This is the Tomy Center. They've rented this building out from the very beginning. They utilize it for: church (Tomy Church on Sundays), a Christian pre-school by day, Speak-Up (English language school) by night, an internet cafe, etc. They have another building which they purchased a few years ago. It is being renovated to be their church. They'll continue to use this current one as the pre-school and language school. They need $100,000 more dollars to complete the church renovation (it was the old theater downtown). A church in KY is matching any donation (up to $50,000) given towards the completion of the church! If you are interested in learning how you can help or someone who may like to help, let me know!
Inside the Tomy Center, Rafal, their preacher, is giving the communion message. The church is getting ready for a week-long service project throughout the city. It will be during the same week our team from Westside and RCC come to the camp! We'll make sure to take them to Tomascow to see this church serving the city. They've never done anything like this, so it will be really neat to see what God does through it!
Josh with Machek, a friend he's gotten to know. Machek is a "product" of the Tomy Center. He came to their basketball open gym (part of their sports outreach) and became a Christian through that. He is now married to Adrian, an American from Indiana, who also works with ProEm teaching in the preschool and language center at the Tomy Center. Machek works in the preschool now as well. Kaylor and Lauren call him "funny man" and LOVE to play with him.
Every Saturday in Tomascow there is a basketball league (outdoor now insteand of open gym) that is coordinated by Machek. ProEm has invested money in the boards and court to use basketball as a ministry outreach. It's open to anyone in the city and many friendships have been formed through it. Through this contact, there are 3 guys coming to the International Basketball Camp at Zakosciele. I'll get the names of the guys and you can begin praying for them during that week (next week's camp). Machek and Adrian drove their car and we used one the camp's cars. Josh got to drive for the first time... it was fun! While the guys were at the basketball courts, we girls played at the playground, watched people swim in the river and got some groceries. One cultural observance, which is very European... showing skin is never an issue here! Women taking their shirts of and subathing in their bras causes no one to bat an eye (except me in shock of course!!)
This is from the talent show this past Thursday. They were singing a song learned.
The line-up for banquet.
Josh with Machek, a friend he's gotten to know. Machek is a "product" of the Tomy Center. He came to their basketball open gym (part of their sports outreach) and became a Christian through that. He is now married to Adrian, an American from Indiana, who also works with ProEm teaching in the preschool and language center at the Tomy Center. Machek works in the preschool now as well. Kaylor and Lauren call him "funny man" and LOVE to play with him.Every Saturday in Tomascow there is a basketball league (outdoor now insteand of open gym) that is coordinated by Machek. ProEm has invested money in the boards and court to use basketball as a ministry outreach. It's open to anyone in the city and many friendships have been formed through it. Through this contact, there are 3 guys coming to the International Basketball Camp at Zakosciele. I'll get the names of the guys and you can begin praying for them during that week (next week's camp). Machek and Adrian drove their car and we used one the camp's cars. Josh got to drive for the first time... it was fun! While the guys were at the basketball courts, we girls played at the playground, watched people swim in the river and got some groceries. One cultural observance, which is very European... showing skin is never an issue here! Women taking their shirts of and subathing in their bras causes no one to bat an eye (except me in shock of course!!)
The girls on the "merry-go-round".
The following pictures were taken at Machek's Grandmother's home. They invited us all for lunch (Polish pancakes). His Grandmother told us stories of her experience as a young girl (12) during the WWII. My heart hurt for all evil she saw. Typical of Polish culture, the girls received little porcelain ballerina figurines from "Grandma"!
This is from the talent show this past Thursday. They were singing a song learned.The line-up for banquet.
2 comments:
Wait a minute...I thought your girls were already spoken for by my boys:) It's always about the accent isn't it?? Anyway, just wanted to say 'Hi' and we're thinking/praying for you all the time.
hummmm sounds like EIBC in another country - praying for you!
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