Radomsko, PolandTuesday, August 4, 2009
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Skateboarding Outreach in Radomsko
We only have one more full month, the month of August, as missionaries here in Poland before we leave for Mozambique in early September. I have felt led by the Lord for this last month to really concentrate on doing outreach at local skate parks and building relationships with local Polish skaters. I picked up a new skateboard while we were in Kraków last week, and have been excited to hit the skate parks.
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Yesterday was the first day of these trips to skate parks, and I chose Radomsko as the first city where I would go to do some outreach. Jonas and I swung by Bełchatów to pick up Damian on the way to Radomsko around noon. Jonas, Damian and I each prayed in the car on the way to Radomsko about the outreach we would be taking part in. We prayed for divine connections and a preparation of people’s hearts. We first stopped by the Pentecostal church, since we weren’t sure where this skate park was. Anneta heated us up some killer lasagna, and then after obiad, her husband Janek, went with us to the skate park. Before we left the church, we packed a box full of tracts that had the address of the church and the service times along with some New Testaments to hand out as the Lord would lead us.
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When we got to the skate park there were a few younger kids who were just learning to skate, which was really cool with us. The skate park in Radomsko is really just a few small ramps and a box on some pretty crummy asphalt. But, hey, it is something. I started out by just skating with the younger kids. Then after skating with them for a while, I introduced myself to them, along with my history in skateboarding and starting Skate Church in Vancouver, Washington. They were very interested in hearing about these things. I tried to teach them a couple of tricks. Damian actually ended up spending most of his time with these young people, encouraging them in their skating, sharing more of his testimony with them. He even ended up giving some tracts and a New Testament to one of the kids. They continued to ask questions about tricks and other things in life, and we talked to them about all these things, and about Jesus.
When we got to the skate park there were a few younger kids who were just learning to skate, which was really cool with us. The skate park in Radomsko is really just a few small ramps and a box on some pretty crummy asphalt. But, hey, it is something. I started out by just skating with the younger kids. Then after skating with them for a while, I introduced myself to them, along with my history in skateboarding and starting Skate Church in Vancouver, Washington. They were very interested in hearing about these things. I tried to teach them a couple of tricks. Damian actually ended up spending most of his time with these young people, encouraging them in their skating, sharing more of his testimony with them. He even ended up giving some tracts and a New Testament to one of the kids. They continued to ask questions about tricks and other things in life, and we talked to them about all these things, and about Jesus.
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A group of older youth began to start coming to the skate park as well. Just as in Polish churches, when they began to arrive at the skate park, they would go around and greet everyone present with a handshake and a few words in Polish. As Damian stayed and connected with the younger kids, I began to skate with and connect with the older guys. They were from ages 18 to 23. They invited me to play some games of S.K.A.T.E. with them and as I skated with them, I was just automatically accepted as one of them. You may remember me talking about my experience doing outreach at the skate park in Piotrków-Trybunalski, when we took a team from Whipple Creek Church to Poland. It was very similar to what went on then. All of the skaters were very warm, friendly and accepting. And I think they really dig that I know some of the same tricks as them, as well as other ones that are new to them. Overall, these older guys are much better than I am at skating, especially after my back injury as I continue to take it easy these days.
A group of older youth began to start coming to the skate park as well. Just as in Polish churches, when they began to arrive at the skate park, they would go around and greet everyone present with a handshake and a few words in Polish. As Damian stayed and connected with the younger kids, I began to skate with and connect with the older guys. They were from ages 18 to 23. They invited me to play some games of S.K.A.T.E. with them and as I skated with them, I was just automatically accepted as one of them. You may remember me talking about my experience doing outreach at the skate park in Piotrków-Trybunalski, when we took a team from Whipple Creek Church to Poland. It was very similar to what went on then. All of the skaters were very warm, friendly and accepting. And I think they really dig that I know some of the same tricks as them, as well as other ones that are new to them. Overall, these older guys are much better than I am at skating, especially after my back injury as I continue to take it easy these days.
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I also got to share about my history in skateboarding and starting Skate Church with them as well. All of the older guys had grown up in the Catholic Church, and were saying that they believe in God, but don’t believe in church. I’ve heard this a lot, not only here in Poland, but in the States as well. After I told them about Skate Church, they said that if there was a church like that for skaters here in Poland, that they would go to that church. I thought that was really cool, and feel a little sad I don’t have more time here in Poland to see what God could do, perhaps starting a few Skate Churches here in Poland through me, like back in the States. But who knows what can happen in this month. Perhaps Skate Churches will start. I told these guys that I had injured my back, but that I really like filming and putting together videos. We all decided to shoot some footage, and that I would put a small video together for these local skaters from Radomsko. I have really missed skateboarding ministry over the past six months, and am super excited about what has begun today. We will continue to come to this skate park here in Radomsko every week to build relationships with these guys, skate with them and film. After talking to these guys, they would like us to go together to the nicer, larger skate parks in Częstochowa this month, as well. We will also be going to the skate parks in Bełchatów and in Piotrków-Trybunalski every week to do the same. This sort of outreach is so natural to me, and fun, too. I can’t wait to see what God does this month at these skate parks.
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Christian Young
I also got to share about my history in skateboarding and starting Skate Church with them as well. All of the older guys had grown up in the Catholic Church, and were saying that they believe in God, but don’t believe in church. I’ve heard this a lot, not only here in Poland, but in the States as well. After I told them about Skate Church, they said that if there was a church like that for skaters here in Poland, that they would go to that church. I thought that was really cool, and feel a little sad I don’t have more time here in Poland to see what God could do, perhaps starting a few Skate Churches here in Poland through me, like back in the States. But who knows what can happen in this month. Perhaps Skate Churches will start. I told these guys that I had injured my back, but that I really like filming and putting together videos. We all decided to shoot some footage, and that I would put a small video together for these local skaters from Radomsko. I have really missed skateboarding ministry over the past six months, and am super excited about what has begun today. We will continue to come to this skate park here in Radomsko every week to build relationships with these guys, skate with them and film. After talking to these guys, they would like us to go together to the nicer, larger skate parks in Częstochowa this month, as well. We will also be going to the skate parks in Bełchatów and in Piotrków-Trybunalski every week to do the same. This sort of outreach is so natural to me, and fun, too. I can’t wait to see what God does this month at these skate parks.
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Christian Young
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