The AIM team spent November 6 and 7 at a missionaryconference,“Imported, Not Alone,” in Poznań. Organized byvarious North American missionaries working in Poland, the goal of the conference was to connect second culture workers with each other for mutual encouragement.

The conference consisted of approximately 35 people from a variety of mission organizations. Some of the attendees had lived in Poland for over thirty years and raised families here while others had been here for less than two months. I experienced the other attendees as being down to earth and serious about following God’s call, along with having a great sense of humor. Hearing other people’s stories of their cross-cultural experiences and knowing that other North Americans have similar experiences relating to Poles helped us feel at home. My wife and I talked with other families about their experiences of raising children in ministry, third culture challenges, and school options. It is very helpful to know other expats who are further down the road in this process.

Part of the value of a conference like this is learning about what is going on in other parts of Poland. Of course, there are Polish churches and believers to connect with, but this conference helped us to gain a broader context and vision for how North Americans are ministering in Poland. Hearing about other ministries’ vision for Poland helped me to think more optimistically about the possibilities in the work that we are involved in. Conversations about partnering with Polish people helped me think in new ways about the church here and gave me a vision for how to continue pursuing relationships in our church.

God is at work in many parts of Poland, including my own town! There are many things happening that I cannot see, so I am praying for better vision to see what God is doing around me.