Blogging from Poland...

After 3 days which included traveling, orientation, and a few history lessons we finally began our work in the cemetery, which also started with some travel (by foot and bus - this time and without jet lag), a brief orientation on what we would be doing and where we would be working, and finally another history lesson on the cemetery.

Here is a brief overview of the cemetery for those of you who are interested. The cemetery started in 1806 and has roughly 150,000 tombstones on about 80 acres of land. There are about 250,000 people buried here, the difference in tombstones and bodies being made up by several mass graves. Jews were buried here until WWII and following the war more have been buried. Many memorials have been built in remembrance of those killed during the Holocaust.

Our job this week will be to clear 10 zones which vary in size but are at least 1 acre. Clearing consists of cutting back the weeds, brush, and small trees that are covering up headstones. We are working with a Jewish man, Remiek, on a project to catalog the entire cemetery. This project has been going for 4 years and the zones we are working in are the last 10 zones to be cataloged. Thats good because the project is ending this year. Please pray that we get finished with the clearing and also for salvation for Remiek and those he works with, Alicia and Cora.

In the evenings we are meeting with Poles for the purpose of furthering the relationships that the missionaries are developing. Please pray that the Spirit will lead and guide these times and that He brings us in contact with many who need Him. Please remember: Kate, Pshimek, Maya, Max, and Wojtek (prounounced Voy-tek) who we have spent time with but don't know Jesus.