I am back state side. :) I wanted to write to you and share about this chance I had to minister in Poland. Thank you so much for being a part of that!
My trip to Poland was incredible. I hear stories about short term mission trips where the people just feel like they didn't have the impact they were hoping for. They came back feeling like all they went for was to support the long term missionary in the area, which is good and is necessary, but they didn’t have the interaction with local people that they had been hoping for. That was not the case with this trip. This trip to Poland immersed us Americans in the culture of Poland and gave us immediate social contact with the Polish Youth.
We came to teach English at English camp. Josiah Venture (JV) is the mission organization that I went through. They spend all year mentoring and discipling in evangelical Polish youth groups. It is their mission that Poles be responsible for the Polish Church and that Christianity is not just some "American" thing we bring in and then leave there. JV desires that the Poles take ownership of their faith in Christ. So JV disciples the young people in Polish churches, teaching them about the Bible and about having a deeper faith, then they help these Polish youths to disciple younger Poles.
In Poland, because nearly 98% of the country is Roman Catholic, there is not a lot of room for other faiths. Protestant/Evangelicals (about 4000 in the whole country) are viewed as a religious sect or cult, so people who convert become socially outcast. Can you imagine being raised in a Catholic home and then being shunned because you want to have a relationship with Christ and to read your Bible. Well, that's what happens. Anyway, because of this stigma, it is rather difficult for the Polish youth groups to get their Catholic friends to come to a protestant church camp. Actually, it’s nearly impossible.
Let's back up a little bit. Poland recently became part of the European Union (2004) and there have been a lot of changes. Before that, as you probably know, Poland was under Communism. (I won't get into how the Catholic Church survived that, but it did). Poland wanted (and still wants) to be involved in commerce and trade and knows that the language of trade is English. Young people fill private classes where English is being taught so that they have a better shot at a good life. Everyone, it seems, wants to learn English
So, knowing this, Josiah Venture saw a great opportunity. They would bring in native English speakers to teach English at the church camps, and the youth group would have a great reason and opportunity to invite their unsaved friends to camp. It was the perfect plan.
So, that is the background for why we got to go. The camp was awesome. We were in a town called Świnoujście, located in the Northwest on the Baltic Sea. With teachers and students, there were about 40 of us and we swam in the cold Baltic water every day. We Americans would teach English lessons for about 3 hours a day, focusing on pronunciation and speaking. Poles get a lot of "book English" in their schools, but rarely get to practice speaking English out loud. Each evening there would be a music and speaking program where the kids would hear about how God could be their friend and how Jesus was the Way. 
After the program, the young Poles would break into discussion groups and talk about what they were thinking concerning the message. The youth group kids would facilitate these discussions. (Poles are more reserved about talking about deeper things with people they know, but they tend to be open with people they have just met, so when organizing the groups, we tried to keep people out of their regular group of friends). It was through these program talks and the discussions that followed that Sylwek (13) gave his heart and life to Christ. Several other young people decided to recommit themselves to Christ and we Americans got to be a part of that. It was incredible! You were a part of that too! By partnering with me, you were with me every step of the way. Because of your generosity, souls have been welcomed into the Kingdom. Bless you! I cannot begin to number how many times I thought about you while in Poland. There were many prayers of thanks lifted up on your behalf. Thank you so very much!
The Poles are a hard people, but soft at the same time. They are generally closed off to people they don’t know, but they are warm and friendly with their good friends. Poles are not used to receiving any sort of kindness from others, so a kind gesture goes a long way toward building friendship, and once you are friends, you are friends for life. Not only that, but their friendship is…contagious. This is because once you are friends with someone, their friends and family become your friends too.
As I was in Poland, I started to realize that this could very well be the country God has called me to full time. There is such a need for love in Poland. People there are shocked when you wish them a good day. Imagine what would happen if they were truly loved! I am spending much time in prayer over this, but I will keep you posted on the results. At any rate, I hope to return again next year. If you are interested in joining me, please call. That would be just wonderful!
If you want, I am happy to answer all sorts of questions you have. Just let me know. I am in love with this country. Before I left the US, I spent countless hours researching the history and heritage of Poland; myths and legends, language and maps. I almost feel like a historian. :)
Thank you again for your support and your prayers. I couldn’t have gone without you. God bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you. May He grant you peace!
In Him,
Laura Jean
503-799-8111
8435 NE Glisan St. #393
Portland, OR 97220
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