CEE Story From The Mission Field
Michigan Church “Continuing the Work They Began”
July 28, 2004
During the week of July 26, a team of twelve volunteers from Sterling Heights, Michigan, will head to two campsites in the Czech Republic for the opportunity to put their faith into action. Through the use of music, sports, games, crafts, and class time the teams will teach the English language to Czech children. While this is only the second year that the team has come to the Czech Republic, it is an experience five years in the making.
In 2000 a team of six, including current team leaders Karen Villalpando and Leonard Woods, went to Novosibirsk, Russia to teach an English camp at the request of IMB missionaries Charles and Phyllis Hardie.
Former team leader and Girls in Action camp program director for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan Nelda Popkey jumped at the opportunity.
"I never hesitated,” she said. “I never thought about where the funds would come from or the fears I had with traveling.”
While most of the team had experience in working at camps, there was only one team member, a recent high school graduate, who had traveled internationally. However, their faith kept them moving forward, and by the end of the week it was apparent that one year of camp was not enough for Americans and Russians alike.
"Before it was over we were all saying ‘Next year we could…’ and ‘What if we....’” said Karen Villalpando, personnel director for Memorial Baptist Church, and Acteen camp program director for the BSCM.The group made good on their plans to return.
While the first year focused on training Russian leaders to run their own camp, 2001 was a partnership. The Russians worked along side the Americans instead of observing and interpreting. That year two teams were sent. One team of six taught children while the other team of six taught youth.
In 2002, the five Americans on the team merely assisted as the Russians led the camp. Three members helped with youth camp and two helped with children’s camp. Team members Leonard Woods and Dan Hill also led a men and boys’ retreat on the weekend between the two camps.
As the third year came to a close, the Hardies prepared for retirement. It looked as if the partnership would end, but God had different ideas and the Hardies served a short term in the Czech Republic before heading back to the states. While there, it was arranged for the faithful travelers to come to Prague in 2003 and teach two English camps, one at a refugee camp in Bela and the other at a farmhouse in Dubicna.
While the team was in Prague, camp in Novosibirsk was also gearing up. This year the Russians would successfully run camp without American assistance.
The 2004 camp in Benecko, set up by CEE missionaries Steve and Cathy Warren, will truly be a test of faith since this is the first time that the team will not be able to share Christ verbally with the children due to parental restrictions. They will, however, share Christ through their actions.Two team members will also return to Dubicna to continue the work there.
While the team has included many different volunteers from various Michigan churches throughout the five years, the basic idea has remained the same: Don’t stop working until there is nothing else to do.
"I am committed to continuing the work we began,” said Karen Villalpando in a devotional written in 2000. This statement has expressed the commitment of current and former team members that continue to pray, give, and go.