Hard to Say Goodbye

Because I miss my family... I am ready to go home. If my family were with me, I would find it difficult to return. I came to Hungary to be a blessing... instead I received many blessings. I made friendships that I hope to continue beyond these 10 days. God has taught and reminded me of many things about myself that He is still perfecting.

My greatest memories - as I have said over and again - will be my friends. Here are a few of them...

Born Again to A Living Hope

Today we were blessed to see the Hungarian premier of a drama entitled Born Again to A Living Hope that tells the life story of two Argentine young people who for years were enslaved to a life of drug abuse. The couple's life is altered when they choose to follow Christ, yet the effects of their choices remain as they both die from AIDS.

This drama will be used in public school to teach the long-term ramifications of drug use and to tell of the hope that these two enjoyed... even in the face of death.

A man named Carlos (who knew the couple) was here to direct the students as they learned this drama. His translator brought his wife and two young children. They all became good friends of ours... especially the children.

The Best Part

Undoubtedly the best part of any missions trip is the interaction with people! And this trip has been no exception to that rule. Word of Life Hungary is full of people with passion. The faculty and staff have a genuine love for God that is translated to their desire to see students grow in their knowledge of God and His Word. The students... what can I say about the students?

I know I am biased as one who shepherds students vocationally as well, but this trip was totally worth it for me because of these men and women!!! Sitting with them at meals. Talking (or trying to) about life and families. We got to know the struggle and sacrifice that they go through just to come and learn. What a blessing and challenge! Here are only a few of their faces... more to come.

Bringin' It

Thankfully Pastor Phil's virus was only of the 24-hour variety and he is - as they say - fine as a frog hair. Better than that really... if that is possible. Wait a minute! Frogs don't have hair. But he is feeling better and his teaching is going well and the students all love him very much. Of course I'm sure that has nothing to do with the fact that he gives them chocolate every day... especially with peanut butter (which is a Hungarian rarity).

I preached in chapel yesterday... here's a black & white of me bringin' it Billy Sunday-style. Oops! That is Billy Sunday. It did go well though. I was actually trying to deliver a somewhat serious message - particularly because I was pretty sure my humor would not translate. I inadvertently (that's code for: I actually can't help myself) started down a comic path and I just could not stop. Fortunately the joke landed - and not a crash landing thank you very much. It was a total God moment because I initially was not planning to use this certain illustration and it helped everyone laugh and really be open to the final application. Praise God!

So thank you all for your prayers. We feel them! Pastor's illness only lasted part of one day and the real miracle... that I have not been sick at all!!!

Limping Along

Pastor Phil was not at all himself today. After a rough night and no breakfast he made it to the classroom to teach - would you have expected any less... then back to the room to crash. After sleeping during most of the day, he was starting to feel better around dinner time and even ate a little. Praise God for Coke & crackers! Unless you knew he wasn't feeling well, you would not have been able to tell. His Zechariah class started with a bang (as much of a bang as Zechariah can muster)! Seriously, the students were attentive and engaged.

I had a GREAT time hanging out with the men in the Dorm Bible Study and was asked to share my testimony. My challenge to them was to begin to see their own stories 1. as not their own stories, but God's story of work in them and 2. not so much as a "salvation-only" story, but as one that God is still writing. We had fun thinking about what difference that would make in the way we view our testimonies. Though there were probably 6 or 7 different preferred languages in our circle, God was clearly telling us all much of the same thing... be ready always to talk about the work I am doing in you and realize that the work is only just begun.

The City of Budapest

These are only representative of the many beautiful sights we were able to take in. In just several hours we walked and toured hundreds of years worth of history! I wish I had another day to recount their details to you. There will be time for that when we return.

Please pray as Pastor Phil begins teaching tomorrow!

Lost & Found

You know that feeling you get when you are traveling and you are a bit nervous that you have left something at home that you will have to do without? Well I had that feeling... I was pretty sure that I had packed a suitcase for this trip. Yet when we arrived in Hungary - no suitcase!
When we left the airport yesterday (Saturday) afternoon they promised that it would be coming later in the day. How they knew that I could not tell. And sure enough... it did not come. So Sunday morning church was Blue Jean Sunday for me. Definitely within my comfort zone, but I felt a bit out of place considering what most others were wearing. The worst part was not being able to refresh after the long trip. So that means the last clean set of clothes was the Friday morning set which I am still wearing. Yuk!

Thankfully my bag did arrive Sunday afternoon. All is well. And no one died from my stench in the process. It was a good reminder lesson that life is not about what we have... but who we are. Thanks, Lord.

Safe & Sound

We have arrived in Hungary! Already we have found our accommodations to be extraordinary and the people to be outgoing and friendly. At dinner tonight we sat with students from Albania, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Germany and Naples, Florida.Believe it or not I am heading off to bed... already. All of this depends on your perspective. Hungary is 6 hours ahead of EST in the United States. I have slept for only 2 hours since early Friday morning. I'm ready to snooze.

Pastor Phil will be preaching tomorrow morning and we will have many opportunities to connect with students! Please pray for us in two specific things: that we will not catch the true flu that is running rampant all over campus, and that God would use Pastor Phil as he teaches and me as I build relationships for future ministry opportunities.

On Our Way to Hungary

Tomorrow morning my senior pastor and I will fly to Budapest, Hungary for 10 days of ministry.

I know little of this country. My deep research (Wikipedia) has led me to these facts among others...

According to census data, the largest religion in Hungary is Roman Catholicism (50% of the population), with a significant Calvinist minority (16% of the population) and smaller Lutheran (3%) and Greek Catholic (3%) minorities. However, these census figures are representative of religious affiliation rather than practice; an estimated 10-14% of Hungarians attend religious services at least once a week and fewer than 50% at least once a year, while 30% of Hungarians do not believe in God.

For historical reasons, significant Hungarian minority populations can be found in the surrounding countries, notably in Ukraine (in Transcarpathia), Slovakia, Romania (in Transylvania), and Serbia (in Vojvodina), Austria (in Burgenland); Croatia (mainly Slavonia), and Slovenia are also host to a number of ethnic Magyars.

My heart is to get to know the people who I will be living with and learning from. I will be blogging to tell their stories and my interactions with them.