The church I belong to is one of those non-denominational denominations that formed out of the Restoration Movement of the early- to mid-nineteenth century. The most common name of one of our churches is "First Christian Church" of wherever. You've seen them and probably not paid much attention, but that's where I go.
I'm on the Missions Committee at my church, and one of the missions we support is a Restoration Movement church in northeast Poland. We're their sole support from the US and have been for umpteen years.
Back in 1997, another couple from my church and I joined a small group of people from around the country, and we toured Poland, visiting a lot of our churches there and fitting a bit of sight-seeing in on the side. The three of us from my church made a special side-trip to visit the church and the minister we supported, and we had a great time.
At the end of September this year, it will be our Polish church's 60th anniversary, and they have asked (multiple times) if someone from our church would come to their town to celebrate with them. The Missions Committee looked to me, because I had been there before and had learned some Polish.
I resisted, mostly because I've been unsure about whether to stay in California or to leave, and if I left how soon that would be. But this past Sunday I agreed to go, and the Missions Committee will reimburse me for my airfare.
This morning I bought my airline ticket. California to Warsaw. Sixteen hours (including a layover in Chicago). So far I don't have a traveling companion, and the thought of being in Poland on my own is...daunting.
Sure, I know enough of the language for erudite conversation. I can say Yes, No, Please, Thank you, You're welcome, I'm hot, I'm cold, I need some air, I am hungry, and Where is the toilet? Fortunately, "toilet" is fairly easy to spot in Poland, because they spell it, "toalety."And I learned some Polish Christian words from all the praise songs we sang at all the churches we visited (they usually projected the lyrics on the wall or a screen). Plus, nearly every church had a Bible verse painted or mounted on the front wall. My favorite front-wall verse (because I could both pronounce it and figure out what it meant) was this one:
Lecz moim, śćeśćem być blisko Boga. (I probably didn't spell that "s" word right because there are multiple ways to spell the same sounds, and I'm working from memory.) It means, "But for me, it is good to be near God."
In September when I go to Poland, it will also be good to be near the people of God.
2 comments:
I attend a Church of Christ and we recently (a couple weeks ago) had a missionary to Poland come and speak. Oddly, he really didn't speak about Poland much, though. I kinda wish he had. It's always interesting to hear about other cultures.
I don't know how you can speak Polish. I have studied bits of quite a few languages (as a requirement for vocal training as a music ed major) but the gutteral sounds always got me. I'm impressed with anyone who can pull those languages off.
I'm also impressed with your solo traveling status. I've never visited a foreign country (Unless you count a honeymoon in Jamaica), but I'm sure it will be a great adventure. I hope for your sake that you can find a traveling companion, but if not, then maybe God has something special planned for you alone.
Christina,
I don't actually speak Polish. I can kinda pronounce it. All the non-English sounds are the same ones you find in French or Spanish, only put together strangely.
And we're going to try really hard to find me a traveling companion. I've traveled alone in the US (if you always wait for someone to do stuff with you, you may end up never doing anything), but Poland is a different story. If I have to, though, I will--and I'll probably pray a whole lot harder.
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