Our Poland Trip ' Summer 2006 ' by Mike McCoy, Grandson of John L. Szparaga

ANTICIPATION! Who are these relatives in Poland? What are they like? Will we like them? Will they like us? Can we drink the water? What is a holiday camp? How long should we stay? How would our relatives react to the first relative to come from America since John L. left in 1905? These were some of the unanswered questions as Kia, Katie, and myself prepared to go to the Szparaga family reunion 2006 in Poland! It has been over a month since we have returned. I wanted to wait before I wrote this report so I could contemplate what we experienced.

We (Kia, Katie and myself) were in southern France for two weeks prior to going to Poland. Our son Caleb has been on the staff at the Camp of the Peaks for the past four summers and will be attending a yearlong language school in France. We were part of a service team that worked at Camp of the Peaks during Missionary Refresh where missionaries and their families from around the world came for a time of rest and refreshment. Our job was cleaning, washing dishes, preparing food and the like, so needless to say we were exhausted when we arrived at the Warsaw airport on June 29.

It is very difficult to put down into words what I experienced, but I can say it was one of the top ten experiences in my life! I knew we had relatives in Poland, but I had no idea the depth of the family tree even though Jacek Szparaga had been in contact with us for a couple years. As Jacek and his daughter Beata met us, upon our arrival, it seemed as if I had been there before. I guess there is something about blood relatives and the connection we all have. Jacek went all out to make us feel welcome, and Beata (Betty as we called her) served as our translator. Our fondness grew for both of them quickly and we felt like family by the time we arrived at our hotel and met Jacek's wife Krystyna and shared a late night meal of Polish favorites.

On Friday we went to Lubraniec to have dinner (3PM) at the home of my Mother's cousin 'Aunt Zofia' and her husband & daughter. As we began our meal and it continued for 2 hours, the memories of my grandparents' cooking came flooding back. It was fantastic. We then drove to the Holiday camp and started to meet the out of town relatives who arrived Friday. It was much fun nodding, eating (again), and seeing the fatherland. And yes, toasting many times as is the custom; I did not know I had such a tolerance to Vodka!

Saturday was a very emotional day as we went to gravesites of our family ancestors with special reverence for our great grandfather Jan Szparaga (John L's father), we saw the house where he lived for a number of years and toured the grounds where he worked for a Polish prince. We toured the village area where John L was born and saw the church he attended just before coming to America. One of many memories was talking to Bronia whose mother was Janina, John L's second youngest sister. She had pictures of all of us: Uncle Ed, Aunt Jean, My mother Irene & sister Sandy, Jim, John, Tommy Sparaga, Aunt Fran, Uncle Joe & Phil that John L. had sent to her mother through the years. She had a hand written letter from John L. that he sent to Janina in 1907. I learned that his first job was as a waiter!

As I started to grasp the history of my family within the history of Poland, it became very apparent that I (we) am part of something very special. It gave me a sense of completeness and how God works in our lives through faith, family and friends.

The Sunday Mass, in Polish of course, was at the church where Kazimierz Szparaga who lived in the 18th century is buried. He was traced by Jacek as the start of Szparaga family who originally came from Italy. There were many battles in this area during World War II. Behind the altar there is a huge painting of the sacred heart of Jesus. It said at the bottom in Polish, ' Jesus, I trust in thee.' My Dad, Tom McCoy, gave me this same picture before he died! I have it on my dresser.

The reunion meal at a restaurant in Lubraniec was so much fun! Kia, Katie and I ate, drank and danced from 1pm to 9pm! We met the rest of the 130 family members who attended the festivities. On Monday Jacek drove us to Warsaw where we spent the day and night before I returned to America. Warsaw is a dynamic and beautiful city. We spent time in the old town where many Polish people were killed during the World Wars. I was told about a relative who was a doctor who joined the Polish army as an officer. Russians invaded Poland on sept.17, 1939. They murdered 20,000 officers, taken captives, of which he was one. Earlier Germans invaded on September 1, 1939. I stood on the exact spot where over 350,000 Polish Jews were carted by the German Nazi's into boxcars and shipped off to be murdered. I cannot express to the pain I felt at that place.

Hopefully this gives a good picture of our experiences in Poland. Were all my questions answered? Yes!! Our family is warm, loving, genuine, and was kind to their American relatives. I drank more Vodka, kissed more men and women than I ever had in my life! I would absolutely recommend that my American relatives make every effort to attend the next Szparaga Reunion! I couldn't help but think about how much my Mother would have enjoyed this, and I know my Aunt Jean Osczepinski wanted to go. Unfortunately, her health was not good and she died a month before the reunion. I believe if you do not go there you will miss a spiritual, emotional and historical journey that you would treasure the rest of your days!

'No strovia'!!!

Mike McCoy