Comments from Volunteer Team, June 2009

This is a report from the CBCJ volunteer team that served with us in Poland, June 2009 by Jimmy D. Brown for the Poland Team.

Twelve of us joined the Lord in His work in Northeast Poland on this mission project. We flew from Memphis to Amsterdam, The Netherlands and then from there to Warsaw, Poland where we were received by missionaries Sean Stevenson and Bryan Intemann. We were transported by vans to “cabins in the woods”, which would be our base camp, about two and half hours away.

During the next seven days we were blessed to participate in a variety of activities including: prayer walking, service projects (picking up trash in a village, building and erecting a permanent road sign, building park benches), in-house evangelism, “American day” after school events (crafts, games, etc.), distributing several thousand leaflets (Gospel tracts, invitations to the church startup, block party invitations, testimonies, notices for free Bibles, etc.), block party, evangelistic dramas, on-the-street witnessing, video production, and more.

It was amazing to see how God used each member of our team to serve Him and the people of Northeast Poland in interesting and unique ways ranging from playing with the children to cheerleading to haircuts to directing skits to hugging to teaching to witnessing. Everyone on our team was able to serve whether they were the youngest (8 year old Jacob) or the oldest (no names and ages!).

One of the things that meant a lot to us was the distribution of our personal testimonies. We told His story by sharing our story in printed handouts! Each of us provided our testimony and a picture prior to the trip. The locals translated them into the Polish language and printed them on half sheets of paper. We were able to hand out 100 each during the week to those we made personal contact with.

God’s presence and activity was noted throughout the entire trip ranging from His clear sovereignty over the weather (whenever it was time for us to do something outdoors the rain “mysteriously” cleared up on queue!) to His moving on the hearts of lost people (we had over 50 people show up at the “Baptist” block party … this was a huge “God-thing”!) to the fruit being harvested even as I type this report. We’ve already had several emails from the missionaries telling of people responding to the materials we distributed. Today I received an email from one of them stating that a lady requested a Bible and has asked them to teach it to her as a Bible study as well! Praise the Lord!

While we didn’t see any conversions on this trip, we know they are forthcoming. We planted new seeds, watered existing seeds and are waiting for God to “give the increase” in His perfect time.

I think everyone left wishing the trip didn’t have to end, longing for a return visit and praying that the desire to share Jesus with the lost would continue to be strong in each of us as we interact with our friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and strangers here in Jonesboro. We are on mission here too!

One other thing worth mentioning is the unity we all experienced during this trip. Not only was there an obvious connection we had with each other, but there was an immediate bond with the missionaries in Northeast Poland (The Stevensons, the Intemanns, the Smiths, Naomi, Bailey, Juanita) as well as the nationals we worked with (Marcin, Artur, Daniel). It was genuine koinonia … fellowship, a sharing in common of Christ.

It was an amazing trip that left an impression on everyone involved: the CBC team, the on-site missionary team, the nationals and the unsaved. To God be the glory, great things He hath done!