Michal Veselý: Am I in the right place?

Michal is a senior in college at the Bible School in Martin, majoring in Mission Work with Children and Youth. He spent three months at New Heights Church in Vancouver, Washington, as an intern. During that summer, Michal went to many youth camps and grew in his knowledge of the English language and the different kinds of ministry available to serve God and our neighbors.

Last year you spent your summer at New Heights Church in Vancouver, Washington, as an intern and a volunteer. What did you like the most about your American summer?

They are many things that I liked in America because I experienced a lot during my three months there. But really the best part was the people. I really liked how the people accepted me, took care of me, and encouraged me. I was very blessed because of them.

Sometimes, our positive impressions can be accompanied by fear and apprehension. Did you have any doubts about whether you were at the right place at that time? If so, when was that, and in which situations?

I had doubts as soon as I started experiencing difficulties. I had many problems with understanding the youth at the beginning of my visit. I did not respond to their fast English and their jargon. Moreover, when I had to speak only in English, I felt so tired. This exhaustion was seen the most in my spiritual life. I couldn’t focus on praying; I couldn’t read the Bible. I asked God, “Am I in the right place?”

Did your doubts go away? If they did, can you tell us how?

For sure, yes! God spoke with me about my doubts. I experienced really big blessings through prayer, God´s Word and my worship time. I learned one important thing, too. God showed me that He could change me, and He could change me wherever I was through the Holy Spirit. I understood that for those people who love God, He can change hard things to good. This happened to me. I didn’t think about my “good” or “bad” experiences anymore. I started to think about how to move closer to Him, especially in hard situations. Thanks to God, He did it!

What were the biggest positives from your internship at New Heights in Vancouver?

The biggest positive for me was the opportunity to go outside of my country and experience a completely different culture. I could see for myself and experience how the American church works. I obtained many experiences from every camp, and I met a lot of wonderful people who inspired me by their humility and love for other people.

How did God work on you and in which areas did you grow the most during your internship in America?

God taught me a lot of things. I think that for Christians, it is very important to trust the Lord, and through it, to be brave. That is the area in which I grew the most in America. God taught me to give love to others; I learned to love unconditionally.