Heading to Glogow

Yesterday  began with a worship service in which everything was done in Polish without translation.   I’m sure the Poles were relieved to hear their native language without struggling to understand. The Pastor gave a gospel message and invited the campers to take that step of faith.   Our team spent most of Sunday afternoon debriefing.  What joy we had as our team members told of how God showed up and did a work in the hearts of the campers.  Only eternity will reveal the whole story.

Today we will take a bus to Glogow about 2 hours from here.   They are making plans to make a couple of stops for sight-seeing and shopping along the way so we will not arrive until early evening.   We will be staying in the homes of church members for the next two nights.  Our partner church in Glogow is planning a barbecue Tuesday evening for anyone who would like to come.  Many of the campers expressed that they would see us again at this event.

Pictures of the camp continue to be posted and can be viewed at www.celglogow.pl You will find the site is in Polish, but if you scroll down the pictures communicate in any language.

PRAISE and ANSWERS TO YOUR PRAYER EFFORTS:

1. As our financial and prayer partners, rejoice with us.   You were a vital part of what God did in the hearts of our Polish friends.
2. Be sure to give team members an opportunity to tell you their story personally when we return.
3. Each camper filled out an evaluation form.  Rejoice to know that they expressed joy and appreciation.
4. Praise God that there were no major issues this week and that all went smoothly.

CONTINUE TO PRAY:

1. For many to make decisions for Christ.
2. Continue to pray for the follow-up work of our partnership church in Glogow after the camp is over.
3. Pray for the team as we spend a couple of days in Glogow with various church members.  Pray that we will be an encouragement to the congregation and to our host homes.

Camp Update – “Happy New Year”

Because our theme focused on the decades of the 50s, 60s, 70s 80s, and 90s, our Saturday Banquet was a New Year’s Eve party.   We decorated the dining area with all the trimmings of New Year’s Eve and greeted all the campers with a hearty “Happy New Year.”   Needless to say the banquet was a huge success.   In our evening worship time. all were invited to trust Christ as Savior as the only one who loved them enough to pay the penalty for their sin.   It would be a new beginning as a follower of Jesus.    

Today, Sunday is the last day of camp ending with a morning worship service completely done by the pastor and members of the Glogow Church.    This may be the last installment on the blog, but check back, we may surprise you.   Please continue to pray for us.  We return to the USA on Wednesday. 

Pictures of the camp continue to be posted and can be viewed at www.celglogow.pl    You will find the site is in Polish, but just scroll down and the pictures communicate in any language.

PRAISE and ANSWERS TO YOUR PRAYER EFFORTS:

1.  For the privilege of sharing the love of God and the Good News of salvation here in Poland.
2. For the Holy Spirit’s moving in the hearts of those in attendance.

PRAY:

1.  For many to make decisions for Christ and boldness to share their decision with us.
2. Continue to pray for the follow-up work of our partnership church in Glogow after the camp is over.
3. Pray for the team as they spend a couple of days in Glogow with various church members.  Pray that we will be an encouragement to the congregation and to our host homes.

Camp Update – Last Session

 The 2009 Poland English Camp is almost history.   Today we will have our last “Conversation Group Meeting” when we discuss a passage in the Bible.  The passage we will look at is Luke 8:4-15.  You might want to read it before you pray for the camp.   Today is also the last teaching session to teach English.  Our students have learned much, but even more important is the spiritual strides they have taken.  Saturday afternoon is our banquet.    We will decorate the room around our theme and enjoy a great meal and fellowship with one another.

Pictures of the camp continue to be posted and can be viewed at www.celglogow.pl    You will find the site is in Polish, but if you scroll down the pictures communicate in any language.

PRAISE and ANSWERS TO YOUR PRAYER EFFORTS:

1.  For a successful camp with no major problems.
2. For some wonderful opportunities to share the message of salvation in detail with individual campers.

PRAY:

1.  For physical strength for the team.   We have kept a vigorous schedule and some are feeling it.
2. That God would do a major work in individual’s lives in this the last day of the camp.
3. For the follow-up work of our partnership church in Glogow after the camp is over.
4. That as the campers and their families will not forget what they have learned and commitments they have made when they return to their homes.

Camp Update – Holy Spirit

As we approach the last couple of days of the 2009 camp, we are very aware of the need for the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of our Polish friends to take that step of faith of accepting the free gift of salvation through the work of Christ on the cross.   We have built some good relationships, had many opportunities to share the message of salvation, but we are looking for that work of the Holy Spirit to bring our Polish friends to that commitment of placing their faith in Christ.

PRAISE and ANSWERS TO YOUR PRAYER EFFORTS:

1.  For some key opportunities our team has had in the last 24 hours to share personally with individuals.
2.  For great weather this week when the forecast was for rain all week. 

PRAY:

1.  We have had  some Polish children who have been sick.  Please pray for quick recovery.
2. Please continue to pray for those who are  sharing their testimony each evening.
3. There are a number of students who have attended the camp for two or more years.  Pray that this might be the year they make that commitment to trust in Christ for salvation.

Camp Update – Back to the Future

Our theme this week is “Back to the Future” and we are looking at each of the decades from the 50s to the present and the impact it had on American spiritual culture.   This is presented in the general sessions each day.   Then in our Conversation Groups, we look at a passage of scripture that turns our attention to the real answer – how a personal relationship with Jesus Christ has been and continues to be the only answer  to real lasting peace,  joy and security in a changing world.  Today, we look at the 80s. 

PRAISE:

1.  That little baby Simon Zytka has behaved so well as to free  mom, Amy, to be involved in the teaching and his father, Greg, to be free to be one of a translators.
2. That we are continuing to see great strides in connecting with our Polish students.
3. Yesterday (Wednesday in Poland) it rained causing us to make some major adjustments in the children and teen groups.  We praise God that all these adjustments went well with no major difficulties.

PRAY:

1.  Pray that little Simon will stay healthy.  He is crawling all over and getting quite dirty.  Pray that he will not pick up something that will cause him to become ill.
2. Pray that the students will make good headway as we teach English grammar and vocabulary.  While we are here to point them to Christ in their spiritual journey, as a matter of integrity, we want them to see that they made good progress in learning English.
3. Pray for a couple of boys who struggle because they have no father.    Pray as our team member shares the promise that God will be a father to the fatherless.
4. Pray wisdom as our American team members, who have built relationships over the past few days, as they continue to focus on spiritual things.  Pray that these last few days will be filled with “picking the fruit” of seeds that have been planted.

Camp Update – Small Groups

Our first session with our smaller groups is what we call “Conversation Time.”   It follows a short time of worship after breakfast.  It is in this group that we read a text from the Bible and discuss a series of questions about the passage. Today’s passage is John 15 regarding the True Vine.

PRAISE:

1. We have seen a great openness among most of the campers.
2. We have about 40 children 10 and under. Praise God for the Americans who are well organized to work with them.

PRAY:

1.  Pray for a lady who has kept herself quite busy with her son and has missed out on some of the important sessions.
2. Pray for a lady who found the camp information on the internet and is doing some serious thinking  about spiritual things this week.
3. Pray that God would span the age differences as some of our teens are teamed up with older Americans teaching English to people in their 40s.
4. Pray for good weather as the teens go on a 4 hour hike up the mountain today.  Pray also for a safe hiking experience.

English Camp: God is at Work

Our first day of camp is now history and we have already seen God at work in the lives of the students.  It was a great encouragement to the entire team to have Pastor Kevin Meyer and Paul Bierhaus with us.  They jumped right into the ministry.   Paul shared his testimony in the evening worship time and Kevin and Paul served along with the local Polish pastor as judges of our little contest.  Thank you for praying for us.

PRAISE:

1. For the opportunities some of us have had to share one on one with students.
2. For great weather that has allowed the teens and children to be outside for the games etc.

PRAY:

1.  Each evening one of the Americans share their testimony.  Please pray for these as they share.  Pray that God would use these powerful real-life stories to impact the hearts of the Poles.
2. Pray for wisdom and accuracy for our translators.
3. Pray that God would allow various team members as they seek to take the one-on-one encounters to the next level.

Team Arrives in Poland

PRAY:
1. We ran into some major travel itinerary problems on our trip over which incurred additional local transportation costs, etc.  While this was a surprise to us and a bit stressful for us, it was no surprise to God.  Please pray that as He speaks to supporters about this, they will listen and respond according to His will.  We are very thankful that all  worked out, but frankly this made the trip over more expensive.

2. Pray for spiritual progress in the lives of the Polish people.

3.That those who are returning do not take anything for granted and will stay fresh spiritually.

PRAISE:
1. Thank God with us that all luggage and team members arrived safely.

Prayer Request & Praises

We talked to Edyta and Pastor Z this weekend.  Edyta’s leg is doing better.  It is not fully healed and she still has 4 stitches in, but it is doing much better.  She is so honored to receive all of your prayers.

Also, we were excited when Edyta mentioned that Margosha, the lawyer, is coming to the camp again this year.  I think she has attended maybe 5 camps or so already, so many of you will know her.  She is a person who sometimes seems confrontational and opinionated when you first met her, but is soft inside and a lot of fun.  She did not come last year, but wants to come with her son this year.  The last year she attended it seemed like she was really searching and walls were coming down, but not ready to make the next step.  It is exciting that she is coming back again this year!  Please pray that God would choose her and she will accept His gift.

Prayer Request

Edyta (Polish pastor’s wife) is not doing any better.  We received an e-mail from her yesterday and she said that her wound looks worse.  She is trying not to get discouraged.  Please continue to pray for healing and that she does not get depressed about her situation.