We are very glad for the many guests we have had from the United States. A young man in the United States Air Force came to Poland for his job, and he attended our church for the time he was here. He was a Hyles-Anderson College graduate and was a great blessing to have with us for several services. He knew that we were installing a screen so that people could read the verses from the media screen during services and asked if he could help with installing it. He got up on a ladder, measured, drilled, and mounted the screen to the front wall in our meeting area.
We also had a family come to spend a few days with us. The man is stationed in Germany and is a U.S. Marine; his wife has a Polish heritage. She really wanted to visit the country of Poland, so they made a point to visit us too. They also were a big blessing to us. When they arrived at our home, they gave my wife a huge, beautiful bouquet of flowers. They also helped with some financial needs.
A young American man, who was seeking a contract on a sports team in Poland, came to visit our church. He was a believer who had attended a prominent Christian college. His girlfriend, who was a Canadian, was with him. He said if he got a job on a Polish soccer team, then he would attend our services regularly. However, he has not returned since the first Sunday when we met him, so possibly he didn’t get the contract.
We also had a brother from South Dakota attend our services for several weeks. He is an English teacher in Ukraine, and he needed to come to Poland to renew his visa. This man uses his English teaching to witness to people, and he often works alongside missionaries. He was a great blessing to have in the church, as he was a ready teacher of good doctrine and could help to convince people with false doctrines. He also visited a Mr. M. several times and witnessed to him. He told us that Mr. M. prayed for salvation with him. Praise the Lord! We asked for prayer for Mr. M. in our last prayer letter, but he has left the church since then. We believe that he may believe but is still searching the Scriptures for the right body of doctrine. We have experienced this before with other Catholic people who have come to our church; it has taken years for them to finally accept the true doctrine.
Another English teacher going to Ukraine attended our church one Sunday. He brought a large number of cookies and other goodies with him to share with our church people. He was also a believer and a retired police officer from Florida. We have also had other guests from countries outside of Poland: China, Belarus, Czech, Malaysia, Ukraine, and France.
I’ve been sick for a month due to dental problems and the coronavirus, and it was encouraging to see the church step up and fill in for me. The services that I missed were led by a faithful young man in our church from India and a Polish brother; both are a help in the church.
It is a very huge blessing when people come to church and don’t want to go home. They long just to stay in the house of the Lord. We have been seeing our people really longing to stay and fellowship for hours after each meeting. After services on Sundays, we usually eat together, and then people seem to want to fellowship until the evening hours. We also take time to clean the church after eating the meal together.
A lady in our church recently shared how when she was an eight-year-old girl, the German soldiers, who occupied Poland at that time, would take all the food from people. She learned to live on water many times to keep her stomach full. When her aunt would bring food in from the village areas, she would hide the food in her clothes; however, the Germans would frisk them down and find that they had bundles under their clothing. The people got little food. Some older people have shared their hardships and heartaches from that terrible time in history with us on various occasions. It is important to learn from history so we don’t have to repeat it.
Thank you for the many who helped with funds for Bibles and a work vehicle, which we use to bring people to church. Our vehicle has been a blessing for the short time we have been using it. The Bibles will be given to those who want a Bible. We are rejoicing to see the Lord build His church for the people of Poland.
More than conquerors,
Paul & Jolie Sock