The Ostróda Swirl

It's a strange phenomenon. When I'm in Ostróda, I can't think. What I mean is, I can't seem to think beyond the moment. Living with my husband in a small room, cluttered with a variety of items too numerous to imagine, maneuvering around each other in an attempt to find that one item needed for the next event - my brain kicks into overload and a dull "freeze" ensues. From dawn to dusk we manage moments, requiring varying degrees of physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual energy. Rubbing shoulders throughout the day with interns, camp staff, leaders from various countries who speak various languages, all in an effort to best minister 24/7 to countless children, youth, and adults - we're "on call" at all times and the needs are limitless.

But don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining - it's an amazing environment and God is at work in incredible ways. It's just that I can't seem to think outside that environment. I lose track of what's going on in the rest of my world. The big issues of what God is doing globally are shaded in grey somewhere in the recesses of my mind and spirit. I'm stuck in a mental mire that makes it difficult to plan ahead. Upcoming events and commitments back home get shoved into the "A.O." (After Ostróda") pile. In the "Ostróda swirl," as I fondly describe it, I wouldn't dream of making an important "life-decision."

But I'm back home in Michigan now. We returned two weeks ago. I've had time to breathe deeply, to study the Word, to worship and pray, to walk in the cool of the morning - and to experience the Spirit of God blowing the clutter from my mind and heart. My spirit is being refreshed and my vision renewed. I can think clearly again. And yet I think of my friend, April, who lives at the camp with her husband (our camp director, Andrzej) and their three children. The "Ostróda Swirl" is her life. There is no "going home" to escape the clutter. The clutter IS home. And I think of the myriad of missionaries throughout the world who similarly serve amidst the clutter for the sake of the Gospel.

O God, would you refresh my friend, April, and so many others like her? Would you sweep away the clutter from their hearts and minds and give them times of refreshment in Your presence? Provide them with the supernatural ability to think outside the moment with clarity and vision. Remind them of their calling and of the grandness of Your scheme of which they are a part. Give them a glimpse of Your glory. Amen.

Summer 2012

It was the fullest summer in Poland yet! During our 12-week stay, we spent most of our time in Ostróda, hosting several camps for youth and adults. What made this summer unlike any other was the group of 9 young adults (7 from the States and 2 from Ukraine) who dedicated themselves to serving at Ostróda Camp as volunteer interns. Along with Andrzej Korytkowski (our new camp director) and his family, we became a team (actually, a family) as we lived and worked side-by-side. From cleaning toilets to leading worship, our days were packed full from morning to night. It was a great joy to host Holocaust survivors from Israel, children from Poland, Belarus and Russia, youth from Israel and Germany, and many more. We saw hearts touched and lives changed by the love of God. It was an amazing summer, and once again, we are thankful.