CZECH REPUBLIC 2009 - Trip To Prague With Teri And Angie

Prague, Czech Republic
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
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Trip To Prague With Teri And Angie
This week we took a two day trip to go see and pray over the beautiful city of Prague in Czech Republic. We came down through the south of Poland going through Katowice then to Bielsko-Biała, to pick up our friend Damian. Then we headed southwest, and went through the Czech border.

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One thing you notice when you go through the border is the change of how the language looks on road signs and billboards. Although the language looks completely different, it sounds very similar. So while we were in Czech, we could understand most of what people said. Another new difference that we had to get used to was the currency of Czech Republic. The currency there is called the Czech Korona. You can feel like you have a lot of money but really you have hardly anything at all! The smallest coin they have is a one Korona. But they have two thousand Korona bills! So a dinner at a restaurant in Prague could cost 800 Koronas.

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So we got into Prague at mid afternoon on Tuesday. We got to the front desk, and went to get our keys for the rooms we had reserved for us from the receptionist. Apparently, there was some miscommunication between Damian and the receptionist about who booked what room. Then the man at the front desk gave us a worse rate for smaller rooms in the first place! We ended up just taking the rooms anyway. Although I was looking forward to a great time in Prague, that was rather frustrating, and could have seen some better hospitality…on the receptionists part.

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We got a chance to see some of Prague’s magnificent buildings in the daylight. Prague is full of wonderful churches and cathedrals, beautiful bridges, and a lovely old town square. We got a chance to go and see most of these places, but Prague is so big, it would take a few days to see everything thoroughly. So after spending the rest of the afternoon in the old town square, we went to a traditional style Czech pub and restaurant. The Czech food was delicious, but the environment in the restaurant was horrible. They had lots of stupid paintings on the wall that really destroyed the lovely atmosphere the place could have. Then, after a hearty meal, we went and saw old town at night. It was AMAZING. I think it’s the most splendid time to see Prague’s old town. All the cathedrals, bridges, and such are all lighten up brightly at night. During this time we also got some coffee, and gelato (Italian ice cream). Not trying to complain again, but we could have seen some better service by the waiter there also. We also got a chance to walk down Charles Bridge. The bridge has the statues of the twelve apostles on them. Then after walking over the bridge we walked back to our hotel.

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We woke up the next Wednesday morning, got our free continental breakfast, and left to head to a spot where we could overlook the city. We went up to the top of this hill where the old city walls are and got to a clearing where you could see the city. The view was exhilarating! It seemed as if every roof of every house was red! After taking some pictures, we prayed over the city, and that the believers there wouldn’t feel isolated with the many people who come and don’t believe from around the world. Also that the believers would find each other, and, if they haven’t already, get together to fellowship and reach out to the people of the city.

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After this we headed back to Poland. As we were going through some mountainous areas of Czech on the way to Poland, we saw some beautiful villages. The architecture was very lovely in all of these places, and I even stuck my head out of the sunroof and took some snapshots of the beautiful scenery in this area. While still in these beautiful mountain areas, we stopped for lunch at a little hotel and restaurant. Then, after some good food in our stomach, we headed to Wrocław then from there back to Piotrków-Trybunalski.

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Jonas Young

POLAND 2009 - Resurrection Life

Radomsko, Poland
Monday, July 13, 2009
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Resurrection Life
I accepted another invitation to speak at the Pentecostal church in Radomsko, and spoke at their Sunday morning meeting yesterday. Angie and Teri wanted to see another church setting here in Poland, and we very much wanted to connect them, and Whipple Creek Church, with pastor Wiesław and the lovely people of that congregation.
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I spoke on the resurrection of Jesus, using 1 Corinthians 15 as the main Scripture passage. We had a wonderful time of worship before the message. Then our friend Paweł translated for me, which I was so grateful for. It felt as though people weren’t responding throughout the message, even though it was such a lively topic. I thought maybe the message was a bit boring. About 3/4 of the way through the message, I began to sense that people were connecting. I gave an opportunity for people to receive Christ who had never done so before, and 3 PEOPLE CAME FORWARD TO PRAY FOR SALVATION! Hallelujah! Wow! That is the second time within a week that people have heard the gospel, and responded when an invitation was given. I had pastor Wiesław pray with them and lead them in prayer. Another group of 5 or 6 people also came forward for prayer. Myself, Paweł, Angie, Wiesław and his wife prayed for various people. I believe most of them were set free and also experienced resurrection life and resurrection power for their different circumstances. Again, praise the Lord! There were some prophetic words given to Angie and Teri for us, some of them dealing with a double portion of God’s anointing, and man, we are just getting under that anointing. God is doing tremendous things here in Poland.

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We ended our time their by having obiad (lunch) with them, and fellowshipping outside with them while I jammed on the guitar. Było dobry czas! (It was a good time!)

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Christian Young

POLAND 2009 - Praying At The Gates Of The City

Piotrków-Trybunalski, Poland
Sunday, July 12, 2009
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Praying At The Gates Of The City
It has been so great having Angie and Teri here with us this last week. One thing that Angie heard from the Lord back in 2007 was that she is supposed to come to Poland to pray. So in the continuation of our warfare prayer in the city of Piotrków-Trybunalski, Angie and Teri joined our prayer team as we prayed at the gates of the city.
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Earlier this year, as we were spiritually mapping the city of Piotrków-Trybunalski, one of our warfare prayer team members had a word from the Lord about praying at the gates of the city, along with a Scripture passage found in Psalm 24:7. We all gathered last night at one of the couple’s homes to gather for prayer and worship before we actually went to pray at the gates. Oh man, there was so much resistance in the spirit even as we gathered and began to talk about praying at the gates. I mean, some of us were experiencing painful physical manifestations, as well as sleepiness as we began our time together. One of the warfare prayer team members wasn’t feeling up to going and praying at the gates. There was just so much opposition. Even Jordan began to feel sick to her stomach. So we entered a time of worship and prayer, hoping to shake off the resistance. There was a release enough for most of us to take our places under the anointing of God. But it was getting late, and we knew we would only have time to pray at one gate. So we decided to wait on the Lord for clarity on which gate we should pray at.
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After spending time waiting on God, we discussed what God was revealing to each one of us. There have been some really neat prophetic things happening in our lives, and in this city. We had purchased our airline tickets to Mozambique earlier in the year, after praying for the Lord’s leading, and found that it would be 9 months that we would have spent here in the city of Piotrków-Trybunalski, Poland by the time we left. We had some words given to us having to do with this, concerning the fact that 9 months is the gestation period before a woman gives birth. We had felt as though our 9 month stay here was going to give birth to something in the Spirit, but weren’t sure what it was. Our warfare prayer team has been praying for the unity of all believers in this city, including some of the fringe groups that don’t have a church building, but gather for fellowship in homes.
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We have been doing a lot of ministry in Radomsko at the Pentecostal church for the last couple of months. Well just a couple of weeks ago, pastor Wiesław from Radomsko, invited our family to the church to meet about something that has been stirring in his heart. He really wants us to work with them, and even is hoping that our Africa plans might change in order that we might move to Radomsko and minister with them. But Wiesław really began to cast a vision that God had given him and the staff in Radomsko about starting a work in the city of Piotrków-Trybunalski. The thing is, he doesn’t just want to simply plant another church, but he wants to gather other pastors in the city, as well as other believers from these pockets in the city, to pray together, and work together for the sake of furthering the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of man in Piotrków-Trybunalski. Of course, there is very probably a church plant involved in this, a sister church to the one in Radomsko, but his vision goes beyond denominational barriers. This is what we have been praying for the last 6 months! He has begun to meet with others, and is pushing forward to begin this NEW WORK in Piotrków-Trybunalski. Perhaps our connection with this group from Radomsko, and there vision for PT, have something to do with our 9 month stay here. We definitely are sensing this connection.

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So as we prayed about which gate to pray at, it was looking as though it could be between the road that leads to the city of Łódź and the road that leads to the city of Radomsko, right at the city border of PT. Then one of the people from our prayer team that there have been a lot of floods lately in the south of Poland, due to the tremendous amount of rain we have had. And that the natural flow of water would be from the mountains in the south traveling north to the Baltic Sea, right through the southern gate of the city, coming from Radomsko through the city of Piotrków-Trybunalski. Wow! I also felt that I heard from God on this. I just began to thank God for the vision and heart for PT that those in Radomsko had. Then I saw the map of the city of Piotrków-Trybunalski in my mind, and I felt that we should pray at the southern gate, the road coming from Radomsko, and NOT pray at the other gates yet. I felt as though in the Spirit, this gate was to be lifted, or opened, and that the River of the Holy Spirit was to enter through this gate, and fill the entire city with the Holy Spirit, like a giant flood plain. Then, after the work of the Holy Spirit had been fulfilled in the city, that other people at a later time were to pray at the other gates of the city, opening them up so that the Spirit of God would flow into all other areas of Poland.
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This all ties in with what we have all been sensing about the importance of the city of Piotrków-Trybunalski being a key to the rest of Poland. Angie has been talking about the redemptive quality of the city since she has been here. We have concluded that the redemptive quality of Piotrków-Trybunalski is that it is a SEAT OF INFLUENCE, and the tainting of that quality by the Enemy is that it has been twisted into a SEAT OF POWER.
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We traveled to the southern gate, at the border the city of Piotrków-Trybunalski, and just as we got out, our daughter, Jordan, vomited on the side of the road, thus the resistance continued. Earlier this year, the word was revealed that we were to prophetically anoint the city gates with red wine and olive oil, as we were to “prepare the way of the Lord,” and “make straight the crooked paths,” that “the King of glory might come in.” What a powerful experience. Our group prayed and prophesied. Someone stopped and asked us for directions as we prayed on one side of the road, which we also saw as prophetic, as we pointed those people into Piotrków-Trybunalski. I felt as though in the heavenlies, that God wanted to change the name of the city from Piotrków-Trybunalski, which means “Peter’s tribunal” or “the judgment seat of Peter,” to the new name THE SEAT OF JESUS. Then we prayed over one of the people in our group, who we had a word that this person was a gate to the city as well. Then we prayed for Angie, where God did some cool stuff in her. Then we looked to the south and saw that it was a wheat field, and knew that the Lord was showing us that the harvest was coming to the city of Piotrków-Trybunalski. HALLELUJAH!
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Christian Young

POLAND 2009 - Summer Kid's Club

Piotrków-Trybunalski, Poland
Saturday, July 11, 2009
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Summer Kid’s Club
Another Summer Kid’s Club has come and gone. It was a great week. We averaged between 50 and 70 kids everyday. In fact, I think it was the most kids that have ever come out. I think that it was a real success. Once again, the highlight, at least for me, was seeing 20 people give their lives to Christ. We are making plans on how we can be purposeful and relevant in doing follow-up discipleship with them.

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I saw a few children that I hadn’t seen since our team of 12 came out from Whipple in 2007. One of those guys is Krzyszyk. He is so full of energy, and it was great to see him. He is one of the youth who gave their lives to Christ earlier in the week. On the last day of Kid’s Club, I gave he and one of his friends one of my CDs each. Another girl I haven’t seen in two years showed up on the last day. Her name is Angelica. I barely recognized her at first as she looks so much older. Then I saw her hearing aids and put two and two together. She remembered me and the rest of our team from 2007. It has been so good building relationships with these youth over the past couple of years here in Poland. Heaven only knows the eternal impact that has been made in doing so. It was bittersweet for us, as we knew we may not ever see these kids again on this side of eternity. Thank you, Lord, for the time we have had to make these friendships.
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Christian Young

POLAND 2009 - Jonas' 13th Birthday

Piotrków-Trybunalski, Poland
Thursday, July 9, 2009
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Jonas’ 13th Birthday
I reluctantly inform you that I am now a parent of a teenager. Jonas celebrated his 13th birthday yesterday. We have Teri and Angie on a short-term missions trip from Vancouver, Washington to assist with VBS and other things right now. And they were so sweet to put up streamers and balloons so that when Jonas walked upstairs to have breakfast, he would see everything decorated for his special day. We made him a nice breakfast of an omelet with toast. The bulk of the day was crazy busy with VBS. But after VBS was done, Jonas combined birthday money from us and other family members to buy his first mobile phone. He went back and forth between a mobile phone and a newer iPod with more memory, but in the end, he opted for the phone. We got a SIM card for him and activated it with a pre-paid amount (He is spending the night tonight at his friend, James’ house, and we’ve been texting each other…I think he really digs his birthday present). Then we went to Tina’s pizza with some friends for a special dinner. After dinner we went over to the Hale’s home, where we had cake and where Jonas opened more gifts from others. Thank you all for your birthday greetings to Jonas. It was a great day for him and for the whole family.
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Christian Young

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POLAND 2009 - 20 People Pray to Receive Jesus!

Piotrków-Trybunalski, Poland
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
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20 People Pray To Receive Jesus!
Well, we just finished our second day of our Summer Kid’s Club. Things have been going great. We have had over 50 kids each day. It has looked similar to how it has the last couple of years, starting with singing and skits, then a Bible teaching time, snack, games, crafts and obiad (lunch). Teri and Angie have been concentrating on leading the craft time, as Teri has done this and brought things for crafts for the past three years. The skits have been hilarious. Our kids have been having a blast with the other Polish children.

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Today, my main responsibility was to teach the older children’s Bible lesson. Our theme this summer has had to do with different animals every day. Yesterday was the lew (lion) representing Satan. Today was the owca (sheep) representing Christ-followers. As I was preparing the lesson, I thought it would be a great opportunity to give a clear presentation of the gospel, using the symbolism of sheep, goats, the Shepherd and the hearing the Shepherd’s voice. I almost knew beforehand that people would give their lives to Jesus. After I gave the teaching, I had an opportunity for the class to pray and personally ask Jesus to be their Shepherd, receiving Him into their hearts. Man, it was absolutely amazing to see 18 youth and 2 adult care-takers bow their heads, close their eyes and repeat a simple prayer after Damian and I. Probably half the youth that received Christ we have had previous contact with through Kid’s Club and other activities in the city. The other half were new children that I have never seen before, including a group of orphans from Sulejów, a neighboring city. We are so excited as these are the first people I have had the privilege of leading to Jesus after 6 months of living in Poland. We followed up by getting their names to pray for, and for the staff to continue following up with. We also gave many a Polish New Testament of their own. Praise the Lord for this wonderful harvest!

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Christian Young

POLAND 2009 - Visit from Teri and Angie

Piotrków-Trybunalski, Poland
Sunday, July 5, 2009
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Visit from Teri and Angie
Our home church, Whipple Creek Church of Vancouver, Washington, has for the last three years sent teams to Piotrków-Trybunalski, Poland to assist the evangelical church with their Summer Kid’s Club. This year, a team of two of our good friends from Whipple, Teri and Angie have come to us on a missions trip.
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They arrived on Friday morning. Andrzej and I drove to Warsaw to pick them up at the airport. It was so good to see them again. It’s only been six months since we arrived in Poland in missionaries, but when you see friends from back home in the States, it is still a really cool thing. Since they arrived, we’ve been able to hang out with them, have some prayer meetings together, walk around in the city with some other missionary friends and prepare for Kid’s Club, making props for the skits, etc. Teri and Angie have also started being invited over to homes of people from the church.

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We are looking forward to these next couple of weeks with them, and know that God is already doing cool things in and through them.
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Christian Young