P109 "Restaurant for a Day" Event

Here are a few pictures from P109's (new ministry initiatives in Lodz) latest outreach event.  They made and brought in food and created a restaurant type of atmosphere with light live music.  These types of activities are apparently popular in Poland and based on a newspaper article written by a lady who goes around to these events to give the "thumbs up" or "thumbs down", she gave it a thumbs up and stated that the atmosphere and experience is the best one she's experienced!  What a blessing!  More, is that there were 130 new people whom they've never met before that came into P109!  Based on this, they will put this type of event on every 3 months!  Continue to pray for His blessing on this outreach!

Some Winter Camp Fun...

Since we didn't get enough kids signed up to attend winter camps out at Zako (the nickname we all give the camp since it's in the village of Zakosciele), they decided to offer winter camp at the church in the afternoons.  Every day at 3pm (ok, many started arriving at 2:30!) around 25-30 kids came and we had a great time.  Tired?  Yes... but it was fun seeing them worshipping this afternoon for the parents who came.  It was a "tough" crowd in terms of attention spans, lack of self-control.... as there were some kids from the neighborhood that's a bit "rough".  But seeing these particular kiddos singing and really engaging this afternoon was quite touching.  I can't help but wonder what the seeds planted this week will bloom into in their lives.  My prayer as that the seeds have fallen into fertile soil... and that their lives will continually be watered and fertilized in a way that will keep out the weeds and thorns that threaten to destroy God's work.

This is what camp is all about.  I believe in the ministry of camps.  It was integral in my own life growing up.  We can offer and advertise various workshops such as art, photography, film, etc. that are offered at a week of camp.  We can offer English lessons with native speakers.  And thankfully, we can offer those things and know that they will be excellent in delivery, but it's all about the seeds that are planted through genuine love, fun and hearing Scripture delivered in meaningful and relevant ways.  God's words can pierce even the hardest of hearts.

Now, we have the weekend to "recoup" and it's back to school for everyone next week!  The girls have two friends sleeping over this evening (I think it's safe to say they are now all asleep!) and we have been invited over to a Polish family's house for dinner tomorrow evening.  They attend Tomy church and have an unique testimony.  We got to know them on our break in the Czech Republic last week and are touched to be asked to join them at their place for dinner.  

Blessings to all....

Malenovice, Czech Republic

View from our room... yes, please feel sorry for us... (ha ha)

Enjoying a cup of hot cocoa after a time of playing in the snow.

A time of rest during our winter break... we are at the Christian Retreat center in Malenovice, Czech Republic with a group from Proem.  The last few days have been quite foggy, so we can't necessarily enjoy the view of the mountains, but it's been snowing every day and we are enjoying sledding and skiing (well... the girls learning how!).  Most importantly, taking time to bask in His beautiful creation. I love the mountains... so I feel equally blessed that we have the White Mountains in NH to return to!!

the drive to the ski slopes

first ever attempt of down hill skiing for the girls... we didn't have to pay for them to learn on this particular hill!  notice kaylor gave up and decided to just play on the hill. 

Josh before going down his first ski run...

me before going down... we were actually given the ski lift pass (they have card reader machines) so I could see how I would do... loved it, and although I never fell once, I knew that it wasn't worth the risk as the slopes were pretty steep.  am thankful I got to go down at least once the whole week, though!  so thankful we didn't pay for ski passes!

our hotel... a christian conference center called KAM... the walk up was killer!

so instead of going back to the ski slopes every day, we decided to take advantage of the free slope next to the hotel and help the girls learn how to ski there!  we also went sledding and just enjoyed being outside!

lauren's just proud she made it back UP the hill!

kaylor did the most skiing as she didn't mind the fact that she had to carry her skis back up the hill herself... they just didn't get more than 3 tries done each day!!

for a few days, it was very soupy... so much you could hardly see the parking lot down below the tree line and definitely couldn't see the ski slope across to the other side!  

Much to Celebrate

There is much to celebrate and one of those things are cultural differences!

I've been wanting to share a funny story that recently happened this past month.  Remember me telling you about the invitation to learn how to make pirogies?  Well, it happened, but we all had a good laugh.  When I was invited by my friend (Alicjia, the school's principal... a family we've grown to love here) to come on a Friday night, I showed up at her house and the first question she asked me was, "Where is Josh and the girls??!!"  To which I promptly started laughing and said, "OH!  I thought you just wanted "ME"!!"  Cultural difference # 1:  When "you" are invited to someone's house, it is "you" plural, meaning the entire family... not "you" singular!  We had a good laugh and I promptly drove back into town to get Josh and the girls.  Now this leads to cultural difference #2...

Josh had just finished making soup for dinner when I buzzed our door and told them to just throw on coats and boats, since we ALL were suppose to come (she was going to teach me and then everyone would enjoy the goods we made!).  Of course, everyone is in casual clothes.  We got back to her house and when we walked in... another couple (including their son whom I teach) was there!  The fact that there's another couple isn't the cultural difference, but the fact that they are all dressed up is!  Typically, Poles get dressed up when invited over to other people's homes.  This is very common... even among friends.  So here's Josh, in sweats and sweatshirt and the other man, who we are meeting for the first time... is all decked out in a suit and tie!!!  We all had another good laugh as we got to talk about cultural differences once again!  We didn't offend anyone of course, so that was a relief!  The whole "dressing up thing" was experience again a week later when we (FINALLY) had the PE teacher (Bartek, whom I've mentioned before) and his family over.

Having Bartek and his family over with another close family we know here was long overdue.  We planned on an "American" dinner with tacos.  It was a night full of laughter again, because, well, it was just so American!  First, we ate on paper plates because we only own a small number of real plates... so we truly gave them a taste of how we do things in America!  But it wasn't until later that we learned that Bartek had called our good friend (she's Polish, but married to an American) to ask what they should wear (she said casual since that's pretty much how we operate!) and then what they should bring (Josh had told him juice- that's the drink of choice typically... not milk!- at school).  So, they showed up... very nicely dressed and showered us with wine and a dessert!   I love learning cultural differences!

So- that's why I say we have much to celebrate!

Side note- we are now entering a two week Winter Break from school.  We have the privilege to head with a group from Proem to a place called Malenovice in the Czech Republic all of next week.  They go skiing and sledding.  It will be a week filled with much relaxation... which is greatly welcomed.  This past week I was in overload since Josh was sick with bronchitis (now he knows what being indoors for a month is like!), both girls got sick and I had to carry an additional two classes a day because it was Winter Camp out at Zakosciele for Warsaw students and the other gal had to be there all week.  Sadly, Josh had to miss being at camp and working there because of being sick.

So- we head into a holiday on the mend... another enriching camp out at Zako, and I have a lot of fond memories of my last day of school yesterday (before break) because it was a carnival (western themed).  I got to teach a line dance to the children and it was just a great time having fun with all the other teachers.  NO language barrier when you are laughing and smiling and just having a great time.

May this post find you all well!