Why Poland?

Here's a reflection I wrote for St. Luke's upcoming April newsletter.

When I tell people I’m a volunteer English teacher at a Lutheran middle school and high school in Poland, they occasionally ask “Why Poland?” Some people quickly add the [logical] follow-up question that would help clarify my decision for them: “Are you Polish?” they ask. “No,” I reply.

I’m not critical of people who say “Why Poland?” when I tell them of my work because I understand that it’s new territory: for me, for the people in my life, for the ELCA.

Last February, I applied for an ELCA teaching position in Slovakia. In May, the ELCA contacted me and asked if I was open to serving in Poland instead. (Yes!) It’s the first year the ELCA has sent teachers to Poland. I quickly switched from researching Slovakia to researching Poland and the concentrated population of Lutherans who live in the south of this Roman Catholic country. “Lutheran missionary in Poland” isn’t a phrase we’ve frequently heard. We know about missionaries in Africa and Americans teaching English in India, but Poland is unknown territory. Why would a central European country need a partnership with the ELCA?

When my school asked me to return for a second year of teaching, I said an enthusiastic “yes” because of my answers to the “Why Poland?” question. Now I’d like to share my answers with you. Why should the ELCA send English teachers to Poland?

Because Lutherans are a minority here. Of the 38 million people in Poland, only 76,000 are Lutheran (0.2% of the population), and the majority of them live in southern Poland where I teach. Lutheran schools – few and far between – allow Lutheran youth in a Roman Catholic country to learn about their faith in school. This opportunity is so unique that students travel up to 70 minutes by bus to attend my school. (All students in public Polish schools are enrolled in required Roman Catholicism courses; Lutheran courses are not offered except at Lutheran schools.) One way that the Lutheran schools in Cieszyn attract students is by having native speakers teach English classes. By partnering with the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland and providing native speaker English teachers, the ELCA supports schools that allow Lutheran youth to learn and grow with people in their faith community.

Because learning English creates opportunities for people here. This fall, when I asked my students why they wanted to learn English, dozens replied that after graduating from university they plan to move to an English-speaking country, find a job, and send money back to Poland to help support their families. A lot of people here struggle financially. They cannot afford to heat their homes, or they can only afford to heat their homes with coal. The country also struggles. The Polish government cannot afford to support its rail system and has all but shut it down. Towns cannot afford to salt their roads or plow their streets in the winter. Schools cannot afford to offer extracurricular activities or after school programming. Poland is working to secure a place in the global economy, and having citizens who know English is one step toward achieving that goal. Because adults living here often need better English-speaking skills before their companies will promote them to mid-level or management positions, I offer free English tutoring and conversation classes in the evenings.

Because Poland is a country with a rich, vibrant culture and history, but also a country battered by a century of war and oppression. It’s the land of Chopin, Copernicus, and Marie Curie, amazing hospitality, beautiful historic cities, gorgeous landscapes, and friendly people proud of their heritage and centuries-old traditions. But it’s also a country recovering from a terrible century. The Soviets and the Nazis did their best to eradicate Poland, destroying its cities, stripping the country of its leadership, and murdering almost 6 million of its citizens during WWII. Poland’s crime? It’s geographical location between Germany and Russia. The people here have always fought back; they’ve always resisted. But resistance (especially to the Nazis) had terrible ramifications. I’ll never forget the sickening piles of baskets at Auschwitz, identical to the baskets women in Cieszyn carry when grocery shopping on Saturday mornings. Americans call communism “evil,” but for the people here it provided a little stability after a horrific war. For Poles, learning English and striving to enter the global economy is also their way of recovering after a century of loss and destruction.

Because we are more alike than we are different. Because Polish teenagers, like American teenagers, need a kind ear. Because my students’ senses of humor, kindness, and intelligence shine through despite the language barrier. Because people here welcomed me, a stranger. Because with the people here I’ve experienced God’s compassion, God’s love.

Because we are called to serve one another, to love one another. Because we are all God’s children and God is everywhere – in Poland too.

So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:5.

Thanks to everyone who supports my work here.

Peace,
Sarah