We’ve been ‘home’ for about 2 weeks and when friends have asked us how our trip was, we’re finding it hard to explain. Yes, we were able to express about our time with our friends but it seems less and less like a foreign place where we need to process what we’ve seen/experienced/done. It seems more like Seattle. Gone for a bit to visit those we love and are back in Portland again. We feel like no re-entry processing is needed.

We are, however, fortunate that we didn’t have any problems with the time difference. We were able to pick up right from where we left. I can remember a friend asking me if it was difficult at all coming back to Portland.

I was internally surprised. Well yes, obviously, we wish we were living in Krakow right now…but it’s become more familiar to make this trip that it seems to get easier and easier.

One hard part is that here, we are not able to visit with our Polish friends like we were able to this trip. Who knows, maybe the next trip will be with visas and tons of suitcases!

There are three “mile stones” for us to pass before we leave the USA for Poland.  The first is to grow our family, we hope to have one more child before leaving, if we end up being fully fund-raised and w/o another child, then we’ll probably move to Poland and grow our family in the field.  The second mile stone is getting enough monthly donors to commit to 120% of our living and ministry budgets, currently we need an average of $30/month from 187 more donors. Lastly is having our deployment fund raised, which includes emergency money, three months of reserves, first month of living/ministry costs, moving costs, etc.

But those are all details that don’t really matter without a heart and vision for the harvest.  There is a harvest of souls, a population of people who are at the best unsure of their faith, and at the worst completely fed up with the “system”. Yes, the same is true here in America, but what’s not true in Poland is that there are not churches in every town and neighborhood, the opportunity for someone to even hear or know of someone filled with God’s saving grace can be summed up in this bit of trivia…

In Krakow, the first city we plan on living in, there is a population of more than 2 million (similar in size to Portland, OR) – there are about 12 churches, and a dozen or so other para-church (protestant) organizations doing works in the city.  Of those groups, it’s estimated there are about 1,000 to 2,000 believers in the entire metro area of Krakow.  In Portland, OR (a city known to be “un-churched”) there are over 20 churches of 1,000 or more people in attendance each week.

There is a harvest.  Hear us LORD, send us.

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Here are some last pictures from our trip to Seattle. They HAD  to take a ferry. We insisted.

I think it’s impossible to go to Seattle on a summer day and not fall in love with the city.

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And it was fabulous. In every way. No kids, great weather and the best seats I’ve ever had. Oh and it gets better- we actually won!

It was a fabulous time and we had a blast. Lots of laughing,, yelling and watching out for pop fly’s.

Heck, even Jesus himself visited the game!

We also chummed it up with our friend of ours there. You might know him. He goes by one name. Ichiro.

He’s nice. Kinda quiet though.

They tried our wonderful healthy baseball stadium food. I chose the nachos with liquid cheese and spicy chili, Travis had a light beer and they had pepperoni  pizza. Oh and the freshly squeezed lemonades. Sweet beautiful lemonades.

Lastly, they heard TONS about the ‘seventh inning stretch’ and were so excited to be apart of it. And it lived up to their expectations.

At about the 7th inning, the fans who are still there don’t care how good they sound. It’s probably the amount of beer they’ve consumed but I like that carefree thinking. So we sang loudly too.

We also did the wave. FIVE TIMES around the stadium. I worked at having a good attitude but think I failed.

It was cold, late, I was exhausted from spending the morning playing at the beach, I didn’t feel like jumping with liquid cheese in my stomach (which almost came out in the car later) and overall I was easily annoyed/pissy. Did I do a good job defending my mood? …I know, I know…but at least I didn’t bite someone’s head off. But poor Trav got a few verbal bullets flying past his ears.

So anyways, we did the wave. 5 times.

Let me refrase that: I watched our friends do the wave 5 times.  I took the pictures.

Can you believe the Mariners won?!!!

Great picture huh. Great people. Great game. Great night.

*her hair is not that blond. Weird lights. But I like that color on her don’t you?

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Mama’s that enter their children’s worlds will live forever in the love and respect of future generations.

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Over all we love them. Tons. Our heart is SO for them and what God is calling them to be. And we are excited to strengthen that bond we have and to pour whatever Godly wisdom we have into them.

Seeing them again only grows the love we have for the Poles and we CAN’T WAIT to minister with them in the future, whatever that looks like. lol

Hope you have a GREAT weekend!

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Find a car that fits all of us: check

get all the extra sheets/pillows: check

Arrange meetings/plans/coffee chats: check

Emma  excited about them coming: check

Get surprise present ready: check

CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU GUYS TO GET HERE!!!!!

(* and I’m praying for an amazingly smooth transition for the huge time change)

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Bunched Caramel is made of Czech Champagne colored beads, sterling silver spacers, circular glass beads and sterling silver Ear hooks.

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There are days when it hits us harder than other days. Feelings of being disjointed and held back.  When the thing we want the most is to wake up to a morning in Krakow. See our friends there, go to language school, walk their streets and make a close relationship with their culture.

These heartfelt desires come and go in degree, but it’s always there. Even when we don’t say anything and we seem knee deep in the happenings of our little lives here.

Where is this coming from? Well, recently we found out some friends of ours who are FABULOUS  and CALLED to be missionaries are heading out to their field. Two families going to two different continents. One has already left and another will be leaving in the fall. When I think of them I can imagine all the excitement, nervousness and unknowns they are feeling. I get excited for their families and all the possibilities that are in front of them. But I also feel a twang of sadness. I can’t help but wish and pray we were in Poland.

Not trying to compare our different circumstances, but allowing myself to reflect on where we are and why. Talking about and giving God my feelings and doing whatever part I can do in the equation. Making meetings, emailing, doing courses, etc. The last thing I want to do is get in a circle of sadness, un-motivation and then more sadness.

Today, we are taking each moment as it comes. Taking one meeting as we can schedule and seeing how God wants to touch our lives/plans for the future.

*all pictures our own. And a wonderful story goes with each…

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