Danielle goes to a Polish wedding

This weekend I went to my first Polish wedding. It was for Dominika, one of the other missionaries I work with, and Stefan. The ceremony was in Polish so I didn't really know what was going on, but of course I knew what was going on... they got married!! Yay. Here is a picture of the newlyweds.

Dominika and Stefan led the youth group while Julie and Przemek were in the States, and Dominika also teaches at the English school where I teach. Please keep them in your prayers as they decide what their future ministry may be... they have some decisions to make soon about this.

Here's a fun story... A few years ago, a woman bet Stefan that he wouldn't wear basketball shoes to his wedding because he would never find a woman who would let him. If he did wear them, she would take him and his wife to an expensive restaurant for dinner. Well, Stefan and Dominika will be getting a good meal in the future it seems!!


Here's a picture of me and Ala. Ala is Stefan's cousin, but she is also part of the youth group that I help with here in Krakow. Recently she began having attacks where her brain stops working properly and sort of shuts down. She was in the hospital last week getting tests, so hopefully they will be able to determine the cause and find a solution soon. Ala is in her last year of high school and in about 10 days she will be taking her matura exams. These are the exams that all Polish high school students take to find out where they will be able to go to university and in which field. They are very difficult and many students study for them all year. However, Ala wants to go to school in the States for English or history. This means that a day after her matura she will have to go to Warsaw to take the SATs. Needless to say, this is a pretty stressful time for many of the high school students because these exams play a big part in their future. And for Ala, the SAT results will determine if she will be able to go to school in the States because she'll need a scholarship to do that. Anyways, keep her in your prayers, for her health and for her exams. Also for some of the other youth taking exams... Estera and Kamil.

Are you Bri-ish?

Sometimes in English class I learn new vocabulary because we teach out of British books... although these pictures were taken in an elementary school classroom. Pants! is my new favorite exclamation.

Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych! (Happy Easter!)

On Saturday, I enjoyed some kiełbasa (Polish sausage) at the Easter Market. Here is some photograhpic evidence of the enjoyment; however, what you see on my fork is actually a huge piece of fat used to keep the pork that I also enjoyed moist. Yum... Smacznego!

Yesterday for Resurrection Sunday, the church that I have been attending here in Krakow (Second Baptist) celebrated with their church plant for the Roma people in Nowa Huta. It was a beautiful service because in this small, dark room, in an unsuspecting building, in the heart of the Soviet built neighborhood that is now avoided by most Krakovians, where no church was allowed when it was first created, with the people group shunned by most Eastern Europeans, Christ was present and the truth of His resurrection was all the more powerful.

I was told a story about how at the Good Friday service there was a woman who wandered in when she heard the people inside the church. Some of the Roma found out that she was homeless and they took her home with them. I guess to understand how awesome that is, you would have to see how little the Roma have, yet how willing they were to share it.* Would I do the same? On Sunday, this woman sat behind me in church, able to witness the beauty of the body of Christ celebrating together, the Polish and Roma and Americans. We sang in Polish and the Roma language and heard a sermon from an American translated into Polish. Not in many places in Poland would you find these three groups gathered together celebrating, and I think that in itself is a testimony to the power of the gospel.

After the service, I enjoyed a meal with other American missionaries and heard one of the most adorable prayers from a seven-year old. It went something like this, "I love you God and I thank you for having Jesus rise from the dead. You are so good to us God and you made Jesus rise from the dead. My heart is just so happy today. You are like... Jesus. I love you. Amen." Indeed.

Here's a picture of people coming out of a church with their blessed Easter baskets. I tried to get a picture of the biggest man carrying the smallest basket, but failed. Maybe next year. Today is Smingus Dingus, Wet Monday. I already had water thrown on me... twice... while I was inside. Ah, well.

*But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.

Then the King will say to those on the right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.'

Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' And the King will tell them, 'I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' -Mt 25:31-40

JPII, Poland loves you

Here are some pictures I took yesterday of one of the many photo tributes to JPII that can be found throughout Krakow. The church in the background of the first picture is the Franciscan church and it supposedly has the most beautiful stained glass window in the world. I'll tell you more about this church after I get pictures inside, because you really do need to see it.

What? No Bunny??

So in case you didn't know, it's Easter on Sunday. Yep. I have been learning about the Polish Easter traditions recently and I must say, there are some interesting ones. Mainly that the bunny doesn't visit!! I guess he's too busy filling up the baskets for the little American children. The bunny does come to visit some people in Poland (Like me! Thank you Bunny-parents.) Of course Easter really isn't about the bunny though, is it?

In Poland, this season is filled with many traditions. For example, everyone is supposed to have their windows washed before Easter. Another tradition is that on the Saturday before Easter, people take baskets filled with the food they will eat on Easter Sunday to the local church to be blessed. This is something that almost everyone in the country does, so lines form outside of churches as people wait for the opportunity to have their basket blessed. On Sunday, most people visit with their families. Then there's Easter Monday. I have been warned about this day by pretty much everyone here. It's called "Wet Monday" and stepping outside on this day is a sure way to get a nice, cold shower because people throw water on each other. Now, I have asked several people why they do this and the best answer I have received is, "It probably started in a village somewhere where they were bored." There you have it. Actually, I think it has something to do with marriage... but I'm not exactly sure. In any case, I will let you know if I get to experience the joys of Wet Monday. In the picture of the Easter market, you can see colorful palms for Palm Sunday and baskets for the Saturday blessing.

For the most part, I think that these are great traditions... as long as they don't distract from the greater meaning of Easter and as long as it doesn't become more important than coming before God and saying, For our sake You made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. My prayer is that the people of Poland, as they go to religious services this week, will not be weighed down by religion and tradition so much that they forget why we set aside this season for reflection and rejoicing - and many do. Much like my prayer for America is that the Easter Bunny doesn't become more of our focus than the death and resurrection of Christ. We have much to be joyous about. As it says in 1 Peter 1:3-4,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you...

This is why we celebrate, this living hope. This is why we rejoice.

Remember, Repent, Do

Youth group is tonight. Julie is currently doing a three week study on "Remembering our first love." It's based on Revelation 2:2-5, the letter to the church in Ephesus.

"I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."


Last week's talk was about remembering, this week she will talk about repenting, and next week will be about doing the works we did at first. It's a good reminder for all of us.

The youth group really needs prayer and revival. God can do it.