Outreach

Our bags are packed, and we’re each passing the time in our own quiet ways as we wait for our ride to the airport. At 1:00 a.m., we’ll begin the long trip home. The Sandys and Andrew Carson will part ways for the journey—Andrew heading first to Munich, then Denver, and finally Phoenix; the Sandy family traveling through the Netherlands, then on to Los Angeles before the last short hop back to Phoenix. Aidan, leaves from Prague. If all goes well, by the end of the day we’ll all be home. But even with travel looming, today was far from a lost day for ministry. This morning, Chris and I spent time with our friends

We are all back now in our flat in Svibice, here in Český Těšín. The sun is shining through the windows, and the team is scattered around the apartment in various stages of getting ready for the day. As for me, I’m simply grateful—grateful for a little extra sleep last night, for a hot shower, and for clean clothes. After a weekend as full as this one, those small comforts feel like luxuries. Yesterday moved quickly, just as we knew it would. The morning kicked off with a burst of American-led craziness: an ugly sweater contest, a frantic package-wrapping-and-unwrapping competition, and my personal favorite—the Epic White Elephant gift exchange. It’s a chaotic blend of mini-competitions

I find myself once again sitting with a cup of coffee at 6:30 in the morning. The camp is dark and still, wrapped in the same early quiet as yesterday. But today feels different. The air seems to hold the memories of everything that unfolded—Aidan’s heartfelt devotion, an incredible detective game that had everyone fully immersed, the afternoon workshops, and a night overflowing with laughter and deep conversations. Many of the students are wrestling with what it means to follow Jesus in a culture that often pushes back against the very idea. Being part of those conversations is both humbling and energizing. We also welcomed one more member to our team yesterday—Andrew Carson. His arrival

Yesterday marked our arrival at the campsite, and with it came that familiar blend of anticipation and joyful chaos. Our combined team was buzzing with excitement, knowing that the rest of the campers would begin rolling in around dinnertime. Until then, we had plenty to keep us busy—unloading gear, sorting supplies, decorating spaces, and preparing our hearts and minds for the guests God would bring through those doors. Most of us have done this enough times that we slipped into a comfortable rhythm. But this year feels different. Many of the campers are younger, and the social dynamics have shifted noticeably this winter. There’s a hesitancy in some of them, an uncertainty about how to

Yesterday felt like stepping into the eye of a hurricane—except the eye never quite arrived. From the moment we woke up, the day unfolded in a frenzied flurry of activity that only a mission trip can produce. While Chris and Anna headed out to gather food and last‑minute supplies, I stayed back at the apartment with the rest of the family to rework my evening talks and tie up loose ends. Even in the quiet moments, which were few, there was a sense of movement—people coming and going, and plans shifting as quickly as we could make them. By afternoon, we shifted into singing rehearsal for the evening’s “caroling” portion of our program and  ironing

Yesterday was a day of rest and preparation for the upcoming events.  Thankfully, we have much more clarity for the work ahead of us and plan on tackling a lot of it today.  The highlights from yesterday were a very nice visit with our friend Dori, and a long walk to the Christmas Markets in Polish Cieszyn. This morning I have been working on revising the first of my two evening talks for camp.  As you know, the theme for camp, is “Hope.”  From an English perspective, we think of hope as either a confident expectation of something that will happen, or something that we hope will happen.  The second of these is based on

If we had  a theme verse for the day, perhaps it would be James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (New International Version).  Why you might ask?  Well, today would be a day of testing how well and how many times we would be lifted up. You see, the Sandy family has very little exposure to cold weather.  I grew up near the beaches of Southern California where snow was almost always something you would go to visit.  Chris grew up in California’s central valley, which, although closer to the mountains, also is not known for its extreme weather.  Our children are true products of Arizona. Imagine my reaction

I am writing this from the familiar surroundings of the apartment in Svbice in Český Těšín.  Once again, my makeshift computer desk/ironing board is placed in front of the living room window.  Once again, I find myself reflecting upon what God has been showing us as we serve Him in Czechia.  Today, though, I’m racing against time to complete a blog before jet lag overcomes me.  So, I better get moving. Today was a day of travel for us.  We left our home Saturday at 7:00am (shortly after posting my last blog).  Our first stop took us to Salt Lake City, where the snow-topped Rocky Mountains greeted us with majestic winter flair.  After a three

The day has finally come for us to depart to the Czech Republic for winter camp.  In the kitchen I hear the kids, all in various stages of waking, excitedly eating breakfast.  In just less than 45 minutes we will travel by van to the airport, then begin the check in process for our 24 hour travel to Český Těšín.   I will grab my breakfast in just a moment, but I wanted to jot down a few thoughts before I do. Today I woke up with a song in my heart, which is not unusual for me.  Normally it is something that I have heard recently – at the Sunday worship service, on the radio,