CEE Story From The Mission Field
Impact 360 students reach CEE with Christ
March 5, 2007
In January, twenty students came to Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to experience life on the mission field. Their base was Prague, Czech Republic, and from there they fanned out to locations in Western Czech Republic, Slovakia, Moldova, and Hungary. They worked and lived with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) missionaries for one month, carrying out projects designed to reach students for Christ, as well as give a glimpse of “real missionary life.”
These students were part of Impact 360, a nine-month program for students 18 to 20 years of age who are seeking God’s direction for their futures. Most of the on-site missionaries utilized these young people to teach English to national students. Through this platform they were able to form relationships and share their faith.
For some of these students, making a personal connection that reached across cultural boundaries was a first-time experience.
“God taught me I can talk to people from different countries and really understand them from my own experiences at home,” said Nic Spalviero, a skateboarder from South Carolina who served in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Nic comes from a broken home and is immersed in a drug culture among his fellow “boarders.” He said his testimony really hit home with his international audience.
“They were listening. It was an incredible experience. I cried … and I never cry,” he said.
Nic was not alone in finding that God had specially prepared him for a particular ministry. In Budapest, Hungary, Johnathon Scagfield, who has a special interest in apologetics, found himself sharing with atheists, secular humanists and even a Satanist. At a coffee shop one evening he was able to talk about God for two and a half hours with his new friends.
“Since I was 13 or 14 I’ve asked the Lord not to use me, but to make me usable … and then I had this huge conversation. God was able to use me…. He gave me the words to say. I look at where I am and how God could use that…. I am so unworthy,” he said.
For some of the students, the learning curve was not about being used, but about hard work and faith. Mark Heath served in the Czech Republic and worked on a service project that involved clearing large rocks off a tract of land.
“It was hard—all of us struggled to see importance of the work,” he said. “A lot of work we had to do in faith, knowing God will use it.”
Dave Darty, who served in Prague, saw the hardness of a different kind of soil. He and his teammates distributed Scripture for several days and were rejected until they figured out they should not try to talk to anyone.
“When we talked they thought we were selling something,” he said.
However, when they quietly gave out God’s Word, they were able to put Scripture into the hands of hundreds of people. Though the soil in Prague is hard, missionary Steve Warren did see results from the work. A policeman who took notice of what they were doing started asking questions and went to have coffee with Steve and the students. He has now agreed to meet with Steve every week to talk more about the Lord.
Missionaries in Moldova also saw God at work.
“I got the cream of the crop,” said missionary Larry Martin. “We gave them plenty of evangelism opportunities and they jumped right in and took advantage of each one.”
Zach Fallon served in Moldova and enjoyed his time so much that he plans to return soon.
“I know I’ll come back to Moldova for sure. It was awesome. I’m thinking about coming back during the summer and am considering the Journeyman program.”
For others, the future is not yet clear, but they know some good groundwork has been laid.
“I’m struggling with what to do for summer, college and career,” admitted Mark Heath. “But I’ve realized whatever He says, I need to do. And if it requires sacrifices, then I’ll make those sacrifices.”
That’s a great lesson to take home.
More information about Impact 360