food for fish

So, we've gone ahead and purchased our own domain name now: reachpolska.info

You'll notice (if you visit my blog) it now redirects to travis.reachpolska.info. I'll be slowly updating everything to reflect this change, for now everything should be pretty transparent. Eventually we'll have information on our missions on the main page of http://www.reachpolska.info/.

Stay tuned!

This whole missions thing takes dough, the kind that's green and flat (is that unleavened?), but Jesus can make loaves of the stuff from nothing.

Here's a break down of nearly all our donation totals for each trip sent directly to our mission accounts. (It doesn't include team raised funds from some trips).

$9,008 - September 2003 to August 2004 Travis' year

$349 - 2005 U-Turn Summer youth camp hosted in Poland (team funded the rest)

$3,380 - 2006 U-Turn Summer youth camp hosted in Germany, spent extra week in Poland

$5,070 - 2007 U-Turn Summer youth camp hosted in France, spent extra week in Poland

$1,085 - February 2008 - Poland (still waiting on full report)

October 2008 - Poland (still fundraising) donations to date: $748 goal $9,000 for team

I just have to say, praise and glory be to Jesus. At times it's been incrediblly stressful (such as the France year, having a shortage of $1,000 in the field sucks, yet He came through). Each year we remain humbled by the generosity and blessings by so many of you. Thanks for serving your father in prayer and giving.

I know this doesn't apply to many of you, but for those that may be available!

We would like to have a finalized team of 4 people for our trip in October (we leave on the 4th, arrive on the 5th and leave on the 18th). While we are leaving for 2 weeks it is possible for you to either come late or leave early during our time there. So if it is vacation time/schedule problem we are flexible! Please, don't worry about the money, the sooner we know the full size of our team the sooner we can properly plan fundraising events. We have only had to self-fund a very small portion of our trips, God provides in so many amazing ways.

So what might we be doing, you ask?

Our passions that we would like to bring to the younger generation revolve around small group ministry. We have been using John and Sonja Decker's book "Holy Spirit Empowered Small Groups" in our own home group, and have seen amazing results with our group going and growing deeper in ways that unhide our shame and speak grace into the dark parts of our past and present.

We will be doing Language School as well, so that will take up a chunk of our time in the day time (Mon thru Fri), our friends who come with us will be watching our daughter, but will be available in any tangible way to serve the Polish people (moving, painting, etc) if there is not anything along those lines than they'll be having prayer walks around the city and whoever wants to join them is welcome.

Also we are open to meet with people/couples for coffee or in their homes, simply to encourage them and build relationships. We envision taking 3 or 4 nights a week doing a home/small group intensive based on the book. The rest of our time and focus would be on language, sharing with our team mates Poland, praying, and serving in whatever ways we can, by meeting with people and anything else that may come up. We want to focus on character discipleship.

We hope to visit the Nowy Targ/Zakopane area on the weekend of the 10-12 (Fri-Sat), but the details of this are sketchy at best. We are looking into staying at a hotel, and are also open to the possibility of staying in host homes, but we do not want to be a burden on anyone, so only if there are people who are desiring to host us, otherwise we are fine with staying in a hotel/hostel.

Please respond only if you are truly interested, for this to work for us, we really need 2 more people. Thanks and blessings!

People are incredibly hard to motivate. In fact, while we try to fund raise it feels we are trying to herd cats. This little video demonstrates how effective we feel:



So the question becomes; how do we effectively fund raise? Our resources are scarce and we have even less time.

Here's our list of ideas:

• Doing a Polish dinner/dessert fundraiser night (people come expecting to donate and hear what we are doing, in person, and relationally based) - requires money to make money and time consuming.
  
• Making a video of Alexis and I on what we do in Poland, that we upload to all of our different social web places. - free, except time consuming.
  
• Send out support letters in the snail mail (electronic ones just don't seem to be doing the job) - medium amount of time and money.

We may have to do a combination of all of those. Our goal right now is get our airfare paid, it keeps going up, and we can't have more of that!

Gotta pray, gotta ask, gotta receive.

Alexis and I are trying to teach ourselves Polish, and we can tell you it isn't always easy. There are times where we play an audio track over and over trying to figure something out, and other times where we can't even figure out the directions in our text books.

There are so many things that are different in Polish from English, such as 7 cases... who can tell me what the heck a case is? I only know because of learning Polish... So good luck.

Thankfully I have found some software for our Windows mobile phones, one is a talking dictionary/translator, another one is a flash card program. These are good for the beginning steps, but as time goes, we'll need lots of Patience.

Can't wait for our trip in October where we'll take intensive lessons for two weeks while in Kraków. Hopefully we'll start some tutoring lessons here in Portland too, just gotta find room in the budget.

Alexis and I have been on a fundraising break for a bit, it can be exhausting to always be in fundraising mode. Starting this summer I plan on putting away a bit each month into our missions funds from our own income, but so far we have simply been unable to do that and have depended on donations for 100% of our fundraising.

Then there are times where I feel we need to have faith that God will provide, because he always has. Many times the opposite is also true, Where I think the lack of donations means we're just not suppose to go. But that does not sit well in our hearts at all. So, I contend as James instructs us to have faith in God without wavering.

Currently, for our October trip, we have $640 of the $4550 (includes language school) that Alexis and I need. Our teammates need $1500 each. If we received just $40 from 100 people, Alexis and I would be done!

Gosh I miss Europe so much. There are times where I browse old photos of our trips to Europe... yes I know, some people don't ever get the opportunity to see Europe. Sometimes I seem to live life from trip to trip, with the in between times simply being the means to the end. Then there are times like today, where I avoid looking at the pictures (particularly hard on Facebook, as a number of my European friends post pictures or have profile pictures in Europe) because I get a heartache.

And so I digress, submit myself to what I'm called to do here and now, lean in on what the Lord has for me in the moment and pray for those in Europe. I'm beginning to feel like a foreigner here... and yet, I feel very American there...

Alexis and I just sent out an updated newsletter about our Poland missions, you can find it here... Lots of good information, and I promise it won't take more than 7 min (I timed it) to read. So goto the break room (or kitchen for those folks at home), get a cofee, or whatever your beverage of choice is, and read about what God is doing. Besides, it has some cute pictures of our daughter Emma!

Well this has been a long wait, but Alexis and I have taken the first official steps towards being sent from our home church to church plant, train up small groups, and fulfill the great commission in full, in Kraków, Poland. We have submitted our vision along with our projected startup and monthly budgets.

Read our Polska REACH vision, our preliminary startup budget, and our projected monthly budget. This is all in flux, subject to change, and at the same time very scary and exciting!

Please take the time to read, as we are very open to feedback, suggestions, etc.

In the Lord's name, blessings.

According to my feed stats about 20 people are subscribed to this place I call my blog. So for those 20 people I have a question (and hopefully more will answer)...

We are currently in the process of creating our missionary budget, or living and ministry bugets for when we take the plunge and move to Kraków. At the current numbers (preliminary) we have it estimated that we need either 100 people to donate $35 per month or 100 people to donate $26.12 per month (it's just how the math works...) depending on two different support scenarios we've been given by our sending church, which isn't being decided any time soon.

So, with that said. We're beginning to solicit the "for sure" answers, the ones who are fully committed in their hearts (most likely those who really already know us and our mission) to give for as long as we call Poland our home, up to $35 a month. Please don't leave it in the comments section, unless you don't care for others to see it, please email me, or leave a message on Facebook or some other semi-private means of communication. If you don't have that info, leave a comment and I'll send it over to you.

We just want to get a feeling, don't consider this the absolute "yes" just something for us to begin gauging our support base. After this we have the joy of communicating the message to many more people and we could use your prayers that we communicate the need for the Good News in Poland, and the need for training passionate hearted disciples to do the work in their home nation!

Thanks for prayerfully considering!

I have finally written a post February trip newsletter, as well as a pre October trip newsletter!

And don't forget, you can always donate via my Chip-in via PayPal on the right!

Pretty much I summed up my trip in my post called "well". But a few afterthoughts have made their way to my head. The first real bit one hit me last night at church, we had a special children's service called "The shared family experience", during the worship time I cried a few tears because I realized that the joy of God and all his goodness was truly understood in these children, and that Alexis and I will be raising our child away from such an amazing ministry. We trust that God himself will be with Emma and that such a ministry is absolutely possible in Poland, it's just that we have an amazing church here and leaving will be just that much harder now.

I uploaded new pictures to facebook (the albums are public), see part 1 and part 2.

That's all for now! (my birthday is tomorrow, here's my wish list).

Well we made it home.

I have lot to say, but I'm at work, and my pictures are on the camera, as soon as I have time at home I'll give a big update on the "little trip that could."

Yesterday Jordan and I had the privileged to meet a Polish Pastor in Kraków and we had a great conversation. We talked about Polish culture, the church, the catholic connection, the protestant connection, and how it has all looked historically. I was so pleased to speak with someone who is genuinely interested in dicipling his people, who understands relationships being key to reaching people, who listens without giving "ideas" about everything. It was a very pleasing conversation that gave me hope that we have connections in Kraków that are not only in the same book, but on the same page as us and share similar values. The greatest thing was his support of the minstry Alexis and I seek to do in Kraków, to simply create friendships, and be able to sit down with our Bibles in cafe's and homes and grow in Christ's character and power. Ephesians 4 is our calling, and there is a receptive community in Kraków for it, praise Jesus.

This has been one of the more interesting trips I've made, and quite an introduction for Jordan to missions and Poland. All of our flights went well, no trouble there, except for checking in in Portland (stupid "easy checkin" wasn't so easy because it couldn't process my passport for our international segments) and we had to wait over 20 min to get help. After the check in was complete everything was fine, we made it to Krakow with out any trouble, all our bags, everything was good.

We stayed in Krakow until about 9pm local time and ran a few errands with Denise, ate at KFC and gave Jordan a quick low-down on ministry, poland, and the week ahead.

Our first full day (Monday) was full of moving everything from the apartment the church here has been renting to Denise's house (about 30 min away). This made for a long day, of multiple trips in her car, she stayed at her place cleaning while we drove back and fourth with all the stuff. On the last trip of the night we loaded up a desk and a table on top of the car and attached it to the rack.

We got a bit over half-way to Denise's house and KABOOM.... something fell off... but it didn't fall all the way off. After we finally reached a good place to pull over (about 1/2 a mile of dragging) we realized that the table had fallen partially off and we had dragged it, one of hte bungee chords we had used to hold it on had snapped. Not only did the table fall off, it busted the passenger side far rear window (not the door window but the one behind it) and at the same time gave a few scratches to the car. To this moment we don't quite get how this all happened, especially the angle at which the table fell, it seems it woudl've taken out the passenger side-view mirror instead. Anyway it's about $190 to repair it... ouch.

So today, I got the pleasure of going to the car dearler and figuring out how to make an appointment, find out the cost, and do all of this in Polish... yay me. Thankfully there was a guy who spoke English and understood my broken Polish when English wasn't working. It was a little challenging but a good one.

Tonight I'm meeting with my old roommate from 2003/2004 who I lived with here in Poland, he's now married and has a daughter as well, so I'm very excited to see them and have a good conversation. This is really what I thrive to do, serving physically is all great, but the relationships, the connections, and the truth that God brings out in all of it is amazing. So with the moving piece behind us (we have one last trip tomorrow, and we did one load today) and the retreat coming up, I'm excited to see Jesus in all of it.

Keep us in your prayers, the broken window I believe is a blessing in disguise for something, not sure what yet... but it will be good. The weather is yucky, it's pretty much hanging around 32-35 making for a nice slushy mess.

Thanks for your prayers, support, and interest in all of this... I'll have more pictures up soon, looks like I'll have time tomorrow to upload some good ones.

I have been struggling with the idea of fundraising for a long time now. One part of me would like to do some tent making after we move to Poland, or find some way of supporting our selves, the other part really does not want to take time away from ministry.

So I struggle with asking for funds because I am an independent person, I struggle with not asking because my heart wants to be available for full-time ministry. The truth is that we must find a balance between being funded from outside and doing tent-making. Full-time missions and ministry will certainly become much harder in the years ahead, and I'm sure that if we are anywhere near the end-times it won't even be possible.

I'm glad that I have skills that can be used all around the world, who knows, maybe my company will expand to Europe, maybe it won't, but maybe I can become the remote admin or something. There's a lot of things I could do.

Thinking back though I should also hold onto a promise we heard God tell us a few years ago, that we would be sent, with full financial and authoritative support from our church body. Right now though, that's just a glimmer, we haven't started any formal process, except leading small teams on short trips. What does full financial support look like? I guess that is the real question. Is it a job? Is it committed donors?

We don't want to be independent, we want to be inter-dependent on God and his body, and the gifts he's given us. So the honey? It's the sweet reasurance of God's provision and hand in the unknown. With the knowledge and faith of all that he has given and continues to provide.

Cześć! Każdy! (chesch kashzdy, y makes an i sound as in it)
Hi! Everyone!

Yep, I know, most of you are tired of reading letters, updates, etc... I know I have a hard time reading them as well. So here's the scoop. Please read the letter, it's much more interesting and has information on our FUTURE beyond the short trips, but if you truly don't have the time AND you already know our hearts, and you just want the basic information then read below and skip the letter.

When: February 16-24
Who: Travis and a friend from Arizona (as Alexis is pregnant, and baby Emma is due on March 30th!)
What: A leaders retreat, to train and equip Polish leaders in doing ministry in their own country
Where: Poland, where else? :P
Cost: Plane tickets are purchased, we still need about $2,000 Asking for only $30 from 80 more people.


Serving our Lord with your parnership,With love,
Travis & Alexis Mielonen

Enemy-occupied territory – that is what this world is. – C. S. Lewis

So I've been thinking about the future a lot recently. Dreaming of tram riding and central radiator heating as a part of every-day life. Thinking of speaking in a language far removed from my native tongue. But most of all, envisioning following Christ on a daily basis in Kraków, Poland (Polska).

Here are the steps we must take to see all of this come to fruition.

1. Obtain our pastoral licenses which is a 6-8 month process that only starts once we are "accepted" into a position.
2. Both Alexis and I in a 20-hour paid or non-paid pastoral "position"
3. After two years of those positions we will seek "ordination", which in our denomination is for life, pastoral licensing is dependent on a position.
4. Seek much language school and language learning during this time
5. After ordination we will be sent
6. After we arrive, either through invitation by the existing church, or a job opening we will seek to create a small group, or home church fellowship.
7. We will seek a home, but fully expect to be in temporary housing for up to two years.
8. Buying a home/apartment might require more time, but it is possible for us to buy now if we can financially afford it.
9. Eventually we want to train up small group leaders to run groups in their own homes
10. We also envision mission teams going to other Polish and European cities and beyond.
11. Our ultimate goal is to see Polish people ministering to their own people with their visions, dreams, and holy-spirit lead ministries, in Poland and beyond.

Read the Wikipedia article on Krakow, it has great information, history, and pictures!

Also, here is an idea of what we would DREAM to have in Poland for a home. Of course the description doesn't say exactly where in the city it is, it's a pretty good deal from the appearance. But for the equivalent of $272,000 it's certainly a dream right now.

In Jesus' name let the dreams begin!

Not sure who is actually reading this these days... But I know those that do will pray and spread the word.

We have raised about $1,000 out of the $3,200 that we need. We'll be there for 10 days in late February serving at a retreat in the snow-covered mountains in the south. Essentially we just need $20 from the 120 people that recieve my updates... I haven't sent out an update yet... but be praying for this. Thanks!

Hey Everyone,

Alexis and I have finally created a new newsletter, you can find it here! Love you all, thanks!