Welcome Taylor!

Dave and I LOVE university students and one of our all-time favorite "jobs" is to host students in Poland. So, we were thrilled to once again welcome a group from Taylor University as they came to assist one of our partner ministries in Kraków. For a week we served as conversation partners and teacher assistants at the Graceland English school, directed by our dear friends, Jay and Colette. We get excited watching God capture young hearts and enlarging their vision for the nations of the world. These students are sponges -- eager to learn the language, the culture, the history, the spiritual climate ... and we are eager to pour into them all that God is teaching us. What a joy to interact with these enthusiastic and committed young adults. It brings fresh motivation and revives our hope that God's work will go forth in power in the generations to come.

Say What?? :)

We're never too old to learn, right?? That's what Dave and I kept asking ourselves as we embarked on a 4-week intensive Polish language course in Warsaw. This was my third such endeavor, but for Dave it was a first. It's amazing how much one can learn in a 3-hour class, 5 days a week. Dave was one of 6 students (from Tunisia, Turkey, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Holland) while I was one-on-one with my instructor. You can imagine each day after 3 hours of non-stop Polish conversation, my brain was ready to implode! :) We are thankful for such "jump-starts" in this beautiful, yet difficult, language. Having a grasp of the native language is so key to effective witness, so we pray that God will supernaturally increase our ability to communicate. Wierzymy, że Bóg będzie wierny nam pomóc (We believe God will be faithful to help us.)

Brussels Prayer Summit

This past weekend Dave and I had the awesome privilege to tour the European Union Parliament building in Brussels, Belgium. Several people from various European countries gathered for a prayer summit hosted by the European Coalition for Israel (ECI). ECI's mandate is to be a "voice" to the EU Parliament on behalf of Israel. They conduct research and provide detailed information so that the members of parliament can make informed decisions that promote peace and stability in the Middle East. We have joined the "prayer shield" that provides prayer coverage for each of the 736 members of the European Union parliament. Each week Dave and I pray for the two members assigned to us. We are praying blessing over them and their families and that God will give them the courage and resolve to make wise, just decisions in support of Israel. As Poland assumes the leadership of the EU in July of this year, it is a critical time for us to pray that her leaders will continue to be friendly toward Israel. Every nation must enter the "valley of decision" (Joel 3) and determine whether they will stand with Israel. It is the ultimate question upon which each nation will be judged. Let us pray that Poland, America, Canada, and all nations will value God's standard and humbly line up with His plan. Only then will true peace be established.