“In God you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that — and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison — you do not know God at all.”
-C.S. Lewis
“Are you sure...can it happen?”
I had just asked Piotr Zaremba to go for a ride with me…a very long ride. Andy and Kat, my son and daughter-in-law, just moved to Ohio from the wonderful-weathered Arizona. They needed Kat’s car delivered to their new home.
Piotr previously shared with me a sense of longing, last year when I shared about the trip I took with ITMI’s Zambian partner, Johan Leach visiting and meeting many of our loyal friends and supporters.
ITMI's Johan Leach on his cross-country trek with Steve.
“…I wanted to be able to do that,” Piotr shared.
After checking with the airline, Krystyna (Piotr’s wife) and his leadership team in Poland, it could indeed happen.
We were anticipating spending the night with Bill and Delia Haak in rural northwest Arkansas. We were hoping to swing by the Answers in Genesis Ark Encounter - the life sized replica of what some believe Noah’s ark was like.
ITMI's Piotr Zaremba at the Answers in Genesis Ark Encounter
But neither of us anticipated what being in a vehicle for hours on end would do for our relationship and our future ministry outlook and goals.
What I hadn’t planned for was a special time of no-phone, no-internet, no-administration, nothing but just sharing heart to heart as the miles slid by.
Some years ago, Piotr introduced to me a way to take advantage of the “windshield time” when we drive together. We read out loud a good soul-affecting book, then periodically we stop reading and discuss the merits and positions of the author and how it fits to what we know to be God’s truth.
It helps that Piotr has spent the last, almost-twenty years living daily in the languages and cultures of the original Biblical writings. I can’t tell you how rich and deep and wide these discussions have been.
We didn’t neglect the scriptures as Piotr read or sometimes quoted and I steered the car ever eastward. The time of hearing Piotr’s insight and understanding of God’s Word and that richness that comes from “living” in that culture for as long as he has, is so incredible that I find it hard to communicate.
I can only say, those of you who have taken advantage of Piotr’s offer to visit you, your church, your home group or even just you and your family, fully know what it means to fellowship with our Polish brother.
I am working on Piotr to somehow free up some of his time so that he can either write or record some of these wonderful insights so more of you can experience a new level of richness from God’s word. Until that happens, do consider inviting Piotr to your home or church for a blessing you will treasure.
While driving, Piotr shared with me that a Polish Catholic lady who would never step foot in Piotr’s church, emailed him to share that she and a whole group of Catholics have been almost clandestinely watching and listening to Piotr’s sermons on YouTube.
She said it is deeply impacting this group and how they are seeing God as never before.
Piotr believes that all the help and sacrifice that all of us have showered on him for the last almost 20 years as he translated “the Bible for Revival” may well be coming to fruition. The work is not over.
Only .01% in all of the Polish country of 40 million believe in salvation by grace through faith.
They need Piotr to be able to complete the literal translation of the Bible project by printing it. Then pastors and leaders will have a modern and extremely well done reference Bible that will greatly enlarge their understanding of how God’s Word connects the New Testament to the Old Testament and then to daily living.
I have known and worked with Piotr for over 18 years, and I believe we need to help the Polish people get more of what God has given Piotr to share with us all.
We need to help Piotr give more of what God has given him to the Poles.
We are committed to doing that as long as we have all of you to help us on this journey.
Souls in Poland are waiting for the “hope that is in us.” Thank you for all you have done and will do to help Piotr do the heavy lifting there in Poland.
In His Service,
About the Author
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.