Many of you know that this past September David and I went to Indonesia for a short term missions trip.  I would say that this was when our love for missions began but that isn’t exactly true.  Actually, it started in the summer of 2008 when we took our basketball team to the Dominican Republic.  It was a short trip but it really opened our eyes to the need that is universal: people desperately need Jesus.  This realization was the same at the end of September 2011 when we went to Indonesia for two weeks:  people need Jesus.  The main difference with this trip is that we realized that we could be the ones to take Jesus to people. The missionaries that we were working with in Indonesia were normal! I know that sounds funny but it’s true. They talk the way we talk, they exercise the way we exercise, they struggle the way we struggle. We didn’t know it at the time but this left a huge impression on us.  If they are “normal” and we are “normal” then it stands to reason that we can do what they do. God changed our view of what a missionary looks like.  I don’t know that we will ever think of ourselves as missionaries (the way we typically think of missionaries) but we are definitely ready to spread the Good News about the love of Jesus. 

In the past few months our love for missions has led us to Teach Overseas, an organization that focuses its ministry on sharing Christ’s love through excellent teaching.  TeachOverseas.org has been training and sending Christians to teach overseas for over twenty years.  They have found that excellent teaching in the classroom opens doors of opportunities for genuine friendships with students and colleagues.  Through these friendships, teachers are able to share about Christ in a natural and credible way. 

Teach Overseas has offered us a spot on their Czech Republic team where we will teach conversational English in either a public school or private language center.  The ministry piece will be based on relationship building and sharing Christ through love, compassion, and God’s Word.  The majority of Czech’s are atheists and Catholics.  Many Czech’s are looking for a purpose in life.  It is this challenge that causes us to go and convince them that there is a Savior who loves them.  It is our prayer that Christ will work in their hearts so that they will one day be willing to have a relationship with Him. 

We will be leaving July 21st, 2012 for training in Pasadena, CA.  We will be there for a month to complete cross-cultural training, team building, and learning how to teach conversational English.  We will then leave for the Czech Republic between August 20th-August 25th, 2012 and return in June of 2013. 

Please join us in this amazing opportunity by committing to pray as God leads.  We would really appreciate your support through prayer!  We are also raising financial support.  We need to raise about $30,000 dollars over the next year.  If you would like to contribute in this way please go to www.teachoverseas.org/contribute.php. All contributions are tax deductible. To ensure that your donation goes directly to our account, please select for "teacher or staff member" and enter David and Tonya Taylor. If you would like to stay updated on this process and how God is providing, our prayer requests, or would like to hear stories from our time overseas, check out our blog at: http://taylorsoverseas.blogspot.com Or, if you like to contact us, send us an e-mail at ttaylor@gracechristian.net.  We would love to hear from you and tell you more about this ministry. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter and for your prayer and financial support!  We’re looking forward to staying in contact with you!

Sincerely, 

David and Tonya Taylor