Team from Spain; Outreach in Liberec

Last week we played host to a team of American youth who live on a naval base in Spain. They partnered with our Czech youth group for a time of making contact with teens who frequent a local park or the squares in the center of our town. Through a variety of weather conditions they were able to engage them through sports, informal discussions and indoor activities. The strategy was to create an atmosphere where our youth could develop personal relationships with the visitors and make opportunity for long-term contacts and invitations to future gatherings for the purpose of introducing them to Christ.

Let us introduce you to Petra. She is one of the first teens encountered in the Square. She does have a history of visiting our gathering on occasion but has never fully given herself to Christ or considered herself a member of our group. The truth is she has created problems when she made attempts to harm herself and engage in various self-destructive activities. She is struggling with some very serious addictions. During this week she spent from early morning until evening with us. We believe that her time for deliverance and restoration to life in Him is at hand and would ask you to add her to your prayers. She has taken the initiative to attend a Sunday celebration and we've "stumbled" onto her while walking the streets. She greets Linda like a long lost friend and it seems obvious that the door to relationship is more than ajar. Pray for Petra and for wisdom for Linda in knowing how to proceed with this new, fragile relationship.

Throughout the week there was a core group of eight Americans and about sixteen Czechs. Ken and his cadre were preparing and serving two meals per day to at least thirty people. That makes the good news that there were consistently a half dozen visitors who accepted the invitation to spend time in our church's building. During the day our group spent time in the park or on the town squares engaging youth in conversation, sports or games. The evenings were more focused gatherings with a Club atmosphere and times for personal testimonies and a presentation of the gospel as the week progressed. We've debriefed with our local youth group leader and confirmed that at the end of the week we have about ten new contacts who have engaged in relationships close enough to divulge their phone numbers and/or addresses; opening the door to further contact, conversation and relationship. We view this as a huge success just as we gear up for the beginning of a new school year and as the year's largest Youth Festival/Outreach enters its final planning stages. A good core of prospective new believers is being brought to a place of harvest in the next few weeks and months!

The group picture below is a blend of Czechs and Americans, believers and not yets. Can you determine who is whom? Witness for yourself times of fun and serious conversation, indoors and out. Click on each photo to enlarge.