Day 26 - August 3rd: Visit to the 'Racecar Pastor' in Bielsko-Biela

In the Catholic rectory where I was able to spend the night, the housekeeper came in the morning and prepared a very lavish breakfast. The priest of the parish also joined us. With my translation device, we were able to communicate a little. He expressed surprise about my journey. However, after only 30 minutes, he had to leave for his first appointment. The housekeeper packed some travel provisions for me, and then I cycled the last kilometers to Bielsko-Biela. From a distance, I saw the Beskidy Mountains, where I wanted to go (Beskidy). Unfortunately, I got lost in the city. I pushed my bike uphill for about 100 meters for nothing and started sweating once again. My first destination of the day was the Protestant community in the district of Biela. The city itself even has two Protestant communities. In the Bielsko district, you can find the bishop's church and the only Martin Luther monument in Poland, which I wanted to find.

Finding the correct entrance to the rectory in the Biela district was not easy, because the church is completely fenced off and access to the parish office is only possible through a side street. Once again, I was lucky, because the responsible young pastor was there. He fetched the key and opened 'his' former old German church (photo) through the sacristy. The altar with the apostle figures was impressive. Next to it is a drum set. He reported that his community has about 750 members and that around 120 visitors come to the worship service. During the corona time, there were live broadcasts on the internet, as in other Polish communities, but now deliberately not anymore. Because it is better for the community if the members come to the worship service in person again. The children's worship service includes 10 volunteers who organize the 'Sunday School'. During the school year, there are six different children's groups that are led by volunteers. There is a real church band in the community - where the pastor naturally plays - which sometimes provides musical accompaniment for the worship service. He also showed me a video of his extraordinary hobby. That is car racing. He has his own race car, which is adorned with some Bible verses. I have already come across some interesting hobbies of pastors, but this one is extraordinary. His pastor's wife likes to accompany him and acts as co-pilot. He also showed me the community rooms and then had to leave for an appointment. However, I could still stay in the rooms and rest if I wanted to, which I took advantage of for an hour.

Then I looked for a bicycle workshop, because the next day I wanted to go directly to the Beskidy Mountains to Wisla, the 'Protestant stronghold' of Poland, and I definitely wanted to have my bike brakes adjusted for the steep descents. After about 1500 kilometers, the braking power was no longer sufficient. I had the brakes adjusted for free at a workshop on the outskirts of the city. Now I felt prepared for the Beskidy Mountains. On the way to the workshop, I passed the popular Lolek and Bolek bronze statue and the famous Frog House (photo).

In the Bielsko district, you can find the bishop's church and the aforementioned Luther monument. I did find the church, but not the monument. I would have liked to have a conversation with Bishop Adrian Korczago about life and the challenges in his Protestant Diocese of Teschen, but I didn't find anyone in the office or in the apartment right next to it. I waited for about 2 hours and then decided to continue to Skoszow, which is about 25 kilometers away. There should also be a large Protestant community there. Since I was in the foothills of the Beskidy Mountains, I went uphill and downhill after half of the distance. It's a good thing I had the brakes adjusted. Now they were really put to the test. I arrived in Skoszow in the early evening and found the large Protestant church on a hill in the small town with around 15,000 inhabitants. Behind the community center is the only Protestant mission library in Poland, and I immediately started talking to the director.

I later found out that the pastor will not return until Friday evening from a large summer camp at the Baltic Sea with 180 children and teenagers. But I was allowed to pitch my tent in his rectory garden and was given the key to the library's restroom. I then cycled back down to the city, bought some groceries, and planned the next two days in the city of Wisla, in the Beskidy Mountains, where the majority of Protestants are said to live. Satisfied, I crawled into my sleeping bag in the evening.