Thanksgving In Poland

Well, it was actually in the Czech Republic. Each year Josiah Venture gathers for Thanksgiving at our headquarters on MMalenovice, CZ. I was a bit bummed when I found out that not all of the countries were coming. The more the merrier is my motto, but this year there was a intimacy and relaxed feeling that I would not want to give up! We only had about 50 people and the most stressful activity was deciding which pie to eat. I chose the APPLE pie!

So You May Wonder How It IS To Speak Polish

Imagine this in Polish, and you understand it IN Polish! I have done and do ALL of these things, but in Polish. I hope this shows you a little bit of how it is to learn a new language. Fortunately, I laugh at my self as hard as I laugh at this clip! I hope you enjoy!

Where is Winter?

Up until about a week ago, I was complaining about our cold rainy days. If it is going to be cold, let it SNOW! This week has shown some of the most BEAUTIFUL "Coloradoish" fall days here in Poland. Not normal for November! I have seen blue skies for days now! Last night as I was driving from the office, I snapped this photo. I almost felt like I was in Colorado without the mountains! I was sad that I had to include the traffic lights, but the colors were wonderful!

It is amazing how God gives me small gifts like this each day that I live in Poland. I was listening to Francis Chan (Crazy Love and Forgotten God) yesterday talk about how much the Father loves His children and that just as our earthly fathers, God wants the best for us (even when the best is painful sometimes) and he loves to see his children enjoy him. Yesterday, I was enjoying him as I kept looking in my rear view mirror until the sun fully went down. By the way, this was at around 4 p. m. The darkness is settling earlier each day, yet , my heart is full of joy! Keep it coming Lord! Show your handiwork in your sunsets!

And the Wall Came Down

Today is the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall and the beginning of my journey into Eastern Europe. I remember sitting in our TV room at John Brown University in shock as I watched this historical even which I NEVER thought would happen. Little did I know that this event would later chart my life in Poland.

Polish Union leader Lech Walesa, lead union strikers in Gdansk, Poland to rebel against the might of Russia. Their passion and their courage to stand up against the USSR and sparked the start of the freeing of Eastern Europe. Tonight he got to start the domino wall that was set up along the line of the Berlin wall. It was amazing to see his face as he pushed that wall down.

There is still captivity in the hearts of the Polish people, though. Today the European Union shows that there is 6 million young Poles (15-29 years old) who do not know Jesus. They might be religious, but as I have found, most are religious in identity only. Each camp I have been to, I am finding more and more religious agnostics. Their country is free, but their hearts are not!

My prayer and my dream is in the next twenty years, the walls in the hearts of the Polish people will fall just as they did in 1989.