Jan, Kinga's father, took Mel 'n' Omi to see a newly constructed church. "Not so much to show them the church," he explained, "but to show them Polish reality."

The church is new — no more than six years old. No electrical machinary was used. All hand-carved, in other words.

And why was this, as Jan pointed out, a portrait of Polish reality?

• A rich church paid for by poor parishoners.
• A rich church in a country that doesn't even have decent roads.
• A rich church in a country that's 97% Christian but still has hungry children.

These were some of the reasons given.

It was a beautiful church, but more beautiful would have been full bellies for everyone in the region.

Pew and confessional