Poland
This article was originally published in the August 2017 edition of ITMI Monthly.
It was shocking.
When ITMI’s Piotr Zaremba was in the US last February (2017), he was telling people he was “greedy.”
But Piotr is greedy for the only thing it’s ok to be greedy for: more people to hear the Good News.
Most of Piotr’s beloved country-men are stuck. They know that they are sinners, but they don’t know God offers forgiveness and a relationship with Him through His Son.
ITMI's Piotr and Krystyna Zaremba
Though they are dedicated to the State Church, they believe lay-people aren’t able to talk to God or read the Bible for themselves. By the time they are adults, they are suspicious of anyone who isn’t part of the State Church, so they often are too sequestered to hear about The Solution to their hearts’ questions.
So Piotr hatched a God-sized dream. A way to reach around their defensive walls with the Good News they long for.
He wants to do it before they pick up on the culture’s suspicion of evangelicals and stop listening to those who would share with them that they can have their own relationship with Jesus and read the Bible themselves.
Piotr wanted to start a Christian school.
We were excited to announce that a donor was willing to match any donations toward the school that Piotr wanted to start just 7 months later.
You read that right - he wants to open the school this September.
To do that, Piotr had to have all the paperwork and licenses in place before March ended. He didn’t even leave the US until early March!
It was completely impossible, but Piotr kept feeling like God was telling him, “September 2017.”
Now we know why God fast-tracked Piotr’s dream.
There was a small religious school in Poznan, Piotr’s city. This school is really that, religious, as opposed to Bible-based. Its 130 students haven’t been taught Biblical truths.
The school lost its administrator and needed an organization to legally encompass them, or take responsibility for them. They also needed an administrator with the proper certifications, or their doors would close. They came to Piotr, humbly asking for help and his guidance on how to do things.
It turns out, the 10-year-old school needs the two things Piotr already has lined up!
ITMI’s Darek Banicki is a highly qualified administrator with all the proper licensing who was recently ousted from his position for not being a member of the State Church.
ITMI's Darek and Daria Banicki
Piotr’s church can provide the legal umbrella needed.
The school has the one thing that would have slowed Piotr down: a facility.
There is also a staff and a student body in place. K5N can provide solid Bible teachers to turn this school into a Bible-rich educational experience that teaches students how to read and study the Bible!
This Bible-rich education will be available to an estimated 100 families living in rural Poland through an extension program that lets parents guide their kids through a remote version of the curriculum.
There is already a student body of 130!
The school already has a facility!
So God - who gave Piotr the vision of a school where students could be reached with the Good News before they are leery of it - moved in a big way to turn the vision into reality in just a short period of time.
That kind of God - who is on a mission to bless people and bring them to Himself and powerful enough to carry that out - is something to get excited about. Wouldn’t you agree?
So, next month, Piotr, Darek and their team will begin reaching the 130 students and their families with truth from God’s Word!
There are still opportunities to help with the project’s remaining financial needs while doubling your impact because of the matching gift.
Will you join us in praying for this new adventure and responsibility God has set before Piotr and his team? Pray He would “set their feet in a spacious place” and keep them from any “traps that are set.” (Ps. 31:4,8)
We are looking for people who would commit to stoping to pray for this new project sometime each Wednesday. If that’s you, we’d love for you to let our office know so we can let Piotr know he has a team of prayer warriors behind him!
Steve Evers
has advocated for and served the ITMI partners as ITMI Director since 2001. Approximately once a year, Steve visits with ITMI partners in their countries and brings stories back to encourage supporters. Steve enjoys photography and mechanics, (both hobbies that have greatly benefited ITMI partners!) Prior to becoming ITMI's Director, Steve served on the Board of Directors for 4 years. Steve lives in Arizona with his wife, Darlene.
