — Donna
“My time on this trip has helped me grow in my ability to see that God’s timing is perfect and that His Church is a place for all to see Jesus.
One of the teens I met in Pardubice was named Kuba. He attended the English weekend on Saturday, the church service on Sunday, and the tasting/mall trip on Monday. We connected in a deep and genuine way. But at first, I didn’t see God’s timing in all of this.
You see, when Autumn and I arrived at McDonald’s—the meeting spot for the photo scavenger hunt we had put together—Kuba was the only teen there. To be honest, I was disappointed. After all the time and effort we put into planning the event, I couldn’t help but feel let down that only one student showed up (though more did eventually join).
What I didn’t realize then was that Kuba had been going through some challenging times, and that one-on-one time gave me the opportunity to connect with him in a way that wouldn’t have happened in a large group setting.
Looking back, I can clearly see God’s timing in it all. At that moment, I was impatient. I lacked trust. But this experience helped me realize that sometimes our plans aren’t God’s plans. I’m thankful that Kuba has a place at Brána Church in Pardubice as he learns more about Jesus.” — Adam
“There is a space for all of God’s people (the church) even though there are worship differences or other preferences. When the ultimate doctrine of our heart is set on God, all the rest shouldn’t be a hindrance. Yet all over the world, it is. While joining in worship and fellowship at ClicKostel, Kudy Kam, and Brána Pardubice, I experienced a peace and unity of connection. It pulled my mind out of the sadness and separation I have personally felt from past church hurts where others tried to manipulate and alter the truth of God and of my faith. I can walk away seeing that I don’t have to hold judgment or resentment for that time in my life or those things. They all hold a purpose for God’s will in my life and for my growth. It is also encouraging to know that God guides his saints and builds his church, in order to refine each of us. Those stories and paths are all different and not something I need to judge. I can have a heart that meets people with love, care, and encouragement even though we may disagree.” — Autumn
3. Now that you’ve seen missions at work in the Czech Republic, how will you be more missions-minded at home?
“The Czech trip has definitely opened my eyes to being more mission-minded at home. I feel like I need to think more about how I can serve others around me in my daily life. Instead of keeping all of the areas of my life separate, I need to find ways to bring my faith with me no matter where I go. For example, even though I work in a public school, I can look at my classroom as a mission field. There are ways that I can help and encourage my students and coworkers in the struggles they are facing. Even if I can't openly share my faith, I can pray for those who are facing challenges. I can look for opportunities to jump in and start working to solve whatever problems arise. When others ask me questions about things I've done or am doing, I can answer honestly and respectfully. I can try to make sure that others know how much I care about them. A big difference between planting seeds on a mission trip and planting seeds at home is that at home it will be easier to water the seeds and follow up. Being mission-minded at home is a challenge I hope I'm up for! — Carrie
“This trip has impacted me in my view of how to do missions at home. I have been challenged as I see the missionaries there building relationships, caring about people who are as unresponsive as some around me. It is making me re-think how I can build relationships and care about people, being intentional about making opportunities to get to know people better. I love hearing about Chris and Amber's table in their front yard [a neighborhood outreach idea called ‘The Turquoise Table’] and want to do something similar on my deck for my neighbors. The vision I have seen for church planting pushes me to make the most of all my opportunities too.” — Sylvia
“It has been a privilege to be part of this group. I’ve truly appreciated the intentionality with which Amber has led the trip, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed becoming friends with everyone on the team.
One of my personal goals for this trip was to gain a better understanding of what’s happening around the world—especially in places where we partner with missionaries. I wanted to become more mission-minded. As a reminder, despite its rich Christian heritage, the Czech Republic now has one of the lowest percentages of Christians in the world.
This trip has opened my eyes and heart to what it means to be mission-minded—not just in action, but in prayer and empathy. From the start of our time here to the end, prayer has been central to how the Czech believers operate. It’s not that I (or we) don’t pray—but I often lack the frequency and genuine intensity when it comes to seeking God’s movement in the world. From praying over Libor Osouch’s start-up church with people from the U.S., Czechia, and Slovakia at the beginning of the trip, to laying hands on Michal and Lenka—leaders of the church plant in Pardubice—at the end, it was a tremendous reminder of the power of prayer.
Having now seen firsthand the challenges that Christians face in Czechia, I can better empathize with their struggles. Even crossing paths with a woman at the Ukrainian church service—someone who had just arrived in the Czech Republic three days earlier from her home country—gave me a glimpse into the real hardships our brothers and sisters are walking through.
I’m thankful that I now have these stories of faith and perseverance to bring back to our FBC community. My hope is that we, as a church, will pray more fervently for our friends in the Czech Republic and support them as they continue to live out the gospel in a place where Christian community is rare—but deeply needed.” — Adam
“Our connections and the relationships we hold not only with missionaries across seas, but the people around us, matter in ways we can’t imagine. Hearing Milan describe the stories of ways they have helped people in Ukraine was so moving and eye opening. He was able to do so much for so many because of the relationships he works to build and keep.
Coming home, I want to be able to work on building better relationships and keeping the new ones I’ve made and growing them. Being open and loving to be able to serve others and build God’s kingdom.” — Autumn
“I want to keep intentionally engaging with people from different backgrounds. This has always mattered to me, but this trip reminded me how meaningful it is when someone takes the time to appreciate another’s culture, food, or language. Being in Czech, it’s been so fun to see how diverse the people are and how naturally they connect with one another. We should strive for the same back home. Whether it was spending time with the kids at Mont Blanc or learning how to roast špekáčky over an open flame, it was all really special. Some things felt familiar, others were completely new, but that blend made the connection even more meaningful.” — Mina
“The City Church network arose out of a conviction that the church should not turn people away for not fitting in. It exists to welcome those who might otherwise feel unwelcome by the church. In our churches at home, it is easy to become frustrated at how unwelcoming we can be, but it is harder to seek out the people who have been turned away and to invite them back in. I want to take after Jesus, who sought out the tax collector, the sinner, and the leper, and by his grace to model that in my own church.” — Ryan
“One of the members of the church planting team in Pardubice has been a full-time missionary in the Czech Republic for over 20 years. He commented to me at one point how encouraged he was to see our team doing what he called ‘leaning in.’ He noted all the different ways and places where we had jumped in and initiated engagement and connection with the Czechs around us. His comment caused me to think about that idea of ‘leaning in.’ There were many moments where something felt uncomfortable, and there was a choice to be made about whether to pull away and pull back, or to lean in. To press into the discomfort, to step into the space anyway, and to look for ways to connect and engage—to in some small way show the love of Jesus.
Last Saturday we did an event for kids in the morning, and then we had a bonfire scheduled for the evening. We had about three hours with kind of a lull in the activity in between. The Czech church plant leaders (Michal and Lenka) said they were going to stay at the event location for the entire afternoon, and I felt torn as to what to do. My flesh wanted to do something else, but I really felt like I should take this opportunity to spend time with them and get to know them better. So I settled in and started chatting with the mom and her daughter. After a bit, a lone teenage boy arrived at our location, and said he was there for the English event. This was another opportunity to step forward and try to engage, or choose to step back and maybe just let someone else do it. We wound up playing a get-to-know you version of Jenga with this teen, and connecting with him in this way is a cherished memory from the trip.
And so this has me thinking about the opportunities that I have at home to do the same thing. Thinking about the people and the places that might feel uncomfortable for me, where I have the choice to pull back and pull away, or to lean in. And I’m asking God to show me those spaces, and to be braver about leaning in when he calls me to do so.” — Amber
“Building relationships seems to be the key to winning Czechs for Christ. Worshiping God does not have to take place in a church building, but God meets you in the most ordinary of spaces. City Church is a great example of reaching people this way; Bringing worship to the nooks and crannies of the city. Great lesson that I learn as I connect with kids and adults at home.” — Donna
Thank you again for your continued support and prayers. We ask that you keep lifting up the people of the Czech Republic, that God would stir hearts toward Himself, and that the faithful workers we met would be strengthened and encouraged in the days ahead.
With gratitude,
FBC’s 2025 Czech Team