"The mission outreach of these fellows is so superb. Thank you for letting us share with them."

The above is a quote from one of our Kansas City partners regarding our Polish missionaries.

Even though EB and I are back on a plane on Sunday for a week in Atlanta, I just returned 10 days ago from nearly 3 weeks in the States. Most of that was spent in or near Kansas City. While in KC, I was with 4 of our Polish staff trying to get them connected with churches and individuals in their attempts to raise support.

Our several weeks in Kansas City (and one weekend near Great Bend, Kansas) exceeded our expectations! Praise God! I was genuinely surprised how people made sacrifices and took risks to help out the Polish missionaries with me. These people ranged from high school friends I have known for a quarter century (I grew up in Kansas City) to people I did not know before this trip.

Authentic Kansas City Bar-B-Que with our new friend Brian Doerr (2nd from the right) and four of our Polish missionaries [from left: Robert Kowalsky, Mariusz Kwapisz (country director), Marek Marcinowicz and Irek Lehwark.]

The Polish missionaries with me had the deck stacked against them. IMAGINE THEIR SITUATION! They were far from family, in a culture and country foreign to them, operating in their second language and, on top of all of this, they were support raising! Two of the men are still in Kansas City and will leave in a few days. However, when I left the US on Super Bowl Sunday, the Polish missionaries had already raised about half of the support they needed! That is good news!

Yet behind these 4 staff are another 95 Polish missionaries. And behind these Polish missionaries are our Romanian, Albanian and Russian staff. Then there are the national missionaries from the other Eastern European countries, most all of whom live financially in ways Americans would not.

Europe is the only continent in the world where the Christian church is not growing. If we are to see true Biblical Christianity come again to Europe, like it is in Asia and Africa, the first thing we must do (after emerging from prayer and fasting for Europe) is to sure up and empower what “remains of the wall” (think Nehemiah): that is, our European national missionaries.

God has not given the American church great wealth so that she can be comfortable. I believe that the Lord wants the American church to step beyond the bubble of American evangelicalism and engage her world. And as she goes to the remotest ends of the earth, she is to be salt and light to her neighbors as well.

Some of the lovely Kansas City ladies who attended a coffee that Kari (far right) hosted in order to benefit the Polish ministry.

The fact is that very little of America’s Christian wealth gets to the foreign mission field. This is not, I believe, because the American church is greedy. Rather I believe she lacks opportunity. Whenever the Holy Spirit orchestrates Eastern European missionaries to be seated at the same table as American Christians, an instant bond usually takes place; a bond that, more often than not, results in prayer and financial investment.

Mariusz sharing his life and ministry with Larry and Phyllis Vogt and Marian DeWerff of Ellinwood (Kansas) Baptist Church.

One reason books like “The Purpose Driven Life” and “Wild at Heart,” are so popular is that the flipside of American affluence is often boredom and a lack of purpose. Yet the Bible is full of offers to live lives of meaning and purpose. (Matthew 9:37, Matthew 16:24-25, Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 6:35, Acts 1:8, etc.)

Reconciling the world with the Creator is what drove Jesus to leave His home, travel to a foreign world, communicate the love of the Father and even lay down His life so that others might commune with the Father. The missionary cause is so great that even Jesus Himself left everything to pursue it. Surely it is worthy of our pursuits too.

Even though the cause of Christ cries out for those who will leave behind all that is familiar for the sake of the gospel, one can still make a difference and not leave one’s zip code by praying, sending and giving.

The foreign mission field does not need sinless saints leading perfect lives revved on caffeine and adrenaline. Rather we need wounded warriors who are so moved by a God who justifies by grace through faith, that they count Him as their greatest treasure, greatest passion, and greatest pursuit.

Repent from small dreams and come dream big dreams with us. First Europe and then lets see where the Lord leads us!

We were able to spend a few days with EB's mom who lives near Great Bend, Kansas. She lives on the farm her grandfather homesteaded as an immigrant from the modern-day Czech Republic. Here she is showing the Polish men the hogshed that she is renovating into guest quarters for her ever-growing family!

It was interesting to see what the Polish men noticed while visiting the States. They commented frequently on the creatively designed buildings (one pictured here), the large cars, wide and maintained roads, including the interstate system as well as "miles upon miles of large, beautiful homes."

When I arrived back home in Budapest, EB had a party waiting for me with our children, extended family and best Hungarian friends! For a few hours I forgot that I hadn't slept in a couple of days!