I’ve been coming to Travná for a long time and it has become very close to my heart. At first, I came to Travná as a participant. Then I became a member of Regeneration team (the team that runs the events). Since that time, I cannot even image going to Travná events and not helping with the organization and preparations. What I like about Travná is that so many different people meet there. I’m excited to go every time! Another thing that I like about being involved with Travná are the Regeneration weekends. We not only plan the events but also build friendships with the team members and enjoy fellowship. When I got the offer to be more involved with Travná events, I didn’t hesitate. I knew that I would have more free time that year and that I simply wanted to do it. I didn’t have the feeling of not knowing what to expect because when I moved to Olomouc, I started to spend more time with Ráchel and to help her lead the girl’s Bible study group and other things around Travná. I officially started the internship in September and finished in February.
I’m so glad that the whole internship was adjusted to my preferences, e.g. my schedule or personality. So, what did I actually do? Every Tuesday I met with Ráchel to plan and lead the girl’s group. We took turns in preparing the programs. We also met regularly to plan the Fall Travná camp, because we were the main leaders. Later on, I was also the main leader of New Year’s Travná, together with Jared. Every Thursday we met as a team (Jared, Danka, Ráchel, Zack and Mel) to pray and share about our lives. Another big task was to prepare two training sessions for small group leaders which took place during the two Regeneration weekends. We focused on topics such as giving feedback or how to lead a time of reflection in a group. The preparation for these training sessions stretched me, and I learned a lot! I also realized all that is involved in organizing an event at Travná.
I definitely do not regret my decision to commit to the internship. I had the opportunity to get to know Jared and Ráchel more and to learn new things about myself. I was surprised at how much time we spent together planning events. We didn’t just divide the tasks and work on them alone, but instead we all brainstormed, planned and discussed together. This process has been very meaningful to me. Travná is about encounters, after all. So, I could sum up the whole internships like this: it was a bunch of encounters and meetings. I’m so grateful for this opportunity!
