Teen Mission Trip to Poland

Update 7/21/2006

It is hard to believe that a full week has gone by since we left Warner Robins.  So much has happened in such a short time.  We have been so blessed by the opportunities that God has provided to us here in Poland.

This morning we met with the leading European expert on Jewish Cemetaries.  He is from the Institute for Jewish Studies in Warsaw.  He was kind enough to travel to the Jewish Cemetary in Otwock and explain some of the symbolism and history of the cemetary to us.  This short history lesson placed an even greater meaning behind the work that we had been doing there in the cemetary.

Today is the last day of Day Camp here in the city.  This afternoon we will dismiss the children for the last time.  We have prayed that God has used something that we have said or done to make an impact on their lives during the short time that we have been together. 

This evening we are sponsoring a kielbasa roast for the parents and students of all those involved with the Day Camp, the Coffee House, and the basketball games.  During this time we will have the opportunity to present the Gospel through our drama ministry and the church plant will be able to continue to reach out into the community and hopefully foster relationships that will last with these families.

Thank you for your continued prayers.  What a priviledge to carry everything to God in prayer!  See you on Monday!

Bro. Jim

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Update 7/20/2006

We have been so blessed this week!  So many things have happened that are too numerous to begin to name.  We know that our Heavenly Father has opened doors and orchestrated opportunities far beyond what we could have ever imagined.

It has been another great day both with the work in the cemetary and the Day Camp.  Each day it has been awesome to look across the cemetary and see an additional area that has been cleared and cleaned up during our time here.  The children that have been attending the Day Camp have been enjoying themselves and making the day extremely interesting.  We are so thankful that we have been afforded this service opportunity!

Last night, many of our students were at a local park playing basketball with some of the Polish teenagers.  At half time in the game our drama team presented a skit and our students passed out about 40 Polish New Testaments.  Immediately several of the Polish teenagers sat down and began reading their new copy of God's Word--it was such an amazing sight!

As you continue to pray please add to your specific prayer list the dinner that is taking place tomorrow evening.  All the students and parents from the Day Camp, Coffee House, and basketball games are invited to attend. 

Once again, we thank you for being a praying church family.  We love you!

Bro. Jim

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Update 7/19/2006

It is very difficult to look around the places that we are working and not think about the horrors and tragedies that have occurred in this small, European country.  Many refer to Poland as the graveyard of Europe because of the great numbers of individuals who died on Polish soil during World War II.  Today, while prayer walking some of our students had the unique opportunity to visit the station where over five thousand Jews were placed on the train that took them to their death.  While those students were out prayer walking we had another group continuing the work in the Jewish Cemetary.  Since we have been here we have had several Jewish individuals (who are staying at the Jewish Retreat Center) come to us and express their intense gratitude for the work that is being done for their people.  They are also questioning us as to why we have traveled such a great distance to do this for them.  It is providing the IMB team with a great opportunity to work and witness to the Jewish community here in Otwock and in the surrounding area.

Last night the coffee house was a great success.  We had between ten and fifteen students throughout the night.  We were able to talk and share with them and the drama and music team was able to work during this time as well.

Each day God continues to open new doors for us and to bless us in ways far beyond what we were expecting.  We are so thankful that you are praying for us and we ask that you continue to pray for several specific things.  1) Pray that relationships will be formed this week with new families.  2) Pray that the church plant here in Otwock and the IMB missionaries will be able to follow up on these new relationships and reach out to them with the saving message of Jesus Christ.  3) Pray for the work being done with the Jewish community here in Otwock and around Warsaw.  4) Pray for Kryzsiek--a 20 year old young man who has been interpreting for church camps for several years--he still has not accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior.

Thank you again for supporting us in so many ways.  We are all doing well and are excited about what God has done this week.  See you soon!

Bro. Jim

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Update 7/18/2006

We are on the second day of our ministry work and so far everything is going wonderfully.  We had 46 children come to the first day of the camp.  Those that worked in the Jewish Cemetary were able to uncover and restore several small sections of the cemetary, the prayerwalkers covered a great deal of territory and the Amercians matched up against the Poles for a great game of basketball last night.  All in all it was a tremendous day!  Thank you so much for your prayers. 

This morning while students were prayer walking and working in the cemetary we had another group of students out handing out fliers advertising the daycamp and the coffee house.  We know that we may never see the harvest for the seeds that we are sowing but we are trusting God to bless and use our efforts for His glory.

We are having some technical difficulties here in Poland trying to upload the photographs from the week so we will have to rely on text updates each day.  Also, beginning today, we will have posts from various students with their own reflections of what God is doing on this mission trip.

Thank you again for your prayers.  Please continue to pray that God will use us and that we will be completely given to Him.  We miss you and look forward to seeing you next week!

Bro. Jim

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Update 7/17/2006

We are here! Thank you so much for praying for us. We had a wonderful Atlantic crossing with no problems. Steven Reece (our IMB missionary) met us in Warsaw and took us to our lodging in Otwock where we were fed and given a chance to rest after our long journey.

On Sunday we had two orientation times where Steven explained in great detail the IMB strategy for Poland, the work being done here in Warsaw and Otwock, and how our group would fit into this plan. Sunday afternoon we had the opportunity to attend a worship service at the church plant here in Otwock. It was an unusual service because they were installing a new pastoral intern. The service was very formal with participants from the IMB, the Baptist Union, the Baptist Seminary and First Baptist Warsaw. It was a unique service and we were invited to sing as a group at the close of the worship time.

Today (Monday) is the first day of our daycamp, prayerwalking, coffee house, and cemetary work. This morning we had a group working to clean up sections of a desecrated Jewish cemetary. Another group will be working there this afternoon as well. While the morning group was working in the Jewish cemetary another group was out prayer walking and praying for specific things for the people of the city of Otwock. This afternoon the daycamp begins for children age six to fifteen. After supper we will have another group working the coffee house and another group going to a local park playing basketball with the Polish teenagers and inviting them to the coffee house and daycamp.

Please pray for us as we are at the beginning of our week of ministry. Pray that God will bring into our paths those that He desires for us to come into contact. Pray that we will be so filled with the love of our Savior that those around us will be able to see the difference in our faces and in our lives. Most of all pray that everything that we say and do will bring honor and glory to our Savior.

Thank you for being such a wonderful church family!

Bro. Jim