Polish Adventist Churches

The recent flooding in south and west Poland brought a rapid response from the local Seventh-day Adventists, according to church reports.  In a number of cities, churches were “turned into big warehouses” to provide assistance to hundreds of flood victims in an illustration of how humanitarian needs supersede the requirement for religious devotions.  “After an appeal to our church members here in Poland, a total of 77,000 Polish zlotys (over US$23,000) was collected,” reports Maksymilian Szklorz, treasurer for the Polish Union of Seventh-day Adventists. “We also received donations in kind amounting to US$13,000. Besides this, tons of clothing, food, drinking water, and juices as well as cleaning materials were collected and sent to the flood region.”  Even though Seventh-day Adventists in Poland number only 5,500, their efforts were appreciated by those affected by the floods. In the badly affected area of the Opole district the local governor paid tribute to the work of the Adventist church.  “After the floods only two main institutions helped people in the South of the country: the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the government of Poland,” the governor told church sources.