Arrival & Preparation
After a long journey from Columbus to Prague, the team arrived safely and found our first answered prayer—every bag made it! We reunited with Nathan and Emma, who had already been serving in Prague, and met Honza, Ben, and the Czech young adult leaders and work crew who would help lead Crazy Camp. After being welcomed with a grilled meal, we spent the afternoon preparing the school for the week, decorating rooms, arranging furniture, and organizing materials and schedules. We also attended church together, where the message focused on faith and trusting Jesus, before gathering for our first All Team Meeting and devotional. After a pizza dinner and some much-needed rest, we were ready for camp to begin.

Day 1 — Crazy Camp Begins
The team woke up feeling refreshed from a good night’s sleep and was ready to welcome the campers. The day was filled with games, sports, workshops, and English lessons, giving us plenty of opportunities to meet the students and begin building relationships. Our first English lesson focused on North America, where we talked about American culture, animals, cities, money, and other things that helped the students get to know us. During club, Chari introduced the theme for the week: “Try Jesus.” He encouraged the students not to simply make assumptions about Jesus based on what they had heard, but to come and see for themselves who Jesus is. The day ended with dinner and time spent with our Czech friends, and we were excited to see how God would continue to use the week.

Day 2 — Building Relationships
By the second day, the team was feeling more settled and relationships with the campers were beginning to grow. English lessons continued with games, discussions, and activities centered around different continents, while workshops included American football, an obstacle course, and bracelet making. The camp’s club included games, music, skits, and another Gospel-focused talk from Chari. He shared from his own story about using humor to hide behind a mask and how that ultimately hurt his friendships and left him feeling alone. He connected his story to the way Jesus reaches out to us, even when we feel like we have no one else. Throughout the day, the team also had meaningful conversations with students and leaders, creating opportunities to encourage both believers and those who were curious about Jesus.

Day 3 — The Reality of Sin
The halfway point of camp brought more English lessons, workshops, games, and time with new groups of students. Each cabin had different needs and personalities, giving the team opportunities to adapt and meet students where they were. During club, Chari continued the Gospel story by sharing about a time when conflict and broken relationships affected his friend group. He used a spider web to illustrate how sin can spread from person to person and become increasingly difficult to untangle. To reinforce the message, the day’s big game was a messy one, complete with shaving cream, water-based paint, and color powder. The students had a blast, but the activity also provided a memorable picture of how messy sin can be—and how difficult it is for us to deal with it on our own. Alongside the scheduled activities, many meaningful conversations continued to happen with students and young adults throughout the day.

Day 4 — Forgiveness & New Life
The Gospel message continued as Chari explained that forgiveness can stop the spread of sin, but it does not make the sin itself disappear. Something had to be paid, and Jesus willingly took the cost of our sin upon Himself through His death on the cross. The students were left with the question, “How would you feel if you knew a person that loved you this much existed?” After their cabin conversations, the students headed outside for water day, which provided another picture of the Gospel as they played games and cooled off in the summer heat. The day also included an opportunity to learn more about International Mission Board work in Czechia, as well as more time with the Czech leaders and students. By the end of the day, it was hard to believe that only one day of camp remained.

Day 5 — Final Day of Crazy Camp
The final day of Crazy Camp was filled with a mixture of joy and sadness as the team savored our last English lessons, games, and moments with the students. Throughout the week, simple things like playing Frisbee, chalk drawing, or sitting together had opened the door for genuine friendships across different cultures, languages, and backgrounds. Chari concluded his series of talks by sharing about Jesus’ resurrection and the way Thomas needed to see Jesus for himself before believing. He challenged the students with the question, “How do you need to try Jesus? What do you need to do to show it is real?” The week ended with a luau for the campers and their families, complete with games, burgers, and grilled food. Parents expressed how grateful they were that their children had found such a welcoming and safe place to spend the week, and many were surprised that a group of Americans had traveled so far simply to spend time with their kids. After saying our goodbyes, we helped the SPOT team clean up and transition everything out of the school.

The Weekend — Rest, Reflection & Goodbyes
After a full and meaningful week, the team transitioned to a more relaxed weekend in Prague. We settled into an apartment hotel along the Vltava River, enjoyed some slower mornings, and spent the weekend exploring the city with Honza. We visited the Senate Gardens and Prague Castle, walked through Old Town Square, crossed the Charles Bridge, and enjoyed some of Prague’s food and culture along the way. Most importantly, we had another full day with our Czech friends before saying goodbye, and it was meaningful to see how the relationships built throughout the week had grown into genuine friendships. As we prepared to head home, we reflected on the many ways God had worked through Crazy Camp—not only through the Gospel conversations with students, but through the relationships formed with the SPOT leaders and Czech team. We returned to Columbus grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside SPOT Prague and encouraged by the work God is continuing to do through this ministry.

The team was blessed to be so diverse in their experience and expertise and to come together in a way that only the Holy Spirit offers. It is powerful to see the Church adapt to their culture they are in through the ways they reach the people without sacrificing the integrity of the message of Jesus Christ. The team navigated cultural and language barriers, felt challenged in how and where they depend on the Lord, and returned with a renewed sense of intentionality in how living relationally can impact people with the gospel.

Jersey Church is excited to continue partnering with SPOT Prague and the important ministry work they are doing and will be sending another team to aid Crazy Camp in summer 2027. Are you on the fence about going on an international mission trip? Prayerfully consider joining us as we serve the Czech people and sign up for updates on the 2027 trip here.