Our 1st day in Poland will be Natalie's Birthday and should be quite the adventure after being in the air for over 15 hours and then a 1 1/2 hour drive north of Warsaw to Plock for our hotel the first evening there. I am sure that all of them will be quite exhausted, and ready for a snooze by then.
From there it is a series of driving multiple hours (4+) to Hel Peninsula where we meet up with Waldek, Ewa, and Alex for a few days at the seaside. We pray that our relationship will deepen with each day and that we form a very strong and trusting bond with them. We hope to enjoy the north part of Poland and maybe make a few business contacts at teh same time as Waldek will no doubt have acquaintances and friends who also holiday up in this area.
On the 5th day we are planning to drive back to Warsaw with Waldek and Ewa where we will settle into an apartment he has arranged for us from a cousin who owns some extra flats nearby where they live. Once settled we will be touring the "American School fo Warsaw" where we intend to send the girls for school. All three of our previous teachers at Edu-Prize recommended this school and its curriculum over all of the other more expensive alternatives (although this won't be cheap either). We have set up a day to meet with the director to allow us the opportunity to tour the facility, learn about the makeup of the school, and the area surrounding it. Next will be checking out homes/ flats in and around the area. It turns out (like we did not already know HE came before us here) that the school is only about 7 minutes from the area where Waldek and Ewa live, which is South West of the city center. It is amazing to see how all of this is already unfolding a bit.
Once we have researched homes and the school, we will be visiting some Language schools as well to get some great information and program info for our first 2 years of language. Polish is a difficult language to learn but with the 40 hour or more a week focus on it for the first 2 years we should be able to do very well. Our Rosetta stone study is helping and we are ramping up the lessons to get in tune for our trip so we can start to have minor conversation and be able to get around a bit...
After Warsaw, it will another 3-4 hour drive down to Krakow (The Cultural Capital of Poland)...where the history, architecture, and culture will be filling out every sense with appreciation for this proud, and industrious nation. Our guides will once again be Waldek and Ewa (If you have never experienced Polish hospitality -- it is a site to behold)...who will take us and show us around before we head back the following day to Warsaw again. On the way back however, we are contemplating a stop in Oswieciem (The Polish City) where Auschwitz-Birkenau is located. Since we visited the Holocaust museum in D.C. earlier this year, it is a great opportunity to get the girls to understand this happened right in our new backyard....and how the people still are recovering from this unbelievable tragedy.
Once back in Warsaw, more contact will be made with Business professionals and Marek (whom we met in February last year)...we expect not to many meetings will take place, however we are wanting to make sure we have a strong foundation to build off of...even now prior to getting there.
Back in the car for probably 3-4 more hours to Mazury Lakes district in North east Poland -- not to awfully far from the Russian border. Waldek says this among a few other places in Poland is not to be missed...beautiful lakes back dropped with mountains and vistas. He enjoys sailing there and we might be able to join him. This area oddly enough also housed a massive assortment of German bunkers which served as Hitlers command center from 1941-1944. In fact Hitler himself stayed in this area extensively while commanding the offensives against the Russian front. This is also the scene of the Valkyrie uprising that has been made a bit more famous in the last few months by Tom Cruise and Hollywood. Wolf's Lair (as it is called) will provide yet another piece of the cultural puzzle that is Poland.
Lastly our journey will unfortunately end back in Warsaw where we will have to say Dovidzenia (or see you later) until we return for good. It will be an exciting time for the kids and for us to see how God will give them a love for the people and culture.
We really need prayer, financial support, and your contacts to make this trip successful and our getting to the field successful. Would you please consider praying for the needs listed below and if led financially to assist with this heavy financial load please contact us to find out how you can help. We Love all of you and look forward to ministering in HIS name.
Warm Regards,
The Phillips Family.
Prayer & Financial Needs:
- For timely and safe connections to Warsaw on US Air & Lot Polish Airways.
- For safety and Gabe's ability to drive alert and aware in Poland where the traffic laws are very different.
- For our relationship to deepen with Waldek & Ewa and open hearts
- For the kids sleep (Especially Preston) while we are there and the time change issues
- For our business network to increase in Warsaw & Krakow
- For the kids love of Poland and the school they will visit
- For affordable, close housing to the school.
- Finally, for approx. $8,500 for this trip
Blessings to you....