After 24 hours of travel, the team arrived safely in Louisville on Saturday night around 6 PM. What a great trip. What a great team. It may be too early to fully explain all that God did in us and through us. I pray that lives were touched that we will come to learn of one day in heaven.
Thanks to all who prayed for us and with us. Thanks to all of those who sacrificed financially to make this trip a reality for so many. Finally, thanks to the 13 members who took vacation and study time to give to the work of Jesus Christ in this world. May you allow the Holy Spirit to get more of you so that the love of Jesus Christ can be shared with all you meet. Peace
Monday, March 17, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Auschwitz & Birkenau
Today we visited Auschwitz and Birkenau. Auschwitz was a concentration camp in WWII. Birkenau was an extermination camp for Jews located just a couple of miles away. Schindlers's List was partially filmed at Birkenau. Difficult to describe the experience. I think everyone would agree. They estimate that nearly 1.5 million died in both camps during WWII. It was grey outside, very windy, sleeting, and raining. Many of us were drenched by the time we finished visiting Birkenau. I think most would agree that it did not matter. The cold rain on your skin added the experience. I don't think we will ever forget what we saw and learned.
We ended up in Krakow where we will spend the night this evening. Krakow is a beautiful city which mostly survived the destruction of WWII. Tomorrow we will head back to base camp and then on to Warsaw on Saturday morning 2:45 AM to catch a 6:20 AM flight.
Please pray for our continued safety and that God would continue working in us and through us.
Tyler says hi to his mommy.
We ended up in Krakow where we will spend the night this evening. Krakow is a beautiful city which mostly survived the destruction of WWII. Tomorrow we will head back to base camp and then on to Warsaw on Saturday morning 2:45 AM to catch a 6:20 AM flight.
Please pray for our continued safety and that God would continue working in us and through us.
Tyler says hi to his mommy.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Zako Middle School
Another great day for the team. In addition to the construction projects at camp, a group of 6 from our team visited a local elementary school today. The Polish kids presented a program for our team. Our team led some songs, visited classes, and interacted with the kids. The school had no problem with our team telling the kids about Jesus. It was a great event for those who attended.
We spent time with the local church youth group tonight. Afterwards, the team made a visit to the ever famous "Gorski's". I can best describe Gorskis as Cracker Barrel meets Poland. We consumed pan grilled chicken, grilled pork, and kielbasa. Everyone is full.
Tomorrow we will leave for Auschwitz. This is sure to be an emotional time for our time please be in prayer for us as we experience this together. Following our time at Auschwitz we will visit Krakow. Hitler loved Krakow and therefore refused to destroy it even as the Germans left Poland. Should be a great day.
We spent time with the local church youth group tonight. Afterwards, the team made a visit to the ever famous "Gorski's". I can best describe Gorskis as Cracker Barrel meets Poland. We consumed pan grilled chicken, grilled pork, and kielbasa. Everyone is full.
Tomorrow we will leave for Auschwitz. This is sure to be an emotional time for our time please be in prayer for us as we experience this together. Following our time at Auschwitz we will visit Krakow. Hitler loved Krakow and therefore refused to destroy it even as the Germans left Poland. Should be a great day.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Sunny in Poland
Wow. We have been blessed with nothing but great weather her in Poland. It was 55 again today. We are expecting some rain during the second half of the week. So far so good.
Today was another great work days. One of our teams was busy working on the new climbing wall still under construction here at the camp. This team spent the day drilling over 700 holes into sheets of wood which will eventually be hung from the climbing wall. Another team spent the day working in the attic of the lodge. As I mentioned before, this attic is 40 years long. We are in the process of the preparing the room to be drywalled. While we won't see the completion of the room, we have helped to get them off to a great start. A third team spent time working with a local preschool and visiting with others in local English classes.
We had pierogis (sp?) for dinner. Very good. The food has been excellent. We went to the home of a great couple for dessert tonight.
Another workday tomorrow and a visit to the church youth group tomorrow night. Thursday we will be off to Krakow and Auschwitz. Good night.
Today was another great work days. One of our teams was busy working on the new climbing wall still under construction here at the camp. This team spent the day drilling over 700 holes into sheets of wood which will eventually be hung from the climbing wall. Another team spent the day working in the attic of the lodge. As I mentioned before, this attic is 40 years long. We are in the process of the preparing the room to be drywalled. While we won't see the completion of the room, we have helped to get them off to a great start. A third team spent time working with a local preschool and visiting with others in local English classes.
We had pierogis (sp?) for dinner. Very good. The food has been excellent. We went to the home of a great couple for dessert tonight.
Another workday tomorrow and a visit to the church youth group tomorrow night. Thursday we will be off to Krakow and Auschwitz. Good night.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Work Day
The team had a great day today. We had different groups of people working on various projects. One group is working in the attic of a very large lodge here at the camp. It's a drywalling project for a room that is probably at least 40 yards. Other projects at the camp included cleaning, rearranging, moving of supplies, and some work outside. It was a great day with temps close to 50.
Another group spent the day in a nearby town working at the ministry's preschool. Emily and Karen spent 6 hours with 3 and 4 year olds and had a great time. 4 from the group attended English classes also hosted by the ministry-- not to sharpen there own English skills but to help those Polish students learning English.
We spent the evening at Tomek and Stephanie (Iman's) apartment. Stephanie grew up at SCC. We enjoyed Polish pizza, Stephanie's great desserts, and just the time hanging out with our new friends.
We will continue with many of the same projects again tomorrow. Everyone is doing a great job, healthy, and enjoying their visit. Good night.
Another group spent the day in a nearby town working at the ministry's preschool. Emily and Karen spent 6 hours with 3 and 4 year olds and had a great time. 4 from the group attended English classes also hosted by the ministry-- not to sharpen there own English skills but to help those Polish students learning English.
We spent the evening at Tomek and Stephanie (Iman's) apartment. Stephanie grew up at SCC. We enjoyed Polish pizza, Stephanie's great desserts, and just the time hanging out with our new friends.
We will continue with many of the same projects again tomorrow. Everyone is doing a great job, healthy, and enjoying their visit. Good night.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Church in Tomaszuw
We had a great first day in Poland. I think everyone enjoyed a full night of rest. We did breakfast at the camp and then a 20-minute bus ride to the nearby town of Tomaszuw. It is a town of 70,000 people. There is one evangelical church of about 70 people in the entire city. It was a great joy to worship with the members of the church, about 20 other pastors from at least 10 different countries, as well as our team. We worshiped and prayed in our native language. As one person remarked, with all of the diversity in the room, it was a small taste of heaven.
We left church and visited the site where the church plans to relocate in the next few months. They are meeting at a temporary site now and will have their own church building soon. Before leaving town, we had lunch at McDonalds. Very cultural! We then traveled to Ludz. Ludz is the second largest city in Poland with a population of 700,000. The ministry we are serving is making plans and praying about a church plant in this city. It is estimated that 600 of the 700,000 attend an evangelical church.
After a visit to a potential church site in Ludz, we visited Manufaktura. This is the largest mall in Eastern Europe. It was a great site and the team enjoyed the time.
The work begins tomorrow. We will have teams doing drywall, miscellaneous projects at the camp, as well as a team working at a local preschool. Should be a good day.
We left church and visited the site where the church plans to relocate in the next few months. They are meeting at a temporary site now and will have their own church building soon. Before leaving town, we had lunch at McDonalds. Very cultural! We then traveled to Ludz. Ludz is the second largest city in Poland with a population of 700,000. The ministry we are serving is making plans and praying about a church plant in this city. It is estimated that 600 of the 700,000 attend an evangelical church.
After a visit to a potential church site in Ludz, we visited Manufaktura. This is the largest mall in Eastern Europe. It was a great site and the team enjoyed the time.
The work begins tomorrow. We will have teams doing drywall, miscellaneous projects at the camp, as well as a team working at a local preschool. Should be a good day.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
We Finally Made It
Fortunately the snow held off long enough to allow us to get out of Louisville on Friday. After a stop in Detroit as well as Amsterdam, the team finally arrived in Warsaw at 11 AM local time on Saturday. There is a six hour time difference with Louisville. Make that 5 AM Louisville time.
As one can imagine, everyone was pretty exhausted upon arriving to Poland. That did not stop us. Our hosts picked us up at the airport and took us straight to Old Town Warsaw. When the Germans left Poland near the end of WWII, they nearly destroyed every bit of the city. What was known as the original part of the city has been rebuilt and restored today and is known as Old Town Warsaw.
After touring Old Town, the team went to a local mall and dined at a food court for lunch. We then had a two hour drive from the city to our camp in a town just south of Warsaw.
Everyone appears to be settled in and ready for a good night sleep. Tomorrow we will go to church and then visit the second largest city in Poland. It is a town call Ludz. Most of our work will begin on Monday.
Thanks for all of your prayers. Please keep them coming.
As one can imagine, everyone was pretty exhausted upon arriving to Poland. That did not stop us. Our hosts picked us up at the airport and took us straight to Old Town Warsaw. When the Germans left Poland near the end of WWII, they nearly destroyed every bit of the city. What was known as the original part of the city has been rebuilt and restored today and is known as Old Town Warsaw.
After touring Old Town, the team went to a local mall and dined at a food court for lunch. We then had a two hour drive from the city to our camp in a town just south of Warsaw.
Everyone appears to be settled in and ready for a good night sleep. Tomorrow we will go to church and then visit the second largest city in Poland. It is a town call Ludz. Most of our work will begin on Monday.
Thanks for all of your prayers. Please keep them coming.
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