I have had the privilage of getting to know Erich Pratt through his involvment with TPS on the Thailand 2006 and 2007 trips. The following interview is a glimpse into the life of one of the fabulous adults associated with The Potter's School.
TCP: Describe your family.
Pratt: Large and loud. With eight kids in the family, you can be sure that the decibel level gets pretty high in our home. People from smaller families have told us that they like to come to our house just for the noise and entertainment. Our family is very active; we do a lot of things together, and we're very close.
TCP: Outside of teaching at TPS, what sort of work do you do?
Pratt: I am a communications director for a group that is dedicated to preserving the Second Amendment to our Constitution which deals with the right to keep and bear arms. I occasionally appear on radio and TV to debate the issue.
TCP: What are your hobbies? How do you spend your free time?
Pratt: A lot of my personal hobbies (weightlifting, running, sports) went by the wayside once my family got bigger. I still find time to exercise, but, mostly, I like doing stuff with my wife and kids. I enjoy watching their baseball and soccer games. Plus, I play on the church softball team with my oldest two teenagers.
TCP: Who is God to you?
Pratt: My Lord and Savior. God saved me when I was 17 years old, and, while I enjoy serving Him here, I can't wait to see Him face-to-face.
TCP: How has God revealed Himself to you in the past year?
Pratt: Wow, pull up a chair for this one. God has taught our family so much in the last year. In July, He called our 23-month-old, Luke, to come home. In the midst of our pain over missing Luke, God has shown His love and power to my family in the most wonderful ways. Immediately after Luke drowned, God surrounded us with His church family for the next month. Believers from our local church (and other churches in the area) lived in our home for a few weeks--cleaning, fixing, cooking, etc. We didn't have to think for ourselves for a long time. And, as if that wasn't enough, we then began to see just a glimpse of God's divine plan for our son, whose name means "bearer of light." God has used his
life to bring families back together, teenagers to the Lord, and to bring encouragement to missionaries in Asia (some of whom lost children themselves this past year). There is no doubt that God has shown his power in the most incredible ways. But, above it all, we have the peace of God in the midst of our loss because we know that we'll see Luke again one day. We praise God for that.
TCP: What is your favorite thing about TPS?
Pratt: Quality teaching and flexibility. The teachers really know their stuff and have a passion for the subject. And you just can't beat the flexibility. I mean, in what other school can you take classes on your vacation right outside of Disneyworld?
TCP: Use three words to describe yourself.
Pratt: Christian family man.
Erich Pratt teaches second-semester HS Government with The Potter's School and lives with his family near Washington D.C.
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