Friday, July 15, 2011

Leaving Poland

At 12am Monday morning a large group of us went out to pizza and beverages along the water. We discovered that the Polish word for signature is a good trigger for an Anna laughing fit, that Peter can keep a train of thought even between naps, that several unnamed persons no longer have the youth and stamina for an all-nighter, and that we were all going to miss each other more than we were willing to talk about.

We walked back through the quiet Old Town and returned to the hostel where some people stayed outside to smoke a pipe or talk, while others gave in to weariness, or played a variety of card games. Some of us dozed off  for a few hours, while the rest of us replaced sleep with a cold shower.

Peter and those on the Canadian team not going on to tour of the world left at 4:15. We tried to keep goodbyes hurried and quiet.

The RCC team left at 5:15. Joseph and Hannah amazed us with their preparation skills after their alarm failed and they woke up after the taxi arrived. They were ready with the rest of us...

The Alaska team left later in the day to spend the night at Frankfurt before getting home at about 10am Tuesday.

Miwaza took the train back to Poznan before starting her two days of travel. Thankfully she's home safe!

The Dukes, David, Elyse, Nathaniel, and Landon are still traveling in two different groups.

Pastor Pawel insisted on seeing each of us off. We will miss him and his family. God has used them to greatly bless us! Please pray for them in their continued work.

The RCC team met several members of the US Volleyball team at the Gdansk airport as they flew to Frankfurt on the same flight. It was very strange to be talking to Americans again. Only Rebekah had the bravery and presence of mind to ask for signatures, but we all enjoyed talking with them and watching tall men cram into a tiny airplane.

We were all packed into a bus for our first flight. We must have sat there for 15 minutes before we finally moved a few feet and got out. It was a joke. But we did make it on the flight.

Our layover in Germany was relaxed and enjoyable. We stopped at a nice restaurant for breakfast or lunch, people ordered as they felt called. Gustavo was an amazing waiter and brought us pitchers of water free of charge. Newly revived with coffee, chocolate, pancakes, bacon, salad, or what you will, we explored the Frankfurt airport for an hour or so before resigning ourselves to all the various lines and procedures.

We must have looked like a pathetic group on our Condor flight to Seattle. Some unnamed persons couldn't even stay awake through the take-off. We had an uneventful flight where most of us got some good sleep.

Customs and baggage claim went quickly in Seattle, but the team ended up waiting for another unnamed person to get her bags completely emptied while they searched for any Polish dirt she might be smuggling... They broke her lollipop. Mrs. Unger and Susannah surprised us with their presence along with Mr. Dahlin. How wonderful to see family and friends again! Thank you Mr. Dahlin for being the only person awake in the van and for seeing us all safely to our various destinations. It was a long drive and we couldn't have done it!

God blessed us all with safe travel and a good conclusion to an amazing adventure.

This trip to Poland is over, but our mission isn't. God gave us two weeks as a team in a foreign country to encourage and be encouraged. We can learn so much from the Polish saints perseverance and apologetic presentation of the Gospel. We are still on a mission, it looks a little different for each of us, but there's no room for slacking. Let us go out, invigorated, and tireless into the battle on our own front lines.

Please pray with us-

-In great thanksgiving for God's abundant blessings on us in our two weeks in Poland.

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