We made it!

We're safe and sound at the camp in Zakosciele now. We arrive a little before 11pm tonight (Saturday) and are beat. The flights were uneventful, unless you count vomit as an event. More on that later for anyone who expresses interest. Trying to convince David that it's bedtime now. Slept a total of 4 hours since Friday morning, so we'll write more later, when we're thinking coherently. Thanks for your prayers!

6 days until lift-off!

We're down to our final preparations for Poland. On our list of last-minute supplies to purchase are earplugs and chocolate for the lucky passengers who get to sit near us on the 11 hour flight. Don't you wish you were one of them? (Thanks, Beth, for the idea!)

Thank you for your prayers in these recent weeks. We estimate that our support is up to about 70% of the $4,000 we hope to raise. If you take a look at the numbers on our last post, that's a big jump! We have also been in contact with PROeM, discussing English lessons and Bible lessons. Through these conversations, God has excited us for our time there. A week from now, we'll be at the camp!

Here's how you can pray right now:

• Please pray for our hearts as we finish this final week of preparation. We are fighting anxiety and need to "let our requests be made known unto God" in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (Philippians 3:16). Also, we're ready just to get there. Do we really have to endure one more week of preparations, plus a loooooong flight? Can't we just get there already?
• Please pray for our minds, that we will seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, above all other things (Matthew 6:33).
• Please pray for our health. Chrissy and David are recovering from a nasty cold. Pray that we're healthy before Friday and that Larry remains well.
• Please pray that God would be glorified in what's going on in Poland right now.
• Please continue to pray for our financial support. We're almost there!
  

Preparing

We just learned that PROeM scheduled an extra week of camps this summer. This means that during our final week in Poland, instead of filling in the gaps around town, we'll be working at the camp. Together with Heather and Kenji, we've been working on our lessons for the English camp, where we'll each have our own class of polish kids. The camp's theme for the summer is "Cudowne Lata," which means "Wonder Years." Kids will learn about the miracles of Jesus.

Heather had a great idea: let's incorporate the camp theme into our lessons. Each day of the week, our english classes will focus on a different miracle of Jesus. For example, on Monday we'll focus on Jesus calming the storm (Matt 8:23-27). The kids will learn words like storm, boat, waves, disciple, afraid, and so on.

Thank you, prayer team, for lifting us up during this time of preparation. Our support is currently at 27.5% ($1100 of our $4000 goal). We have a ways to go, and only a few weeks in which to get there, so if you are planning to give financially, would you please let us know?

Here's how you can pray for us right now:

• Please pray for our financial support. God has always provided and we are confident that he will continue to do so.
• Please pray for our hearts as we prepare. It's easy to worry at this point; we'd rather focus on our relationships with Christ and pursue his heart for Poland, than worry about things beyond our control (such as how we'll survive the long flight with David, jet lag, etc.).
• Please pray for PROeM. This year's camps are already underway. In fact, right now, their most popular camp, "Fishart," is taking place. Over 180 campers are there as we write!

3 weeks in August

Below is what we're scheduled to do, week by week, while we're abroad. David is super-excited about it!



We're scheduled to fly from LAX to Warsaw on Friday, July 30. We'll arrive late on Saturday, July 31. During the first week of August, Real Action will take place in a city called Lodz. You may recall that last year we attended Real Action. It is a week-long event in which 100+ Christians partner with a polish city to perform repairs on public and private property, to provide a VBS camp for children, and to share the Gospel with the people. While Real Action takes place, PROeM will also host a children’s camp back at its camping facility in Zakosciele. We Soderlunds are praying to discern where we can best be used that week. Right now, we believe it will be at the children’s camp, but we are awaiting feedback from the PROeM staff. If they have a need for us at Real Action, then we will happily go.

The second week of August is the English camp for children. We’ve been asked to teach English classes during that week. We'll likely be preparing lessons and then spending several hours with a small group of kids throughout the week.

During our final week, we’ll fill in the gaps at the camp, doing whatever we’re asked to do. We'll fly home on Friday, August 20.

We're going back to Poland in August

Yep, the rumors are true, friends: The Soderlunds are returning to Poland this summer to serve with PROeM ministries. What's more, Heather and Kenji are returning too!

Watch this website and your email inbox for our support letter, scheduled to arrive within the next week.












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Did somebody say "jet lag?"

We made it home safely, arriving at LAX on Friday night. These last two days have been a blurr since a certain little person in this family is severely jet-lagged. Once we get more than 3 consecutive hours of sleep, we'll post some reflections. Thanks for your prayers!!

Good things happen here

It's hard to believe that it's already Thursday night in Poland. We'll head home tomorrow. Last night's invitation was amazing. The speaker gave a message on the crucifixion from Barabbas' perspective (Mark 15). He illustrated that Jesus literally died in Barabbas' place and how he also died in our place. I don't know exactly how many campers accepted Christ last night, but at least 63 came forward to either accept Christ or to learn more about Him. Praise God! Today and tomorrow, their leaders are following up with them and beginning the next step of discipleship with them. As for today, we (Heather and the Soderlunds) went into Tomaszow to see Proem's new school. The former beauty salon and day spa is in the process of becoming the new home for students in kindergarten through second grade. Praise God! It is also worth mentioning that the school is located in the middle of a new booming development in the city where lots of young families congregate. Zaba, a camp leader and the principal at the new site is overjoyed with the prospects of being the first Christian school in all of Poland that welcomes non-Christian students as well as non-Christian teachers! What an amazing ministry opportunity.
(Above: First Floor Administration & Classrooms)

(Above: Basement P.E)


Oh and of course it was Kielbasa roast night and crazy hats were a must.

"Gangsta Brothers!!!" Here's David with his friend Samuel. Samuel is the son of Stephanie and Tomek, our friends who serve with PROeM.

Here's how you can pray/praise right now:

• Please pray for travel mercies. Tomorrow we fly from Warsaw to London, then London to LA. We depart Warsaw at noon and are scheduled to arrive in LA at 7pm California time (4am in Poland).
• Please pray for the campers who accepted Christ this week.
• Please pray for the campers who heard the gospel this week but have not had a heart change.
• Praise God for the wonderful things that are happening in His name here in Poland.