INSTE in Uszka

Sunday we visited the INSTE group in Uszka primarily for the purpose of taping video for new promotional material and for Mike to preach in the afternoon service, but we were all encouraged through the afternoon's events. We were late arriving in Uszka due to an accident investigation that blocked the road, causing us to take a detour that cost us some time, so the INSTE class started a little late.

Norbert Kiss is a talented photographer from the Open Bible Church in Debrecen who is putting the promotional video together for us. 

 The INSTE class began with a time of praise and prayer.

They took a test over the weekly lesson then corrected their tests together, going over the questions one by one.

This was followed by a lively discussion of the week's lesson interspersed with times of laughter.  The discussion had to end early since church was about to start.  The service started with a worship dance performed by four talented middle-school girls.  The worship service was a mixture of beautifully integrated Hill Song and Gypsy worship music.  Then Mike preached with the help of his interpreter Misha Tovtin on the miracles of the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on the water. 

Before the start of the service, pastor's wife Erika Kovacs (pictured above in the center on the worship team) excitedly showed me her INSTE book filled with notes and highlights.  She wanted to let me know how much she enjoys studying INSTE and how carefully she studies each lesson and writes daily in her spiritual diary.  She said that even though they are only on the eleventh lesson, she has already learned all fourteen memory verses and even wakes up at night thinking about the Word.  What is especially heartwarming about Erika's story is that she was very nervous about studying INSTE in the beginning and only signed up at the insistence of her husband and son.  Other members of the group also commented on how happy they are with INSTE and how they are all growing in the Lord.