Campus Crusade for Christ in Poland
Hundreds of Campus Crusade staff members from America, England, Scotland, Germany and many other countries came to Poland between 1975 and 2003 ( several listed here began as helpers from within Poland and became staff members in Poland after 1978 ). Some of them spent up to twenty three years living in Poland, even through Martial Law. The founding of Campus Crusade in Poland is their story. On this page I will only list some of the names I can still remember of the first ones. Some of the names I simply forgot and would appreciate if someone wanted to send them in. For those of you who know or were involved, please forgive me and help me with names and pictures. The telling of their story belongs to them. There is a growing foto section on this site with early photos of Campus Crusade activity in Poland. New photos with a description or a story are welcomed and will be included here.
Bud, Shirley, Jon and Joi Hinkson - Led and started Campus Crusade for Christ in Poland in 1975. Here is a picture of Shirley Hinkson speaking at a Woman's conference in Warsaw in 2001.
Dick and Linda Sanner, Barry Rush, Thera Smith, Billy Grammer Jr., Allan Weed, Mary Lou Lyon, Linda Goebel, Jeanette Hawkinson, Charlotte DeMos, Gwen Todd, Urszula Piotrowska, Cindy Jennings, Roy and Gosia Stiff, Marek and Ala Wyrzykowski, Rich and Ruth Wiewiora, Nita Pride, Ron Kaiser, Larry Poland, Jim Tomasek, Julie Erickson, Sally Bone, Dave and Donalyn Bratton , Susanne Darby ( now Thompson ), Moner and Stefania Shaded.
Dwight and Sandy Eckholm, Steve and Betsy Sternberg ( Dwight and Steve pictured above were the first two National Directors of Campus Crusade in Poland ), Ed and Corky Murray, Trent and Vivian Hyatt ( Ed and Trent continue to provide Theological direction to all of Eastern Europe and Russia ) , Leroy Benson, Henryk and Ania Knapik. ( LeRoy, Dave, Donalyn, Henryk and Ania all spent time with us at the 2004 Conference in Zakopane )
Bill and Karen Malick, Larry and Debbie Thompson ( Larry was the First in-country National Director of Campus Crusade for Christ in Poland and is currently the Director of Affairs for all of Eastern Europe and Russia ) , Don and Danka Zellmer, Dennis and Linda ( Kasia ) Beck, Ed and Candy Holtz, Ted and Carrie Yeats pictured below, The Grzybowski's, Bob Horner's brother, Joel and Renata Burnell and Greg StCyr,
Ted and Carrie yeats are pictured above and represent the many who came to live in Poland during the difficult communist years and martial law period. Their work is seen all over Poland today. Reiner Harnisch and Hans along with the West German staff served in Poland for many days. Campus Crusade's favorite Bible Teachers included Phil Hook and Norman Geisler played a major role in the early years as they brought the Bible to life with their great spiritual gifts of teaching. Phil Hook was once the Dean of Students at Wheaton College and also taught at Dallas Theological Seminary. Norman Giesler has been a professor of Theology and Apologetics at Trinity Divinity School, Dallas Theological Seminary and Southern Evangelical Seminary.
The great contribution of Josh McDowell who visited Poland at least four times over the years and influenced thousands directly to become followers and believers of Christ as well as millions of others through literature, tapes and videos, should also be listed here. I was a witness to his 2001 visit to Poland.
Most of these named above are no longer in Poland. Ala and Marek Wyrzykowski currently direct the National Ministry of Poland. Roy and Gosia Stiff are now the National Directors of Russia for Campus Crusade for Christ.
Poland's current National staff of about one hundred full time workers is Polish in origin from top to bottom. Poland has also sent many Polish staff members to reach Russia and the Ukraine where they are currently stationed.
The great contribution of the Jesus Film should also be noted. The film was first translated into Polish from the original English.
There were many others I met in Poland, Vienna Austria, Berlin Germany, California and in New York City where I spoke to the 1979 summer Polish mission team whose names I simply cannot remember, but hope to add in time. Special mention should also be made of Peter Deyneka Jr. who contributed by visiting the Campus Crusade work in Poland and contributing $25,000.00 for the printing of Polish Bibles through the ministry of Campus Crusade in Poland. The late great Peter Deyneka Jr. also helped in many other ways.
Jon Rittenhouse of Campus Crusade and the Continental singers also have an important story to tell, which we hope to get on another page someday.
Finally the full story of Billy Graham in Poland in 1978 also needs to be told, as it is in part related. Billy Graham's Crusade in Poland was dramatically altered by the events which preceded his coming. It will also be noted in history that Cardinal Karol Jozef Wojtyla was named the new Pope of the Roman Catholic Church while Billy Graham as preaching in Roman Catholic Churches in Poland.
The story of building Campus Crusade for Christ into a movement of 100 national workers and thousands of support volunteers in Poland belongs to them. They gave the best years of their lives for Poland. Their influence for Christ in Poland has been great and the work is still continuing with great fervor and love to reach the next generation. Every Evangelical church movement, Protestant and Catholic has been blessed and the spirit of the entire country has been changed to the Honor and Glory of our Savior and Lord.
On July 16 through July 23, 2004, we did join most of these fellow workers named above and many others for a reunion in Zakopane, Poland. It was a great celebration of 25 years of the Campus Crusade for Christ staff movement in Poland. We will have a picture section for this conference in the near future. Love is what has kept this team together.
1 Cor. 13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.