It’s Here! It’s Finally Here!!!

A Mission to Poland

Could it be that we were first in Poland more than two years ago?

It hardly seems possible that almost two and a half years’ worth of prayers, payments, work, and well, sometimes even worry, has finally come and gone.  What started as a survey trip to check out a clothing manufacturing company in a small town in Poland led us to learn of a greater need in that land– the need to care for and train young children.

Poland Trip April 2010-- Bydgoszcz
Survey Trip in April 2010.

A preschool, Really?

Genesis Preschool Classroom
One of the classrooms in Poland

In all honesty, we would have never considered that.  We are a homeschool family after all. But looking back, it’s amazing how many ways He was going to pave the way for the preschool ministry we would have never imagined… and how often His ways did not look like the ways we would have chosen.  God’s plans included teaching us to trust Him in ways we had not known before as David was overseeing a construction project taking place half a world away.  His plans included making us wait much longer than we had hoped and planned on.  His plans included times when doors seemed to be open wide as my journal will attest only to be closed again before anything could come of it.  Through it all, I learned to trust God more.  But I also learned to trust David more as I witnessed in my husband a strong, steady faith when I was ready to throw in the towel.  He remained convinced of the mission and of the means.  How thankful I am for the grace God gave him to stand firm.

Opening Day!

Late last week, the word came to us that we would be opening the preschool this week.  We knew that was a possibility, but we have learned that we need to wait for final word before we celebrate too much.  As the weekend progressed, and we began to tell more people, it became more clear to me just how grateful I was that this moment had arrived. I could hardly give an update without tearing up as I spoke.  I thought of the team on the ground in Poland, and the sacrifices they have made personally over the past 2 years.  I thought of the Polish teachers that had signed on earlier this year, because they believed in the mission of the school even though we couldn’t give them any clear start date at the time.  I thanked God for allowing our family to play a small role in ministering to the many children and families that will come through those doors. And I began thinking of every way possible to get back to Poland soon to see the completed project and the children God has sent to study and be cared for there.

Genesis Preschool Ready To Open
Worldwide Tentmakers’  preschool Ready To Open

When the school is full, 90 children will be ministered to at any given time.  That will allow us to reach hundreds of families with the gospel through the years.  After hours, we will open the doors of the school for Biblically-based parenting classes.  We are also welcoming older children to the facility to study English with the American English teachers we are sending over, and we will be offering music classes as well to extend the reach to even more families in the area. There is much to be excited about!!

Neighborhood Preschooler
While we were visiting Poland in May of this year, this young lady and her grandmother came to inquire about attending the preschool.

Homeschool Involvement in That Mission.

As I reflected over the path that God has taken us to get to opening day, I wondered if part of the reason for the delays didn’t include you.  For God used the funds generated by Teach Them Diligently Convention last year to provide enough to enable us to finish the construction phase of the project.  I believe that God wanted you to share in the joy of knowing that your participation last year– either as an attendee, exhibitor or speaker– was used in God’s sovereign plan to further His work in this formerly closed country in which less than one half of one percent of the population is Evangelical Christian.  My heart overflows as I think of the many that may come to know our great Savior because of the work He has allowed us all to participate in.  God is so good!

For the sake of His Name!

Leslie