THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Ruth and our translator Agnes (right) with some of the girls
Tour journal, part 3. Thursday we were back in Warsaw. God has placed a few believers in strategic places in the prison system around Poland and Pastor Chris has kept the church involved in serving and sharing with those in prison. We gave an afternoon concert to a juvenile correctional center for girls (15-18 and a few older). Our translator was a young woman 22 years old who's been visiting the girls there over the past couple of years. We were allowed to share hope in life with Christ to them freely.

As I sang "Only Plea", they read the words in Polish some began to cry. The words of the first chorus were too familiar.

"I'm guilty, guilty as I can be. I struggle and fight, but evil's got a hold on me. Like an outlaw I run from the things that I've done, longing to be free. But guilty is my only plea."

As he saw the girls moved, even Pastor Chris started to cry. I'm so thankful they could hear the second chorus of hope for those who hear God's call on their life.

"Forgiven, I hear you callin' out to me. Death I deserve, mercy is all I see. When you died in my place you removed every trace of the guilt that would not let me be. When guilty was my only plea."

The assistant director of the center thanked us publicly saying they'd needed this kind of afternoon for a long time. After the concert, one crowd of girls surrounded Marj, while a second crowd surrounded Ruth giving opportunities to love them and share individually about hope in Christ with them. I felt for them. These girls are separated from their moms and were hungry for love and attention. About an hour and a half after the concert, we finally packed up and left for home, but our translator stayed to have supper with the girls and continue conversations.