180 in Poland Blog

Poland Sunday, August 2nd

2009-07-27T06:15:00.000-07:00

This Sunday is Poland Sunday! From 9-10:15 a.m. in room 271 we're going to give you a picture of what God did, plus we're going to dance!

Poland Sunday

2009-07-14T06:03:00.000-07:00

It seems just like yesterday we were leaving our friends and heading to Krakow in the yellow van. Time flies! We are excited to announce that Poland Sunday will be Sunday, August 2nd from 9-10:15 a.m. in room 271 at Southern Gables Church! We can't wait to share with those of you who can make it all that God did on our trip!

Partnering together

2009-07-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest joys of going to Poland is partnering with a local church. This year we worked with a new youth group after having a great 7 years with a church in Zielona Gora. Here is our team at the city square in Skoczów before we left for camp!

Laura is speaking @ Southern Gables

2009-07-10T05:55:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that Laura is getting the chance to speak to our spiritual community this Sunday in our worship services!

WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

I can't wait to hear what she is going to share!

2009 English Camp Group Picture

2009-07-09T06:02:00.000-07:00

Here is our camp picture at the train station for English Camp 2009 Stories!

HOME!

2009-07-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

We're home after an amazing trip! Our flight was awesome! I can't believe it's the first time I've flown Lufthansa over! Goodbye LOT Polish Airlines! We were greeted at the airport by a great group and all of our luggage arrived!

We are so grateful for our experience. More will be coming in the days ahead here as students will be blogging about life after the trip. I am excited to hear how they've changed as a result of what they experienced.

Coming Home

2009-07-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

I am in Krakow right now with the window to my room open and the loud sounds of the city life are picking up as darkness falls. I am so grateful for all that I've had the privilege to see God do the last two weeks the lives of our students! This blog has been an attempt to give you a peek through our window of service here in Poland. We can't wait to come home and tell you more!

If everything goes well we'll be at DIA shortly after 4 and we're looking forward to seeing all of you there to pick us up! Don't forget to check with Lufthansa to find out whether or not our plane is delayed!

We'll see you all in 26 hours!

Goodbye

2009-07-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Last but not least, it’s Jensine!! So, yesterday was our last day with most of the campers from Skoczów and it was a blast… and exhausting. After we got back from our very long train ride, we went straight home with our host families. I was very lucky and very grateful to stay with Daria! When we got to her house, her parents fed me right away! Then she took me around her home town Szczecin and showed me some historical cites and some AMAZING views of the city. She also took to the Czech Republic! I WAS SO EXCITED! We of course had to get some lody (ice cream) before we headed to the campfire. There was so much to do and so many people to hang out with, and not enough time. We played football, baseball, did some crowd breakers, and stood in the Wisla(Vee-swa) river. But I would have to say that my favorite part was getting to eat Kielbasa for dinner and making a very funny video of the song Free Fallin’ with Jen. You will have to see it when we get back! I did not like the end of the campfire though… that’s where the goodbye’s began.
That night I went home with Daria and we had amazing smoothies while getting on facebook really fast to let people know that I am still alive. Today when we got to the church it started to hit me…I was going to have to say goodbye to so many amazing and wonderful people. When we first arrived I was fine. Everyone was laughing and having a good time. Once the vans pulled up I started to tear up immediately, but I didn’t start sobbing until Pryscylla came up to me! I gave her the biggest hug that I could give and the floodgates opened. I could not believe I was leaving all these people. I ended up being the last person in the vans because I was trying to get a picture with everyone I could.
We also had debriefing today which wasn’t easy either. It seemed like I couldn’t NOT cry, but it was very good to talk about what went on with ourselves through this trip. After we got done with debriefing, we went straight for the square for one last time. I was able to experience a lot of things through this trip like building tons of new relationships, realizing what I can do to help build God’s kingdom, ways that I can better my relationship with Christ, and so many other things. But the most important thing that happened this trip was that I found myself. I found more of who I am and I also had a big realization that I wish would have hit me a long time ago. I realized that even though sometimes I may not believe it or feel it, I am beautiful inside and out in God’s eye’s and that’s all that matters. I always knew that in the back of my mind that this was true but I never really believed it… until now. But anyways, WE ARE COMING HOME TOMORROW!!! So I guess I will see you all then, please pray for us and our travels that we all make it home safely. Thanks you all for all of your support and God Bless!
C’YA!!!
P.S. I was just kidding mom and dad about cleaning my room! :P

July 4th in Poland

2009-07-04T04:40:00.000-07:00

We are missing the BBQ's and fireworks today! Today we've had some free time in the morning after several of the students went to the beach to see the sunrise at 4:36 A.M. That's right...as the sun was setting in Littleton it was rising here! During the free time this morning we uploaded some more videos and pictures of our time here at English Camp. We hope you enjoy them! We are cleaning the church right now, packing and heading to the train station around 4 p.m. We board the train at 6 p.m. and will arrive in Skoczów close to 7 a.m. We will be attending church Sunday morning and I get the privilege of preaching. We are excited t have one last chance to talk with the students about the story of God before they leave tomorrow morning!You'll hear from us after church tomorrow!

What REALLY Happens in a Beginner's English Class

2009-07-04T04:08:00.000-07:00

Here is Tifani's class video! It won the crowd over! Andrew, the translator, is one of the pastors of the church we are working with! Tifani, Jon and Allison gave star performances!

No Gas Water Please

2009-07-04T02:52:00.000-07:00

For Oscar night each English class had to create a video or skit for the theme night. Here is a commercial starring Bridget, Jen and Chad speaking Polish. In the commercial they are saying that the world would be a better place if there wasn't any water with "gas!" Bridget is drinking the gas water and Chad is drinking water without "gas." Gas = bubbles! Enjoy! The Polish students were roaring with laughter when we showed this!

Stirred Souls & Changed Hearts

2009-07-04T01:34:00.001-07:00

Hey, it's Justin. Right now I am reflecting over the past seven days and where we have been and where we are. Over the course of this trip we have endured long hours of travel, jet lag, illness, language barriers, an incredibly busy schedule and we are all extremely exhausted. Just thinking about all that we have been through shows me Gods amazing providence and his grace and power working through us on this trip, but what I find truly amazing is not the endurance of difficult circumstance, but how God stirs the souls and changes the heart. The first time I set foot in Poland was as a student in 2001, and I had no idea what to expect, and I was blown away as I experienced God in a real and powerful way. Now that I have returned, assuming the role as a trip leader, I have seen God move again in a real and powerful way, both in myself and in the lives of our students. Seldom does God work in us the way that we expect him to, and even more seldom does he make such a process easy or comfortable. The greatest work God has done for me in Poland is showing me how to sacrificially live life in his service on behalf of others by giving the same grace and love He has given me. This is not easy, it is not comfortable and is not what I was expecting, but he is continuing the work he has started in me eight years ago, and I know he will be faithful to complete it. Leading has pushed me to understand grace and love to a much greater extent both in my own life and in the life of others, and just like he did eight years ago, God has once again moved in me in a real and powerful way. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Gospel Night @ English Camp

2009-07-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

Day Seven! I can’t believe that we’ve already arrived at our finally day of English classes. When this morning opened up, we were told that following breakfast we would be holding classes on the beach. It truly was a delight, despite the fact that we weren’t able to focus much on the lessons. So, as not to fight the urge to have every topic in today’s lesson be completed to perfection or have those in my beginner’s class recite their beloved idioms, I chose instead to have them absorb the thrill of playing Ultimate Spoons on the beach!

The real thrill from today, however, came from the camps traditional soccer match between Poland and the United States. It was quite the first-time experience for me. Though we lost the game (1-6), nothing could have made the experience more pleasing than seeing Polish cheerleaders hooting and hollering for Team U.S.A. When we arrived back at camp, we were able to teach them the Cha Cha Slide and expose them to our classic smores. This day, America day, was exciting even for us because it was a refreshing reminder of what we miss so very much….home.

Once the evening program had begun, I was lost for words upon seeing how powerful the voices throughout the room were when we began to sing praises to God. To say the least, they were quite different than the faint voices we heard within the beginning days of camp. As Dan’s talk had come to a close, he begged the question to everyone in the room, “Do you want your story to be a part of God’s story”? Nearly an hour later, the room was and still remained full of the students and leaders. The only difference was that in place of blank faces and stares, there were tears. These student’s had been touched and, I feel, their lives had been dramatically impacted. I was proud to be a witness to what happened here in Swinoujscie. As much as I can’t wait to go home and see friends and family that have been on my mind day and night, I am grieved knowing that there will come a time to say good-bye to these wonderful new friends and family here with me now. Nevertheless, life goes on and I thank God every day that He is the keeper of my tomorrow.

Oh my! It’s 1:30 in the morning and Dan’s waiting to post this! Thus, to bed it is; for in less than three hours, we are going to the beach to watch the beauty of His majesty as the sun rises on the waters of the Baltic Sea. Thanks all for your constant prayers and support. Love always and forever.

Polska 6 - USA 1

2009-07-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

Today we lost to Poland in our soccer match 6 to 1. Tifani came up with our lone goal of the game and Jensine made around 15 saves or the score would have been much worse.

Oscar Night in Poland

2009-07-02T16:13:00.001-07:00

Hey, it’s Jonny! What is up my English speaking peepizmos?! This place is crazy, in a great way though. Today was officially our last “normal” day. The morning started out with a great breakfast, who knew the Polish liked chocolate and cookie cereal every day?! *hint hint mom and dad*. English lessons were next and over the past week I have had an incredible experience with these kids. For part of our class we prepared a special video for “Oscar Night”, but we’ll get back to that later. Free time was amazing, the Poles were all taught a very special sport, American football, and they loved every minute of it. And, not surprisingly, they happen to be very good at it. For sports we ended up playing paintball, just. . . without the ball. I guess you could call it paint squirt but it ended up being an awesome game. For dinner we were treated with Greek Salad and Kielbasa sausages, and what meal is complete in Poland without bread and toppings? The evening program tonight was one of the most crucial on the trip. Tonight Dan introduced Jesus into God’s story. This element possesses so much potential as to change the way one thinks. Jadon shared a personal story and told everyone how Jesus had touched him in a great way. As discussion groups began to speak, Justin suggested our team pray for the groups’ conversations and that tonight, unbelievers would be impacted in a serious way. “Oscar Night” followed the evening program which was , in the word’s of the Polish, really fun “foshizzle”. In this night, each English class gave a presentation of a skit or video. There weren’t any real specifications but each one was filled with loads of comedy, I don’t think the laughter stopped once during the entirety of the presentations. Later, I was surprised to find out we would all be learning how to “Cha-Cha” dance, and despite my inability to move to a beat, the fun never stopped. All in all, today has been one of my greatest experiences in Poland and I’m so glad God sent us here. I hope this summary finds all of you doing well and Mom. . . I don’t think I made my bed before I left. I love you all and Brianne I’m sorry I couldn’t be home to see you, I can’t wait to see my mountains again!!! BYE!

Pictures

2009-07-02T07:38:00.003-07:00

We've loaded up some new pictures from the past two days! Check them out on the side bar!

Lighthouse, Pizza & Kielbasa

2009-07-01T14:37:00.000-07:00

Hey, it’s Allison!!! Today we had a break from our English classes and took a trip to the tallest lighthouse in Europe! We took a ferry, a bus and there was a lot of walking involved. Everyone is exhausted, but we had a great time. After we visited the lighthouse, we had some amazing pizza for lunch at a restaurant. Then we had some free time to go shopping in town and hang out with the campers. During the evening program Dan talked about the plagues in Egypt, the Ten Commandments, and the prophets foretelling of the coming Messiah who would be the eternal King that would save their people. Mekayla shared a story tonight about her grandpa and it was awesome. During the second part of discussion the Poland team went outside and prayed around the church for the campers and everyone else included with the camp. Then, we took a mini trip to Germany which is about 2 minutes away from the church while the discussion groups finished. For dinner, we sat around the campfire eating kielbasa and some “American junk food” such as pop and chips. It was very good! We are ending the night with some games and relaxing with having fun with everyone. Dad, Mom, Joel, and Sidney, I miss you! See you in a week!!!

Hi from Świnoujście

2009-07-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

Water sliding into the Baltic Sea

2009-07-01T00:25:00.000-07:00

Hey it’s Erica! Today it’s Tuesday the 30th and we are half way through camp…it’s so crazy to think about! I have been really enjoying English class with Jensine and Jadon! It feels like the students are really starting to get engaged in the class activities, which is really exciting! Today the weather was sunny for the first time it feels like, so we were able to go down to the beach and play in the water and Chad taught some of the guys how to play baseball. It was fun to play with all of them…on the beach especially! We then had “water day” at the beach playing water balloon toss with beach towels and sliding down the HUGE slip n slide on soap into the water. In our evening program, Dan talked about Abraham and the story of Abraham and Issac. The students really seemed to be moved by it. We then had a question and answer time using questions from a question box that students filled throughout this week called “talk back.” All three of the pastors (Dan, Adam and Andrew) answered the questions. Tonight seemed, for me, to be the most difficult night of our trip thus far. I really needed that extra push to keep going when it really felt like students are not responding as well as I thought they would to my efforts of friendship. I was really breaking down emotionally it seemed. So I pulled out a letter from my sister Valerie that told me that she wrote it because she knew that today was going to be a difficult one for me and that when we feel so cast down we must keep going. It was so crazy that those words were totally how I was feeling. That is why, for heaven’s sake, we must delight in weakness, in hardships and trials, for when we are weak, and then we are strong. I can’t wait to see what God has planned for the rest of the week!

You Can Call Me "Super Bird"

2009-06-29T14:16:00.000-07:00

Hey all, it is Jen! We have been having a really great trip and we appreciate your continued prayers! Today was our third day at English camp and it started out with our English classes. I am teaching the higher, and bigger, of the two intermediate classes (with my helpers Bridget and Chad). When we had our first day of lessons, it did not go as well as I would have liked and I was really discouraged. I really saw God work through my prayers as the second day of class went so much better! I had much more fun and I am hoping that the students did as well. After our classes, we had three hours of free time. This was a great chance for us to explore the town more and eat some Polish food, which is always awesome!

We then went to the beach for our team games. My team name is the “Green Machine” and we are dominating! Whoo! Our team cheer is “Green Machine, Green Machine! You can’t stop the Green Machine!” and it seems to be coming true, so hopefully this continues! The times on the beach, when we are playing sports, have been great opportunities to reach out and bond with the students.

We then went to our evening program where Dan introduced sin through the story of Adam and Eve disobeying God in the Garden of Eden and then the Flood. We were excited to talk about this subject so hopefully this message will resonate with the students. Several of the discussion groups ran late during the discussion.

We ended the night with my favorite part: Superhero Night! Bridget did an amazing job leading this night and everyone had a great time. We played games with our teams and I even got wrapped in toilet paper and became Super Bird. It was awesome! I feel like this was the first night that we were able to really connect with the students and I loved that. We are so excited to see where God takes the rest of this camp! Thanks so much for your prayers. Dad, Mom, Em, and Sarah, I love you...btw, no postcard is coming!!!

Seeing God in Unexpected Ways

2009-06-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, it’s Chad. It is Monday night and I just wanted to share with you how I have seen God working while I have been here. As many of you may know, I got very sick on the way to camp on the train and all of Saturday. I was sitting in the hall on the train and had been in and out of the bathroom and one of the pastors of the Polish church we are working with came up to me. He put his hand on my shoulder and, in Polish, he began to pray. He was praying for me and my health. I had known Adam, one of the pastors, for only a day, but that did not matter to him. His prayer for me, even though I could not understand it, showed a tremendous amount of compassion and concern for me. I have never experienced something like that. I was very encouraged by this and thanked God for showing me his love through Adam.

Aloha from Poland

2009-06-28T14:18:00.000-07:00

Hey it’s Mekayla! Today is Sunday July 27th, and we had a great day with the Polish students at camp. We had sports time at the beach where we made our team flags and played with this giant blue ball. After sports we had our first English class. So far the lessons went well, but pray that the students will be able to feel more comfortable with us so that they will participate more. In our evening program Dan told two stories about God creating the angels, earth and the first humans. Several of the students were interacting in their discussion groups afterwards! Tonight we had our Hawaiian Theme Night which was a big success. The Poles loved the leis, Limbo, crab soccer, and dancing to Hawaiian music. We finished off the night watch the USA vs. Brazil match while listening to Chad's country music on his iPod. Overall, we have had an awesome start to our camp and we hope the rest will continue to get even better!

Pictures

2009-06-28T06:54:00.001-07:00

We've got pictures up on the sidebar of our trip! Check them out!

English Camp 2009 - Day 1

2009-06-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

Hey it’s Laura!!!!!! So today and yesterday we were on a fourteen hour train ride. From the earlier blog you know that several of the team members got sick on this train trip. For those of us not sick, sleep was almost impossible with train cabins filled with seven or eight people and checking in on those who were sick making sure they had water and easy access to the bathrooms. Most of us got an hour or two of sleep. It was so amazing when the Polish students found out about our sick ones and began praying for them in English as well as Polish in groups with us. An update about everyone, Chad was in bed all day but was able to keep down water and a Gatorade as well as Jen and Mekayla. Jen and Mekayla were up and about between naps and lead the games tonight at camp. Today was our first day of camp and it is nice having a small group of about 50 campers so friendships are forming fast! Once we received our room arrangements (boys on bottom floor and girls in balcony and rooms upstairs) we settled in and went on an outing to the beach! It was so much fun to see the Baltic Sea. The water is cold but the sand is really soft. There we played some volleyball in groups and had a great time doing it. Dan’s talk was really good and I thought it was received well. He spoke about how our stories are very little but are a part of a bigger story, THE STORY. I am so encouraged seeing how the Polish students have received us so far and I am so excited to see what God does in everyone’s heart throughout this week. Love you Mom, Dad, bro’s and family! Thank you for your prayers. I will see you in about a week and I have tons of funny stories to share!

Sick in Świnoujście

2009-06-27T05:10:00.000-07:00

We made it to camp this morning after a 14 hour train ride. 5 of our team members became really sick on the train: ME (Dan), Justin, Mekayla, Chad and Jen. Chad and Mekayla and Justin were hit with the worst of what we believe was food poisoning. I am staying back with Chad and Mekayla right now as the entire camp is at the Baltic Sea. Please pray for Chad and Mekayla as they rest. Justin, Jen and myself are feeling better. Chad and Mekayla are both feeling better and need a good night of sleep. WE ALL NEED A GOOD NIGHT OF SLEEP! Although last night was tough for our team I am so proud of the way they handled it. Everyone was caring for each other and it was awesome to watch them serve each other.

We'll have a student blog tonight! We have WiFi at the church so you'll be hearing from us everyday until July 4th! Have a great Saturday! Tonight I begin my series of 7 messages on The Story of God! PRAY for God to begin move in the hearts of the students at camp! THANKS!

Wake Up! Wake Up! - Camp Song

2009-06-27T02:41:00.000-07:00

Our camp song this year is by Everyday Sunday! Camp starts today!

Here are the lyrics

Feels like I’m going through the motions in the dark
In a world that leaves me with an uninspired heart

All I know is I’m so tired
Living life I barely feel
Give me hope, give me fire
Give me something real

Cause I don’t wanna keep sleepwalkin’ through
Endless days I’ve had enough of
Going nowhere, God I want to
Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

It’s now or never come and pull me from this dream
Where everything is colorless and nothing’s what it seems

I believe only You
Can make me come alive
Help me be so consumed
Open up my eyes

Half asleep
I’m so bored
Counting sheep

Skoczów & Traveling to Camp

2009-06-26T04:47:00.000-07:00

We are in Skoczów! Pronounced "sko-chewf!" We stayed in a hotel last night that had bathrooms in the hallway! That was interesting! :) Today we are at the church working on camp. Our students are meeting with Polish students working in their various areas of responsibility. The team is doing extremely well and really adjusting to the crazy schedule. The Polish youth group is very energetic and several of them are deeply in love with Jesus. It's been awesome to watch our students interact with them yesterday and today. Our students are excited that we are having pizza for lunch!

At 6:15 p.m. Poland time we head to camp in Świnoujście! We have a 13 hour train ride of ahead of us! We should be to the camp around midnight MST on Friday after we cross the water to the city! :) It will be interesting to see who actually sleeps on the train sitting up the whole time. Poor Justin, he has the longest legs! When we get to camp we have 16 hours a day of programmed activities for seven straight days!

The pizza is here! I am out! Have a great day!!!!! - Dan

Auschwitz & Travel to Skoczow

2009-06-26T04:45:00.000-07:00

Hi it’s Bridget! WE ARE HAVING AN AWESOME TIME!!! Today is Thursday the 25. This morning we had to say good bye to Dan and Laura Hash and Alice Robbins to go off to meet the English camp leaders. Before we did that we went to Auschwitz. It was a rough but interesting experience. I know that we all learned a lot and will be able to grow from it. After that we met all of the Polish youth group leaders in Skoczow that will help us at camp and had a blast practicing the camp song and getting to know more about them. We are getting really excited to go off to English camp tomorrow, I hope all is well there, we miss you all.

Krakow

2009-06-26T04:38:00.000-07:00

Hey it’s Jadon!!! We were in Krakow with the rest of the American and Canadian students and leaders who are working with Josiah Venture. There are five English Camps taking place this week! Dan and Laura Hash and Alice Robbins were all with us to talk about what we would be doing at the English camp. After several sessions of prep time we were finished for the day and went shopping in an indoor market in Krakow. After supper we went back into Krakow square and walked around… and ate ice cream… and watched break dancing. It was an awesome day and we are all really excited to be here. We will see you all in a little more than a week… so bye for now!!!

Flight delayed in Germany!

2009-06-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

Our flight has been delayed here in Germany due to the wind! Only one runway is open for the whole airport!

It's not LSD

2009-06-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

We had an interesting flight to Germany on our sweet Airbus because of the Rugby team from Georgia, not the state trust me. These massive mounds of flesh couldn't fit in their seats so they were constantly walking around the cabin hitting on women and asking me if I played for the Denver Broncos because I was wearing my sweet Broncos shirt! I had fun explaining to them why a 5 foot 8 inch red head could not play in the NFL.

When it was time to start taking Melatonin, to help us sleep, one of the Rugby players asked Jensine, as she was passing it out if it was LSD! She informed the massive man that it was a "legal" sleeping aid and that it wasn't LSD!

We are excited to see what team we have on our next flight from Frankfurt to Krakow!

History of Poland in 10 Minutes

2009-06-19T12:05:00.001-07:00

This video is worth the 10 minutes! It's a good summary of the history of Poland!

Stories - Camp 2009

2009-06-18T06:25:00.000-07:00

We are heading to Poland on Monday! Our theme for camp is going to be Stories. We are so excited to share The Story of God at camp! We are making final preparations! We are so excited!

We're coming back!

2008-10-31T07:16:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce that we are going to Poland during the summer of 2009!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Video on Youtube

2007-08-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

It was cool today to get on youtube and search for English Camps and find our videos. Great job DAVE!

I watched them all and had so many memories flash before me.

What a great trip! To the group in ZG...we loved our time with you!

Polish President in the USA

2007-07-26T12:51:00.000-07:00

We've been home a little over two weeks and I found out today from this article that the Polish President was in the USA on July 16th!

I had no clue.

Did you?

Is Poland the Rodney Dangerfield of the nations as the author suggests?

The Tuna Report

2007-07-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in our Sunday morning worship services Tuna got the opportunity to speak in front of the church and give a brief report of our trip! He did a great job giving an overview of what we did and talked about how he saw God working through the relationships that were being built during pre-camp and camp!

I want to thank Scott, our worship leader, for making this possible. It was the first time we've done this in our services and I think it's a great way to give the community a quick update and thank them for their support! I love Scott's commitment towards involving all ages in our worship services!

We're HOME!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-07-11T07:53:00.000-07:00

We made it home and only had one bag not get on the flight from Chicago to Denver. Sorry Sweeney! We had a great trip over. Several of our girls were wired most of the flight and provided some great entertainment! In Chicago we had a 45 minute delayed and after all was said and done I laid down my head around 2:45 a.m.

More to come this week after the fog has lifted!

We're coming home

2007-07-09T22:29:00.000-07:00

We are coming home!!! In a little over 24 hours our team will be landing at DIA! The team is upstairs eating breakfast and their is a buzz in the air. We are heading into Krakow for one last trip and some lunch. Our flight from Krakow to Chicago leaves at 4:00 p.m.

We'll be in Denver at 11:56 p.m.

We will keep adding things to this blog in the next few weeks so don't think it's over!!!!!!

Debriefing the trip

2007-07-09T22:24:00.000-07:00

Monday night was the highlight of the trip for me. We spent almost 6 hours debriefing the trip. We had an amazing meal at a really nice place and came home to Dan and Laura's to finish up. God moved in many significant ways in the lives of our students. Will, Dave, Julie, Molly and myself had the great privilege of getting a front row seat to hear all about the work of God in their lives. It was amazing. I can't wait for their parents to hear these stories!

Camp Video No. 4

2007-07-09T06:47:00.000-07:00

We were hoping to get this video finished before camp ended, but technical difficulties prevented us from doing so. In any case, here you are.

The Polish National Anthem

2007-07-09T02:01:00.000-07:00

This is Dave. At one point during this trip, Dan Hash told us that the Polish National Anthem is a car alarm. In 14 years of living he has had his car(s) broken into 14 times (and all of them have had car alarms).

In the past two weeks, I've heard more car alarms go off than I have in the past year, living in the states. Perhaps the makers of "The Club" need to expand their demographics to include Poland.

Hello from Train Station

2007-07-09T01:52:00.000-07:00

We recorded this video just before we boarded our sleeper train from Swinoujscie to Katowice - where we are now. We had three rooms: two slept 6; and Julie & Rachel shared a 3-bed "suite" with another woman who boarded at midnight.

To give you an idea of space: the beds were three on each side of an isle 2 feet wide. We also had to make room for our luggage. Most of us had a backpack, suitcase and an extra piece of luggage containing camp supplies. It was tight, but I think most of us were tired enough to get at least a few good hours of sleep.

Right now we are at the Hash's. We have a huge meal planned this afternoon with tons of meat - enough to offset 8 straight days of bread and toppings!

Reflection on how God is moving in Poland

2007-07-08T04:36:00.001-07:00

This Bethany and this is part 2 (kinda) of my post from last night. It's basically my thoughts on how I have seen God moving in Poland while on this trip.

Overall as a team we are very tired, more like exhausted. I’m sure you can see from our pictures, but I can truly say that I and the others on this team have not only bonded in an amazing way but we have poured everything we have into these students. God is doing amazing things. I will share one brief example:

Thursday of this week was a hard day. I really see it as the turning point when I look at it now. I hadn’t really bonded with any of the students. I had no idea where God wanted to use me. I was really struggling with just wanting to be home and give up on, what I saw as, pointless investing in the lives of the Poles. But last night during Gospel night I asked God to use me. I didn’t want to be on the sidelines. I wanted to see God work in an awesome way. And I can honestly say He did.

I was sitting with the group of students that I have come to know best. Then Julie asked me to go sit with a girl named Asia (Asha), who was talking to Dan Boyer. I was somehow able to work my way into the conversation and we talked for 2 ½ hours. It was awesome! She is not a Christian but I know God has definitely planted a seed; and it has been awesome to watch our relationship grow and develop. It is hard that we are leaving [today] because these people have become so dear to me. But I am CONFIDENT that God will work whether or not we’re here; that we’ll get to meet some of these awesome students in heaven! I am praying daily for Asia and I am so grateful that you all are partnering in prayer with us. Even though the tough part of our trip is wrapping up there is still so much to pray about. There are many students in which truth was planted and we will keep praying that God grows that and nurtures it till it’s ripe for the picking.

One last thing, this week has been so much harder than I initially expected. I have truly struggled with giving my everything to be here. On Wednesday Dan reminded us of the hundreds of people that are praying for us and it was the most motivating thing I have ever heard. Thank you so much for praying. Knowing it moves me to tears to think of those of you who have committed to pray for us! How awesome is our God. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, I say THANK YOU!

Sunday Morning in Swinoujscie

2007-07-08T04:33:00.000-07:00

We recorded this video this morning during the service at the church we have been using this week. We wanted to give you a brief glimpse of what we were experiencing this morning. (In case you can't quite hear the song, it's "Forever," being sung in Polish.

Day 7

2007-07-07T16:06:00.000-07:00

Today (well actually now it's yesterday) has been awesome! We have done so much and had awesome time to bond with the Poles. Oh and by the way hi, this is Bethany…I finally get to blog. We woke up to breakfast . . . hmm, I wonder what it was? Oh yeah the same as everyday morning and night . . . bread and toppings! Can I just say that most of us would be ok if we never saw another piece of bread.

We got to go to Germany today! It was so fun. We left the church at about 10 and had 4 hours to see Ahlbeck. All of the Americans got stopped and received stamps in their passports (yay for more stamps). We then got to hang out in Germany. It was beautiful! I know it is only 3 km from where we are staying but it feel completely different. It’s so clean and pristine, very touristy, beautiful flowers and great bratwurst.

We got so many chances to just hang out with Polish students today. It is so cool to look around camp and know that I know something about every person here. Whether it was just a two-minute conversation or days of getting to know each other. After Germany we came back to “dinner” (lunch) and then English class. This was our last class and I think everyone had a great week.

We then went to supper and evening program. Rachel and Boris (a Polish student who came to Christ last year) shared their testimonies tonight. It was so encouraging for everyone to hear the reality of God in two very different lives. They did a great job and I think it really touched the Polish students. Tonight was 60’s night and it was so much fun. The Poles put it together this year and we all got dressed up, did the twist, swing-danced to 60’s music and did Karaoke. We are currently hanging out until our late bedtime of 2 am . . .

Video Hello from the Poland Team, Part 2

2007-07-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

We recorded this video today during our day trip to Ahlbeck, Germany.

Tonight

2007-07-07T00:48:00.000-07:00

This is Dave and I wanted to give you a quick update. We're just beginning our last full day of English Camp here in Poland. Tonight Dan will be talking about the presence and power Jesus offers to the students. Many of them are in different places after last night. This morning we decided that during the evening program we will be having one American student, Rachel, and one of the Polish leaders, Boris, share their journey with the group. Please pray that this evening goes well and that God will speak through each of these individuals.

Video Hello from the Poland Team

2007-07-07T00:43:00.000-07:00

We recorded this video just before we boarded our "cruise ship" (as Molly described it in her post; when, in reality, it was more like a passenger ferry). Just wanted to say "Hi" from Poland.

Gospel Night

2007-07-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is Molly. Wow, what a day! I am only beginning to process everything that has happened over the course of the day. Today brought many special things: military day, an all day-trip in Swinoujscie, and most importantly Gospel night.

After our daily morning program, we loaded up our bus and got on a ferry and spent all day bonding while discovering some of the old history and natural beauty of Poland. From climbing the steps to the top of an old lighthouse, to enjoying a couple hours on a cruise ship, to strolling through the streets of Swinoujscie; everyone found plenty of time to continue building relationships. Today was a great time to make our acquaintances our friends, and to allow our friendships to delve to a deeper level. For me, the day-trip provided a nice break from teaching English and opened up time to invest in the Polish students, which is where my heart feels most satisfied and passionate.

We returned to the church (where we are living for the week) for another course of bread and toppings (at this point, I think I may be the only American left who still looks forward to eating this daily favorite!). Then we proceeded with our evening program, in which Julie and I got to do a skit for all the students…speaking only Polish—what fun! Then Przemek presented the gospel, sharing the story of our Lord, our Master, our Savior, and our loving Father. Following the message, students were invited to stay in the room and sit/talk/pray/think/listen in response to the words they had just heard.

Emotions were high and tears were plentiful, but most importantly God was here, alive and moving. My heart breaks for so many young lives that are lost, empty, lonely, and confused. As I looked around the room it was so encouraging to see God working through all of our American students and leaders and really grabbing at the hearts of so many of the Polish youth. Truly powerful—we have come, and we will go, but God will remain! This night was huge in shaping the experience of students here—Polish and American alike. I am emotionally and spiritually zapped, but at the same time rejuvenated after tonight’s happenings. Tonight was the culmination of so many conversations and prayers and it was also the beginning of something beautiful. I am so excited to see what God has in store for the last bit of time here. Thank you for your prayers and love!

English Camp Video No. 3

2007-07-06T14:39:00.000-07:00

Enjoy.

Poland Video No. 2

2007-07-05T15:50:00.001-07:00

Ok, here it is, the second video of English Camp. However, i feel that this video may need a bit of a disclaimer. The last section of the video simply says, "Bench." This is a game that apparently is very popular at English Camp.

Basically, you take three unsuspecting volunteers and take them out into the hallway, telling them the answer they should give to a series of yes-no questions. What follows is a succession of actions that leads the volunteer to believe that he/she is going to get kissed on stage. When what happens is . . . well, you'll see.

English Camp - Day 5

2007-07-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

This is Rachel and I felt the most tired today than any other day this week. It seems like my lack of sleep is catching up with me and I am exhausted. It rained almost all day today, which forced us to stay inside. One highlight of the day happened this morning:

We played a practical joke on one of the Polish students who slept through breakfast. We pretended that he had slept for so long that it was time for us to leave on the bus. Half of us went into the bus and the other half got their luggage and started packing it under the bus. His roommates woke him up to tell him that we were leaving. Then he came running out of his room carrying his bag. We all loaded up on the bus and started driving away. We went about ten feet then backed up. Everyone started laughing.

Today during free time, instead of playing games at the beach some people watched a movie. I went into town with a group of people. One exciting way I see God moving is with the Polish Christians at this camp. Last night I talked with someone who was not a Christian last year and now is. During our time in town I talked with another Pole about their faith.

The topic for evening program was about failure. Dan’s message was heavy and deep. I am looking forward to asking my roommates what they thought about it.

After the session our team got together for a discussion on how we are doing. I think our team is bonding well and we are able to share honestly. We hope to continue pressing on and working on the relationships we have been building through out this week.

Will da Beast gets worked

2007-07-05T10:15:00.001-07:00

Big thanks to Cale for this nickname! There is no question that I’ve been throwing my weight around on the soccer field and the football field. This trip has been great. Not having a Starbucks to satisfy my caffeine addiction, I’ve found a nice lady across the street from the church that’s been throwing her weight around. I’ve seen her at least twice a day for an ice cold Coke. She’s the only seller, out of the five who sell Coke, who has ICE COLD COKE. I am usually buying 2 or 3 at a time for others and myself.

I find when I bust out the cash that I start getting worked. She’ll give me less back than expected, hoping I am one of those Americans who doesn’t care about change. Well I wasn’t the greatest math student, but it’s pretty obvious she’s trying to work me over. She knows she owns me.

Another one of her tactics is to hesitate in making change and offering me another Coke, Sprite or a piece of beef jerky to make up the difference. She doesn’t get me with the extra drink but she up-sells me on the beef laying out on the table that I can smell. It’s like she knows me. There’s no question in my mind I’ve paid her rent this week! Here’s to this lady saying, “GO BIG RED” before the end of the week!

Day 4

2007-07-05T04:53:00.000-07:00

Hello from Poland! This is Clare. So I am going to talk about day four. My day started at a blurry-eyed 8:00 in the morning. So that would have been about midnight, Colorado time. I literally stumbled down the stairs and took a four-minute lukewarm shower. Breakfast was at 8:30 and as usual it was bread and toppings with an optional bowl of the most bizarre mixture of American cereals. (Raisin Bran, Cocoa Puffs, some flaky stuff…) After a brief morning session we strolled over to the beach. It was a little overcast and looked like it might start raining. I did not bring my swimsuit. We were ready for a rematch in football. No, not European football but AMERICAN football!!! We won. Oh, and about half way through the game guess what decided to show up??? The sun. Remember I said that I did not bring my swimsuit. Oh yeah I have been at the beach for two of our four days and I STILL haven’t been in the water.

After the game and time at the beach we came back with about thirty minutes until lunch, which was 1:30 p.m. So, after asking half the camp and none wanting to come with us, we left and found some food. (Polish pizza and for me coffee) The rest of the day is a blur as it went so quickly. In my opinion the cherry on top to an excellent day was worship at our evening program. Our worship team has meshed with the Polish team and it is so much fun. We ended worship with Holy is the Lord by Chris Tomlin and it left me with a sense of a good day done. Well now it is time to go build bonds with Polish students…. perhaps an intense game of spoons…. We’ll see.

Futbol amerykański

2007-07-05T00:58:00.001-07:00

Since it was the 4th of July we decided it would be good to head to the beach and play some Futbol amerykański (American football for the lay person). It went really well. Will da Beast was coaching the Polish Team on how to play offense and defense. Most of the students had never played and enjoyed it. Of course, we LOVED IT!!!!!!!

Highlights from the game:

- Rachel Miedema laid a killer block on a girl.

- Boyer caught a deep pass from Will da Beast.

- Tuna threw some great passes.

- Sweeney played center and got nailed several times.

- Dan and Will da Beast definitely feel old after a soccer match and a football game. Our knees are killing us!

- Will da Beast DROPPED two Polish students...and I mean DROPPED them hard into the sand. He took a couple of cocky dudes and they ate some sand! The guy loves throwing around his weight.

- Stephen got to throw some passes.

- The weather started off cool and then the sun broke out for about 2 hours!

- There were a lot of ships on the sea.

- Teaching the Polish students to throw a spiral with a football.

Idioms - Who's learning English?

2007-07-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

Oh my! Today I (Dan) walked around the classes to get a few quick video clips for our camp videos! Just as I walked into a class I heard a class them talking about idioms. Cool. But...then I heard this idiom come out of an American's mouth, "Sow your wild oats!" In my mind, I was saying, "What did that American from Southern Gables just say?" Sure enough that's what was said. Then I listened to the description of the idiom and they were talking about investing money.

I lost it!

I was laughing so hard. The Polish students were wondering why I was laughing so I told them what it meant...in a GODLY WAY! It's Wednesday baby and that one can't be blamed on jet-lag!

Who's learning English?

Poland Video No. 1

2007-07-04T03:44:00.001-07:00

Ok, here’s the first video. Hopefully, it will work fine. However, if you have troubles, please note this with a comment on this post. I may not be able to help directly (obviously), but I’ve asked Jon Green to check occasionally to make sure people can view the video.

A German Vendor Learns How to Sell to Americans

2007-07-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

Dave here. Right across the street from the church is the Promanad (mentioned in Jensine’s posting), along which are many shops where vendors sell everything from Clothing to Kielbasa. On our first day here, Will discovered that one of these vendors - a German woman - kept a few Cokes in the bottom of her cooler (cold beverages are not really a priority in Poland).

He shared this with us and yesterday he ventured to the same stand, along with Dan, Julie and myself. We were saddened to learn that she only had one Coke in the fridge. Alas, three of us had to settle for lukewarm soda this particular afternoon. And you know what the Bible says about being lukewarm . . .

Today, I stayed behind (at the church) while the camp went off to the beach (more on why in a sec.). Well, I just returned from across the street . . . and I can’t wait to tell Will, Dan and Julie that she has at least 20 Cokes in the bottom of her fridge today!

The reason I stayed behind today is that I’m working on a video that we plan on showing to the camp later tonight. And, if you stay tuned, you may get a preview of this video as I am hoping to make it our first video blog posting of the trip. Although the “stay tuned” probably only applies if you’re one of those 4AM early-risers :-)

Soccer Match 2007

2007-07-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

It's Julie! Well… including today’s game, my record in the Poland vs. America soccer match is now 1-4 (and I’m pretty sure that we only won my first year because of some poor planning by the Polish coach leaving their star players out too long). For those of you that know me, you know that I don’t like to lose very much! However, when it comes to this game every year, the fact that I know we are going down seems to lessen the blow. The Poles grow up playing soccer (a lot of kicking), and Americans grow up playing football or softball (a lot of throwing – and that’s right- I said softball not baseball).

I had the honor again of being the goalie. The flailing all over the place was much kinder on my body this year seeing as last year we played on pavement and this year we got to play on the BEACH!!! How cool is that? Unfortunately, I don’t think that the sand improved my ability to stop the puka (ball) from traveling past me. Our team had a fine showing though. We scored the first goal, and then a huge portion of the first half past with the score of 2-2. Soon though, the Poles put in the Socha brothers (pastor of the church we work with and his two bros) and the ball began to look like a rocket that I just couldn’t seem to catch. We had the game early this year because Dan Hash was here. He, although the oldest member of our team, is the best player, and the Poles took pity on us and let us have the game today. Tuna and Molly were terrific on the offensive side, and Jensine is surprisingly aggressive on defense. Will, who had no experience playing soccer, decided that throwing his weight around was going to be his area of expertise. Phat (Cale) scored a goal, Cheetoh (Luebcke) scored two, Chatterbox (Boyer) got one and B.W. (Will) got one.

Hello to all of my family and friends. Thank you for praying for our team. I love you all!

Day 3 @ Camp

2007-07-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!!! I am having a wonderful time in Poland. I am meeting so many new people and I am experiencing so many new and wonderful things!!! I think that all of the new food that I have tried has been so amazing and wonderful…well for the most part!!! JUST KIDDING!!! Today was so much fun because we went to the beach and had a soccer game…U.S.A. vs. Polska. Jennifer made all of the “jerseys” for the team and my name was “Miss Congeniality”! We also went to this one place called The Promanad, which is a little street mall that is really close to the beach. Also, the English class that Dave, Cale, and I are teaching is going really well. I feel like the students are starting to get the hang of the of our language. I just want to say thank you to everyone who is supporting the team. We couldn’t do it if it wasn’t for all your prayers!!! So thanks again…and we’ll see you soon!!! Love you all!!!

Day 2 @ Camp

2007-07-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, this is Jen Carpenter! I hope everything back in the US is going well. I am going to tell you all about the second day at camp, which was much less stressful than the day that we arrived. We were able to regroup and begin to feel how the rest of the week was going to be. I am rooming in a rather small room above the sanctuary with about 15 or so other girls. It has been fun to meet them all and I really feel like I connected with a few of them last night around midnight before going to sleep! Haha. The Polish students are very kind and open to the Americans and it has been a great experience to meet them, so I can’t wait to see how the rest of the week will play out.

Today, the second day of camp, was also our first day of English class. I am helping Will G. teach the level four English class. Today was a lot of fun and I am really excited to get to know the kids in my class better because they are a quality group. Because I am in a higher class, our English class is more conversationally-oriented, so it is very nice to be able to talk to the Polish students without being hindered by the language barrier. In my class, Will has the students do push-ups if they ever speak Polish or if they speak when we (the teachers) are talking. The leading student is up to 105 push-ups. It is very fun to be in his class!

Besides English class and midnight talks, the rest of the group is connecting with the Polish students through volleyball and fun card games. I would still greatly appreciate your prayer for our group. I feel that I am unable to really get involved in the Poles’ activities at times and I know that other members of the team feel that way too, so prayer for that would be awesome! I can’t wait to see how the rest of English class is going to go, but I am sure I will have many stories to tell you all! If my family is reading this, I love you all!

Thank you so much for your constant prayers!

Communion 6,600 miles away

2007-07-03T07:30:00.000-07:00

Hey this is Dan Boyer sending this to you after possibly the coolest experience I have ever had. Yesterday morning we went to church in Zielona Gora on Communion Sunday. It was nothing short of amazing to take communinon with brothers and sisters in Poland. That experience just ministered to my soul. Knowing that God is in Poland and is still the same for the people here as at home is kind of the pinnacle of spiritual community.

The church service was also phenomenal. Hearing Mariusz speak in Polish and then hearing his words translated into English was awesome. Cale got up and spoke about our church. Dan preached from Matthew 1.

Another experience I will take home with me is the music and songs from Sunday. Hearing and singing the same songs with the Poles singing in Polish and the Americans singing in English was just amazing.

These experiences filled me with a sense of how much God is active and not just watching on the sidelines. Which is something I tend to lose focus on in the states but becomes obvious over here. Thank you once again for all your prayers which truly mean so much to all of us.

Will da Beast

2007-07-02T22:52:00.000-07:00

Meet the Will da Beast. AKA Will Gosch, one of our trip leaders. Will received this lovely nickname from Tuna (Cale, if you haven't been tracking with the blog). Will has set a new standard for being an English teacher.

If a student speaks Polish or interrupts in his English class they do five push ups. Jacek nailed down 105 push ups on the first day of class which was Monday. Apparently Will's military training is coming in handy!

Later that night, at a random point during the evening meeting, we heard a voice yell out, "NO MORE PUSHUPS!"

I'm sure there will be more from Will da Beast in the next few days!

--Dan

Photo Album 4: 7/2/07

2007-07-02T22:41:00.000-07:00

A night full of bugs

2007-07-02T07:08:00.000-07:00

We arrived just after 9:30 pm to camp!

We canceled the evening program because we had dinner and had to find where we were sleeping. All of the guys are in tents out on the church lawn. It was priceless watching everyone get in the tents at 11:15 p.m.

Every guy ate bugs for dessert! Can anyone say bug spray?

Tuna and Boyer had to sleep in the church because there was no room in the tents. They felt like Jesus...no room in the Inn! Tonight we will set up another tent and rearrange everyone.

All of the girls are staying inside the church and couldn't escape the bugs either although they did get to sleep on a bed.

It's fun because many on the Polish guys have never camped so they are really excited.

Both the guys and the girls have two toilets and three bathrooms for 70 campers! Can you say creating spiritual community?!

We are excited for what God has planned for us here!

--Dan

Cale's Polish Accent

2007-07-01T21:19:00.001-07:00

Cale is sweeping through camp with his high pitched "singing" Italian accent as he learns to speak Polish! Never before have I heard a student do this. The dude is slaying me, the rest of our team and all the Polish students. Here's a great quote, "There's a party on the plaza (beach)!"

More from the tuna...I'm sure!

Dan

On our way to camp

2007-07-01T07:29:00.000-07:00

We loaded the bus at 7:20 am your time and are headed to camp. The bus is packed full of students and luggage. All of what we have done leads to this time, and our team is pumped!

All of the girls will be sleeping in the church, and the guys in tents behind it!

The team is doing great. The families that hosted us were wonderful! It feels like all we did was eat!

This morning we went to church and got take communion. More to come after we arrive!

--Dan

Sweeney's Tums' Count: 37

2007-06-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's Matthew. Overall, the trip has been amazing. Jen caught the lody midair when it fell off of the cone today. Eating has been great, due to the mild food and great taste. Mealtime has been the only time during the day where I am able to relax. Every other time is spent with the Poles playing games. They speak much better English than I originally anticipated. Everyone is extremely polite and respectful. They are also much quieter. People talk with an inside voice everywhere. Everyone stares at us Americans when Dan yells. Please pray for the Poles as we hope to share the gospel at camp. I'll see you all exhausted, and on jet-lag, when I get back.

Matt (aka Sweener)

Precamp, day 2

2007-06-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday started day 2 of pre-camp at the church. We headed off into town to see what makes this city unique. We had a great time walking around and eating ice cream! Cale and the rest of us got to eat chicken for dinner.

We finished off the day with a short program and a team meeting. The team is starting to realize the toll this kind of ministry can take on their patience. We are around people all of the time in close quarters.

Tonight we are spending our final night with our host families. Tomorrow is church and the drive to camp.

-- Dan

Collarbone Boy 2

2007-06-29T14:15:00.000-07:00

Hello this is Stephen! Let me just start off saying this: I love the food. I've never eaten so good in my life! One of the best things has been the lody (ice cream) - quality stuff.

Today we started pre-camp, we tested the Poles on English (to determine what class level to place them in), played sports, and started to get to know them. Sunday we will leave for the camp in Swinoujscie, which is located in the north-eastern-most part of Poland (by the Baltic Sea) to begin camp. Thanks for all your prayers and support while we are here in Poland, they mean a lot.

Stephen (not pronounced Steven)

Tuna

2007-06-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

Hey all you guys back home! This is Cale and Dan asked me to do a blog entry to fill you guys in on some name calling that's been going down here in Poland. On Thursday, we picked up Przemek (Shemek) on the way to Zielona Gora. We were at a stoplight when I asked Przemek if a picture on a billboard was of Tuna. Come to find out, Przemek is a bit of a smart aleck (in a good way, of course). He was quick to respond, "No, but you're Tuna" What seemed like an innocent comment has turned into a nickname that I can't seem to shake. It may even follow me back to the US. Lord-willing the Polish here will remember me as more than just Tuna, but it has made for a good inside joke.

The trip has been a great experience so far, and the hope is that each of the members on the team will get to mention a little story or something that's gone on during the trip. We miss you guys, but are excited to be here doing what God has called us to do. And your continued prayers are what help us through, so thanks.

Cale B.

McDonalds

2007-06-29T13:24:00.001-07:00

We are all standing in line for ice cream! This must be the busiest place in town besides the disco! It's Friday night baby!

-- Dan

English tests begin

2007-06-29T10:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight we began the English tests as our pre-camp began at 3:00 p.m. Clare was rounding up people to get in line, Bethany and Rachel were getting them to describe to them things they saw in a picture. The next round of tests brought the students to Molly, me, Julie and Will.

The rest of the students were outside with Dave playing games. Dave will be a beginning teacher this year, and the pastor's daughter, Julia, will be in his class!

We will do more tomorrow!

-- Dan

Photo Album 3: 6/29/07

2007-06-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Photo Album 2: 6/28/07

2007-06-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

Prayer Request from Poland Team

2007-06-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I received an email this morning from Dan.

There are a couple of students that aren't feeling too well. Everyone's attitudes are great, but hopefully they can all get feeling better before camp. Let's pray for this specifically.

Thanks, Julie

Arrived.

2007-06-28T17:10:00.000-07:00

At 8:30 we arrived at the church in Zielona Gora. The team is doing well and off to their host homes for a late dinner and some rest. We will hit it strong tomorrow morning with a 10:00 a.m. breakfast!

-- Dan

(Jon here with a quick note, I've got some more photos from the team, and will be posting another slide show soon - is anyone having problems with the blog, slideshow or subscriptions?)

To Zielona Gora

2007-06-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

We are on our way to zielona gora. We just picked up PRZEMEK and monika who will be leading our camp! He has been living in northern Ireland and started a polish church this year that has around 60 people! It's so good to see him and hear what God is doing!

-- Dan

Copernicus

2007-06-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

We are standing in the academy where he studied from 1491 to 1495! (That's from when he was 18 to 22)

Photo Album 1

2007-06-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

Day 1: Castles and Ice Cream (Lodi)

2007-06-26T12:35:00.000-07:00

Hey! Just wanted to say hi!

I am on the terrace at a castle with our team eating ice cream! We are off to bed at 2pm your time!

-- Dan

Day 1: in Krakow (& Passport Update)

2007-06-26T10:48:00.000-07:00

We're in the square in Krakow and Molly's got a passport!

There is nothing a clean crisp Benjamin can't buy in Poland!

We are in the square now and she will meet is for dinner at 630! Sunny and windy day!

Passport Problem #1

2007-06-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Poland! We touched down at 5:57am Denver Time.

First passport problem: Molly's passport expired in May!

They will not let her in the country without a current passport. Dan Hash is negotiating with them now! The dude is working his magic! He is trying to let them take her to the consulate.

Denver and Chicago missed this and it's a good thing because she would still be in America. she can get a passport here. We are in the office right now waiting to see what will happen. It looks like she will be able to get it and not have to go home!

We are trying to figure how to get the picture. Stay tuned.

Lift off

2007-06-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

From Dan's cellphone camera...

I guess we found out why the tickets were cheaper!

No, no dogs are on the plane. Just trying to keep the blog interesting during the team flights.

Kelly and I (Jon tC) drove the team to the airport this morning, with zero flat tires, no luggage left at the church, no accidents, and very little crying.

Unlike last year's repeatedly delayed flight, the team has just taken off from DIA and is headed to Chicago.

I'll add more info as I get it.

Also... To stay up to date, you can now subscribe to this blog using the "Subscribe" form on the right hand side of the page. Just enter your E-mail and click "Subscribe." Once you verify your e-mail address, you'll get e-mails within 30 minutes of new posts to this blog!

I Can't Hear You

2007-06-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

Our theme song is "I Can't Hear You" by Matthew West. Here's a link to the song and the dance we will be doing at camp. This is the video we used to learn the song. You don't have to wait for Poland Sunday! We are hoping and praying the lyrics to this song provide a great way to start up conversations at camp!

I Can't Hear You Lyrics

This world is making me dizzy

I can’t seem to keep it from spinning

This life is screaming so loud now

I can’t escape from this crowd now

It’s like I’m climbing up on the shoulders

In a room full of strangers

And then everybody walks away

Chorus:Fly high, jump and touch the skyHigh,

bring me back to life I

know you’re there when I can’t hear you

Down now at the speed of sound now

When I touch the ground now

You’ll be there when I can’t hear you

I am a classic case of dysfunction

I talk and talk and still I say nothing

Am I the voice of my generation?

Is everybody having the same conversation?

We’re all climbing up on the shouldersIn a room full of strangers

When we should be reaching for you

Do you ever get the feeling that you’re not alone

No matter who you are, no matter where you go?

Feel like you’re climbing up on the shouldersIn a room full of strangers

We’re all reaching

Our Schedule

2007-06-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

Here's our schedule for our trip! We are gone June 25th - July 10th! It's going to be a wild ride!

June 25 - Fly to Chicago & Krakow, Poland
June 26 - Arrive in Krakow, Poland
June 27 - Krakow
June 28 - Auschwitz & Travel to Zielona Gora
June 29-July 1 - Pre Camp in Zielona Gora
July 1-8 - Camp in Swinoujscie, Poland
July 8 - Night train to Katowice, Poland
July 9 - Day & Night with Dan & Laura Hash at their home
July 10 - Fly to Chicago and Denver

"My favorite country!"

2007-06-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Kaiser to get medicine for my Streptococcal pharyngitis. Strep throat for the lay person! As I was checking in I told the lady that I needed to get medicine in me before I flew to Poland with a group of students from our church. The lady sat back in her chair and said, "That's my favorite country. My family is from Poland and I went there on a cruise 2 years ago. We went to a city off the Sea." She couldn't believe someone in Kaiser today was going to Poland on Monday!

It was cool to see her joy for me and our team going to a place that she loved. There was someone behind me ready to pay so I was off to see the nurse. Now I am off to take my medicine pictured above.

Underground

2007-06-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

Our camp this year is centered around the theme "Underground." Here's the logo! It's going to be an awesome week!!

Long lines

2007-06-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

Today United Airlines was down for two hours at DIA. I am so glad they are working out the kinks before we show up around 9:45 a.m. on Monday morning.

You should stay tuned to this blog and get ready for the potential travel hang ups!

We are off to Krakow on Monday, June 25th!

Student Thoughts: Rachel M

2007-06-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

This will be my third time going to Poland. I am looking forward to getting to know our team better. I have learned that a special, common bond is created within the team, especially after spending two weeks together. We work together through the challenges, but also get to be outside of our normal lives.

There are many people that I am looking forward to seeing again. It brings me great joy think about the memories and picture their faces. I don’t feel very nervous about this trip, but the first year I went I was very unsure of how everything was supposed to happen and the details of the trip.

I am preparing spiritually by praying for the team. I have also been praying about my role for this year. I’ve been thinking about the previous trips and the friends I have made. I would like prayer for getting through the rest of this school year and finishing well. Already the time has gone by fast, but currently, I have a major school project that is causing stress. I also want to be mindful that the next few months are good preparation for showing God’s love to people at school.

Student Thoughts: Jen C.

2007-06-12T10:58:00.000-07:00

As our Poland trip approaches, I am really excited for the whole experience. I cannot wait to meet and build relationships with the Polish students. I also can’t wait to see how God will use me in this trip and I hope to successfully show his glory to the Polish people we will meet. I am also looking forward to improving my own relationship with God. I’m excited to see what he will teach me while I am there and I hope to fully live my life for Him. I look forward to building stronger relationships with the students and leaders of the Poland team as well. Lastly, I am also excited to see God’s creation in another country as well!

While in Poland, I am most nervous about putting myself out there. By that, I mean that I am worried that I won’t be accepted by the Polish students because I tend to be a shy, introverted person when I meet new people. I just hope that I will be able to be open up to the Polish students I meet. I know this is really important because the friendships I build in Poland will help me spread God’s kingdom. Of the stops we are visiting in Poland, I am really scared and apprehensive to go to the concentration camp, Auschwitz. Even though I’ve learned about it in school, I know it will be so much harder to actually visit the camp. I am also a little nervous to leave my family. I am worried that I might get a little home sick but I am predicting that I will be having too much fun to miss my family!

Well, I would really appreciate it if you all would pray that during the trip I will fully rely on God and be a willing servant. I tend to like to be a leader and I am sometimes a control freak so I really hope to be able to fully commit my life to God. Once again, I just need prayer that I will be open to the Polish students I meet and not hide behind my shyness and insecurities. Also, since this will be the first time I have ever left the country (Yeah!) and my family for more than a few days, I hope that I will be comfortable during this trip and I will not become too homesick. I mainly just hope that God will help me spread his Word into the lives of the Polish students.

The President Beat Us

2007-06-11T12:11:00.000-07:00

The Presiden of the United States of America beat us to Poland. He was there on June 8th! Check it out here!

I can't wait to get to Krakow and hear Alice say, "Welcome to Poland!"

Final Training

2007-05-21T07:18:00.001-07:00

We had our final official meeting yesterday (05.20) for our trip to Poland this summer. We had a great time eating bread and toppings. We nailed down who's teaching English and we're getting ready for theme night already!

It was fun to sit around the table yesterday and see the anticipation in the eyes of our students. We also talked about our flight troubles from last year and we'll be leaving Denver earlier to get to Chicago earlier so we don't miss our flight to Krakow!

Are you getting excited?

Poland on the Amazing Race

2007-04-02T06:32:00.000-07:00

Did you see it last night? The Amazing Race All Stars went to Poland! They started in Warsaw, stopped off at Auschwitz-Birkenau and then headed to Krakow where we spend three to four days!

Here is an overview of what happened on last nights episode - HERE!

Seeing them run through the square in Krakow got me excited for our trip!

Weekly Prayer

2007-04-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

In preparation for our trip Jen is serving our team in a way no other students has.

Each week she is emailing us the names of two people on our team to be praying for! I am so excited to have this attitude of prayer present before we leave!

The importance of prayer - by Dave

2007-03-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

Hello. Dave here. I'm one of the leaders going to Poland with Southern Gables Church's 180 high school group. This is the first of many postings by the team members going to Poland this summer. I've asked each member of the team to think through what is on their hearts and minds as they prepare for this trip. I will plan on posting their responses over the next couple of weeks. I've also asked them to list prayer requests so that if you, the readers, feel led to support us through prayer, you will have specific examples to pray for.

For myself, I've been thinking a lot about the importance of prayer. Two weeks ago, at our last Poland meeting, the subject of preparation came up. During our conversation, I began to think about how preparation for a trip like this needs to be a very intentional action. We were discussing evangelism and how letting our actions reflect the character of Jesus can lead others to question what is different about our lives. However, it is vital that each of us is prepared for those dialogues. This means that we need to be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit in everyday interactions. For me, this means spending time in prayer. Not just prayer for the rest of the team (though this is important), but prayer for myself: that I would be sensitive to the leadings of the Spirit not just in Poland, but everyday.

For my prayer requests, I would ask that as I prepare, I would continue thinking about how God has changed my life. The cliche aside, I believe it is important for me to really think through this so that I may explain it in a way that sounds genuine, and not as a sales pitch. For me, there is a bit of stigma surrounding evangelism. I often worry too much about how I say things, and forget that what I say is more important. I would also ask that as we travel, the Lord would grant me patience with the rest of the team. As I've already shared with them, I am an extreme introvert, which means there will be times that my patience with others will wear thin, especially after several long days and short nights.

Welcome back!

2007-03-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

If you haven't visited this page in a while (and you probably haven't, given that the last posting was February 5th), welcome back! This page will follow the 180 team's trip to Poland this summer as well our process of preparing.

So stay tuned!

Applications are in...

2007-02-05T18:04:00.000-08:00

Today I've received all the applications from the students who want to go to Poland! I can't wait to read them through them. The application takes at least 4 hours to complete! It's going to be a lot of reading!

Here we go!

Poland 2007 is coming

2007-01-10T19:47:00.000-08:00

Tonight we met with our students to talk about our trip this up and coming summer to Poland!
There will be changes this year, but we are excited for what we believe God is calling us to do with Fala!

More to come!