Street performer in Krakow at night ... 'breathing' fire!

Traveling by Train

Dave, Jim & Joe on the train ride to Krakow

Irmina translating for Tytus & Dave while we are waiting to board the train in Radom. Sam & Luke on the right, being their goofy selves.

Irmina, Ben, Dave & Sherri waiting for train in Krakow, to return to Radom

More of Krakow

Sam & Jim in one of our hostel rooms in Krakow

A few of Joe's carefully chosen purchases in Krakow

Jim, Joe & Luke in the soldier's 'head' on the square in Krakow

John Eger, this is for you. We found a quaint little coffee shop on a side street of Krakow. We all thought of you and how much you would enjoy it.

There was an Elvis sighting in Krakow on Saturday ... did this make the U.S. news?

Street performer ... soccer ball juggler

Some things are just universal ...

Dave & Sherri at a sidewalk cafe in Krakow ... enjoying a few romantic hours together

A view through the archway of a stone bridge in Krakow

Sherri purchased a beautiful table linen made by this Polish woman in Krakow. The woman was kind enough to allow a photo to be taken. Actually, she was quite proud and smiled willingly.

Again, another 'Everyone look to the left' Perry photo ...

it is becoming contagious here!

Thoughts of the Day

We have been blessed with a wonderful day in Radom. It began with church ... I will share more about that tomorrow. After church, we enjoyed a wonderful meal and great fellowship with Vojtek, Jola, Mikolaj, Szymon, and Piotrus (and their cousin, Rafael). Jola served homemade perogi's and soup. Then three kinds of beautiful dessert. Absolutely delicious. Vojtek shared his testimony, which was filled with God's grace and guidance.
We came home for a short rest and then walked to Tytus & Jola's house for 'light snacks'. Right! Tacos, homemade potato pancakes, and lody. Needless to say, we were pleasantly & plumply stuffed :-)
Upon our arrival back at the apartment, the teens were waiting with a surprise party for Ben, Joe & Jim (Sam, Luke & Levi had stayed home to help them prepare). It was creative and fun, to say the least. They had made a huge, individual card for each of the three boys. And yes, there was more food. My heart was filled with joy for the fun we shared, sadness for the boys parting with good friends, and overwhelming thankfulness for the love & friendship our boys have experienced here. These are life long memories with life long friends.
Ben, Joe & Jim will depart from Radom at 7 a.m. tomorrow (1 a.m. Ohio time). Their flight is scheduled to leave Warsaw at 12:10 pm, arrive in Chicago at 3:10 pm Chicago time, and then arrive in Cleveland around 10:00 pm. Please pray for their safe travel. Jamie & Challyn (Joe & Ben's girlfriends) will greet them at the airport in Cleveland ... undoubtedly, a welcome sight for Ben & Joe!
Once we rest tomorrow, I will do my best to post more photos on the blog. These past four days have been extremely full! Our hearts are bursting with many feelings, both of gratitude and of conviction. We have a big God who speaks to the very heart of our beings.
Until tomorrow ... blessings to all.

A glimpse of Krakow

No time to blog right now ... just posting a few photos from Krakow :-) We are on our way to Tytus & Jola's for supper. Bye for now!

Back safely from Krakow

We arrived back in Radom safely with happy greetings from Marek & Steve at the train station. It was great to see them! It is amazing that when we got back to our 'apartment' here, it felt like coming 'home'. We had an awesome time in Krakow, but we're all ready to be 'settled' again.

Everyone is vying for the computer, so I'll post photos when it becomes possible.

Because we'll be traveling, we will not be updating this blog for a few days. Here is our schedule:

Thursday - 3:11 pm - Train departs for Krakow (4-hour ride). We are making the kids leave laptops & PSP's behind so they will talk, play cards, & look at the Polish countryside.

Thursday - 7:00 pm - Arrive in Krakow, where we will be staying at a hostel near downtown (not staying at the university because it was full). This will be a new experience.

Friday - 9:00 am - Train departs for Auschwitz (1:45 ride). Sherri, Ben, Irmina, Luke & Sam will go to Auschwitz while the rest of the kids & Dave tour Krakow.

Friday - 6:00 pm - Train arrives back in Krakow from Auschwitz. We will spend the evening in Krakow

Saturday - Tour Krakow during the day

Saturday evening- Train arrives back in Radom

Sunday - Church in the morning, lunch with Mikolaj's family, and dinner in the country with Tytus & some of his friends. These friends have teens who study abroad, and they want to meet our family.

Sunday - Late night - Ben, Joe & Jim will say goodbye to all of their friends here.

Monday - early morning - Drive the boys to the airport in Warsaw. Their flight leaves at 12:10 pm Warsaw time (6:10 am Ohio time)

This will be a fun but exhausting four days! We would appreciate your prayers for safety, stamina, enjoyment, meaningful experiences, and lots of patience with each other!

(One final note: VBS went extremely well today. Many more kids came. I was not there, but from what I've heard, DAVE WAS EVEN A PUPPETEER!!! Jim got it on video just for proof!)

Wednesday

Gosia & Asia came by for a visit (in the above picture, Gosia is on the left & Asia on the right)

(In the picture to the right, Asia is on the left & Gosia on the right)

Dave, Sherri & Levi enjoyed an evening with Steve & Bernatka's family. Around the dinner table are Daniel, Levi, Veronica & Justyna (Steve & Beata's daughter)

Three loads of laundry (washed in the bathtub by hand) & our view from the balcony. Notice the crane. There is much construction going on in Radom. And notice the steeple in the distant right ... this is the old cathedral in the

Old Town of Radom.

Two crazy boys making silly faces ... Szymon & Jim

Monday Evening with Friends

On the walk home with Edyta, Wiktoria & Agata

Edyta & Dave in the kitchen

Edyta, Agata & Wiktoria (they are in front of the living room wall, which Edyta decorated after Thoens left last fall)

Natalja, Wiktoria & Edyta in their kitchen. This kitchen is probably 6' x 6' (maybe 7'), yet we were served delicious food with wonderful Polish hospitality.

Enjoying dinner around the table

Lunch with Peter & Lucyna on Monday

And finally ... lody! Polish ice cream!

3rd course of the meal ... Yummm!

Peter & his mother, Lucyna

2nd course of the meal!

First course of the meal

Jewish synagogue memorial

Luke, Ben, Joe & Jim

VBS - Monday

Kasia, Steve & Marek doing puppets

Edyta with children, watching puppet showDaniel (Steve & Bernatka's son)

Sunday Evening

Sunday evening we enjoyed a nice family dinner around the large table in the living room area. We discovered that there were leaves inside the table to extend it for 8-person seating. We enjoyed meat loaf, rice, a green bean/onion/mushroom/salami stir fry and yummy Polish bread. It was really nice to enjoy a relaxing meal together.

One of the many beautiful cathedrals in Radom

One of our favorite sidewalk billboards

Sunday Church & Agape Meal

Tytus with granddaughter, Veronica

Mikolaj & Ben (the two 21-year-olds (enjoying conversation)

Tytus speaking to the congregation, as Steve Snyder translates

Sam, Luke & Jan Marek after church