Family and friends,
About a month ago, I made public my commitment to go on Young Life staff in Prague, Czech Republic. This decision is not one that comes quickly; I have been going through the process of working with Young Life international for over a year now. It all started with a late night google search for Young Life jobs on their job page. I then found something called “international teacher staff”, which allows people with the desire to teach and be on Young Life staff to combine their dual passions and calling – working in a high school (for me, teaching English), and also working with Young life. With that, I began the long road to where I am now – a staff candidate for Young Life in Prague.
A part of this process involved my time in Prague during the beginning of this year, where I was able to meet current leaders, staff, and kids in the Czech, as well as develop friendships outside of Young Life with locals, expats, and international college students. It was through the opportunity to spend three months in Prague and the relationships I formed that I accepted the call to return back and work with Young Life. Below you’ll see some pictures from my time in Prague: friends, the family I lived with, and a few of the sites I saw.
Prague is an exceptionally beautiful city, and even before going there, the Lord began to capture my heart for the nation. As I prepared for my three months as an intern there, I began to learn more about the culture, history, and people of the Czech Republic. As that happened, I was also diving deeper into the Lord’s invitation to go on Young Life staff internationally. All of this climaxed during my three-month stint teaching English and getting to know and experience a bit of Young Life in Prague. It’s hard to put into words, but through a series of events (and I mean many things), the Lord made it very clear that He was indeed calling me to go on Young Life staff in Prague.So while I was there, I made the decision to accept this calling and dive head first into going on staff.
This decision means that I will be able to go back to Prague, teach English in a local-Czech high school, all the while meeting kids, creating relationships with them, and inviting them into the greatest relationships ever – a relationship with Jesus Christ. Most of the ways I will be doing this is through English speaking opportunities, such as teaching in a local school, running English based clubs, and working with the pre-established Young Life club already in Prague, who also use many English based opportunities to reach kids.
In addition to my heart for teaching, and the lovely opportunity I have to put that passion into action, I will be spending a good chunk of time learning the Czech language and culture and investing in locals, with the hopes of creating a second Young Life club in Prague.
However, in order for all this to happen, I need your help — everyone who goes on Young Life staff, be that here in America or anywhere overseas, is required to fundraise their salary, me included. I would love for you to be a part of this ministry, this opportunity, to share with kids the greatest love story ever told and invite them into the best relationship possible.
So far, I have committed to a minimum of three years. My annual budget is $54,000, 32k of which is my salary and benefits– the rest is divided into travel, training, program, and operation expenses.
Through this blog post, I hope that I have given you a taste for the ministry the Lord is calling me into, and also the ministry that I am inviting you to be a part of. See, without your monthly and/or annual one time gift, this won’t be possible.
As I said, this blog is only a taste of the calling the Lord has placed on my heart and the vision I believe He has given me for Young Life in Prague. If you’re reading this, and want to hear more about what is going on, I would love to talk with you- so feel free to email me, call me, Facebook message me, comment on this blog, whatever it takes for you to get a hold of me in the easiest way for you.
If you feel called to be a part of this ministry and what the Lord is doing in Prague through Young Life, you can click here to give a financial gift. If you want to be a part of this, but a financial gift isn’t possible for you at this time, I would love to have your contact info and put you on my newsletter list as well as invite you into my prayer team.
I hope to hear from you, share more about this incredible country, the people, and the vision the Lord has given me. Thank you so much for even taking the time to read this post and for prayerfully considering joining me in what the Lord is doing.
Until next time,
Em
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