Poland {Part Three}

The Edworthy Family

I met Susie and Mark Edworthy when Mark accepted the job as pastor at the church in the small town where I grew up, Celeste, Texas.  I was probably 8 or 9 years old.  They have five children now, but I have many memories babysitting their oldest children, Stephen and Celeste (she shares the name of the small town).  Since I was younger while they ministered at our church, I couldn't really remember the details of how they ended up in Celeste since they were both from the Houston area.

Susie told me that she and Mark knew that God was calling them to missions even before they took the job in Celeste.  For one of the revivals at FBC Celeste, an evangelist, Michael Gott, spoke.  He invited Mark to go to Poland the summer of 1990 to preach a crusade in a small town in northeast Poland.  Mark and Susie were already in the process with the IMB (International Mission Board) to go overseas and were just trying to figure out where they would serve.  After Mark returned, they really felt like Poland was a great fit.  Their service at Celeste was complete.  Susie says that it hardly seems possible that it's been over 20 years since they left Celeste and she believes God used that time to really prepare them for their future.

They were appointed in December 1990 to go to Poland and left Celeste right before Christmas 1990.  After orientation, they arrived in Krakow in April 1991.  They spent their first 2 years in language school.  Then in 1993 they moved to Warsaw where Mark was dean of the new Polish Baptist Seminary as well as a church planter.  They started their first church in 1993. 
 
Since that time, they’ve done a variety of things.  Mark has taken on more and more administrative roles as the time has gone.  Even with all of the great responsibility their hearts continue to be in church planting.  They’ve helped with several new church starts over the years.  In May 2008 Mark was asked to be the interim Regional Leader for Central and Eastern Europe.  Then in July 2009 the IMB did a major reorganization and Mark was asked to be the Affinity Global Strategy Leader for Europeans.  At that time, the Edworthys moved to Prague to set up the affinity office.  They are currently living in Prague, Czech Republic.  Mark directs the work among Europeans around the world.  Obviously most of them are in Europe but some work in Canada, Australia and South America.  
 
With 5 kids in different states and their parents in Houston, they are really stretched for time when they makes trip back to the United States.  I haven't seen seen Susie since we made our trip to Poland in 1996.  I feel blessed to know Susie and Mark.  We reconnected through facebook over a year ago and I've enjoyed seeing her family and keeping in touch.

Susie was so gracious to email back and forth and share this story about their life and ministry so I could share it with you.  They really are special people who have dedicated their lives to the Great Commission.

You can read Poland {Part One}here if you are interested.  Poland {Part Two} is here.

I'll be sharing this Sunday with Cha Cha at Sit Relax and Read.