The end of our adventure...or is it?

Hey guys! Well needless to say we are back! We flew in on Friday and went through some debriefing on Saturday. Sunday we went to Santa Claus Indiana to Holiday World Splashin' Safari to relax and enjoy one more day as an entire group. Monday afternoon we entered back into the world no longer as Mi2 interns but as Mi2 alumni.

We want to thank you for all the prayers and support that you provided over the 3 months and more and cannot think of what it would have been like if we had not had the prayers. Hopefully we can meet up and tell you our stories face to face. Love you guys!

Realna Akcja in Sandomierz

Well we are back from Sandomierz. All last week Dane and I participated in the event Realna Akcja. The whole premise of this week was to go throughout the city doing different types of service projects, hoping to build hope for the city. Needless to say that we were there to serve God and serve the people.

It is really hard for me to summarize the week based on the many things that happened. The concept that we were serving a people that would in no way be able to pay us back, made the week feel even more special. It is different when you do something without being paid back.

I had the blessing and honor to serve all week this family. They lived in what you would maybe call an apartment, but it really wasn't even that. Two rooms, one as a kitchen and the other a bedroom/living room/tv room. There was no bathroom in the house, the outside had makeshift shack rooms and the inside was in disarray. We spent 2 days scraping paint off the walls and tearing up the house to make it better. I had a constant struggle each day trying to figure out why we are putting so much effort into these people's home. Would they even take care of it once we are finished. There was a man and woman living there, both handicapped. And then there was a 7 year old girl. 3 people in this ruined place. And I didn't know if they would keep it up.

But as I continued through the week I kept thinking that somehow our actions may not impact these adults but maybe a few years later it would effect Sandra, their daughter. There is no way of really knowing, but I think that is the basic concept of doing work with no expectation of being paid back. My prayers go to the family in hopes that the new things in their house will be kept clean and that they remember that 3 different nationalities came for a week to help them out, only in the name of Jesus.

We are on our last week of Poland. Many mixed emotions right now, but once we are gone I know I will be longing to come back soon. For some of you followers, we will see you in a week or so. Until then, thank you for all your prayers and support. We really appreciate it.

Love all of you.
Erich

Interkosz Ends, Realna Akcja Begins.

What a beautiful day. This morning we got up early to wish the American group goodbye. This was such a great group, and so willing to contribute. They literally ran this camp all week. It was awesome to get to know them. They have such hearts for what they do. It was a great week.

I spent a lot of time with Maciek this week. I didn’t realize how much I am going to miss him until mid-week. His heart is SOOO big, and he encouraged me in more ways than he could understand this week. To see him pour his heart out to our small group of guys was just incredible. We spent the week discussing the gospel with 7 eighteen year old guys from Lithuania. They are unbelievable basketball players, and I think they are starting to understand who God is. It’s such a beautiful picture.

The week was really busy from all of the scheduling I had to do, but today was a great day to relax. We had the entire afternoon free, so I was able to catch up on our reading, work on the rock wall, watch a movie and Skype with a few people. I wished my parents a happy anniversary (28 years), I got to catch up with Paul Phillips and we got to talk with our Kenya team for a little while. They’re doing great, but struggling with the same life decisions we are. They are preparing for a medical initiatives conference this week, so please keep that in your prayers.

Tomorrow, after church, Erich and I leave for Sandomierz, Poland for a week long service project. We are going to blitz the city with different projects that need to be completed. Please be praying for our safety as we stay the night in this unfamiliar city, as well the conversations we will have with the locals. Pray that we are effective in out outreach.

Thanks again for following us. It means the world. I will try to update this week, but I may be hindered from doing so because I won’t be bringing my computer to Sandomierz. Have a great week, and we will update you by next Sunday!

-Dane

Narrowing Down the Days

It's hard to believe that our time here is almost over. This is something that I do not like to think about just because of the great relationships that have been built here as well as the love for the country. I keep thinking about how God has continually moved to get Dane and I here, and how Sovereign He is. Without any of our doings, we got here. And now that we are here, we are learning a lot, loving people and just having a great summer. Like any child when the summer ends and they are about to go back to school, we are feeling the same way.

I would say that for both of us, one of the things that we can take out of this experience is that we now have an idea of where we need to be going. The path we were going down before this trip has been completely changed and the new direction seems so much nicer and better and more fitting to who we are and how we operate. I know that this adventure will shape the rest of our future. How we do not know, but I think after a few weeks of being back home we will see some of the results of what has taken place.

This week has been a completely different week. Basketball all week. I haven't experienced this since I was little and going to Rick Pitino's Basketball camp. 5 different countries in one place to learn about basketball, play basketball and learn about Jesus. It doesn't get much better than this. I have been coaching a team and after 4 days of playing, I finally got a win last night. I have been instilling into my kids the importance of team work and passing and making smart decisions. That it is not about winning and losing but to work as a team and to be smart in the decisions that we take. I started thinking about this and how much this applies to our relationship with Christ and one another. It's amazing how we can learn a lot from basketball.

Well I am off to rehearse for this morning. Continue to pray that God will work through us Mi2'ers (Kenya and Poland)

Love you guys.
Erich

Busy As Always

It’s been a great (and yet still hectic) start to Interkosz, Proem’s International basketball camp. The kids have been enthusiastic so far. It’s so cool people from multiple different competing and laughing over the game of basketball. This week, we have kids here from all over Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and the Ukraine. The weird part is, after weeks of kids camps, this week consists of all kinds of guys over 6’2”. It’s pretty intimidating.

As well as camp starting this week, we got to go with Southeast’s short-term group to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Kraków. What a humbling experience. Words cannot express the feelings I felt being there. At one point, we stood in a gas room that was used to kill thousands of innocent lives. You could still smell the scents of the suffering that took place.

Overall things are going really well. I’m constantly busy with various tasks, and unfortunately rarely find time to read The Call (which we started last week). I need to keep up with it, so pray that I find that quiet time during the day. Also, I’ve been placed in charge of scheduling games each day, which has taken another hour or so out each day. It’s exciting, and it’s a way I’ve actually been able to use the things I learned in school.

I hope all is well, wherever you are. Please keep these last few weeks of ours in you prayers. This weekend we are supposed to leave fro “Real Hope”, so please keep that inner-city mission project in your prayers as well.

Love you all!

Dane

Praising God Always

Psalm 150:6

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.

This verse has been in my head the past few days. Last night, it all came flooding down like a monsoon of emotion and glorification. Thursday morning Brian Sites led us in devotionals and mentioned Psalm 150. This is the last Psalm and all the other Psalms we read about times of pain, suffering, enduring, glory and remorse. And at the very end we read, Praise the Lord. Amidst all suffering, all remorse and pain we still praise the Lord. I had to start looking at this really hard earlier this week, when I found out I had pink eye. Never had it before, never really even wanted it. And I found myself wanting to be miserable and feel sorry for myself. But looking back, God's grace was upon me. It allowed me to get some rest and to just refocus my attention on God.

Praise the Lord. Hallelujah.

But last night was a worship night that was so amazing. Hearts pouring forth songs of praise and adoration to our Creator. I just found myself so caught up in the moment that there was nothing I could do but pray. Pray for the hearts in that room that the praise they were singing was for God and not just a cool sounding song. And then at the end, God was glorified. The kids wanted an encore. And then another encore. It was so amazing. It was so glorifying.

I keep thinking about the word glory and glorification and praise. I think of us as creatures created to serve the purpose of glorifying God. But if God is glorious and is the definition of glory, then how can glory be given to the Gloriest of Glory? It has been on my heart recently, along with the idea of God being a jealous God. El Qatar. And yet these two concepts work together. God is jealous. What does he want from us. He wants us to glorify Him and praise Him. He wants what is rightly His. I know that there is more to God being jealous and wanting our praise and glory, but these are the concepts that are on my heart right now.

I look at all that has happened these past few months and I am in awe of who God is and what he is continuing to do. Please continue to pray that Dane and I can find comfort in knowing that God is in control and that we may not really know what our next step is after Mi2, but that God will reveal this in His right time. And pray that we, as a body in Poland and around the world, even back home, know what it means to really give glory and praise God.

Love you guys.
Erich

Life Has Been Great

In case you can’t tell from my 1 1/2 week absence from Blogging, life has been great. The last camp finished well, with 8 of my 12 kids coming forward to ask questions about God. This week has been relaxing, but continually busy.

Although I am only leading a guitar workshop and working in the snack shack this week, I have been busy with other things. Erich and I had to start reading the book the Call (Os Guinness) this week, so that had taken some time, and we have spent a lot of time with the Southeast group that is here right now. There are 6 people here from Southeast, and Christian Academy of Louisville sent a group of 4 girls and 1 adult. So we’ve enjoyed some new relationships that remind us of home.

Wow. We have 22 days until we leave. It feels like just the other day that we arrived. I don’t know where the time has gone, and I don’t know if I have much more clarity in regards to the future. Just confusion.

This week has served as a reminder of God’s love. I guess I had just grown numb to it. In Exodus 34, God calls himself Jealous. Like, he says it’s his name. He is Jealous for our affection. Not in a worldly view of jealousy, but in a way that resounds I care about you, and I understand that you will never find anyone like me. Therefore, I am Jealous, because I know what is best for you.

It’s crazy to begin to understand that. It changes my habits and the ways I interact with people.

Lastly, please be in prayer for the High Schoolers here this week. They are hearing the word preached in full, so please pray that they are receptive. Also, please pray for my direction. This has been a big worry on my heart the past week. I am praying for clarity.

Thanks again. Sorry for the absence, but know that I have been fulfilling the ministry in my time away!

-Dane

Also, Erich suffered from some sever pink eye earlier this week, and is almost finished healing. Please keep praying that he heals fully and that it doesn’t spread to anyone else.

I need to scream...

So this week has not been as great as the last one. Though the group is a totally different aspect compared to last week. My group, all together, would be great if I didn't have 2 kids in it. Right now I have 2 brothers who are driving me up the wall. They are loud and have no clue as to how to listen to a simple request such as be quiet. Everything is taken as a joke and makes it really hard to keep them under control.

I think tonight has been the catalyst of it. I came back to my room with a toilet that wouldn't flush with a surprise in it, a sink that was filled with water and was not draining, a kid who proceeded to use the toilet again, a kid who is kind of sick and they were trying to kill mosquitoes on the ceiling. Needless to say it was very frustrating.

But the Lord is good. I have so much to be thankful for right now. Thankful that God has chosen to put me here in this situation at this moment. Thankful that I am able to serve a loving God with a rejoicing heart. Thankful to be blessed with friends to surround me and help me whether it be language problems or just someone to talk to.

I am so amazed at the friends that I have made while here in Poland. It is one of those amazing things that continues to baffle me. The more and more I think and pray about it, the more I seem to find myself wanting to come back for a longer period of time. Even amongst all these times of frustrations and weird encounters, I love the land, the people and the work that is being done for God.

There are some amazing things that are continually happening. The dependence on God has been amazing and very surreal to me. Sometimes I thought that I depended on God but now I have seen it in a whole other level. Maybe there are different levels of dependency. But it is also amazing to see how God provides.

I am helping with the drama team and on Friday night we perform our play. I get to play an out of place American Broadcaster. I think it will be extremely fun and cannot wait to see how it goes. Pray that this week will be a blessing for the kids and that we can make an impact on some of them. Also pray for our friends here who are staying for 2 to 4 camps that they are energized and not let down by stresses that can occur from being a counselor. Love you guys!

Erich

So We Disappeared For A Few Days.

Sorry guys,  but our schedule got a little inconsistent the past few days, so I haven’t been able to update. The first week of camp ended, and I am actually really happy about that. Adam and I just had a very troublesome group, and it was quite a struggle. He said in all his time working at Zako, he has never had a group quite like that. Therefore, I was extremely excited to move on to the next week.

The last few days of Junior English camp, our kids started to come around and began to truly bond. They even won a competition to create a song and preform it in front of the rest of camp. They were TRULY awesome, and it was really cool to see them come together for that.

We went out to Górski last night to celebrate Erich’s 25th birthday. It was a good time to relax with Dawid Wojnar, Jake, and Adam Śmórek. We had a blast, and sang happy birthday to him today.

Also, today kids arrived for Junior Fishart camp. This camp is a mix of multiple different kinds of art, such as music, dance, video, photography and other art. I will be teaching the medium-level kids guitar. Our name is Green Day, because we are just plain cool. Pray that I am effective in doing so. I’ve never done this before.

Lastly, I am the leader of a group this week, as well as leading devotions for the staff again. I was also asked to be in charge of the rock wall, but I am working on handing that responsibility to Erich. He is only an assistant this week, so we think he will be more able to take care of the rock wall. It will be quite busy, but I am ready for it. I have one kids in my room who studied English in an American school for 3 years, so he is extremely fluent. Also my guys are just a big ball of energy (like, REALLY good energy). They are excited about everything.

I hope all is well wherever you are. I should be updating in the mornings this week, so definitely look for it. Thanks once again!

-Dane

I need sleep...

So tonight/this morning was interesting. I was woken up many times during the night to hear people come into my room and get video of the kids sleeping/drawing on them/waking them up. It is currently 5 in the morning and I am ready to go. With about 3 to 4 hours of sleep I cannot go back to sleep.

Yesterday was really good. We had a forest excursion with the kids, which tested my patience. We then had some time to worship, teach English and have free time. We then had a camp fire which included the usual Polish sausage and bigos. But there was a pleasant surprise from the Southeast team that is here and that was a good ol' American S'more. It was delicious.

I do not know what this week has taught me other than to just trust that God has something bigger planned. I am unsure of how God has used me in this time with the kids as a leader/counselor. It has been difficult in many aspects and there are many times that there is frustration. But the nice thing is that above it all, I know that God is in control of the situation and there is a reason for the role in which I, and Dane, are playing. We just pray that God will use us any way possible to reach the youth.

Today is the last whole day of camp. There are 62 kids that are staying for the next camp, which means that some counselors will have to keep working throughout the weekend. I think that none of my guys are staying so it will be good to get time to rest and relax a little bit for one day. Rest and relaxation is an understatement since we will still be working to get the camp ready for the next week.

Other than that everything is great here. We are constantly amazed that God has brought us here for almost 3 months. What an amazing blessing.

Please Be Praying Tonight

Today has had it’s ups and downs. The good news is, God has received glory, and that matters most.

My group has been pushing the limit with our leader (Adam Sokół), and after a long heart to heart conversation last night, not much changed. One our of guys went home because of sickness, another is mentally home, and another is only here right now because his father pleaded that we let him stay. Please, keep these 12 guys in your prayers. This has been a struggle for both me and Adam.

Also, I’m struggling with the cultural differences of the kids. I have quickly learned that I have no authority over these kids. I’m not sure why, but when I call a child over to me or ask something of them, they completely ignore me and don’t listen. It’s getting rather frustrating and VERY difficult. Please keep my patience in your prayers as well.

On the other hand, things have gone great today. English class went very well (I think they really enjoyed it), my morning devotion went extremely smoothly (I said what I needed to say, briefly) and the preaching was phenomenal. John Crozier spoke to the students this morning once again, and was extremely effective. He brings such a creative twist to such basic teaching.

At night, Adam Smórek spoke. I can’t compare him to John because they teach so differently, but I haven’t been so excited about someone teaching the gospel to children in a long time. God was present in the room, moving Adam’s heart and speaking through him, while simultaneously speaking into children’s lives. At least 1/3 of the campers came forward after the message to speak to their leaders about God. It was SOOOO cool.

Again, please keep praying for the things above. Also, I am leading the devotional again tomorrow morning, and am not nearly as prepared as today. Please pray that the spirit moves and that my words are effective.

I love you all. Thanks for the support!

-Dane

We are still alive...just tired and working hard

So guys, we are still alive but working really hard. Camps have officially started! The camp that is currently underway is Junior English 1. It has been such a blessing to know that God is able to use us in many ways. What those ways are we still do not really know but we do know that it is awesome.

I (Erich) and currently sitting in the Willa trying to get this done and give a quick update. My kids just went to sleep and I was able to get away for a little while and update and check emails. But I need to get back just in case something is needed, as well as me getting some sleep for another fun day!

Please keep praying for the camps and kids that come in. Some of them are really amazing. More to come in a few days.

Ok, so like 13 hours...

Tomorrow, it all begins. Campers will arrive at 12:00 noon, and I am so excited. We have been waiting for this all summer. Junior English camp is first, followed by one of the Fishart camps. I’m pumped. Erich is leading a group, with our friend Tom as an assistant (and translator), and I will be assisting Adam Sokoł’s group. Adam is another one of those guys that I have been truly blessed through conversations, so I am excited to draw a little closer to him this coming week.

Another group from the states arrived today. There are about 9 or 10 people who work in the children’s ministry at Southeast, and we’ve already begun conversations. They have taken a team to this camp every year (I think) for quite a while now. I’m excited about the dimensions they bring to the teaching portions of the week.

Lastly we caught up on the Truth Project tonight. Once again, the concept seems to flow out of what I was reading. This morning I read a passage talking about our story and the effect it has on unbelievers. Thought the Truth Project didn’t talk about this specifically, it discussed history and the importance of recognizing it. Dell talked about the importance of not having near-sightedness, in order to follow the metanarrative (God’s grand story). I was thinking early today that this is somewhat what I has been laid on my heart to talk about in our morning meeting, so this definitely reaffirmed my thoughts.

Lastly, we moved into the cabins today. I’m all the way out in the last cabin and Erich is in the second to last. We don’t have internet out there, so we may not be updating every day. We’ll see once we get going.

Please be praying for the children that are coming this week, that their hearts are soft to what God needs to teach them. Also, please continue to pray that we are effective, through both communication and just plain serving. We love you all!

-Dane

We're Alive & Ready!

Conference was great this past week. I honestly had never listened to Bob Russell speak before (I know, crazy) so to hear him 6 times in a matter of 3 days, and to converse one on one over breakfast was great encouragement. It’s so interesting to see his vision behind Southeast’s ministry. It gave me such an understanding for where it is today, and well as how churches can continue to be effective in the future.

After a ceremony honoring the different churches and their leaders yesterday afternoon, everyone left. We have spent the past twenty-four hours cleaning Zakościele and preparing for camps this next week. I’m SOOO ready for camps to kick into gear. I’ve heard some stories of White Mills  High School camp this past week (the camp I normally work at back home), and it makes me so excited to see what is in store for Poland.

Also, we walked with the new interns to the church down the street last night to get some fresh air. I think it was more beautiful than it was the first time. We spent about an hour wandering the graveyard and I feel closer to the culture of Poland because of it. Another sidenote, I watched Defiance during a long break the other day. It was a great movie that gave me a lot of insight to the Polish culture as well. Adam Śmoriek and I talk about the themes seen throughout the film afterward. His insight was soooo helpful. He has been blessed with such an eye for certain things.

Everything else is going well. We are just preparing for Sunday. Erich and I are leading counselor devotions every morning next week, so please be in prayer for that. We will be planning most of it tomorrow afternoon.

I hope everything is going well back home. We continue to learn each day. I started a book today called “Sabbath”, by Dan Allender. The first chapter was so refreshing. I hope to tell you more about it as I continue to read. The line that hooked me simply said:

“What has happened for me in working with this manuscript is a transposition of the Sabbath from RULE and COMMANDED OBSERVANCE to HOLY ROMP and SECRET PLAYGROUND where each visit only ADDS another level of DELIGHT.”

He goes on to say:

“We enter DELIGHT only as we gaze equally and simultaneously at creation and redemption, IN SPITE of the darkness that surrounds us and constantly clamors to be truer than God.”

What a beautiful picture. I hope that resounds with you today. May God bless you with a personal encounter with his DELIGHT sometime this week.

-Dane

Power Outages...

So the past few days we have not had internet because of some wicked storms that blew the power out. Here is an update that I made two days prior.

Today was an interesting day. The day started off normal with breakfast and then a message morning session. The conference of pastors and elders from all around Poland is being held here at camp and Bob Russell is the main speaker for most sessions. This morning's session was good from what I can remember (preaching the Word boldly...based on a verse in Ephesians) though I do not remember the main points that were mentioned. Part of the reason why is because I had to leave early and go to Tomaszów to help film the rules video.

This consisted of most of my day. There was a lot of acting, costume changes and a lot of re-takes. By the end though, all clips had been filmed and we were all tired of the process. Once back to camp I had enough time to eat and read a little bit in time to catch the last session of Bob's. The session, although all of them have been geared towards leaders and preaching, this one was very rewarding to hear. I do not know why it has been rewarding considering that it just got out, but it made me think of a few things.

First thing that made me think was a saying that Bob said. It was "If you act the way you wish you felt, you will eventually feel the way you act." I think about this and see so many times in my life when I do not act energetically or with enthusiasm, although I want to feel that and act that way. But if I were to act the way I wish I felt, I would eventually act that way. Sometimes you have to put on the happy face, or act differently than the way you feel because you know that if you don't, it will effect your ministry.

Another thing that stood out was the saying that the minister/pastor sets the mood. But this can be taken to many more aspects of life. The teacher, the missionary, the volunteer or who ever it may be, sets the mood and effects the way the experience will really be felt. If you want to make an experience memorable, or enjoyable it can all be effected by the mood you present it with.

I think the point that stood out to me the most is that the message that we preach is the same. Always the same, but the way of presenting it has to change. Bob gave the illustration of a Wheaties box and how he used to eat it with his hero Mickey Mantel on the cover. Now it's Tiger Woods. Wheaties still tastes the same but the box looks different. Why? Because you have to adapt with the changes of this world. Satan is constantly changing his methods of attacking, why should we as Christians stay stagnant and not adapt to Satan's methods, with methods of our own? Bob gave some examples and the saying that stood out above all that he said was that, "It is easier to recover from trying something new than trying to recover from staying stagnant." How true this is. Staying stagnant, you have no way of knowing what the problem is. But if you take a risk then you can always fall back on the way you used to do things. That is, if it doesn't work.

It was good to see a familiar face. It brought a little bit of Louisville back to Poland and made Poland feel more like home. The longer I stay here, the more people I meet and the more conversations I have, the more I do not want to leave. Camps start this Sunday. Dane and I are excited to get this started to see more sides of the ministry that Proem does.

Fill us up, and send us out.

Dzien Dobry!

It's great to be here. We've had a fairly busy weekend (as Erich described) but we've also had some time to relax and learn. The students from the youth conference left yesterday morning and after cleaning for a few hours, we welcomed some elders and leaders of Christian churches across Poland. They are here for a conference that lasts until Thursday. It's been great to see a lot of familiar faces from previous conferences we have had.

Speaking of familiar faces, our dear friend Bob Russell arrived yesterday afternoon. He is doing the teaching for the conference this week, and it's been a blessing to listen to him so far. Sometimes it's crazy how small of a world it really is. We also have been able to welcome two new interns (Malisa, from Louisville, and Jake, from Dayton). Jake is staying with us in the Willa for the month he is here.

In response to the weekend, the most incredible part was definitely seeing a generation rising for His glory. I have watched a lot of the youth in America for the past few years and wondered whether there was something missing in our teaching. This weekend really cleared up a lot of my questions. I think it's evident to see that a lot of American society has become completely numb to gospel of Christ. They are so used to hearing it (everywhere) that it doesn't even affect them.

On the contrary, the Polish youth has grown up in a society that is surrounded by tradition, and the recognition of God as a living, approachable God truly resonates with them. To hear students 3-6 years younger than me shouting prayers in unison following songs, because the Spirit has moved them to approach God above, is a complete blessing.

I hope to be challenged through this, and I hope it encourages those reading this. I think a lot of people within the States look at open prayer as a weird charismatic tradition. It's not. We are called to approach God, with our hands raised to him and pray on behalf of the hurting and broken. I know if anything, my concept of prayer has been changed through the simple obedience of some high school students.

As we have the leadership throughout Poland here for the week, please keep them in your prayers. We pray that they leave encouraged and inspired to continue preaching the gospel with boldness to the people of Poland.

We love you all. Thanks again for your support!

-Dane

Rested and Ready to Go

So we have been back from Prague for a couple of days now and it has been such a great time. Prague was beautiful, just like everyone said it was. I am so glad that we were able to go there before having to endure/enjoy the busyness of camps.

After getting back to Zakościele Friday night we got some much needed rest. I for sure enjoyed getting to sleep for a while. After that we started to help with the camp rule video. We are still in the process of making it so once we are done we might see if it will be online or not. But it should be funny, and was very enjoyable to help make.

A conference is going on right now where a bunch of people, mainly high school and college age, from around Poland are getting together. Some of these people are leaders for the camps so it is good to get some names and faces to see who will be here for the summer. We are kind of just helping with things that need to be done but also getting to meet people and have great conversations. After this group leaves, another group of elders and pastors will be here to have a conference. I am excited about this mainly because it will be awesome to see all the older believers in Poland as well as seeing Bob Russell.

Yesterday Dane and I proceeded to leave the luxury of our hotel room to move to the Willa, which is the oldest structure on camp. The Willa is where the Snack Shack is located and also a meeting room. But upstairs is where a few rooms are. I thought at first it was not a good thing that we were moving but after spending the night there last night, I am actually glad to be there. It is bigger than our other room and is quite cozy. Also, we don't have to keep track of a key all the time.

As I finish this, I am amazed at how fast it seems that all this has gone by. Although it didn't seem fast at first, I was looking at how long we have been in Poland and it has actually been really fast. 5 weeks, 7 to go. I don't like counting that down. I keep thinking of all the people I am meeting and the effort being put in to learn the language and keep wondering what it is all for if this is just for 12 weeks. Maybe it is something more, but I know that both Dane and I are in constant prayer for God to open a door if this is where He wants us. Please continue to pray for the camps and campers that come in, that they may know God on a deeper level and create such a meaningful relationship with Him. Also pray for the staff of PROem. They are doing so many amazing things and I just love to see where they are continually taking ministry.

We're back!!! Kind of...

So we are back from Prague. We arrived at about 7:30 this morning, but are without a ride back to Zakościele until late tonight. So, for now, we are sitting Starbucks trying to catch some rest. I'm typing this blog from my iPod because we are computer-less, so I will probably give you a short update of our journey.

Prague was gorgeous! Words can't even begin to describe it. We got in Prague about 7 am Wednesday morning and, thanks to some help from out Nigerian friend Kingsley, we were checked into the Hostel by 8 am. We caught a tram across town and met our wonderful tour guide (and friend) Noel Garrett (some of you may know her twin sister Holly Garrett, and yes, they look exactly alike). We went on a killer hike, seeing almost every major monument in Prague by 5 pm. We also had time for some Czech coffee and conversation. Some sites inculded Old Town, the Charles Bridge and Prague castle (pictures to be uploaded soon!).

We closed out the night with my Birthday dinner, where I has one of my new favorite meals of all time: Spinach Fettucci Alfredo with Salmon. Unbelievable! The next morning Erich and I did some exploring of our own by visiting Old Town once again, and then we stopped by some local markets. We met up with Noel at noon and took another monster hike to a church on a hill. It gave such a beautiful view of the city. We spent most of our time there wandering a monumental graveyard. It was so neat to see, and had so much history. This was probably one of my favorite parts.

We closed our time with Noel by sharing some ice cream and coffee over great conversation. We talked about what the church is doing in Czech, what it is doing in Poland and what it is doing in the US. We said our goodbyes, and went off to the train station. Erin and I made the easy decision to pay an extra $19 for beds on the train. I got adaquate sleep, but Erich experienced some motion sickness so we're recovering in Starbucks right now.

We will probably venture down the street to Old Town Warsaw in an hour or so. We'll have more updates to come when we arrive in Zakościele either tonight or tomorrow. Hope all is well where ever you are. We appreciate your support!

-Dane

We're off to Prague!!!

Well, we are about to head out of Zakościele and make our way to Warsaw to catch the midnight train to the Czech Republic. This will be a fun adventure for us before camps start up.

Today we had another all staff meeting with PROem. Today was a day of biblical reminders as to how to hold yourself, how to act and how to represent Christ during the camps. We also discussed how to build each other up and be true to one another treating them with respect, love, kindness and honor. One of the other topics of discussion was kids and their cell phones. In Poland it is against the law to take away the cell phone of a kid and PROem doesn't want the kids to be on their phone or MP3 player during messages or quiet time, so they were thinking of ways to discourage them from having them. There are nice benefits to the kids having their cell phones but there are also disadvatages. I don't think there was a definite answer as to how this can be accomplished. One thing I just thought of this minute is that you could take the battery away and allow them to still have their cell phone...

After lunch we unloaded another truck full of food, this time it was about 8 tons of food that would be held in storage at the camp. We also helped stock some of the refrigerators of masło i ser (butter and cheese). It was a really great experience and looking back I wish I had the flip camera to get a video shot of the assembly line. Just something to have to remember.

Well we are off to Warsaw in 30 minutes. We appreciate your prayers and look forward to sharing a little bit of Prague with you when we get back!

Erich

Polish to English through Spanish

Just finished packing (oh yeah!). We're off to Prague tomorrow. I'm actually a little freaked at the prospect of traveling the night train, just because of all the stories I've heard. It should be a great experience though.

Today we had our weekly meeting with John. Chad is in Florida for vacation, so it was just me, John and Erich. We talked about the book of John, and the significance he stresses on believing. Belief tends to be the foundation his entire gospel is based on, as well as the door frame to eternal life. I see lack of belief resonating in my life all too often, so it's great to put that back into perspective.

After meeting, we did some camp clean up and starting changing some routes on the rock wall. There are some holds that have become loose and some routes that are impossible for kids, so we wanted to make one a little more kid friendly.

Tonight we taught two English classes at the TOMY Center, and came home to pack for tomorrow. The classes went pretty well. The first group was great and the second was a little more shy. We played some Uno (I know, it's Spanish), and worked on some food and drink with the kids. It was quite enjoyable. It's crazy how we are able to communicate with the kids speaking purely English. Very humbling.

Thanks for the prayers and support. We love you all back home. Please be in prayer over travels the next few days. We might get a blog out tomorrow, but if not look for some short updates while we are there.

Thanks again!

-Dane

Many countdowns happening...

So there are a few countdowns going on right now for Dane and myself...but before I get into that let me give you and update to what is going on in Poland as of this fine and beautiful Sunday.

Today was just fantastic. We went to church and I had the privilege to participate in helping lead worship with the band. It's so amazing to give glory to God and worship Him in any way possible. After that we went over to John and Zaba's for lunch. We helped assemble a kite with Dawid and successfully flew it for about 5 seconds. It then after a few more falls broke. Our meal was fantastic! Salad, Garlic Bread and Spaghetti...it was so good! In fact I at so much that I am not even hungry tonight and am passing on my helping of deli meat and bread for dinner. Other than that it has been a time to catch up with some items we needed to take care of...such as our countdowns.

In 2 days we are going to be leaving for Prague in the Czek Republic. I am excited about taking the night train and staying in a hostel. Needless to say, it will slightly remind me of London.

In 6 days we will be having a conference/retreat at the camp for leaders of camps and my friend Melissa will be arriving in Poland for her 6 week stay.

In 7 or 8 days we will be having another retreat coming into the camp and the one and only Bob Russell will be here. I will get a picture with him just to prove it.

In about 2 weeks camps will be starting. Our busy-ness will be increased a hundredfold and will be exhausted all the time. I am looking forward to it.

I suggest that you check out our counterparts blog. They have some amazing things to say about what they did last week. I have seen some of the pictures and it is amazing. Hope that everyone is doing great and until next time...

~Erich

Górski's, Gofry & Good Times

It has been the perfect ‘lay under the covers weather’. Rain has lightly drizzled all day and has proved to be a great time to sit back and relax. Reading, writing, and experiencing a little Gofry.

Yesterday was day two of the church from Warsaw’s retreat. It was yet another day of operating the snack shack, with a little rock climbing mixed in. Erich had the chance to talk with a few people from the church for a while. They asked hard questions, like “why are you in Poland” and “why don’t American’s try and share the gospel in America.” They were asked wholeheartedly (and with complete sincerity), but definitely made me think about my purpose a little more.

We closed out the night by sneaking away to Górski’s with Paweł, Ewa and Gosza. It was my first time and was quite the experience. Gorski’s can be described as the nicest ‘truck stop’ you’ve ever been to, with a fire grill and fantastic meat. I had the Pork. I really wish you could try some.

Today started with a morning run for me, and as I was arriving on the premises, it started to rain. It hasn’t stopped since then. The group from Warsaw left at about 2 PM and after hanging out at camp for a while, Erich, Paweł and I went into Spała to eat some Gofry (pictured above). Again, this was a first for me (and for Erich). Gofry is like a big waffle, covered with whipped cream and whatever toppings you want. I chose toffee and bits of chocolate. Fantastic!

We are in the room now, and I am about to Skype in with the family. Today was my brother’s graduation, so my entire family is over at our house to celebrate. I’m going to check in with them and see what’s going on back home. Afterward, we are going to watch Airplane!. Paweł has never seen it, and since it is my favorite movie, we told him we were going to watch it.

Tomorrow Erich is playing bass at church again (I wasn’t good enough, so they cut me loose... just kidding). We are also finalizing plans for our Prague trip, so please be praying for safety there. We will taking a night train, which is known for much theft and such.

Hope all is well. We are doing great here. Thanks for caring enough to check in on us!

-Dane

Amazingly intrigued by today...

What started off to feel like a different day actually turned out to be just that. Last night I slept horribly. I could not really fall asleep. I do not know if it had something to do with the stupid mosquito in our room that I could keep hearing or if it was the acid reflux from Capone's pizza. Regardless, I did not sleep well at all. After waking up and finding the few bites that our little pesky friend made (I'm starting to think that mosquitoes should glow in the dark that way it is easy to kill them while trying to sleep), I started reading our chapters from Luke that is part of the daily reading that all PROem staff is doing. I was struck by 2 sets of verses. Luke 21:27 and Luke 21:34-36.

Luke 21:27 - And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luke 21:34-36 - But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.

I am not entirely sure why I was struck by these verses, but something tells me that it pertains to this summer. Part of me needs to constantly remember that the Son of Man has such power and great glory and who am I to forget that. And I also need to stay on guard here in Poland. Though I may start to think I am doing God's work and His calling, I cannot fall asleep and I cannot be concerned with the worries of this world. Though I may be in another country, the same struggles, the same worries, the same situations will continue to attack me and weigh me down.

Just a little recap of the day. Like I started off this post, it was different. We spent the entire day in the snack shack selling snacks and drinks. To me this seemed like torture. I love to go out and do things and be active, but this was just sitting around and waiting for people to come in. But as the day progressed I started to enjoy it. As customers came in I got to work on my Polish (which sucks) and got to study. It was better than I thought it would be. Though there were times I wanted to just escape, it was not bad at all.

Tomorrow will probably be the same. I think we can endure another day of this. Though it doesn't seem fun and may seem like it is not beneficial, the truth is that it allows us to create some cool relationships with people. Just like today we met 2 guys who are living here. One guy owns his own business and the other guy is from Canada and works for the church. It was interesting to talk to them. And then there is Dominik, whom will probably be there again tomorrow, who continually talked to us in Polish and laughed at us. It was annoying but also good to start to pick up on some Polish. Pray that we don't get too frustrated with him tomorrow.

Keep praying for the Kenya team. It sounded like in their last post that they were going to be travelling all this week. Pray for safe travels, and make sure to check out their blog.

Love you guys
-Erich

Sorry if some of this seems random and incoherent...I am tired and am about to go to sleep.

By this, all people will know...

Good Afternoon! We are currently unwinding, and about to go to bed. Yesterday we experienced another group of kids coming to camp, we wished them off today, went into Tomaszów for the evening and we are all worn out.

Yesterday morning about eighty 14-15 year old kids arrived. We played baseball with them (yet again) and they were stinking good. Like denting the wiffle balls and knocking them over trees. We were sitting there thinking, “These kids HAD to have played before.” It was a lot more fun to watch than it had been with the elementary kids. After baseball, it rained HARD the rest of the afternoon. Some kids played carpet ball and cornhole in the tent, some of them hung out in the cabins, while some of the girls came and flirted with our cute young Proem friend Kuba in the snack shack. Of course Kuba loved the attention, so he continued to flirt back, and left the girls hanging by not showing up the next day. Later we had a heart-to-heart, explaining why you don’t lead girls on. Oh, young love...

The night rounded out with some Kiełbasa over a fire and a slight dance party in the snack shack. Some Lady GaGa and Lou Bega were the sounds of the night.

After wishing the students off this morning, Erich and I went into Tomaszów to hang out at ...I-Cafe. I got to talk to a student named Paweł for little about English and his studies. He does a lot of Tech stuff at the church and it was really cool to hear about his commitment to what Tomy Church and Proem are doing.

We also had a little bit of time to study Polish in before Kuba introduced us to his friends, Martyna and Claudyna. When I asked what things they like to do, they said nothing really and followed that by saying they are going to Claudyna’s grandma’s house that evening. Later, I asked, “So there is really nothing you like doing?” Claudyna responded, “No. I said we are going to my grandmother’s house tonight.” At that point I realized they thought I was asking them what they would like to do with us, which made everything a little akward. I quickly explained myself, only to find out they enjoy windsurfing and snowboarding. Pretty awesome.

Rounded out the night with some more Capone’s pizza (it’s SOOO good). We’re off to bed in a few, and a 180 person group is coming in tomorrow. Also, tomorrow is Corpus Christi (or Holy Thursday), which is a public holiday in Poland. It’s a Roman Catholic tradition very similar to Easter in that it honors the Eucharist. It also commemorates Christ’s new commandment (John 13:34), the washing of the disciples feet and the agony of the Garden of Gethsemane. All the stores and schools are closed down for this feast celebrating the Holy Communion. You might consider reading John 13:1-35 tomorrow and share in washing someone’s feet. I think we are going to do that. 

Lastly, we found out we are going to travel next Tuesday through Friday. We believe we will be going to Prague. Exciting! We’ll keep you updated.

Pray for the group this weekend, and have a great rest of the week! We love you all!

-Dane

Constant reminders...

Today was a really interesting day for me. I don't know what it is that has set this apart from all the others but it has been a day that meant a lot to me. We started the morning off meeting with John and Chad. We started off our meeting by going to Spała and getting cappuccino from a girl who really did not want to be working. She seemed very unhappy. Anyways we started off by reading Luke 7: 36-50. This verse is very interesting when looking at it in the context of what is going on now. Here are a few highlights that we touched on that were very interesting.

• This woman was probably a prostitute, and by dumping her alabaster flask of ointment on Jesus' feet was giving up the very thing that she used in her profession.
• She wept so much that it made Jesus' feet wet. Those are not fake tears, they are true tears and a lot of them.
• Jesus' feet were probably not the cleanest and best smelling and yet this woman was kneeling at His feet. This is a huge act of submission and humility.
• Simon was quick to judge this woman, and Jesus then showed him that we was judging, but is not always right in his judgment.
• It was the woman's faith alone that saved her.

But the part that really got me was the following:

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven-for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.

I look at this verse and realize how much in my life I have been forgiven, and yet I don't love as much as I should.

We then discussed about missions. And for the past week I have been trying to figure out where God wants me, and if it is in Poland. I know that this is not for me to decide, but each day I am constantly seeing God moving some way. Right now what holds me back is the language and being comfortable. Right now I am comfortable where I am, but that is because I know that it is only 3 months. But if it were longer, would I be comfortable? I often wonder if I am trying to fight God in this.

Anyways...after cleaning the stairs and eating lunch we then proceeded to unload about 15 tons of food into the storage rooms. Most of this food will be used for different ministries that Proem works with. Some of these ministries work with homeless and low income families. It made me appreciate Proem even more.

I am about to go climbing, finish laundry and then watch the Truth Project. After that, maybe some language study. Tomorrow we are going to play sports with some kids that are coming in and then go play soccer in Tomaszów. I don't play soccer so it will be interesting for me. Let's hope I do not embarrass myself.

~Erich

A Place I Never Thought I Would Be...

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, FOR MY NAME’S SAKE, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life!

I read this verse from Matthew yesterday. I’ve read it before, but it truly resonated yesterday. I know this isn’t my goal. My goal never has been and never can be to inherit eternal life because, the selfishness of such a goal takes power and glory away from God, Jesus Christ and the cross. But I still see this as a call on my life, as well as others.

Every day I have grown in a deeper understanding of my personal strengths and it’s become obvious that I thrive and fuel myself through quiet study and listening to or watching others. This only makes sense to me. I don’t think anyone else is like that. Anyway, it has filled my head with ideas about future.

I told myself a month ago that when I left the states, I was done with coffee. I had spent the last three years surrounded by it, and was kind of over it all. I’m beginning to realize I am not. Coffee shops are home to me. They are where I flourish. I find comfort and refreshment there. Alone or meeting others, it’s all gravy (yeah, I just said gravy). I have begun to see the effectiveness of a place like this for conversation and connectedness. It’s a place for culture to collide and life to flourish.

I think I was truly effected by someone I met recently who had used similar circumstances in other areas of the world. I just see my passions and desires coming together with a call inside of me: to leave my home for Christ’s sake alone. I don’t know specifics. Please keep praying for that. I see opportunity to be a part of this in Poland. I see opportunity elsewhere. Just please keep praying for clarity.

We ran the snack shack all day yesterday, but this consisted of time for study and relaxation (for the most part). I had to run a few miles down the street to buy espresso from the market when we realized we were out. The night closed out with me doing some laundry, then lying in bed watching one of the coolest storms I have ever experienced right out the window.

Erich and I were up early to go rehearse music for church today. We were up early enough that we decided to play a quick game of chess before heading out. Church was great, as Rafał spoke about walking wisely in the Lord. Music went great as well. It’s crazy what God does through a little faithful prayer. After church, we went into Łódż with Chad and Amy once again and spent the afternoon bowling, ‘gaping’ and I ate my first Wiener Snitzel. We also met up with Daniel and Edyta while we were there and joined them for afternoon coffee.

Tomorrow morning we are meeting with John Crozier to talk about our experience so far and spend some time in biblical study. It’s been a joy and I keep learning. I’m excited about what this time will bring about in each of us.

The Kenya team had their “Bible Translation Run” yesterday. Make sure to check in with them and their experience. We love you all.

-Dane