More about Anna and Ketura

Anna and Ketura playing a Hungarian board game.

We are enjoying our time with Anna and Ketura Veal and we are keeping them busy.  Except for today, that is.  We are taking a bit of a rest today since we had no time to rest over last weekend and will have no rest this coming weekend either.  So today we ate a leisurely lunch, played a table game and rested as much as we could. 

These past few days we have shown the Veals as much as we can of missionary life.  We visited three churches over the weekend and Anna and Ketura gave testimonies in two of them.  We introduced them to some of the culture of Hungary on Monday with a visit to the Hortobagy National Park.  Both ladies really enjoyed the wagon ride and horses at the stables at the park. They went with us as we did errands for work, helped make INSTE books and watched us as we worked in the INSTE office.  We showed them how we pay bills at the post office, and they tried their hand at finding things at the grocery store.  We've prayed together, discussed the work of missionaries and much more. 

We have still more to do in the next few days.  It's good we have a rest day today! 

Anna and Ketura

Ketura and Anna Veal in the INSTE Hungary office.

Anna and Ketura Veal from Rapid City, South Dakota, arrived in Debrecen Wednesday evening.  Anna came with her mom to Hungary to check out missionary life here, so we are happily sharing with them what we do and where we live.  Yesterday we took them on a short tour of Debrecen including Kossuth Square, the Great Church and Debrecen University.  We are introducing them to as many Hungarian customs, foods and experiences as possible.  Today they are following Mike around as he does errands for INSTE and this evening Anna will be speaking at the Debrecen Open Bible youth meeting.  We'll keep them busy and keep posting about their visit.

Executive Director's Visit

We were privileged to have the Executive Director of Open Bible Global Missions Vince McCarty in our home the past week.  We picked Vince up in Oradea, Romania on Tuesday afternoon and he stayed with us until Sunday.  Vince had been in Gherla, Romania over the previous weekend to install a new pastor in the Open Bible Church there.  Teo Bulzan, pastor of a Pentecostal Holiness Church in Oradea, has been giving oversight to the church in Gherla and was with Vince to install the new pastor there.  He then brought Vince back to Oradea with him, we met them for lunch, and afterward brought Vince back to Debrecen.

Vince spoke in three Open Bible Churches, participated in the INSTE board meeting on Friday, presented a leadership seminar Saturday afternoon, and talked with many Hungarian Open Bible Church leaders during his time here. Vince is our boss, so we were able to discuss our ministry here with him and receive his helpful insights.

Vince speaking at the Shalom Open Bible Church in Gávavencsellő. Roxane Szabó is interpreting.

Vince McCarty leading a seminar in Debrecen with Misha Tovtin translating.

Vince encouraged the Open Bible people here, reminding them that they belong to the large, world-wide Open Bible family of over 1800 churches located in 45 countries.  He noted that he has personally visited ten of those countries this year!  We are so thankful that he made time to visit us.

Visitors Coming

Three busy weeks are ahead for us.  Vince McCarty, Open Bible Missions Director, is arriving in Debrecen on Tuesday for a five-day visit.  He will be staying with us, and a full schedule is already laid out for him: visiting churches, preaching, a leader's seminar, meeting with the Hungarian INSTE board and much more.  Please pray for the Holy Spirit to be in charge of all these meetings and that God's will and purpose will be accomplished in Hungary.

Three days after we take Vince to the airport, Anna Veal and her mother Ketura arrive for a two-week visit.  Anna is a high school senior who senses a call of God on her life to become a missionary and is coming to Hungary to confirm that call.  Both Anna and Ketura will be ministering to various groups but we will also be showing them other aspects of life on the mission field.  Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide Anna and Ketura in their ministry, giving Anna clear direction for her life. 

Please pray for us also that we will be able to be helpful hosts to all our guests, that we will be able to interpret as needed and that the Holy Spirit will guide us, too.

Conversation Partner

This is my (Nancy's) conversation partner Edit.  Even though we have lived in Hungary for over eight years, the Hungarian language is still quite challenging.  We are continually trying to improve and one of the ways Edit helps me is by meeting with me about once a week for conversation practice.  For about 45 minutes we speak Hungarian with Edit helping by correcting my grammar and word usage.  Then for another 45 minutes we speak English with me helping Edit in the same way.  We have become good friends having many things in common.  We are close in age with children and grandchildren who are about the same ages, too.  We also enjoy the many topics we have discussed during our practice time including politics, history, food, habits and preferences.  One of the questions last week was "What would you do if you couldn't use the internet or watch TV for one month?"  That was a tough question for self-admitted internet addicts! 

Thank you, Edit, for your valuable help and for your friendship!