INSTE in Hungary

Japan in Romania?

2012-01-31T16:23:00.000+01:00

We were able last weekend to make a trip to Gherla, Romania to minister in the Open Bible Church there. We had a blessed time ministering and fellowshipping with our friends there. On the way back, we were invited to stop in Cluj and meet a missionary from Japan.

Katsu in the chapel at the back of the Japanese tea house.

Katsutaro and his wife Kayoko work with the Church of God in Romania, but Kayoko is originally from the Open Bible Church in Kobe, Japan. They not only lead a church, but also minister to those who come to the Japanese Tea House managed by Katsu in downtown Cluj. Katsu also finds time to teach Japanese culture in various schools. After Katsu introduced us to their work in Cluj, Kayoko treated us and our friend Karen Rose to a wonderful home-cooked Japanese meal.


One of the employees of the Japanese Tea House

We enjoyed the afternoon listening to stories of God's wonderful acts in Japan and Romania. It's always good to make new friends, wherever we find them.

New Grandbaby

2012-01-28T10:29:00.000+01:00

We are happy to announce that we have a new grandbaby! Mychael JoAnn was born Thursday to our son Mark and his wife Nadine. She weighed 9 pounds and 7 ounces and is 20 inches long. She is welcomed by her older brothers Nathan (4) and Isaac (2).
We are very excited to have a baby girl in the family! After three sons and three grandsons, this little girl will be well spoiled by her Grandma and Papa!

Traveling to Romania

2012-01-26T14:49:00.001+01:00

We leave on Saturday for a couple of days in Gherla, Romania. Mike has been invited to preach at the Open Bible Church there, something he is always happy to do when he can. Please pray for good traveling weather. We must drive over a mountain pass and they are having a snowstorm today. We also ask that you pray for God's anointing on Mike as he speaks and that God will raise up godly leaders for these dear people.

What's that?

2012-01-23T15:52:00.001+01:00

Doesn't this just make your mouth water? Know what it is? It's Nancy's lunch--pizza with ham and corn. Yumm!

Almost Finished with First Book

2012-01-19T13:18:00.001+01:00

Many of you already know this, but we wanted to let everyone know our latest news. The first book of Level Two INSTE, Church Leadership, is in its final reading! That means that the book has been translated and edited and is now being proofread. Soon it will be ready for a pilot group to study. We are hoping to have all four books of the first semester finished by fall so our pilot group can start then. Two more books are in the process now. The second book is being edited and the third book is being translated. Soon the translators will begin work on the fourth book. This is so exciting! The need is great in Hungary for pastors and other church leaders to be trained. God has provided INSTE as a wonderful means of meeting this need and we--and you--have a chance to be a part of it. Special thanks to all of you who have given funds to have Level Two INSTE translated into Hungarian. God bless you!

Next Generation INSTE Group

2012-01-16T10:47:00.001+01:00

Katalin- Level One INSTE graduate and now group leader

It was exciting on Friday to be able to train a leader for a new INSTE group in Ibrány. Kati is a Level One INSTE graduate who feels called by God to lead an INSTE group in her church. There is nothing unusual about that. God calls many people to lead INSTE groups in their churches. Kati and her INSTE group are special, though. Their church grew out of their INSTE group. Before they had finished Level One, they were holding services in the community center and leading people to Christ. Now their church has been blessed with a building of their own and it is packed every Sunday. Many new people are coming to Christ and are growing in their faith. They are expecting to have ten new INSTE students for this semester! We thank the Lord for what he has been doing in Ibrány and ask Him to bless this new group of students as they study the Word of God.

The congregation at the Shalom Bibliai Gyülekezet in Ibrány

Recycling

2012-01-12T14:42:00.001+01:00

This is the collection point where we take our recycling. The blue bin is for paper, the green for glass and the yellow for plastic. Thankfully, these recycling bins are only a block from our home/office.

One reason we try to recycle as much as we can is our trash bin. This is the only trash can for all six apartments in our building (though only four are occupied). We must try not to be wasteful Americans!

INSTE Student's Testimony

2012-01-09T09:34:00.003+01:00

Dezső with is wife and daughter

During INSTE class last night, one of the students shared the following testimony. Desző said he had been praying for an opportunity to talk about God to his family. He loves them very much, he said, and wants them to experience new life in Christ, too. On New Year's Eve, his whole family was together in a relative's home. They have all noticed the change in him since he gave his life to Christ. One of them asked him a question about God, and for the next two to three hours, they sat around Desző listening to him talk about spiritual things and asking him questions. Desző could feel the Holy Spirit speaking through him helping him say things and remember things he could not have said or remembered on his own.

The next day he began doing his INSTE lesson at home, lesson 10 of the first book. He began crying and rejoicing when he realized that the things he was reading in the lesson were the very things he had been sharing the night before with his relatives. And he had not even studied them yet! Praise God for the power of the Holy Spirit who works through us to do what we cannot do!

Church Law Update

2012-01-05T18:49:00.001+01:00

In an earlier post, we informed you of a possible new law in Hungary that would affect Open Bible Churches and most other small Christian denominations in Hungary. It would change the legal status of the denominations from churches to civic organizations and clubs. The newest law, however, allows church denominations to maintain their church status if they have an ongoing relationship with an international denomination that had been in existence for more than 100 years, or have been officially registered in Hungary for more than 20 years. Open Bible meets the second requirement! Praise the Lord! There are additional requirements to be met including going before a review board. God has answered our prayers so far. Please keep praying for Open Bible. And please pray for the other small church organizations that cannot meet all of these requirements. Our God is a great God!

A Couple Photos Nancy Likes

2012-01-02T11:30:00.001+01:00

This is my walking path through the park. We've had a rather mild winter so far with only a little snow that has quickly melted away. This, to me, is a sort of sad picture.

This, however, is a happy picture! This is our friend Berci. Sandor Bereczki is one of the pastors of the Open Bible Church here in Debrecen. He turned to greet me before church and I captured his wonderful smile. I thank God that in the middle of a dreary winter, he gives us such special friends in Christ!

The Ring

2011-12-31T10:52:00.000+01:00

We learned something when we lived in Colorado Springs--be a tourist where you live. We lived four years in Colorado Springs and never went to the top of Pikes Peak! We finally made it to the top when we were back in town ten years later for some training! So, when the opportunity came for us to spend two days in Vienna this week, we took advantage of it.

Vienna was beautiful! And since we had just one full day in town, we signed up for a bus tour that included historic sights of the city. We saw important places as we drove by them including the statue of Strauss, the King of the Waltz, the Austrian Parliament building, and the palace of the Hapsburgs. We also took a tour of the summer palace of the Hapsburgs and stood in the room where the six-year-old Mozart played for Empress Maria Theressa. We were especially interested in the information about Elizabeth (Erzsabet) who was the favorite queen of the Hungarians.

But that's not all. When we got on the tour bus, we heard the couple in front of us talking. They sounded like Americans, so we introduced ourselves and had a great time visiting before the tour began. Later, the lady handed me (Nancy) a ring and said, "I don't have any money with me, but take this ring and sell it and use it for your work in Hungary." I said, "Thank you so much! If you will give me your full name and address, I'll send you a receipt." She said, "I don't want a receipt. The Lord has been so good to us, I just wanted to give something."

May the Lord bless this wonderful couple from Virginia! No matter where we are, God is always blessing us and giving us opportunities to bless others. May you be a blessing and be blessed this coming year. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T14:27:00.003+01:00


Nagy Templom (Great Church) downtown Debrecen

BoldogKarácsonyt és

áldott ÚjÉvet mindenkinek.

Wewish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!


Nativity scene behind the Nagy Templom with life-sized hand-carved wood figures.

Hungarian shepherds at the nativity.

New Church Law?

2011-12-21T13:04:00.000+01:00

Last fall the Hungarian Parliament passed a law affecting the Open Bible Churches and many other churches in Hungary. According to the law, only 14 major denominations would be recognized by the Hungarian government as churches and would be eligible to receive the rights of churches in Hungary. Among those denominations were the Roman Catholics, Reformed Church, Baptist Church and three Jewish groups. Among those not included, in addition to Open Bible, were the Church of God, Free Christian Church, Life Church, Salvation Army--in fact, all the churches INSTE works with.

Throughout the fall and into this winter, the churches have been praying. We were not certain exactly how the new law would affect all the smaller churches, but we heard that unrecognized churches would need to register as organizations just like clubs and civic groups. There were fears that rights to baptize, marry, evangelize in public and ordain ministers would be ended. Memories of persecution under Communism are still fresh, so many, many people have been asking God to intervene.

On Monday, we were pleased to hear that Hungary's highest court nullified the law! However, representatives in Parliament have made it known that they will write a new law this week and have it ready to be passed into law next week, between Christmas and New Year's. We are praying for God to once again intervene. Please pray with us.

It's Not About Me!

2011-12-19T16:49:00.002+01:00

Besides the busyness that normally comes with the holiday season, Nancy and I have been traveling each Sunday afternoon to the village of Tomor in northern Hungary to lead an INSTE group. Tomor is a predominantly Roma (Gypsy) village in one of the poorest areas of Hungary, and there is not one evangelical church in any of the villages within 30 kilometers (18 miles).

We are excited to minister to this group of new believers, but, to be honest, there have been times when I have felt it is inconvenient to have to leave immediately after church so we can drive the 1 1/2 hours to Tomor. There is also the added expense of the gasoline we are spending driving back and forth, plus the extra frustration of studying the lessons each week in Hungarian and then trying to lead a discussion when we don't always understand each other completely.

However, it is at those times when God reminds me: "Mike, it is not about you!" When we see the excitement in the eyes of these new believers when they begin to understand what the Bible says; the joy they have when they sing for the first time worship songs that we might take for granted; plus the growth that we see happening when they begin to live out the Word of God in their lives, it is worth any cost or inconvenience it might be to us. We believe that we are laying the foundation for a strong church that will reach the village of Tomor and the surrounding villages as well. Please continue to pray for these wonderful people!

Christmas Downtown

2011-12-12T14:40:00.002+01:00

Debrecen has a lovely Christmas bazaar in its central square downtown. Here are some of the things you can see there. The only thing missing is snow.

A view of the Great Church and the Christmas tree

Grilling tasty sausages to sell

Stalls along the tram line with all kinds of products and foods for sale

Yummy chocolates and sweets

Traditional lace and embroidery for sale

Baking langos, flat bread with toppings like cheese, bacon, onions, peppers and sour cream.

Langos.

This young man, dressed in traditional shepherd clothing, said "Take my picture!" We're thinking he wanted to impress the girls with his English speaking skills.

Suzy Homemaker

2011-12-09T10:25:00.001+01:00

I (Nancy) have become quite the homemaker since we moved to Hungary. I've always been one to find the quickest, easiest way to do things, so my meals in the States were often begun with a box of this or a can of that. Here, though, when I'm hungry for American food, I have to make it from scratch. That's because either the food is too expensive or just not available here. So, besides making pie, dressing and mash potatoes from the raw ingredients for Thanksgiving, I also have learned to make macaroni and cheese, salsa and applesauce among other things. I learned cooking from scratch is not really that hard and it is probably healthier, too. I also have a lot of respect for Hungarian women who cook for their families every night--and make delicious food!

God Bless You, Everetts!

2011-12-06T10:09:00.001+01:00

Brooke, Steve, Penny, Jordan. Christen is attending college in the US.

Last night we said goodbye to some of our American missionary friends. Steve and Penny Everett came to Debrecen with their three teenagers two years ago to pastor an international church here in Hungary. They have been a tremendous blessing to the church, the Church of God Churches of Hungary, the city and to us. Sadly for us, they are moving back to the US this week. We will miss you, friends, and we pray that God will continue to guide you, provide for you and make you a blessing wherever you go.

Views from the Island

2011-12-01T10:00:00.001+01:00

Last month I (Nancy) was privileged to participate in a retreat for missionaries on Margit Sziget (Margaret Island) in Budapest. I had a great time meeting and talking with other missionaries from all over Europe and the middle East. The staff from the US was incredibly service-oriented and honored us in many ways. The only downside was that Mike couldn't come with me.

Margit Sziget is filled with parks, hotels, a zoo, a water park and other recreational sites. I enjoyed walking around the 5 kilometer jogging path twice(I don't do jogging). Here are some pictures from my walk.

Jogging path

Looking across the Danube to the Pest side.

I love this sight-seeing boat. Looks like a bus is driving in the river!

You Are Valuable to God

2011-11-28T15:10:00.001+01:00

Yesterday we enjoyed visiting the Pünkösdi Gyülekezet (Pentecostal Church) here in Debrecen. We enjoyed a great service with them. Mike preached on how God sees us as valuable to him, and the message was very well received.

By the way, you are valuable and special to God, too! We appreciate it when you take the time to follow what is happening in Hungary and when you pray for us. God bless you!

Pray for Hungary

2011-11-25T12:05:00.001+01:00

I'm sure most of you are aware of the economic crisis many of the countries in Europe are facing. Hungary is no exception. Included in our blog is a link to an AP article which will help give an understanding of what is happening here in Hungary. Please keep Hungary in your prayers.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/hungarians-face-evictions-ahead-winter-181151466.html

Open Bible Youth Conference

2011-11-21T13:55:00.001+01:00

It was great this weekend to have a small part in the Open Bible Youth Conference held in Debrecen. Fifty-two young people from Debrecen, Nyiregyháza, Ibrány and Tomor spent Friday evening through Sunday morning together in Debrecen. They worshipped, talked, played and ate together. Most of those from out of town slept in the church. The theme was "Gold in the Master's Workshop." Five speakers were featured including Mike, who preached on Sunday morning. Worship was led by youth from Debrecen. The kids all said they enjoyed the weekend and didn't want it to end. The most exciting part was when 14 youth made a commitment to live for Christ!

The Beautiful Danube

2011-11-18T13:06:00.001+01:00

Ah, the beautiful Danube River!

Conference in Szolnok

2011-11-14T13:29:00.001+01:00

Saturday we were invited to participate in the Roma (Gypsy) Church of God Conference in Szolnok. Over three hundred people participated in the all-day meetings. How exciting it was to be among such wonderful Christians! Several people commented about a revival happening now among the Gypsies in Hungary. Mike was invited to speak a few minutes to encourage pastors to participate in INSTE. When his time came, the translator was no where to be found, so Mike spoke in Hungarian. He did a great job and two of the other speakers commented on what he said.

The guest speaker was an evangelist from Norway whose translator was a Norwegian who spoke fluent Hungarian.

The leader of the Church of God in Hungary, Csaba Tenkely, also encouraged the pastors to take INSTE.

Several pastors responded to the invitation to participate in INSTE and filled out the paperwork to do so. Our leader training will be in December. We can't wait!

Exciting Sunday

2011-11-08T16:05:00.004+01:00

Last Sunday was anexciting day for two reasons. For thelast couple of weeks, a gypsy lady has been coming to our gate, asking formoney to help feed her kids. I gave hera little money and a little food a couple of times and she kept comingback. I knew her coming wouldn’t stop,so every time she came, I said I would not give her any more money until shecame to church with me. Last Sunday shesurprised me by showing up at church with her two smallest children and sittingwith me for the entire service! She waswarmly greeted by everyone and said she enjoyed the service. She admitted that she was not ready to giveher life to Jesus yet, but she did say she wanted to come back nextSunday. Please pray for Anna Maria.

Another reason Sunday wasan exciting day was the testimony of one of our INSTE students. Sunday afternoon we drove the hour and a halfto Tomor with our friend Zoli who helps in the class. The INSTE class went well, even though Zolihad to leave halfway through to talk to the teenagers who gathered outside theclassroom. After class, as we weretaking Dezső and his familyhome, Dezső said that he noticedthat INSTE develops people and that he himself was being built up. Even though finding the time to study ishard, he does not like to miss a day of INSTE. For some time, he had been looking for and hoping for something thatwould help him learn about God, and INSTE is just what he needed!

Praise God! Days like these are days of rejoicing!

A Walk in the Park in the Fall

2011-11-03T13:20:00.001+01:00

Walk with us through the park. It's beautiful this fall.

Halottak Napja

2011-10-31T14:45:00.002+01:00

Halloween is not celebrated here in Hungary the way it is in the US. All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day are celebrated on November 1 and 2. Since Hungary is predominately a Catholic country, November 1 is a national holiday and businesses and schools are closed so that people can go to mass and to cemetaries. Many people spend the day visiting the graves of their loved ones, decorating them with flowers and lighting votive candles in special red jars to set on them. The reason the Catholics go to mass and to the cemetaries is to help their departed loved ones leave purgatory and arrive in heaven. Unlike in the US, this holiday is not one of fun and candy, but a solemn, serious one. Please pray that the Hungarians will see the true light of Jesus Christ, the One who has the power to deliver us from death unto life.

Lost

2011-10-27T13:54:00.002+02:00

Yesterday we had a package to deliver to a friend in Oradea, Romania. He gave us his address so we could use our GPS to find him. We had been to his church before, but decided that since we had been riding with someone else when we were there, using the GPS would make sure we made it.

We had no problem along the way and punched in the address right after we crossed the border into Romania. As we got closer to our destination, it seemed to the both of us that the GPS instructions were different than the way we remembered, so we took the road we both thought was right. The church wasn't there. Oh well. We once again turned to the GPS and followed its instructions, only to have it lead us around in a circle and not to where we needed to go. We stopped on a side street, got out a map of Oradea, but couldn't find the right street on it. A nice gentleman who spoke Hungarian stopped to help us. He looked at the address, put it into the GPS for us and said to turn around and the GPS would lead us to the church. Two kilometers later, we still were not at the church. We returned to the turn-off we "remembered" and just drove around, looking for something familiar. That didn't work, either.

We stopped in a parking lot and again asked the Lord what to do. Mike decided to try to find someone else who could help us, and found a man in a store who spoke English. This man not only told him how to find the church, but printed out a Map Quest map for him. Following those instructions, we found the church and delivered our package. We were almost two hours later than we said we would be, but we finally made it!

We learned some things in this adventure. Next time we will be sure we have a telephone number we can call. We will also not rely on our own memories or the GPS alone. We do thank God that he is good and gracious and that he helped us.

Meat Soup

2011-10-24T13:50:00.001+02:00

Misha, Gabi and Istvan enjoying meat soup

This picture is for all of you who ask what we eat in Hungary. Yesterday after Mike preached and Misha translated at Örömhir Misszió in Budapest, István and Gabi took us out to eat. We were served a delicious meal, family style. This is a picture of the soup course. It was a "make your own" meat soup. First we put the pasta, meat and vegetables we wanted in our bowls. Then we added the meat broth. It sure was tasty! Oh, and Hungarians don't eat soda crackers. If they eat anything with their soup, it is a piece of bread.

By the way, the service was great that morning. We really enjoy visiting these wonderful believers. Another INSTE group will be starting there soon!

INSTE Info

2011-10-19T12:44:00.000+02:00

We are often asked about INSTE. INSTE is the reason we are in Hungary, and so many people want to know what it is. INSTE is an in-church Bible college with two levels. The first level has four books (two semesters) available to all believers in the church who want to go from being believers to disciples and ministers. The second level is for those called to leadership in the church. This level has 24 books (six semesters).

INSTE has some unique features that make it valuable to any church. First, INSTE is group-based. No one can just buy the materials and study on their own. INSTE must be studied with others in the church so that students learn from and minister to each other. INSTE books are programmed, meaning that the students study five days a week from the books on their own. When they come together for the weekly meeting, they have already learned the material and are ready to take a test and then discuss what they have learned. INSTE is also flexible. Starting and end dates, meeting times, and schedules are all flexible.

INSTE has been translated into more than 13 languages and is being used in dozens of countries. For more information, send us a message or click on the link below to visit the INSTE Bible College (US) website.
http://www.inste.edu/

Give Thanks

2011-10-17T10:31:00.001+02:00

This table decorated the front of the church and displayed some items that represented what people were thankful for, including one young man's new driver's license!

There is no official Thanksgiving national holiday in Hungary, of course, but we enjoyed participating in a thanksgiving service at the Open Bible Church in Debrecen yesterday. Many people told what they were thankful to God for in the past year. The service was followed by a delicious meal of stuffed cabbage, fruit and cake. "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord."

And the gates of hell...

2011-10-13T14:28:00.001+02:00

Every time we drive to Tomor to see the INSTE students there, we drive by the gates of Hell. Literally. Just about 30 minutes from Tomor is the new Hell Energy-Drink manufacturing plant. Interesting. I am always reminded of what Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it." (Matthew 16:19b) No power is strong enough to stop what God wants to do in Tomor or anywhere else!

Hungarian-Speaking Day

2011-10-10T14:37:00.001+02:00

Mike and Pastor Csaba discussing INSTE before about a dozen pastors

We had an interesting day on Saturday. That morning we met with a group of pastors from the Church of God in Hungary. Bishop Tenkely Csaba invited us to introduce the INSTE program to several pastors who were gathered here in Debrecen. Mike was able to talk about INSTE in Hungarian (with a few prompts from Pastor Csaba) for about half an hour. We are thankful that several of the pastors were interested in starting INSTE groups in the spring.

After lunch we drove an hour and a half to lead a new INSTE group in the village of Tomor. These are brand-new believers who do not have an evangelical church in their village or in the neighboring villages. It is exciting to be able to teach these dear people the basics of following Jesus. They speak only Hungarian, though. Our friend Zoli, who led these people to the Lord and who also speaks pretty good English, was able to help with the meeting this week. Next week, however, he won't be there to help. We are totally depending on the Lord!

The INSTE group meeting in Tomor

We are far from being able to speak the language fluently yet. Saturday morning, Pastor Csaba corrected Mike's pronounciation of the word "level" as in First Level INSTE and Second Level INSTE. Later, as we thought back on the morning, it dawned on us, that the way Mike had been pronouncing "level" sounded like the word for "holy." It sounded like he was saying "First Holy INSTE" and "Second Holy INSTE." INSTE is awesome, but we can't really call it holy!

More Level One INSTE Graduates!

2011-10-05T13:47:00.000+02:00

Praise God! Fourteen more INSTE students have graduated from Level One! Last Sunday INSTE graduates from three Open Bible Churches in Hungary received their certificates. It was exciting to see all of them. They included the leaders of the new church in Ibrany, the leaders of the church in Nyiregyhaza, and leaders from the Debrecen church.

Eszter waited a long time to be able to finish her INSTE courses. She began several years ago and was only last semester able to complete all four semesters.

The students each gave a short testimony of how INSTE has impacted their lives. They said, among other things, "INSTE helped me change my bad thinking." "Every week I felt like a miner digging in the mines and discovering wonderful treasures in God's Word." "INSTE helped me establish a daily quiet time with the Lord."

Again we were asked, "When will Level Two be ready? When can we begin studying?" We are working on getting it translated right now. Pray that it goes quickly and well!

We praise God for the lives of these INSTE students! May they continue to grow in the Lord.

Visitors from the US

2011-10-03T14:07:00.002+02:00

Jen, Sarah and Dodi

We enjoyed a wonderful visit over the weekend with three ladies from the US. Dodi, Jen, and Sarah arrived about 10 pm Friday night after driving from Krakow, Poland to our home in Debrecen. Their drive that day took about four hours longer than anticipated because of an accident ahead of them on the two-lane highway and other small delays. They arrived tired and hungry and enjoyed a supper of our friend Éva's famous stuffed cabbage.

Saturday morning we got to know each other a little bit. Dodi and Jen are both actively involved in Gateway Church in Colorado Springs. Part of Dodi's responsibilities includes keeping the missionaries in the minds of the congregation.

Eating Eva's famous stuffed cabbage

Sarah and her husband are from San Antonio and have daughter who is a year and a half and another child due in March. They are called by God to be missionaries and are looking for the place He wants them to minister. Dodi has been a missionary in the Philippines and in Germany. The three of them began their trip in Germany where Dodi ministered formerly, then drove to Poland to visit friends there, and then stopped by to see us.

"How does my picture of the Great Church look?"

Saturday afternoon we took them around Debrecen for a little bit of sight seeing. Unfortunately, we forgot that the souvenir shops were closed on Saturday afternoons! It was beautiful weather, though, and we did enjoy walking around downtown and eating Hungarian food at our favorite Hungarian restaurant.

Sunday poor Jen came down with a bad cold and had to stay home. That morning was the graduation of 14 Level One INSTE students! (More about that in the next blog.) Dodi and Sarah enjoyed the service and meeting some of the people in the church.

Thankfully, this morning Jen was feeling a bit better as the trio headed on to Austria. They plan to arrive back in Frankfurt on Tuesday evening in time for Jen and Sarah to catch flights home on Wednesday. Dodi will remain in Germany for a couple more weeks.

Thanks for coming our way, ladies! May God bless you and your families!

Tomor

2011-09-25T15:53:00.000+02:00

Yesterday several of us from the Shalom Open Bible Church here in Debrecen went to Tomor, which is a gypsy village in northern Hungary- about 140 kilometers from Debrecen. Several people in Tomor have given their lives to Jesus this past year, and now 10 of them are wanting to begin studying INSTE.

Cooking a pot of lecsó

We arrived around 1 pm and had lunch together. They had prepared a large pot of "lecsó", which is a tomato and pepper stew and is very delicious. While we were visiting several of them grabbed their guitars, one picked up a "jug" and another played the "spoons", and they began to play and sing some gypsy songs. Music is a very important part of gypsy culture, and we enjoyed listening to them.

Following lunch we met with the new INSTE students, distributed the books and talked about how to study during the week and what to expect in the INSTE class. I (Mike) will be leading this group so we will be driving to Tomor every Saturday beginning October 8. And, since the class will be totally in Hungarian, we ask for your prayers that God will help us to understand and communicate effectively. Our desire is to help these precious new believers grow in their knowledge of God, and to become the servants God needs to reach Tomor and the surrounding villages with the good news of Jesus Christ.

Life Church Update

2011-09-23T15:43:00.000+02:00

Élet Gyülekezet (Life Church) invited Mike to preach last Sunday and while we were there, recognized those students who had completed the first three books of Level One INSTE by presenting them with certificates. (Above are just a few of those recognized.) All of those who completed the first three books are planning to go on to the final book of Level One. Congratulations, Élet INSTE students and leaders! We are proud of you and of all the Hungarian INSTE students!

Congratulations, Dr. Hope!

2011-09-19T10:38:00.000+02:00

We were privileged on Saturday to be invited by one of our friends to attend the graduation of the medical school of Debrecen University. Hope Nkeiru is a wonderful, godly young lady we met at the International Church (The House) when we first came to Debrecen.

The graduation was held in the ceremonial court of the main building of the university. There was room on the main floor for the faculty, graduates, and a few family members. Everyone else stood around the courtyard and watched from the stairs and upper corridors, or they sat and watched by video feed in another room on the second floor.

Hope is from Nigeria and was among the graduates who took classes offered in English. Debrecen University's medical school is highly respected and many students from Europe, Africa and Asia study here. When the students received their diplomas, they shook hands with each of the dignitaries at the table on the platform and then bowed to the faculty members seated to the left. The ceremony was in both Hungarian and English.

Hope's family was represented by her uncle, also a medical doctor, who lives and practices in England.

Congratulations, Hope! What a huge accomplishment! May God continue to bless and guide you!

New Opportunities

2011-09-15T10:36:00.003+02:00

It looks like this is the last of these flowers this season. As the seasons change, though, our work is picking up. This week we have been able to take advantage of new opportunities.

On Tuesday we met with Andi and discussed with her the possibility of helping with the translation of Second Level INSTE. It was great to get to know this young lady and it looks like she will be able to help us beginning in November.

Yesterday, Mike met with our friend Zoli who is doing evangelism in the village of Tomor, about an hour north of us. He has signed up ten of the new converts for INSTE! Mike has agreed to help lead the group with Zoli's help. This will be a stretch for Mike, but he is hoping that he will not only be able to disciple these new believers, but to grow in his language abilities.

We also met with our tutor, Mirjam, yesterday. We will be studying with her again once a week. The language still tends to be a challenge that gets in the way of doing the work we were sent to do.

Today we are planning a First Level INSTE graduation. More graduates! Praise the Lord!

Please continue to pray for us in all these endeavors. We appreciate it!

Prayer for Nations

2011-09-11T18:54:00.001+02:00

Yesterday we participated in an event that many people told us was a first--a special prayer service with Hungarian and Gypsy churches. The day began with time to greet and visit with each other. Many churches from the Debrecen area were represented, both Hungarian and Gypsy. (Most of the churches are mixed, but are primarily made up of one group or the other.)

This was followed by a lunch of gulyas soup and more time to connect with one another. The service included worship led by a Gypsy worship team. Then pastors and other leaders from both groups led the approximately 400 people in attendance in prayer for each other, for the nation, and for an end to discrimination and hate in the country.

It was particularly touching to hear the confession of sin and the asking of forgiveness from representatives of each group to the other. God hears prayers like these and answers!

Then today, on the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the US, we were blessed to hear assurances that Hungarians are praying for America, too. We thank you, friends!

Good News

2011-09-09T17:02:00.001+02:00

Technology is great! We are able to keep in touch with friends and family around the world through email, Facebook and Skype. Phone calls are even possible and affordable. We are so blessed to be ministering in this century!

Early this morning we got a call from our son Mark and his wife Nadine, asking if we'd like to Skype with them. It was 6 a.m. here and 10 p.m. there. After we got on our computers, they showed us a little t-shirt that said "I Love Grandpa" in pink letters. The ultrasound they had yesterday showed the child they are expecting (their third) is a girl! After three sons and three grandsons, a little girl will be a wonderful addition to our family!

New Church in Ibrány

2011-09-06T16:29:00.000+02:00

We were able to attend the Open Bible Church in Ibrány on Sunday. It was a special day since it was their first service in their new building. The top picture is the outside of the building. The picture above was taken at the beginning of the service. Many other people came, too, and crowded into this room or stood in the hallway.

There was much to celebrate on Sunday. This church was started by INSTE graduates who evangelized in their town and expected much from God. Just one year ago, they began meeting in a rented room in the community center with just 15 people. During the past year, many have accepted the Lord, been baptized and become part of the church. Early this year, they began looking for their own building to meet in. They had no money, but they knew this was what God wanted and that God would supply. Then, unexpectedly, they received an anonymous gift of about $10,000 to go toward a building! In looking around town, they found a house for sale for almost twice that amount, but after some time, the owner decided to sell to them for the money they had! The papers for the sale were finalized and they were able to move in on September 1. Just a week before that, the community center gave them notice that the last day they would be able to rent their meeting room would be the last Sunday in August!

Much work had to be done to ready the house for worship, but the Open Bible people worked very hard, tearing down a wall to make two rooms into one large meeting room, leveling the floors, painting, cleaning and much more. They had no chairs, so a call was going to go out for everyone to bring their own chairs to the service. However, a church in another town heard of their need and sold them 50 chairs and a pulpit for a nominal amount. God has supplied in every way.

Many people testified on Sunday of God's healing and supplying power in their lives. May God bless this new church and may it grow and mature to become a mighty, godly influence in this community!

Families Are Important

2011-09-03T13:28:00.001+02:00

I was surprised when I stepped outside this morning and noticed this little tricycle beside the apartment building steps. There are no children living in our building, so I didn't expect to see toys in the yard. But, quickly I realized that this little trike must belong to our neighbors' grandson. He is probably visiting them this weekend.

Families are very important in Hungary. It is common practice for young people and young families to go home at least for Sunday dinner, if not for the entire weekend. We often hear children in the neighboring yard having fun with their grandparents over the weekend. Even one of our older, never-married friends spends her Sundays with relatives, including her elderly cousin who is in a nursing home.

There is much we can all learn from other cultures. One of the best things we can learn from Hungarians is how to honor our elders by spending time with them regularly.

Glimpse of Romania

2011-08-29T16:43:00.002+02:00

We traveled again to Gherla, Romania, this last weekend. The trip takes between four and six hours, depending on traffic and stops, so we had lots of time to take pictures. We see shepherds with their flocks here in Hungary, too, but we wanted to show you this picture from Romania.

Horse-drawn wagons are not uncommon in Hungary, especially in the countryside, but we seem to see more of them in Romania. The part of Romania we traveled in, Transylvania, was for several hundred years part of Hungary, so there are a lot of similarities between the two countries. More than ten percent of the population consider themselves Hungarian and still speak the language. We ate some traditional Romanian food over the weekend and it was very close to Hungarian food.

There are some definite differences, though. Romania is a poorer country than Hungary. They have yet to recover from the severe poverty they suffered under Ceausescu and the Communists and the recent world economic situation has set them back in their recovery. Also, Romania's main religion is Eastern Orthodox while Hungary is mostly Roman Catholic and Reformed. The Orthodox Church has a very powerful hold on the people and the government in Romania.

Please pray for Romania, that God will bring revival to the churches and that a great wave of evangelism will spread throughout the country. Pray also for the Open Bible Church in Gherla, that God will provide for them the pastor they need and that these dear people will continue to grow in the Lord.

Kanikula!

2011-08-26T16:12:00.002+02:00

We have been having a heatwave (kanikula) this week. Hot winds from Africa have warmed us up to about 94 degrees Fahrenheit during the day with lows around 70. Other places in the country have had higher temperatures and several records have been broken. We know that doesn't sound bad to those in the US who experienced higher temps this summer, but most people here (including us) don't have air conditioning in their home. We only miss air conditioning about two or three weeks a year when the temps get this high. This is one reason that August is vacation month in most of Europe. We cope by opening the windows wide early in the morning to let the apartment cool down as much as possible. Then, before it gets too hot, we close the windows and pull the drapes to keep the cool in and the sun out. Sitting in front of fans helps, too.

We are thankful that it should be a bit cooler this weekend since we are heading for Gherla, Romania on Saturday. Please pray for safe travels for us and for God to minister through us again this weekend.

Happy Birthday, Mike!

2011-08-22T15:42:00.004+02:00

We made a quick trip to Gherla, Romania, this weekend. The trip takes four to six hours, depending on traffic and stops. But it's always good to know that you are following God (see license plate above.)

We enjoyed stopping in the mountains at an overlook to take pictures.

And, of course, we had to stop at Starbucks in Cluj Napoca, especially since it was Mike's birthday.

Traffic was heavy, it took a little more time than usual to get through the border, and since we made a couple extra stops, it took us six hours to make it to Gherla. We really enjoyed our time with the wonderful people in Gherla. They treated us well, fed us too much delicious food, and sang the Romanian happy birthday song to Mike, twice!

The best part, though, was the time we had worshipping the Lord together. The presence of God was awesome in the service. We are looking forward to another trip this weekend. May God bless the Romanians, especially the believers in Gherla!

Big Weekend Ahead

2011-08-19T11:05:00.002+02:00

Tomorrow, August 20, is a big day for three reasons. One, it is Saint Steven's Day, Hungary's national holiday. There will be a huge parade here in Debrecen with lots of flower-covered floats and lots of other events followed by fireworks in the evening. Two, tomorrow is Mike's birthday! He enjoys the fact that the whole country celebrates his birthday. And three, we are leaving to go to Gherla, Romania, for Mike to speak in the Open Bible Church there. Our plans are to go to the parade in the morning, leave for Romania right after lunch, and celebrate Mike's birthday over coffee at Starbucks on the way to Gherla.

Please pray for us for trouble-free travel and that God will minister through us to the lovely people in Gherla. Please pray for Hungary, also. We are crying out to God with our fellow believers for revival to once again come to this country.

Flowers in the Neighborhood

2011-08-16T11:10:00.004+02:00

We enjoy the fact that Hungarians are good at growing things and like to fill their homes and gardens with flowers. Here are a few pictures from our neighborhood.

Wedding Time

2011-08-13T14:33:00.002+02:00

I (Nancy) was walking back from the university this morning when I saw this car in the parking lot. It was easy to see that this car is being used by a bride and groom. It is customary for the bridal party to go to places like Debrecen University and the Big Woods Park to have pictures taken.

As I walked though the park on the way home, I saw this wedding party, maybe the one that the car belonged to.

There are a lot of weddings on Saturdays in the summer. Besides having pictures taken, the bridal party has the first wedding at city hall. Then there is usually a church wedding followed by the wedding supper. This reception lasts until breakfast the next morning!

Adventure with Tammy

2011-08-10T14:52:00.004+02:00

Traveling with Tammy Swailes is always an adventure! Tammy is the European Region Director for INSTE and is our immediate supervisor and friend. She stopped in Hungary on Monday to see us on her way to do some INSTE business in Romania. Tammy asked me (Nancy) if I would like to go with her on Tuesday and return on Thursday. It sounded good, so I packed a bag and we headed out Tuesday morning for Romania.

Or trip to Oradia (in Hungarian Nagyvárad) was uneventful. Our two meetings there were really good and we enjoyed talking about what was accomplished over lunch afterward. Then we headed for Gherla for our next meetings. About one hour out of Oradia, there was a strange noise and the car lost power. Tammy pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant along the road and looked under the hood. Even I could see that the belt to the alternator had come off. We needed help. We started praying and God started working.

There were a few people waiting to be served on the terrace of the restaurant, so Tammy asked if anyone spoke English. A young lady said she did a little and a gentleman also offered to help. They were able to call a service garage in a village close by and tell them about our problem. About 15 minutes later, a mechanic arrived and was going to call for a tow truck, but we convinced him the car could make it the ten kilometers to the garage. As we followed him back for what seemed like hours (more like 15 minutes), we kept praying.

At the garage, a man who appeared to be the head mechanic spoke to us in English! He looked at the car, made some calls, and told us he found the right parts. It looked like the part that turns the alternator belt was broken. It would take about an hour, he told us. It did not look like they took credit cards as payment and we had not yet stopped at an ATM to get any Romanian money, so Tammy told him we had no money. You should have seen his face fall! Then she asked if she could pay in US dollars. He was very happy to say yes. So we sat down to wait.

After a couple of hours, they said the parts were still coming, so we took a little walk and took some pictures like this one of a goat herder and his flock.

We saw some storks, too. The best picture I could get was of this one on a telephone pole. (I am not as good a photographer as Tammy.)

By the time the parts arrived and were put on, it was five hours after the breakdown and far too late to make it to Gherla. We had to cancel our meetings there and drive back to Hungary. It was disappointing to have to cut our trip short, but we had many things to thank God for. One was that God gave us "angels" who helped get us to a garage even though neither of us knew the language or were familiar with the area. We thanked God that the mechanic spoke English, parts were available, that Tammy had enough money with her to pay for the repairs, and that they were finished that evening so we did not have the extra expense and trouble of staying overnight in a strange place.

Tammy says that, as much as she travels, she very rarely has car trouble. God is always watching over her and he was watching over both of us this time, too!

Nagy erdő

2011-08-06T10:34:00.001+02:00

A walk in the woods is good for both body and soul.

Baptism in the River

2011-08-03T11:29:00.004+02:00

Zoli Ács, far right, with those from Tomor who were baptised.

Ferenc, second from left, with those from Ibrány who were baptised

Baptism brings such joy!

Yesterday we went to Tokaj, about an hour and a half from Debrecen, to witness the baptism of eight new believers from Ibrány and Tomor. These folks are special to us since both groups are the result of INSTE students acting out their faith. The church in Ibrány was started and is led by INSTE First Level graduates. The people saved in Tomor were brought to Christ through the testimony of another of our INSTE graduates.

The baptism was held at a beach on the Tisza River where the Open Bible Churches are conducting a week of youth camp. Right next to us was a team from the Nyiregyháza Fire Department that was practicing river search and rescue! They were respectful and did not disturb the service, but it made for some funny comments at the time.

Saturday will be a second baptismal service for new converts from Nyiregyhaza and Debrecen. Praise the Lord for those coming into the Kingdom of God! And praise the Lord for INSTE's part in fulfilling the Great Commission!

Hungarian Folk Art

2011-07-29T16:30:00.002+02:00

The library near our house had a display of miniature furniture this month. It included many types of traditional Hungarian furniture decorated with Hungarian folk art. Hopefully these pictures will give you a little glimpse of the rich Hungarian folk culture.

God Be with You, Christen!

2011-07-26T14:22:00.002+02:00

We crashed a party Friday night. Well, not really. We saw on Facebook that the Everetts, a missionary family we are friends with, were having a going-away party for their oldest daughter Christen. Christen was leaving Hungary to go to college in the US. The Facebook note said friends were welcome, so we just showed up! We knew we had to go to wish Christen well and to encourage her parents. It is difficult enough to send your oldest child off to college without her being an ocean and half a continent away! God bless you, Christen, in your studies. May you and your family sense God's presence with you in this time of adjustment.

Joseph's Coat

2011-07-22T16:01:00.002+02:00

We saw a production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" at Nyiregyhaza last night. The cast was made up of members of the Open Bible youth groups from Nyiregyhaza and Debrecen plus a few adults. They did an amazing job and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The play was done on a temporary stage set up in the back yard of the Nyiregyhaza church. Several things in addition to the excellence of the cast and director made this production special.

The point of the production was not just to entertain, but to present the gospel to as many people as possible. So, the cast and several others spent three days praying and distributing flyers throughout the neighborhood to invite as many as possible to the free play. After the play, Pastor Gulyas have a short presentation of the gospel tying it in with the story of Joseph.

About an hour before the play was to begin, though, a huge thunderstorm rolled through the city. The cast scrambled to protect the equipment and props and then began to pray for the storm to go away. And it did! Blue patches appeared in the sky and the rain stopped in time for the chairs to be replaced, the equipment set up again and the show to proceed! Praise God!

Random Photos

2011-07-18T17:00:00.004+02:00

I (Nancy) am trying to remember to take more pictures so I can show them to you. I remember to take them at the oddest times, though. Here are some recent random photos.Our neighbors invited us over for a spur-of-the-moment outdoor gulyas party. They cooked the soup in a pot over an open fire. It was superb! I didn't take a lot of pictures, but I remembered to take a picture of the soup.

We were waiting for the tram near our house one day last week and saw a fire truck's ladder being used to reach tree branches to cut them down. We figured the trees were a fire danger somehow.

We were at the zoo today and saw these turtles sunning themselves along the shore of the turtle pond. Ever feel like a turtle in rush-hour traffic?

God Is Moving in Tomor

2011-07-13T16:21:00.002+02:00

We had an uplifting meeting with our friend Zoli this afternoon over coffee. Zoli is a Level 1 INSTE graduate who moved to Budapest shortly before we left for America last summer. Zoli told us a little bit of what has happened with him and his wife Dori the past year:

Zoli was scheduled to speak at church in Budapest last December and he invited a new friend to come hear him. After the service, his friend told him he must go to his hometown Tomor and talk about Jesus there. Zoli was able to go with him the next day and preached a salvation message to the people his friend had gathered to listen to him. Zoli gave an invitation to receive Christ as Savior, but no one responded. They next day, people still wanted to talk about Jesus and soon nine people gave their lives to Christ! These new believers asked Zoli if he could come back and teach them about Jesus. After prayer, he told them he could lead a Bible study every two weeks or so. This is a great sacrifice for Zoli since Tomor is several hours from his home and gas is expensive. But God is working in Tomor. More people are becoming interested in Jesus and more are surrendering their lives to him. The new believers are growing and are interested in studying INSTE, but they are quite poor and are not able to afford the entire price. We were so happy to be able to tell Zoli that some generous people in America are giving to a scholarship fund to help in situations just like this!

Please pray for Zoli and Dori and the new believers in Tomor that God will help them to grow in him, will give them wisdom and direction, and will bring many more people into His Kingdom in this area.

Getting Settled in

2011-07-09T16:13:00.002+02:00

We have had some fun experiences this week.

We woke up one morning to a wet floor from a leaking bathroom sink faucet. The landlady sent a plumber over and he replaced the faucet a couple of days later.

The car battery died and two days later, Mike was able to charge the old battery, drive it to the service center and get the battery replaced.

Nancy tried for the first time to order some books online. They didn't take credit cards, but she was able to order them COD and, thankfully, was at home to pay for them when they arrived a couple of days later.

Mike met with his conversation partner, Balazs. Balazs has finished his schooling and is starting a full time job soon, but he still wants to meet regularly with Mike to continue working on his English skills. This will be helpful to Mike, too, since they speak English for half the time they are together and Hungarian the other half.

Wednesday evening we enjoyed being in a multi-church service with a guest speaker from Germany. Many of the people we have talked with this week say that our Hungarian is even better than when we left, especially Mike's! That is so encouraging to hear!

We are once again noticing that it takes a little more time to handle everyday life in a foreign country. We are thankful, though that things are going well for us.

Renewing More Friendships

2011-07-05T17:03:00.002+02:00

We had a good weekend seeing more of our friends and catching up with so many people.

On Sunday morning we went to church and shared a little bit (in Hungarian!) about our year in the US. It was wonderful to see so many friends and talk a bit with them. All the kids and teenagers sure have grown the past year! And it was awesome to meet some new believers who were saved while we were gone and are growing in their faith. They even talked about maybe taking INSTE in the fall! We sure do enjoy being with God's people, anywhere we find them!

On Monday, we celebrated the 4th of July with Steve and Penny Everett and their three teenagers. They had us over for a cook out at their new home in a village just outside Debrecen. We are very happy for this missionary family since they were able to buy a car and move out of their very noisy apartment in downtown Debrecen into a good home outside of town. We enjoyed visiting and catching up after our year's absence. How good it was to hear of the ways God has blessed each of them and how He is working in their ministry!

Back "Home"

2011-07-01T17:44:00.004+02:00

We are back "home" in Hungary. And it feels like home, too. It is good to be back.

Our trip was good. We were only delayed by an hour and a half when our plane in Zurich, Switzerland had mechanical problems and we had to wait for another one. When we arrived at our apartment, we were greeted by a supper left in the kitchen by our landlady and friend Éva. The next day, our pastor and friend Misi Gulyás stopped by and visited, filling us in on the highlights of the year we missed. We see more of our friends every day and are so very happy to see each of them.

We are slowly getting settled in again. Jet lag has not been as bad as before, maybe because we left from Miami and had only two, not the usual three planes to take. Yesterday Mike was able to get our car serviced and the required emissions test completed so that we can legally drive it again. We were happy to discover that the car is in good condition even after a year of sitting while we were gone. Also yesterday, we were able to make arrangements for internet service for our home/office. At both the internet office and the service garage we were able to conduct our business in Hungarian. How wonderful to find that we have not lost any of our Hungarian skills!
We thank God for helping us thus far and look forward to the next two years here in Hungary!

Leaving Today for Hungary

2011-06-27T17:53:00.002+02:00

We have finished our time in the US and are leaving this evening for Hungary! If everything goes according to schedule, we should arrive at our home in Debrecen around 10 a.m CDT (5 p.m. Hungary time). Please pray for us as we travel.

We have really enjoyed our time at our American home, but are excited to be returning to our Hungarian home!

See you all in two years!

West Palm Beach

2011-06-26T19:52:00.003+02:00

The Open Bible church in West Palm Beach

Conchitta Johnson and her "little girls"

Elsa and Ron Noble

We are having a wonderful time at convention this year. So many friends to see and so little time! This morning we attended church at West Palm Beach. We served as assistant pastors there right after we graduated from college. It was so good to be back and to see some of the friends who where there when we were. May God bless this church and their beautiful pastors and people.

One More Visit

2011-06-21T19:18:00.003+02:00

We're visiting our son Mark and his family in Billings one more time before we leave for Hungary. We had great fun taking the little boys out for ice cream in the "cool car" (which we are returning to Mark and Nadine). It is so wonderful to see our family, but we are really looking forward to arriving in Hungary a week from today!

Speaking Hungarian in Minnesota at Vietnamese Restaurant!

2011-06-16T05:28:00.003+02:00

Mike, Veronika and Nancy

We enjoyed supper at a new Vietnamese restaurant in Austin, Minnesota last night with Pastor Bill and Miala Glaser and our son Paul, his wife Kate and our grandson Levi. We were chatting about our upcoming return to Hungary just as the waitress came to take our order. "Hungary?" she said. "I'm Hungarian!" That started a wonderful conversation in which we learned that Veronika Kiss's parents are scientists who left Hungary in the 1980's. Veronika graduated from high school in Austin with Natalie, Bill and Miala's daughter. We even talked a little bit in Hungarian, exchanged email addresses and discovered that Veronika's grandmother lives just a few kilometers north of where we live in Hungary. Veronika is planning to visit her grandmother sometime later this year and we hope to be able to connect when we are all in Hungary.

We spent almost a year traveling all across the country and ran across only a couple of other Hungarians who spoke the language. Then we found one almost in our own back yard!

Levi's Dedication

2011-06-14T22:31:00.004+02:00

We've had a wonderful few days in Austin, Minnesota visiting our son Paul, his wife Kate and their son Levi. Sunday we witnessed Levi's dedication at church. It was beautiful to hear how both Levi and his parents have been a witness to God's power and provision within the church and to the entire community. God's hand has been awesomely displayed in Levi's short life. We look forward to what He has in store for Levi in the future!

Goodbye, Des Moines

2011-06-09T02:14:00.005+02:00

For the past year Des Moines, IA has been our home. We have been staying with Nick and Leona Venditti, and have used this as our "base of operations". It is from here that we have traveled to the various states, cities and churches to talk about our ministry with INSTE in Hungary. Thank you Nick and Leona for letting us invade your home. You have been most gracious.

Iowa state capital building

The Des Moines skyline

Open Bible Churches headquarters

Now, though, we must say goodbye to Iowa and begin transitioning back to Hungary. We will visit our grandchildren one last time, attend the Open Bible Convention in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, then fly back to our other home in Hungary to begin our next term as missionaries. Thank you to everyone for the hospitality and blessings you have shown us. It has been good getting reacquainted with old friends as well as making new ones. Keep us in your prayers!

In Preparation Mode

2011-06-08T17:29:00.002+02:00

Wow, just over two weeks before we leave for Hungary! We are really looking forward to being back in our Hungarian home, with our Hungarian friends and working with Hungarian INSTE. Before we leave, though, we are getting our fill of some of our favorite American things--hot dogs, corn on the cob, grilled steak, diet soda pop, golf, driving a car with automatic transmission, and drying clothes in a clothes dryer. We are getting in some quality time with our extended families and our sons and their families. It probably seems like we are hanging around so much that they won't miss us for quite some time! We'll only be gone for two years, though, and we will be sure to stay in touch through the internet. And we will be sure to stay in touch with all our friends here, too.

Latest on Levi

2011-06-04T18:00:00.003+02:00

Our grandson Levi got his cast off this week! Praise the Lord! He can now sit in his car seat and not have to lie on his back all the time! He is back eating baby food and is learning to sit up again. His little muscles are weak and stiff from being in the cast, but he is making good progress. The doctors are pleased with how he is doing and do not plan any more surgeries for at least several months. Thank you so much for praying for Levi. God is good!

Family Time

2011-06-02T03:14:00.003+02:00

Here's proof! Last weekend we were able to spend three days together with all three of our sons and their families. We had a wonderful time talking, eating, playing and just being together. It had been three and a half years since all of us were together--and two new ones had been added to our tribe during the interim. We thank the Lord for such a beautiful, wonderful family!

Meeting a Hungarian in Des Moines!

2011-05-27T01:38:00.006+02:00

Today we were privileged to meet with István Zsengellér at Subway here in Des Moines. We had a great time getting to know István and hearing about his work in Hungary with Campus Crusade for Christ. (We spoke mostly in English so we could understand exactly what he said.) It was wonderful to hear how God is working through these wonderful people to bring many Hungarian young people to faith in Christ.

István showed us a couple of videos that describe how Campus Crusade for Christ is working in the schools and universities in Hungary. They even have a special event in October where Americans can help witness to English-speaking university students. If you would like to know more about Campus Crusade in Hungary, how you can support them financially or how you can participate in their October outreach, just go to our links column and click on the Campus Crusade for Christ link.

Family Gathering

2011-05-24T17:41:00.002+02:00

One of the best parts of being in the US for a while is being able to get together with family. Last Saturday, Nancy's extended family in the Des Moines area got together for a barbecue. We enjoyed some wonderful food and a great time visiting. Sorry the picture isn't better. The wind was blowing in our faces! But otherwise the weather was beautiful. Thanks, Nick and Leona, for hosting our family gathering! We love you all!

Nancy Speaks Her Mind

2011-05-19T20:18:00.003+02:00

I, Nancy, have a pet peeve. I can't stand it when people treat us as if we were some kind of "super Christians" or extraordinary saints just because we are missionaries. Look, we're no different from any other Christian. We have good days and bad days, days when we really trust God and days we worry. The things we do are just another expression of what other Christians do.

Someone may say, but you have to trust God for money to live on through the donations of other people. True, but how is that different from the believer who, even though her workplace does not allow discussion of religion, talks to her co-workers or even her supervisor about Jesus and what He has done in her life. She is risking her job and the money she needs to live on to be obedient to what God has asked her to do.

Another person says, but you gave up your home and possessions here in the US to move to another country. True, but how is that different from the pastor who sells everything possible and moves his family into a small apartment because he took a pay cut from the church he serves. He doesn't leave the church because of a financial downturn, he stays, knowing God has called him there.

Others say, I couldn't learn as hard a language as Hungarian like you are doing. Maybe, but how is that different from the youth leader who has to learn the new "language" of the youth he ministers to--and it changes constantly! He doesn't give up and lose touch with those he has been called by God to lead, he works hard at being able to continue to communicate with them.

Yes, we are missionaries and we love the Hungarians God allows us to work with. But we are no different than every believer who obeys God and depends totally on the Holy Spirit for the power and anointing to make disciples of those around them. We are only doing what God has asked us to do. And we are thrilled to be able to be a small part of God's Army that is going into all the world.

Counting Down

2011-05-16T20:39:00.002+02:00

Six weeks from today we leave for Hungary. We are really looking forward to being back in our Hungarian home. (We have three homes, one in Hungary, one in America, and one in Heaven!) There are still things to do here before we leave, including making two more itineration visits, spending a little more time with family, packing, finishing a few items of business, and going to National Convention. But, our minds are increasingly drawn back to Hungary. Many questions are on our minds--how is everybody, what has happened since we left, how quickly will we be able to readjust, what business needs to be done there first? And we are praying to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit in order to live, love and work in Hungary. The excitement is building!

Where are we now?

2011-05-08T01:41:00.004+02:00

If I were to tell you that we were at a place where we saw...

canals...

wooden shoes...

lots of tulips...

little girls in Dutch costumes...

windmills...

and cheese. Where would you say we were? If you said Holland, you would be wrong. We went to the Tulip Festival in Pella, Iowa today.

Pella is a town about 45 miles SW of Des Moines. It was settled in 1847 by approximately 800 Dutch immigrants who left Holland for political and religious reasons. The community is very proud of its Dutch heritage and every year they put on a festival to celebrate their history.

During all the years that Nancy and I have lived in Des Moines we never made it to the Tulip Festival, so this year we went with Nick & Leona Venditti, and Caleb and Claudia Pahl. The weather was great, the tulips were beautiful and we had a good time.

Levi Home from the Hospital

2011-05-05T23:14:00.003+02:00

Our grandson Levi is home from the hospital! Thank you so much to everyone who prayed for him. God is so good to answer our prayers!
Levi is in a body cast with Curious George on it, as you can see in the picture. He will remain in the cast until the end of May. This makes it awkward for his parents to care for him, but they are very happy to have him home for the rest of his recovery.

We Couldn't Do It Without You!

2011-04-29T21:31:00.003+02:00

We would like to take a moment and say "thank you!" to all of you who support us financially. We couldn't do it without you! Thank you for each of your gifts, both large and small. Together we can accomplish our part of what God wants to do in Hungary. In just two months, we will be returning to Hungary to carry on the work there. Thank you to all of you who have supported us for a long time and to all of you who are just now beginning. God bless you all!

Levi in the Hospital

2011-04-26T17:27:00.003+02:00

Our grandson Levi is still in the hospital, recovering from the surgery he had last week. Today (Tuesday) a couple of the smaller pins they put in his pelvis are being removed and a body cast is being put on him. Now at least he will not have to be in traction, unable to be moved or held. He is doing well and the doctors are pleased with his progress. As difficult as it is to see the little boy in his present condition, we are thankful that world-renown doctors are working with him and that this discomfort will lead to a better life for him. We are also thankful that we were able to be with him and his mom and dad for a little while during this time. Thank you again for all your prayers. God is hearing and answering!

Update on Levi

2011-04-21T21:44:00.003+02:00

Levi in a hospital crib with his legs in traction

We thank the Lord that Levi's surgery yesterday went very well. Thank you to all of you who prayed and are praying for him. The doctors successfully placed his bladder inside his body, moved some other things into proper place and broke and re-set his pelvis into the correct position. The doctors were pleased with the outcome. Levi is now in stable condition in an induced coma for about three days with his legs in traction so that he does not move or cry and tear out his stitches. This will allow the pain to subside and his body to heal faster. Please join us in praying that infection stays away and that he will recover quickly.

We are so thankful that we were able to be here and to support Paul and Kate during this difficult time.

Levi's Operation This Week

2011-04-18T23:41:00.003+02:00

Please pray for our grandson Levi this week. He is scheduled for major surgery on Wednesday the 20th. This surgery will last several hours and will include placing his bladder in his abdomen and breaking and resetting his pelvis in proper position. Levi is wearing a helmet again in preparation for the surgery. He will be sedated for up to a week to keep him from tearing out any of his stitches and will still be on his back after that for up to three weeks. They don't want Levi's head to lose its nice round shape during that time.

So, please pray for Levi and his parents this week for total healing for the little boy and for God to be glorified through his life. Thank you!

Unexpected Blessing

2011-04-15T01:45:00.003+02:00

We have to tell you what happened last week. Our friend Jay West, an evangelist based in Omaha, kept telling us about his home church, Eagle's Nest. He told us how this multi-racial church in an inner-city neighborhood reaches out to the community, feeding the hungry and ministering to other needs. In fact, they have been so effective in this ministry that the crime rate in that neighborhood dropped enough to get the attention of the police department. The police chief came to the church to give them an award for their service, and the church presented the surprised police chief with a sizable check for bulletproof vests for the department! Jay went on to tell us how Eagle's Nest is a world missions-minded church. The lead pastor, James Hart, grew up in Brazil since his parents were missionaries there. Jay said we needed to meet Pastor Hart and so, at Jay's insistence, we set up a meeting.

We talked with Pastor Hart for about twenty minutes before their regular Wednesday night service. We enjoyed our short talk with him and could sense his love for God and his heart for missions. After our visit, we joined Jay and his wife for the church service. Following the praise and worship time, Pastor Hart came up and said that some special missionary guests were in the service, that he didn't know us well, but that he wanted us to enjoy the service. He called us forward, had two chairs brought up for us and asked people to come pray for us. As they prayed for us, we could feel the powerful presence of God. Then we noticed people, one at a time, slipping up in front of us and quickly returning to their seats. They were dropping money at our feet! We were totally amazed! Not only were we refreshed by the prayers of the people and the presence of God, but these amazing people gave to strangers they didn't know at all, toward a ministry they knew nothing about! Wow!

After the service, we were handed a large check. We had to return to Des Moines that night, but all the way home, we basked in the presence of God. God is good! Thank you, Jay West, Pastor Hart and Eagle's Nest!

Any questions?

2011-04-12T02:02:00.002+02:00

Looking at the display table

Three times more this weekend we set out several items and pictures on our display table. It is fun when people look at our things and ask us questions. We enjoy talking about Hungary and what God is doing there.

Where are Mike and Nancy in April and May?

2011-04-05T18:13:00.004+02:00

Here's our itineration schedule for the rest of April and May. Hope we can see you when we are in your area! We still have some open evenings if any churches in Iowa would like us to come. Just send us an email!

Saturday, April 9, 7:00 p.m., Faith Open Bible Church, Marshalltown, Iowa

Sunday, April 10, 10:30 a.m., First Church of the Open Bible, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Sunday, April 10, 5:00 p.m., Living Church of Jesus Christ, Eldridge, Iowa

Saturday, April 16, 6:00 p.m., The River Church, Jordan, Minnesota

Sunday, April 17, 10:00 a.m., Living Bible Church, Austin, Minnesota

Sunday, April 24 ** Resurrection Day!!! **

Sunday, May 1, 10:00 a.m., Spirit Life Fellowship, Spirit Lake, Iowa

Sunday, May 15, Open Bible Church, Winfield, Iowa

Sunday, May 22, 10:00 a.m., First Church of the Open Bible, Clear Lake, Iowa

Also coming up on April 20 is our grandson Levi's surgery. Please pray for Levi and his parents. This is a major surgery and he is expected to be in the hospital for one month. We are very thankful that we will be able to be there when he has this surgery, but we would be even more thankful if God would heal Levi before he needs it!

Visiting the Past

2011-04-01T23:20:00.008+02:00

The last couple of weeks we were visiting several churches in Illinois. We were able to meet up with old friends and made several new ones. Everyone was very receptive and hospitable and we really enjoyed our time there. Thank you to everyone for making our time there so enjoyable!

While we were nearby, we decided to visit Dixon, IL where we had pastored for 5 years from 1981-1986. In fact, our youngest son, Matt, was born here.

The famous Dixon arch

The former Open Bible Church building

Dixon is also the boyhood home of Ronald Reagan. He was President of the US while we lived in Dixon, so we had a chance to see him when he visited during the dedication of his boyhood home. Actually, we saw the back of his head while he was being driven in the motorcade to the conference center where he was to speak.

President Ronald Reagan's boyhood home

Statue of President Ronald Reagan

Not too far from Dixon is a small town called Grand Detour. This is where John Deere came as a young man and became the blacksmith for the area. The pioneer farmers had been using the cast iron plows that they brought with them from the east, but they found that the thick, muddy soil of the area was sticking to the plows. John Deere noticed the problem and invented the self-cleaning steel plow that made plowing easier for these farmers. It is from these simple beginning that John Deere became one of the foremost names in farm equipment.

John Deere's blacksmith shop where it all began

John Deere, Ronald Reagan and now the Juntunen family: famous people who have connections with Dixon, Illinois. :)

Blog Blues

2011-03-25T00:22:00.002+01:00

A blog needs to be kept current. I (Nancy) know that when I am following a blog, I like to see something new at least every week or so. Therefore, I feel it is important to post to our blog once or twice a week. But, thinking of interesting things to say is sometimes hard. Like now. We are spending our time doing the same things over and over again--driving, speaking in churches, spending the night in different places, loading and unloading the car, trying to keep up our Hungarian studies on the road--you get the picture. It's not so exciting or newsworthy. Maybe I just need to open my eyes and see what is around me that is wonderful, beautiful and fun to share with others. Okay, enough talking. Time to look around and see what is there.

Phone Adventures

2011-03-15T02:36:00.003+01:00

The Settle Inn in Council Bluffs, IA

Our mobile telephone had a little adventure of its own this week. It must have gotten tired of just coming along on our adventures.

Wednesday evening we had a wonderful time in Council Bluffs with our friends there. The service at Lighthouse Temple was great and they put us up for the night in the Settle Inn. Thursday morning we headed back to Des Moines and stopped by the Open Bible national office for our mail on our way home. After we unpacked, I (Nancy) reached for the cell phone to make some calls. The phone was gone! I searched everywhere, but couldn't find it. The last time I remembered using it was in the hotel room in Council Bluffs. I quickly called the Settle Inn via Skype (the mobile is our only phone), but was told the maids had not yet returned from their cleaning for the day and I would have to call the next day to see if it was turned in. I was heartsick! I really liked that phone, we needed it, and besides, it was borrowed from our daughter-in-law! I posted that I had lost the phone on Facebook. Among other comments, Becky Jarvis wrote that she had found one at headquarters. I didn't think that could be our phone since I was sure I had left it in the hotel.

Friday morning I called the hotel. They didn't have any phones in the lost and found. I was sad, but we needed a phone, so we went to Verizon and got a cheap one as a replacement. I was told that this phone would be able to use the recharger we had, so I took it home. At least we were connected.

The weekend was a busy one with a family birthday party and a visit to our friends at the Church of the Open Bible in Iowa Falls. The replacement phone, however, didn't work with our recharger, and since I didn't have time to return to the phone store, it went dead. I started thinking about Becky's comment about finding the phone in the parking lot. Lo and behold, when I called her, she said it was the same kind as ours and the same color. We went to look at it and, yes, it was ours! Yes! Praise the Lord! So, tonight we returned to the phone store and had the original phone reconnected. Ah, that feels better! Wonder if the phone feels better, too?

INSTE Level 2 Book 1

2011-03-09T01:21:00.002+01:00

The translation of the first book of Level 2 INSTE into Hungarian is nearing completion! Donations have been received to have Leadership translated, the book has been sent via email to the translator, and the first draft has been completed! There are readings and revisions and other details to attend to, but the first step is done! Praise the Lord! Thank you to our anonymous donors, and thank you to our translator Eva Kriszt!

Where are Mike and Nancy in March?

2011-03-05T19:35:00.002+01:00

Here's our schedule for visiting churches in March. Hope we can see you when we're in your area!

Sunday, March 6, Fort Des Moines Open Bible Church, Des Moines, Iowa
Wednesday, March 9, Lighthouse Temple, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Sunday, March 13, Church of the Open Bible, Iowa Falls, Iowa
Wednesday, March 16, First Church of the Open Bible, Freeport, Illinois
Sunday, March 20, 10:00 a.m., Journey Church, Loves Park, Illinois
Sunday, March 20, 5:30 p.m., Christ New Covenant Open Bible, Lacon, Illinois
Wednesday, March 23, First Church of the Open Bible, Galesburg, Illinois
Sunday, March 27, Open Bible Center, Kankakee, Illinois
Wednesday, March 30, River of Life, Aurora, IL

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers as we travel!

Another Testimony

2011-03-01T23:48:00.003+01:00

Last Sunday we spoke at the Open Bible Church in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. The service was wonderful! Afterward, a gentleman talked to Mike. He said that the night before he had had a dream that he was in Budapest. He didn't know exactly where he had been in his dream until he saw the pictures Mike showed and recognized the places he had seen while he was asleep! He believed that God was directing him through this dream to become one of our monthly supporters. Praise the Lord!

Testimony

2011-02-24T18:19:00.003+01:00

We had a wonderful time with the people of the Church of the Open Bible in Pella, Iowa last night. The potluck food was delicious and we had a chance to visit with lots of people. One of the ladies who, with her husband, consistently gives toward our ministry, came up to us and told us she had a testimony to share. Here is some of what she said:

"When you came to our church before you went to Hungary for the first time, I promised the Lord that I would step out in faith and give a little bit toward your ministry every month. And then when other missionaries came through, I promised God the same amount for each of them, too. After a while, I couldn't list all the missionaries I was giving to on the outside of my envelope--I had to enclose a separate sheet inside the envelope when I gave my monthly offering. We have been faithfully giving these past few years, but last year was hard. We had to make some decisions about changing jobs and such, but God was faithful. Our income increased $10,000 last year. Praise the Lord!"

In GPS we trust

2011-02-18T06:06:00.004+01:00

When we returned to the US we knew that we would be traveling to parts of the country we had not been to before so we bought a GPS unit for our car, and it has proven to be a very worthwhile purchase. We would simply put in the address of our destination and it would plot our course, tell us in which direction to go, what roads to take and when to turn. We could even find out where the nearest store, motel or Starbucks was located. It is great!

However, there were a few times when it would give us directions and we would wonder if this is really the right way to go. It didn't look like the right road or even the right direction. Sometimes we would chose not to follow its guidance and go our own way. Of course, at those times we would hear that lovely word, "recalculating." But, usually we would follow its directions and, sure enough, we would arrive at our destination.

In fact, this happened today on our way to visit one of Nancy's sisters. Instead of taking the route we found on the map, our GPS led us through some of the back roads of Oklahoma and Kansas. At first we didn't think we were on the right road, and it even looked like we were heading back the direction from which we came, but it ended up being a very beautiful route that took us directly to Nancy's sister's house. And, we saw parts of Oklahoma and Kansas we had not seen before.

As Nancy and I discussed this we said that, in some ways, this is kind of like following the Lord. God has a destination/purpose for our lives that He is leading us to. Sometimes the path may seem clear and obvious, but there may be times we are not sure if we are on the right road, or even heading in the right direction. Of course, we have a choice. We can choose to ignore God's direction and go our own way. (I don't think we'll hear God say, "recalculating" though) But, if we will listen to His voice and trust Him, He will get us where we need to go, and I'm sure it will even be a better path than the one we had planned.

There is a big difference, though. The GPS is NOT infallible. If it has not been updated, it will not always have the correct information and it can make mistakes. God, however, never has to be "updated". He knows all things and never makes mistakes. Therefore, you can ALWAYS put your faith in Him knowing that, as you follow His voice even if the way does not seem clear, He will safely get you to your destination.

INSTE Helping INSTE

2011-02-09T00:21:00.003+01:00

Today Nancy (from the Hungarian INSTE office) helped Claudia (from the American INSTE Bible College) with some filing. It was fun being able to work with our counterparts here in the US!

Steps of Faith

2011-02-02T21:28:00.002+01:00

We have recently taken two exciting steps of faith. One is buying our tickets back to Hungary. We were able to find a sale on airline tickets and bought tickets from Miami to Budapest for a little over half of what it cost us to come here! Praise the Lord! We bought the tickets even though we are still a little short of what we need for monthly support to return to Hungary, but we are expecting God to meet our needs in time to make this flight in June.

Our second step of faith was to send the first book of Level 2 INSTE to Hungary to be translated! God has provided an excellent translator and funds to begin translation. We do not want to make the Hungarian Level 1 INSTE graduates wait any longer than necessary, so translation has begun! We are still asking for donations for what is needed to have all 24 books translated, but we are expecting God to meet this need also.

Where in the World are Mike and Nancy?

2011-01-25T01:29:00.002+01:00

Mike at Sunshine in Des Moines

We are on the road again, visiting churches in the central states to tell about our work in Hungary with INSTE and asking people to support us in prayer and with their financial gifts. So far in January we have visited Eastwood Open Bible, Sunshine Open Bible and First Church in Des Moines. We have enjoyed being with such wonderful people. They have received us so well! This Sunday we will be at Grace Christian Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Our schedule for February so far is:

February 6, Open Bible Church, Boone, Iowa

February 13, New Day Family Worship Center, Rogers, Arkansas

February 20, 10:00 a.m. New Life Open Bible, Sedalia, Missouri

February 20, 5:30 p.m. Liberty Life Church, Sedalia, Missouri

February 27, Open Bible Church, Mount Pleasant, Iowa

Hope to see you when we're in your area!

Nancy giving her testimony at Sunshine.

Magyar tanulás

2011-01-19T23:37:00.003+01:00

Many of you know how much time we put into learning Hungarian in Hungary. We took intensive courses and semester courses, studied with tutors, met weekly with conversation partners, studied on our own every day and talked with people in everyday life. We can't do much of that here in the US, but we do what we can. We try to study every day by reading our Hungarian Bibles and other books, studying self-directed grammar books, going over vocabulary words, writing to our Hungarian friends, watching Hungarian DVD's and listening to Hungarian radio on the internet. We're hoping that not only will we not forget our Hungarian, but will have made some progress by the time we return to the country!

Sisterly Generosity

2011-01-15T19:12:00.002+01:00

People ask us if we have our own home in the US where we live when we're here. The answer is no, we don't. We are staying this time with Nancy's sister Leona and her husband Nick (and their dog Barney). Nick and Leona have been gracious enough to allow us to live in their basement this year. We're not here all the time since we are traveling a lot, but we are here quite a bit. For instance, during the month of January we are visiting churches in the Des Moines area and so we are staying here. It's a great place to stay--soft bed, hot showers, internet--and the food is great, too!

You may recognize the Drs. Nick and Leona Venditti as the directors of INSTE International and INSTE Bible College.

Our Present Focus

2011-01-11T21:04:00.004+01:00

You may be wondering why we are spending time in the US right now. Why aren't we in Hungary, doing the work of INSTE there? The answer--we are raising money here in the US in order to be able to do our work in Hungary. Along with most missionaries around the world, we want to offer our ministry to those we work with free of charge. In order to do that, we ask people in the US to support us through monthly or one-time gifts to the ministry. This involves asking churches to allow us to come speak to their congregations. We tell them what we do and how they can help us by praying for us and giving toward our ministry. We miss Hungary, our friends, our church family there and our work, but raising money to be there is necessary right now. If you would like to partner with us either on a monthly or one-time basis, please click on the link to the right, or send your check marked "Juntunen DM Account" to International Ministries, 2020 Bell Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50315. Thank you!

We want to especially thank those people who are already supporting us. We appreciate you and your faithfulness in supporting God's work. God bless you!

Des Moines Churches in January

2011-01-07T15:36:00.003+01:00

We are scheduled to speak in churches in the Des Moines area in January. If you are nearby and are available, please stop by. We'd love to see you!

This Sunday, January 9, we will be at Eastwood Church, 2940 E Ovid Street, at 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, January 16, we will be at Sunshine Open Bible Church, 2160 Easton Blvd, at 10 a.m.
Sunday, January 23, we will be speaking at First Church of the Open Bible, 2200 Beaver Avenue at 10:00 a.m.

Then, on Sunday, January 30, we will be ministering at the Grace Christian Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota (501 W. College Street).

Hope to see you when we're in your area!

Another Levi Update

2011-01-04T20:24:00.002+01:00

Thank you all for praying for our grandson Levi. His surgery on his cleft lip went very well and his smile looks awesome now. He is growing fast and we can't believe how much he has grown every time we see him.

Monday he went to Mayo Clinic for several doctor's appointments. The doctors have decided that Levi should wait another two months for his bladder surgery. This will be his most complicated and serious surgery so far. The doctors mainly want to wait until his bones mature a little more. They believe that if he had the surgery this month, chances are greater that he would need some of the work redone later. Paul and Kate say that this gives us more time to pray for Levi's total healing. Please continue to pray with us for Levi and his parents.

Unokáztunk

2010-12-30T23:25:00.003+01:00

Unokáztunk! (We played with the grandchildren!) Today we went to McDonalds and played. Papa encouraged the almost-4-year-old to climb all the way to the top and go down the big slide. Everyone had so much fun! Now it's time to leave and begin visiting churches again, this time in the central United States. We stayed an extra day with the grandkids, though, because of a snowstorm that came through. Friday and Saturday we are driving back to Des Moines. Happy New Year, everybody! Boldog új évet kivánuk mindenkinek!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T20:09:00.003+01:00

Merry Christmas from one very chocolatey "Official Present Opener." We hope you are all enjoying Jesus' birthday party as much as we are!

Over the River and Through the Woods

2010-12-21T23:49:00.002+01:00

One of the perks of being in the US to itinerate is being able to spend holidays with family. Tomorrow we are leaving for Montana to spend Christmas with our son and his family there. We are so excited to be able to watch our grandsons open their presents in person! We're thankful that we have been able to join in on the fun via Skype the past couple of years, but this is even better! Merry Christmas, everyone!