Poland Part 4: Bochnia and Krakow

We were able to go to Bochnia which was a 45 minute train ride away. We went to Bochnia because there are also church members like Pawel live there and are wanting to get a small bible study group meeting. One of the church members is also connected to the principle a local high school. Since all the schools require English to be learned they connect us to the school so that we could be the "Native American" English speaking practice. It was the first time the school had been connected so we wanted to represent well and help continue to build the relationship between church members and the school faculty/students. Because we were farther from the larger cities, most people did not speak English unless they were in the schools. And many had never met anyone from America in Bochnia. 

Us with the principle of high school; she was so kind and gracious for us to come

my high school girls group (everyone matched); they asked me good questions about life in America and I asked them about life in Poland 

Bochnia lunch was delicious! I had sweet perogies for dessert!  

Cute town sqaure

That evening we attended a bible study that Pawel normally leads and host at his home in Bochnia. They treated us to food in the upstairs of a swim community center. I would have thought it would have been concession type food as that is what it looked like BUT no they served us with real dishes a yummy soup!  Wes prepared a teaching and then Pawel shared his heart and explicitly laid out the gospel. It was very moving as the people he invite and present were atheists and only a few were believers.  His heart for his community and friends was so moving. Pawel is  first generation Christian whose wife and parents are Jehovah Witness.  Most of the people in the church only one spouse was a Christian. 

 The next morning we also went to a school but this time it was a university the IMB missionaries are connected to. They partner with a Christian professor who teaches English to be English speaking practice for students. We were able to do it and it ended up being one of the highlights of my trip as I was partnered with Martyna Lach. 

That afternoon I was able to reconnect with Ludmilla from earlier in the week and meet her daughter. We had lodi (ice cream) in the town square.  And that evening we join 4th Baptist of Krakow for their bible study time in Krakow at the IMB mission location. 

Wes shared encouragement for the Church as their bible study and then we broke up into prayer groups. 

We said farewell to the church that day and had a last meal with Pastor Piotr and his wife. It was an old building and the restaurant was int he basement and so Wes was crammed in-between CJ and Andi. What a servant man.