Furlough

We are busy getting ready to return to the US for a year of furlough. We have our airline tickets for departure on July 16. Our time in the US will include short visits with our kids and grandkids, taking care of US business, but mostly visiting churches reporting on what we have been doing here and asking for prayer and financial support for our next term.

We are scheduled to visit churches in California beginning in September and churches in the Central Region beginning in January.

Such plans bring many feelings with them--

We are sad to have to be gone from our Hungarian friends and our work for such a long time. Every Hungarian who hears that we will be gone for a year says, "That's such a long time!" It is, but we will stay in touch by internet with friends and we have capable office help in Misha and Alexa who will handle the INSTE work while we are gone. The INSTE groups will continue. Besides, one of our goals is to raise funds for translating INSTE Level Two into Hungarian so INSTE can grow to its full potential.

We are happy to be able to see our kids and grandkids. We really enjoy being able to talk with them on Skype, but seeing them all in person and giving them hugs will be even better.

We have loads of details to handle before we leave and many more things to do to prepare for church visits in the US. We keep wondering, are we forgetting something?

The year we will be in the US we will be traveling and living out of suitcases most of the time. But, we are really looking forward to seeing friends who have been praying for us and supporting us for the past couple of years and meeting new friends who will help is in the future. Plus, it is always a blessing to be able to minister through the Holy Spirit to pastors, other believers and pre-believers wherever we go.

We ask that you keep us in your prayers and we hope to be able to see you sometime when we're in the US!

Classes for Foreigners

We were invited by one of our INSTE students to take part in a program she is helping to organize as part of her degree program at the university. We discovered that the program was not specifically for people in our situation, but we are learning a lot from it anyway. The program is aimed at immigrants from non-European Union countries who want to work in Hungary, but we have learned valuable information about how the educational system works in Hungary and how people find jobs. For example, in EU countries, contracts are signed between employees and employers outlining the rights and responsibilities of each party. EU citizens can live and work in EU countries other than their home country as long as they have a work contract or for as long as one year after the work contract expires. Interesting! We are privileged in the US to live and work anywhere we please in the country for as long as we wish.

The best part, however, is getting to know some new people. In the picture above are (from left to right) a Hungarian and her El Salvadoran husband, a Ukrainian and a Sudanese. The other participants are two more young ladies from Ukraine. All of us speak at least a little Hungarian and the presentations are translated into English, too. We are getting plenty of Hungarian practice, though.

Notice the chalkboard in the picture? This room is also used for English lessons. :)

Men's Conference

Paul Cole (in photo above) pastor's a church in Dallas, Texas, and is also the director of Christian Men's Network, a ministry begun by his father, the late Dr. Ed Cole. Today he was in Debrecen to speak to pastors about how to raise strong men of God in their churches. He taught from the Bible some of the characteristics of a strong man of God, as well as some of the things that hinder men from fulfilling their destiny. He illustrated the method of discipleship that Jesus used and that Paul lined out in II Tim. 2:2. And, he shared from Scripture and testimonies of what happens when a man's heart is really captured by God- that man becomes a "dangerous man" that God is able to use to transform families and even entire cities.

Throughout the day there were times of worship and fellowship, but it was encouraging to hear the men powerfully pray for the men in their churches and their cities. I couldn't understand all that they were saying in their prayers, but I could hear the passion and fervency in their hearts. I was excited to see these men gather together like this, and believe that this is just the beginning of what God wants to do throughout Hungary. Lord, raise up "dangerous men" of God throughout Hungary who will transform their cities for Your glory!

Demonstrating II Tim. 2:2

Praying for "dangerous" men of God

Beautiful Debrecen

This is the flowerbed in the square in front of the Open Bible Church. Wow!

Sunday in Budapest

Eggplant Cream on toast with vegetables
Made from eggplant, onions, garlic and spices--yummy!

Sunday we again traveled to Budapest where we ministered in the Good News Mission church. What a wonderful time we had! The Holy Spirit ministered powerfully during the entire service, especially during the prayer time at the end.

Istvan and Gabi, the leaders of the Budapest church and INSTE leaders.
Their hospitable and generous hearts cannot be shown by a picture.

Hungarian Election

Yesterday was a full day. The Holy Spirit ministered powerfully in church in Budapest. Afterward we enjoyed dinner with our hosts and ate a delicious Hungarian specialty. We'll tell you more about those later.

Also yesterday, a national parliamentary election was held. Turnout was over 60% and major changes were made in the government. Hungarians voiced their dissatisfaction with the present socialist leadership and voted in the conservatives, giving them a majority in Parliament. This is the first time in Hungarian history one party has won a majority in Parliament. Also for the first time, a far-right party that is anti-Gypsy and anti-Jew won seats in Parliament, a disturbing development.

For more on this election and the state of the Hungarian government, click on this link. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/11/AR2010041101355.html

The Hungarian Christians have been praying fervently for their government and for this election in particular. We are praying with them.

Welcome, Magnolias!

Spring is so beautiful this year! The magnolias are spectacular. These pictures can't capture the wonderful sight, but they'll have to do. God puts so much work and beauty into these flowers that last only a short time. Imagine how beautiful we are in his eyes when we allow him to work in us preparing us to last for eternity!

Easter Food

This morning, our neighbor Éva brought us "just a taste" of her Easter feast. In this picture are ham, eggs, stuffed chicken and homemade sausage. The meats are usually served cold and are just plain delicious!

Today is Easter Monday, a legal holiday here in Hungary. Yesterday we enjoyed a wonderful service at our home church, Shalom Open Bible. In the afternoon, we traveled to Ibrany, a predominately Gypsy village about an hour and a half north of here, and were guests at an evangelistic outreach put on by several INSTE students there. The service included worship, a message by Pastor Misi Gulyas, and a children's program. The children were part of the public school's optional spiritual life class, taught by one of our INSTE students. The kids were great, quoting scriptures they memorized, singing, praying and putting on a skit. The best part was three people accepted Christ as Savior! We thank the Lord for new life in Christ!

He Is Risen!

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."
(Phil. 3:10-11 NIV)