Platyny Saga

The following four stories transpired over the last two weeks as we have been working to continue sharing the gospel in a small town here in Northeast Poland called Platyny. The text below was written by our team member, Bryan Intemann...
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PART I -- July 11, 2007:

Ever have that feeling? Not the one where you feel like you’re being watched.

It’s more like that feeling where you are driving into Platyny to hold the first meeting for the English club, you have to get the keys from the town administrator who isn’t real positive about your being there, who then says that he won’t hand them over despite what was recently decided in a town meeting because he fears a yet-to-exist negative reaction from townsfolk, so that we can’t hold the first meeting as planned and instead gather at a believer’s home where we talk options, encourage Marcin and Krystyna (the believer) and end in prayer.

It’s a feeling kinda like that. Ever had that one?

Well, I sort of had that one, though it was more like a curious thought about how the day could turn out as we were making our way to Platyny today. So, when Marcin returned empty-handed from the town administrator’s home to Krystyna’s where we were waiting, I was not entirely shocked. The administrator said he didn’t care either way if the Baptists were here, but he wanted some “insurance” in case there was a problem. He said he wouldn’t hand the keys over to the youth house until he had a letter of approval from the mayor of Olsztynek, who has authority over Platyny.

While we were discussing the situation and the meetings that had already taken place, it came up that two Jehovah’s Witnesses came into Platyny and knocked on every door in the village. Why now? They had never shown interest in Platyny. Who sent them? “Satan” is my thinking. A likely scenario is that they heard about a group (something akin to a circus for a place the size of Platyny) of Baptists coming in, doing a bunch of stuff that opened some doors, and decided to strike while the iron was hot.

A major sticking point is that Poles don’t make a distinction between the groups who are not Roman Catholic. They are all the same, and that often means a cult. So, our work and intentions may not appear any different to the Platynites (probably not in the Polish dictionary) than any other group or cult.

You know, I wasn’t daunted by this. Immediately, Acts 4 came to mind where the disciples prayed for boldness. I thought of Psalm 2 where we see God’s response to the plans of kings and rulers. I thought to myself that the battle that is raging has just become more visible. I wanted to jump into the conversation and “offer” how they ought to respond and share God’s word regarding this. But you know what? I’m not the leader here, nor is it our purpose to be in front.

We need to be in the back, being that catalyst, and that is a delicate balance between acting and waiting, speaking and biting our tongues. We want more than anything to be used by the Spirit to see new churches full of transformed lives start up. That means staying out of His way and waiting on the Lord. That doesn’t mean doing nothing, but it certainly means doing it His way and not our way, and that’s just not always my first response.

Aren’t you thankful that weak and incapable servants are just perfect for use in His kingdom? And thank goodness that’s not a feeling. 2 Corinthians 12.9-10

Waiting to see what God does next...

PART II -- July 16, 2007:

Misistry in Platyny on shaky ground...

Soooo... Platyny. Things have not improved. Let me try to catch you up. Marcin approached the mayor of Olsztynek, the ruling city over this little village as you move up the pecking order. He was seeking a letter of approval so Jessica and Amber could hold the English meetings for youth. The parents of the youth are still in favor of these meetings. However, the mayor of Olsztynek told Marcin “no” because someone from the village had complained to him about our being there. Now, it has to be brought before the entire gmina (much like a county) for a vote. We have officially been thrown into the cogs of the bureaucratic machine, and our 7 week window is quickly closing.

As always, Marcin needs wisdom and boldness, and especially to be filled with the Spirit, as he leads out on this. Please, remember him. This is new ground for everyone involved.

Also, our person of peace, Jurek, has suffered for helping Marcin and us. Last week, the town administrator got really drunk and either came to Jurek’s house or found he and his wife while out and verbally attacked them. Jurek’s wife was not a supporter like Jurek was of our presence. Since that episode, I don’t know whether Jurek still supports the work there or not. Perhaps now, he has an even stronger voice of opposition from his wife to listen to.

I don’t know how God will use this. My hope is that God will cause them to count this cost as something worth suffering for. God uses many things to shape us and draw us to Him. Please pray for God to use these circumstances to open their eyes up to the truth. Pray for the suffering and derision they have experienced and might suffer still from others now that the door has been opened. Pray for them to have the strength to endure, not necessarily for it to be removed.

God never wastes anything. Ever. May He show His wisdom through all of this. Lots of times, it grows really dark before we see the light of His wisdom and power.

PART III -- July 16, 2007:

We just got word from Marcin that the mayor of Olsztynek has given his approval and told Marcin to go ahead with the plans for English club. We don’t have any other information because Marcin left a message on Sean’s skype account but we hope to get the full story tomorrow. I wanted to get the word out though.

So, it’s back to Platyny this Wednesday!

PART IV -- July 18, 2007

It would seem that the battle isn’t over...

We went to Platyny, letter with the mayor’s signature in hand, ready to get things started. We arrived to a hum-drum welcome from the kids and youth standing around doing much of nothing. Normally, we get smiles and waves. This time only stares. Hmmm...

Marcin left us in the van to get the keys from Asia (Ah-shah) who runs the youth house and was gone for some time. He returned empty-handed and puzzled. She was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, we had exited the van and began loitering in front of the youth house ourselves. The atmosphere was strange. Jessica and Amber began playing with a couple of the kids, Justyna in particular because she is just starved for love and proper attention. The kids began picking on Jessica and Amber, and never stopped picking on one another.

I watched for a while trying to decipher who had alliances, who stood up for whom. A cool kid group and uncool kid group only sort of appeared, and then quickly dissipated within seconds; one kid would begin wailing on another because he grabbed the soccer ball. Justyna was shoved to the ground and literally choked by Biały (another kid) because she came over and sat on another kid (seemingly in fun) whom Biały doesn’t even like! All of our words against such behavior fell on deaf ears and stone-cold hearts today.

I began playing soccer with them in an attempt to give them something constructive to do. That lasted a while, and then I interceded for Justyna telling Biały to leave her alone--he was hitting her. This earned me ridicule from him and her. Wow, it was great to be back! Having to swallow my pride and ignore the jibes and laughs of children who need a good whooping and a hug was tough.

It was the absolute worst I have ever seen them behave toward one another and especially us.

Eventually, the town administrator showed up and Marcin asked about Asia. He said he would help locate her and the keys. He immediately went next door, sat on the porch in plain sight and didn’t move a muscle for the next hour. Message received.

We adjourned to a believer’s apartment to discuss the complete blockade we just experienced. Marcin left to speak with Jurek (our person of peace) and found only his wife, who is actually more positive toward us than I realized. He also spoke with the town admin guy who basically said he didn’t care what paperwork Marcin had. Then, he told Marcin, “If you don’t leave from here, I’ll find someone to take care of you.” This may have been the same threat leveled at Jurek and his wife the week before.

Marcin looked defeated when we returned to Olsztynek and dropped him off. We told him that we would pray. We encouraged him. Probably we overwhelmed a guy who already felt overwhelmed. He hurts in his heart for Platyny. He now has to decide how to handle a totally new development in a situation he has never experienced. He must balance a delicate relationship between the city government who went the extra mile for him (to no avail) and his church that is within that city; to “shake the dust from our feet” and leave the village is very un-Polish and won’t be understood by the mayor or the gmina council. They may be offended by such an action. He has Scripture on the one hand and the difficult, visible reality staring him in the face on the other.

Please lift Marcin up. He needs the wisdom God promises. Let us carry him before God like the persistent widow. As always, thank you for walking with us through this!