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