Letters from the Groth Family
February 08, 2000
Doug and Lila Groth ECM Wroclaw, POLAND
Please continue to pray for Waldek. He received Christ in Rabka several
months ago. Waldek had a serious alchohol problem in the past and is
trusting God for complete deliverance from this addiction as well as from
smoking. Keep praying that his family will all come to know and love the
Lord and that they will be a testimony for Him in Rabka.
Pray for the camps we are planning for this summer; at least one children's
camp and a basketball camp in Rabka. Pray that the Lord will send us the
people of His choice (both workers and campers) and will give much
spiritual fruit and blessing.
February 06, 2000
Dear Brethren,
We have often asked you to pray for the work in Rabka. God is working
and building His church there. Thanks for your part in this ministry.
Lila and I have often considered whether or not we should move to Rabka and
give ourselves full time to the work there or not. We are once again
asking the Lord to show us clearly if this is His will for us. Please pray
specifically that we will understand God's will for us. We don't want to
do anything but what He wants us to do.
Thank you, Doug and Lila
January 31, 2000
Dear Brethren,
God continues to do miracles in Rabka. We praise Him for the spirit
of unity He is giving us. We praise Him for the new faces at the Sunday
meetings and for the many new contacts He is giving us with people. He is
working deeply in our lives. You remember us telling you about Waldek who
came to know the Lord not too long ago and is such a strong testimony for
Him in Rabka. Waldek has had an addiction to alchohol in the past and just
recently he fell into his old ways. He has confessed his sin and turned
back to the Lord and been restored to fellowship and victory in Christ. He
has renounced his old ways and given his addictions; smoking and drinking
to the Lord. Please pray together with us that the Lord will continue to
uphold Waldek and that he will never return to his old ways. The Lord is
able. Please pray for his family as well.
Thanks and God bless, Doug and Lila
P.S. Please pray for Lila as she does another CEF course (two week long)
for children's workers
January 09, 2000
Dear Friends,
Thanks for praying for the work in Rabka. The problem with lack of
oneness concerning the name of the church there has been resolved. We
praise the Lord for doing this. We will be called a Baptist church. We
see that God is giving us real unity and bringing us closer together so
that we can serve Him more effectively in Rabka. Please continue to pray
for the brother we asked you to pray for.
God bless, Doug
Dear Friends:
We pray that the Lord will give you (or has given you) a wonderful
Christmas.
I think that one of the most important things we do as missionaries is
write prayer letters to you. We know that God answers prayer, although it
was brought to our attention lately that the well known saying; "God does
nothing but in answer to prayer." doesn't seem to agree with what God's
word says in Eph. 3:20; "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work
within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations, for ever and ever. Amen!" Please pray with us that God will
do the immeasurably more that He wants to do in all our lives and in the
lives of the people living around us.
One thing we have continually asked you to pray for is that God would
build His church in Rabka. We are more convinced than ever that He hears
our prayers and will answer. It is exciting to see these prayers being
answered before our eyes. We praise Him for Dorota, Jadwiga, and Waldek
who have come to know Him in the past months. Just recently Dorota's
sister, Kasia, also came to know the Lord. Please pray that their parents
will also come to know Him. We praise Him for the successful basketball
camp last summer. God worked in the lives of the Polish young people who
took part. We are staying in touch with them and are planning another
basketball camp for the summer of 2000. Please pray. We praise the Lord
for the regular young people's meeting that we've had in Rabka through the
last year. This meeting got started through a relationship that developed
with one girl, Magda. She asked if we would start a Bible study in her
home. At least 10 young people come to each meeting and the most important
part of the meeting is the Bible study. Many of these people don't know
the Lord in a personal way yet. Please pray for them.
God is blessing the work in Rabka but there are also problems. One
key family isn't sure about what the church should be called or if we
really need our own building. Growth is sometimes painful and they are
probably afraid of losing the loving, family atmosphere that we now enjoy.
This lack of unity and vision to move forward (as God seems to be clearly
leading us) is very frustrating. Please pray for oneness of heart and mind
so that God can lead us forward according to His will. We do need our own
building for the church in Rabka. A year ago we started a "Good News Club"
for children. 40 children were coming to these meetings. Because of the
influence of the Roman Catholic priest, we were denied permission to use
the room we had been using in a school. Now on one will allow us a room to
use in the whole town. The number of people coming to our Sunday meetings
has increased so that lately there literally isn't enough room for everyone
to sit down in the living rooms of the homes where we meet. Please pray
that the Lord will give us a building suitable to the needs fo the church
and our ministry.
Another problem is the apparent bad testimony of another key member in
the church in Rabka. This is a very serious problem because it effects
this brother and his family as well as the work of God in general in Rabka.
Please pray that God will fully resolve this problem and do the
immeasurably more than we can think or ask. He is able!
Please pray for us. We are especially aware of God's blessing and
working in our lives lately. We want Him to do all He wants to do in or
lives. Please pray for our friend, Andrzej, and his family. He tore his
achilles tendon while helping us with the camp in Rabka and is unable to
work, although he continues to help us with the work in Rabka. We thank
the Lord that Natalia and Philip are healthy and growing. Natalia is in
the third grade and doing well at school. She sang a solo and played the
piano at or church Christmas program. Philip will be 5 in January. He has
just learned to ride his bike on his own (without training wheels). We
thank the Lord for giving Lila new opportunities for ministry. She
recently organized two training weekends for Sunday school teachers from
both the Baptist churches in Wroclaw. She also did a good job putting
together the children's Christmas program.
Thank you for continuing to support us and we pray that the Lord will
bless you in the new year.
Thanks, Doug and Lila Groth, Dec 1999
Earlier Letters from the Groth Family
Dear Brethren,
We have a very urgent prayer request. We've planned a basketball camp in Rabka -
August 15 - 28. Six people from Oregon have committed themselves to coming to
help us. So far, only a couple of Polish young people have signed up for the
camp. We are looking for at least 25. We need to find these other people within
a few days or we'll have to cancel the camp. Please pray with us and believe God
to fully bless this very key outreach in the church planting work in Rabka.
Thanks and God bless,
Doug and Lila Groth
June 1999
"I will build My church ... [in Rabka.]"
The church planting work in Rabka reminds me very much of my experience in
learning to speak Polish. There were times when I thought I would never be able
to speak Polish and wanted to give up trying to learn. During those times the
Lord always reminded me that He had called me to serve Him in Poland and that He
would enable me to learn to speak Polish. At other times I was encouraged to
realize that I had reached another level of proficiency in Polish (like the time
I was mistaken for a Pole after a conversation (in Polish) at the US consulate).
As with learning Polish, at times we've been discouraged with the work in Rabka
(like when the children's club came to a stop because we were denied use of a
meeting place through the influence of the Roman Catholic priest). At those
times the Lord has reminded us of His promise that He will build His cpe sh in
Rabka.
We have been very much encouraged lately. Waldek, a man in his mid fifties
recently came to know the Lord. A youth meeting has been started. We meet
regularly with 10 or so young people for Bible study and fun. The members of the
church in Rabka have decided to meet every Tuesday and Thursday evening to spend
more time in Bible study and prayer! These blessings show us that God is at work
in people's lives in Rabka.
Lila's mom travels from Krakow to Rabka (45 miles one way) twice a month to lead
a "senior's club". Three retired ladies meet with her for Bible study
and fellowship. They all really enjoy and look forward to these meetings. Three
of us meet for an elder's Bible study. We are studying the character qualities
required of elders and asking God to work them into our lives. The Bible study
for married couples continues to meet regularly. We plan to restart the
children's club in the fall by renting a room in a public building. We praise
the Lord that there is a ministry for every age group.
We've planned two evangelistic outreaches for this summer. We want to begin
distributing the Jesus film. In this way we hope to give people in Rabka a
chance to see and hear the gospel for themselves as well as opening doors to
building relationships and giving us more opportunities for witness. We've
planned a basketball/Bible camp from 15 to 28 of August. Six people from Oregon
are coming to help us in this outreach. Our goal is to build relationships with
more young people from Rabka and share our faith in Christ with them.
We are involved in a spiritual battle in Rabka and prayer is the key to God's
working. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God
for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into
captivity to the obedience of Christ." (2 Cor. 10:4,5) Will you stand with
us in the battle through continual, believing prayer until the Lord builds His
church and is glorified in Rabka?
Prayer requests;
Pray for the Sunday meetings. Pray that the Lord will bless our worship of Him
and especially the preaching of His word.
Pray for the outreaches we've planned. Ask God to use the Jesus film to open
many doors to building relationships and sharing our faith. Pray that the Lord
will give us the people of His choice to take part in the basketball camp. Pray
for conversions in Rabka.
Pray that the Lord will continue to bless each of the ministries already in
place; the senior's club, Bible study for elders, Bible study for married
couples, the youth meeting and the "Good News Club" for children.
Pray that the Lord will provide a building for the church in Rabka.
Thanks and God bless, Doug and Lila Groth
April 1999
Dear Friend,
We trust and pray that all is well with you. Thanks to many of you for your
letters, emails and extra gifts. We do pray for you and are grateful for your
prayers. We are doing well. We recently spent a week together in Rabka. We had a
great time playing in the snow. One day we went to Slovakia and swam in some hot
springs. We'll never forget swimming in a pool full of people, surrounded by
snow and ice with big clouds of steam rising from it.
RABKA
The work in Rabka continues, though not without problems. On one hand we are
facing continual opposition from the Roman Catholic priest, on the other hand
members of our group are struggling with personal holiness. In all of this we
are encouraged because we know that the Lord is at work and that He will bring
to completion that which He has initiated (the building of His church in Rabka).
We thank the lord for the regular Bible study for married couples, the Bible
study for elders and the meeting for senior citizens. A group of about 10
teenagers has formed and asked me to lead them in a Bible study. Most of them
don't know the Lord. We thank Him for opening up this opportunity! Please pray
for these ministries and for the Sunday services, especially that the Lord would
bless the preaching of His word.
We are planning a basketball camp in Rabka from August 2-14. Several people from
our supporting churches in Oregon are coming to help. we want to reach out in
this way to young people in Rabka, especially men. Please pray that the Lord
will bless this outreach. We really need our own building for the church in
Rabka. We are asking the Lord to provide for this need. We have started a
building fund and have a modest $3,000. to date. Please pray with us. Pray for
the growth of the group in Rabka, for conversions. Pray for love and unity to
rule our lives.
CHILDREN'S WORK
For some time we've been asking that the Lord would open doors for Lila to be
more involved in children's ministries. His answer seems to be through working
with CEF. Lila has taken part in teacher's training courses offerred by them,
both as a participant and as an organizer. She has prepared Bible teaching
materials for CEF. She has organized and led two "Good News clubs" for
children in Rabka and Wroclaw. She plans to attend a three month course for
children's workers this summer. The course will be held in the Czech Republic
from June 15 to Sept.5. Please pray for her. Pray that our children will stay
healthy while Lila is away. Pray that the Lord will continue to lead and use
Lila in ministry to children for Him.
LUKASINSKIEGO CHURCH
We thank the Lord for the generous help of Christians throughout Europe and
N.America after the severe flooding in Wroclaw in the summer of '97. Because of
the financial help we received we were able to help many families in the area
around our church to buy furniture, food, building supplies, etc.. We have kept
contact with some 25 of these families and have built relationships with them.
We have organized special holiday programs in our church at Christmas and Easter
which many of these families attended. We are concerned not only about their
physical needs but their spiritual needs as well. Lila has organized a Bible
club for some of the children of these families.
We have used up the financial help we received but the need continues. Some of
these families literally don't have money for food and medicine. Unless we find
regular monthly support for this work we'll have to give it
up. It would be a shame to have to do this when we've won the trust of these
families and are seeing some of them open up to spiritual things. Would you be
willing to help support this ministry? A little help will go a long way. Any
contributions can be sent through the mission marked for "Polish Flood
Relief".
Thanks, Doug and Lila
Dear Friend,
The Polish winter is here. We've had snow and freezing weather for several weeks
already. We have much to be thankful for. We are all healthy and aware of God's
loving care. We are grateful too, for the new opportunities He gives us to serve
Him. Natalia is doing great in school. Philip will celebrate his fourth birthday
in a few weeks. Please pray that we'll be able to find a place in preschool for
him for next year. All the preschools in our area are full and have long waiting
lists.
Pray for the work in Rabka. Several weeks ago Lila and others from our group
started a "Good News Club" for children. More than 40 children were
coming to the club. Opposition from the Catholic church has turned the parents
against us. We have been denied use of the room in a school building we were
using. The club has been cancelled for the moment. We are trying to get another
room to use. Please pray that the Lord will turn this situation around and use
it for good - that people will be even more open to the gospel as a result. Pray
that we'll regain the trust of the parents and that the club will continue.
Please pray that we'll all be encouraged and given boldness from the Lord to
share the gospel in Rabka. Pray that the Lord will continue to build His church
there!
We thank the Lord for the Bible study for married couples in Rabka. 5 couples
are taking part. The Lord is giving us real openess and trust for each other.
We've been able to share our struggles and ask for prayer. Please pray
especially for on couple who are having serious problems right now. Pray for all
our marriages and families.
The Lord always blesses the Sunday services. We are studying 1 John. Please pray
that the Lord will teach us from His word and work it into our lives.
We thank the Lord for new opportunities to serve Him. With these new
opportunities come an increase in expenses. We travel to Rabka (450 miles round
trip) every other weekend. The cost for gas, food and lodging is about $150. per
month. We often stay and eat in the believer's homes but don't want to be too
much of a burden to them. Our Ford Escort now has more than 50,000 miles and
needs a new set of tires and a major tune up. We are planning 2 camps for this
winter and 2 for summer. We want top put on a Christmas program, Lord willing,
for the children and parents from the kid's club. We would like to be able to
give a Christmas package to each child. There are many other ministry expenses
for which we don't have funds. Would you be willing to help us with either a one
time gift or a regular, monthly gift towards these expenses?
Brethren pray for us;
-for a place for Philip in preschool
-that the "Good News Club" would continue in Rabka and that many
children
and their parents would come to know Him
-for courage and grace to serve Him in spite of opposition
September 1998
Dear Friend,
How was your summer? We hope that it was as good as ours was. We really missed
not being involved in camps this year but appreciated being able to spend time
with family, friends and supporters in the States.
The highlight of the summer for me (Doug) was spending time with my brother,
Chris. We went fishing together several times and I caught two steelhead (similiar
to a salmon). I spoke at a church service in Monmouth, Oregon in August where
Chris, as well as my whole family (l2 people), were present. I spoke about how I
became a Christian and then shared the gospel. We were especially aware of the
Lord's presence and blessing. It was one of the greatest days of my service for
the Lord. Chris seems to be very open to spiritual things. Please continue to
pray for him.
One of our goals for the summer was to get to know people better at our home
church - Cedar Mill Bible Church. We became members there only three years ago
when we were on our last furlough. Everyone was so kind to us and interested in
what we do in Poland that it was easy to reach our goal. Many people invited us
to their homes for a meal. We spoke to four Sunday school classes. We especially
enjoyed meeting with the mission's committee and the women's mission group. We
made some good friends and feel much more a part of the church family.
We were able to visit our friends at Valley Bible Church in Sumner, Washington
two times. We feel very much a part of that fellowship,too, and always enjoy
being with them. During our first visit the children at their vacation Bible
school literally brought enough pennies, nickles and dimes to buy us a laptop
computer. This makes it possible for us to finally use Email and better
communicate with everyone. Praise the Lord and thank you kids! During the second
visit I spoke twice at a youth rally about what it means to be a disciple of the
Lord. It was a great privilege and I really enjoyed it.
When we first got to the States Philip kept asking when we were going home (to
Poland). At the end of the summer both he and Natalia were saying that we really
didn't need to go back to Poland. They were having too much fun in America. They
enjoyed playing with their cousins and the two children who lived nextdoor. We
went swimming often, to the zoo once, to a science museum, to Newport, Oregon to
see Willy the Whale and play on the beach. We went to a big family reunion. Just
before we left we went to the Oregon State Fair.
We had a great summer but are glad to be home and are anticipating another great
year from the Lord.
Please pray;
- for us! Pray for Natalia as she starts 2nd grade this year. Pray that the Lord
will give Lila more opportunities to minister to children.
- that the work in Rabka will move ahead significantly this year. Pray that many
new people will come to know the Lord and that we'll all grow in Him.
- for the English school. We have a new director and a new teacher. Pray for the
staff. Pray that our students will come to know Him.
- for the Lukasinskiego church. We praise the Lord that the reconstruction work
after the floods of summer 1997 has nearly been completed and we are able to
have services again in our own church building. Pray for growth. Pray for the
elders.
God bless, Doug and Lila
We had a great weekend in Rabka. Thanks for praying. Lila has decided to
organize a monthly children's club. Some of the folks in Rabka have committed
themselves to helping. She also had a short word for the children at the service
on Sunday. She also wants to organize a vacation Bible school for children from
Rabka this summer. We've committed ourselves as a group to pray that the Lord
will give us at least 5 new people this year (school year) from Rabka who will
come to know Him and join our fellowship. Please pray with us. "You have
not because you ask not. Ask and you will receive that your joy may be
full." I'll be away for 6 days at our mission's annual prayer days and
won't be able to use Email for that time.
God bless, Doug
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