The Polish Mt28 campus team in Warsaw is excited to welcome American Cru missionaries for an entire year. For the first time, the Warsaw ministry will be supported by a visiting group for such an extended period, marking a new chapter in the partnership between the Polish and U.S. teams.
The Warsaw campus team has doubled in size ahead of the new academic year, strengthened by the arrival of Laura, Olivia, Allison, Drew, and Miles. All five were involved in CRU’s student ministry in the United States, in three different cities, and felt called to spend at least a year doing missions abroad.
Laura, Olivia, and Miles first came to Poland as part of CRU Chicago’s summer mission trip. Every summer, CRU Chicago brings students to Poland to share the gospel with university students, and this past year, over 30 American students took part. For Olivia, the experience left her wanting to come back.
“I’m glad I get to be here longer and take things slower, because during the summer mission trips, you have to get to a spiritual conversation more quickly. You know you only have five days, and I feel like many people are so close to coming to God, but then we leave and there’s not enough time. Now I’m here, and I have time to get to know the students better,” she shares.
The connection between CRU Chicago and Warsaw began back in 2022. What started with summer mission trips has now grown into a year-long partnership, with three students returning for a longer stay and two more joining them for the first time.
Drew and Allison had never been to Poland before, but both wanted to serve internationally and were invited to join the team.
Four of the five new team members have come straight from college, while Laura has previously worked with CRU’s campus ministry. For some, this year is a gap year before continuing their studies; others want to explore the possibility of joining the mission field long-term. All are eager to serve, grow in their understanding of different ways of doing ministry, and share the Good News.
“I am most excited about discipleship,” says Miles. “I’ve seen how God can work through others when you spend intentional time with them—praying, studying Scripture, and knowing the little details of each other’s lives. It’s a greenhouse for growth.”
That kind of intentionality is at the heart of what the team hopes to do in Warsaw. In addition to reaching out to students and sharing the gospel on campus, primarily at Politechnika, they plan to hold English Clubs where students can come and practice English with native speakers.
“I look forward to listening to how students make sense of the world, given their various backgrounds, and to offering Jesus as the ultimate solution,” Laura says.
Of course, moving to another country for a year comes with its own challenges. Laura wonders whether students will actually show up and whether they will be willing to move beyond casual conversations into deeper spiritual ones. Drew thinks about difficult family situations back home and not being there to support his family. Olivia speaks for the team in describing the challenges of adjusting to a new way of life day by day, while Allison—whose family home is in the middle of the woods in Alabama—is learning to navigate city life and Polish weather. She had never even owned a winter jacket before.
The team also wants to make an effort to learn Polish in order to connect better with people. They are asking for prayer for the students they meet—for open hearts, meaningful conversations, and for God to lead them to people with whom they can share the gospel.
For the Warsaw student team, the arrival of the five missionaries is an exciting opportunity to learn from one another and serve together.
“As a student team in Warsaw, we are very excited about the opportunity to work with Americans, learn from their experience, and together build the Kingdom of God in Warsaw,” says Monika Stiller, who serves on staff with Mt28. “We are excited to welcome five new, young missionaries who bring passion, fresh perspectives, and energy to serving God. We look forward to seeing what the Lord will do in our hearts and in the hearts of the students we meet on university campuses.
“Please pray for good cooperation among us, for wisdom to know how to serve effectively together while using the different gifts God has given each of us. And pray that we would be able to reach hundreds of new students at universities across Warsaw, and that among them we would find those who will become multiplying disciples.”
The US team’s residency permits are still pending, which means they cannot leave the country, so they are asking for prayer that the permits will be processed quickly.
More than anything, the team wants to use this year well.
“We want to be pushed out of our comfort zones, grow, and serve to the best of our abilities—to be here and be present,” Drew says, as others nod around the room. Then he adds, “And live as if we were going to stay here for more than just this year.”
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