We've Been Busy

It has been a while since this blog has been updated, not because nothing has been happening, but because a lot has been happening.

During our last full week in Hungary, we worked on packing up the few items we had remaining in Debrecen, deciding which things to take with us to the US and which to leave in Debrecen.  We made arrangements to leave the car in Debrecen, cancelled our phones and internet and finished other details involved in moving to another country.

On Saturday June 9 and Sunday June 10, some of our Inste graduates and our church family said good-bye to us.  We received many gracious comments and meaningful gifts.  We are already missing our Hungarian brothers and sisters.

That Tuesday, we gathered our suitcases, said good-bye to our neighbors and headed to Budapest.  We spent the night in a hotel at the airport and celebrated our 42nd wedding anniversary with a nice dinner there.

Early Wednesday morning we boarded the first plane of the three that took us to Des Moines, Iowa.  Nancy's sister Delores and her husband Jim picked up the weary travelers from the airport and hosted us for a couple of days.

Our oldest son Paul with his wife Kate and son Levi

On Friday, we traveled to Austin, Minnesota, to visit our son Paul and his family.  Since it was Father's Day weekend, Paul treated Mike to a round of golf.  It was a hot day and neither of them had played golf for quite some time, but they finished in a tie!  We enjoyed a wonderful time with Paul, Kate and Levi including doing some of Levi's favorite things--going for ice cream, visiting the nature center, and playing at the Spam Museum.  While we were in Austin, Paul helped us order some cell phones that will work both in the US and in Romania.

Jim and Delores hosted us for another week during which we got cell phone service, went to the doctor for wellness checks, conducted business with the Global Missions office and other activities. Also during that week Nancy was able to meet some of her high school classmates when she and Mike participated in a walk-through of the East High School building.  On Sunday, four of the members of her youth group's Bible quiz team were together and enjoyed worshiping at church, reminiscing and laughing together over lunch.

Members of the Sunshine Open Bible Quiz Team 1973

This week we moved to Nick and Leona's home (another of Nancy's sisters) where they have graciously invited us to spend the rest of our time while we are in the US.  When we are not traveling to visit churches and family, that is.  (By the way, if you are in Central Region and would like us to visit your church or small group, please send us an email, message us, or contact Open Bible Central Region.)

Yesterday we went to the optometrist for an exam.  We want to thank God for the good report we received about Nancy's eyes.  Her macular degeneration is stable!  Praise the Lord!

We thank God for a good start to our six-month stay in the US.

Big Weekend

This weekend was a big one for us.  We moved our household goods to Gherla, Romania, where we will begin ministering in January.  For a few weeks before, we worked sorting through our things, deciding what to throw away, what to give away, what to take with us to the US as we itinerate for six months, and what to pack into boxes to store in Romania until we get there.  One of our missionary friends loaned us their mini-van and took out the back seats for us.  Then Mike skillfully packed all our take-to-Romania items in the van. 

 We wondered if there would be any trouble crossing the boarder from Hungary to Romania with all this stuff, but it was one of the fastest crossings we have ever made.  The boarder guard asked us what we had in the van and Mike told her that it was household items and we were moving to Gherla from Debrecen.  She looked at him kind of funny and said, "Are you sure?" before she took our passports to be stamped.  We were through in about five minutes.

Mike, Nancy, Gabi and Simi

 When we arrived in Gherla, Gabi Hosu and her two sons and one of their friends helped us unload the van and pack it in a storage room in the church.  They were so helpful and fast that we finished before Simi Hosu could make it back from his meeting.  That evening we enjoyed a good meal with the Hosus in celebration of Simi's graduation from pastoral training school.

Mike preached at the Open Bible Church in Gherla on Sunday.  Although most of the congregation knew ahead of time, he announced that we plan to return in January for a two-year stay to help in the church.  His announcement was received with joyful applause, especially after he said we would spend the next six months learning Romanian so we can better communicate with them.
We are looking forward to returning to Gherla soon.  Please pray for this church, their leaders and the town of Gherla, that there will be a wonderful move of God among them all.  Please also pray for us that we will be able to learn Romanian and that God will enable us to be an instrument of his Spirit in Romania.