guest post: robert santana

for the next couple weeks i get to share my apartment with some cool interns who are serving in czech for the summer by running 3 different terms of English camps. the first team arrived last week, and i enjoyed spending a few hours with them before i had to head back to prague. 

i shared with them about how God has led me here, and right away robert asked how he could help me. all of you readers know me, and you see my perspective on being here after having a 9-year long relationship with this country and some people. here's a sweet, fresh perspective on service, ministry, and life here.

this is robert's first time in europe, and what he thinks so far. thanks for your words and prayers, robert!



I first want to start off my name and background.  My name is Robert and I am 22 years old from southern California in the USA.  Currently, I am in my second week of my first mission trip out of the United States, and

Robert's picture (stolen from facebook!)

that is my first mission trip to the Czech Republic.  I have been experiencing so much and I will have much more to say in a second response.  

I will be staying the country for 2.5 months, but I have already met so many wonderful natives and missionaries.  Being able to see the constant need for the church and the call for workers has been a eye opener for me.  I had always assumed that there was no need in Europe, but my own assumption are incorrect.  I do want to note that these assumptions are from other Christians who have told me this, since I have only been a believer since I was 16.  So my history in the church is limited and I would note does not make me an expert on what I assume of the missional field.  

I have found it encouraging to see missionaries from part of the world.  I would even emphasis that these missionaries are young and willing to serve the call that God has been placing on their lives.  I am hoping to understand that call, but I truly do not understand at this moment.  Probably I am just an eyewitness to share with others back home.  Nevertheless, I just do not see missionaries trying to achieve their own goals, but they are consistent in wanting to raise native leaders.  The organization that I am currently with this summer is JosiahVenture and they have a unique way of evangelism, discipleship, and church training for the future youth of Europe.  Seeing one of my own team members being a native from the Czech Republic, has been a blessing for me.  She truly understands the culture much more than I do, yet she is thankful for JosiahVenture and the missionaries who have come throughout the years.

Now that is not to say that each year there are new set of missionaries.  I believe that having new missionaries each year is not really relational.  As a result of my own view of being relational in missions, I do want to let people know that missions is not an easy task.  It takes time, lots of time.  It takes building relationships.  It taking empathy, understanding and connection.  I do not know how this looks like since I am new to the missional field, but I have some idea since I am a Hispanic person that was called into faith at a Korean church.  Even after seven years, there is much that is needed to be seen on both parts.  Like me being a part of the local church I know I must tithe and be a part of my community.  Yet, for European culture that is somewhat different.  It is not known as much.  In fact, the church is needing much support from all angles.  Missionaries from need support.  A part of me wanted to help each individual, but I cannot.  I am limited and I am a college student who has much college debt to deal with.  

I do have much to say and here was a background of my thought process.  It is crazy huh?  I just want to share it much more deeper than that and my heart breaks for the fact there is a need.  If you know God is calling you for missions, go!!!  If you know God is calling you to support, support!!!  I have so much to learn and to process.  But above all I know I have much to pray for.  So please think twice, because I am realizing one thing here, missionaries and even natives thought more than twice about their decisions.  Heck they probably wrestled with God and still do.  Probably dealt with family, friends, jobs, finances, even their own lives.  It is amazing.  God's Kingdom is much bigger than we think.  Its much bigger than I can ever imagine.  I hope to respond once more after my first mission trip to just share my after thoughts.

-Thank you