The Essence of a Gift

To give gifts, or not to give gifts.......it's a question we have both pondered at one point at Christmas time. Sometimes we feel that it takes away from the celebration of Jesus' birth and we don't like the focus on materialism. In America, we are supposed to tell Santa what WE want for Christmas....what's up with that? I know, it's because we tell the little children that he is the one who will bring presents. I really think it's neat that here in Hungary the children don't ask that question but have to sing and recite something for Mikulash (St. Nick). It's the angels or baby Jesus who brings presents. Different ideas, but gift giving is a real part of celebrations no matter what the culture.


In our house Christmas gifts are kept to a minimum. Our children are allowed to choose one inexpensive toy from the store for their Christmas gift, and that's the extent of their presents. We then let them choose what gift they wanted to give through Gospel for Asia. We really had a great time buying chickens and goats for families in South Asia, and each child felt as though they had a part in helping another family across the world. We enjoy delivering cookies and breads to our neighbors, and have been delighted at how the neighbors come knocking on our door with a small gift in return. The giving is one way to demonstrate our love in a tangible way.

Like it or not, gift giving is a part of every culture, at all times during the year. And once again, I have been reminded of the significance of gifts. This year I received a bar of homemade soap from a dear Hungarian friend. It was only soap, but it felt like gold because I know her heart. I felt honored - as though my friendship with her was of great worth. I didn't know that I needed to be reminded that I was special to someone. As the Hungarians gave gifts to us, I realized that we have been accepted into their circle, and that is affirmation of God's purposes in bringing us here.

The Wise Men's gifts were an amazing gesture of honor to the Savior. They just could not come empty handed. They came with gifts that were more than just gifts. It was proof of their acknowledgment of the Savior, proof that certainly blessed the heart of Mary and Joseph. The biblical examples of giving are abundant....the widow giving her mite in the temple, the Philippian church giving to Paul, Christ, giving his life for us....and they are concrete evidences of LOVE.

Thank you to everyone who gave to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering. We live and work here in Hungary because of your gifts!
Thank you for the tangible way you express your love for Jesus. It's not just a gift, it's the message inside the gift.

Merry Christmas!

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Santa and the Baby Jesus

This will be our second Christmas in Hungary, and I am still learning about their holiday traditions. Having children makes this so much more fun. When we lived in America, I never told our kids that Santa brought presents, but we always had fun seeing him at the mall, and reading about the history of St. Nicholas. This week I took three of our kids to see Mikulash (St. Nicholas) at our local mall. Mikulash visited Elizabeth's kindergarten class, so Olivia really wanted to meet him also. Elizabeth told us that when he came to her class, she had to recite a poem the class had been working on just for this occasion. At the mall, I was surprised to see there was not a long line to see him, and he was dressed in the traditional red garb and white hair, and surrounded by angels, not elves. The few children before us took a very long time sitting and talking with Santa, and I wondered what they were doing. When it was our turn he asked us lots of questions, and I think he enjoyed talking to some American kids. Another surprise - he did not ask the children what they wanted for Christmas. Now I knew that in Hungary it is not Santa who brings the children toys on December 25, but the baby Jesus. Santa fills their boots with candy on December 6. But to see this conversation played out really gave me a cultural shock! Instead of asking the children what they wanted him to bring them, he asked them what they could say or sing for him! I had not prepared the children to sing a Hungarian Christmas song or poem and fortunately he asked if we could sing Jingle Bells. So, we all stood around Mikulash and began singing Jingle Bells, in English. Then, after we performed for him, he gave out the special Hungarian Christmas candy and a sticker book to each child.

One new Hungarian tradition that we haven't adopted is waiting until December 24 to put up our Christmas tree. We have found that it is such a great teaching tool for our family, and have used it to talk about it's history - St. Boniface, Martin Luther, hanging fruit on the branches, and of course stars and angels. Tradition here says that angels and the baby Jesus deliver the tree and presents on Christmas Eve, and usually only the adults put the tree up in secret to surprise the children. We hope that JESUS will be exalted during this Christmas season and that many will realize that the baby Jesus is actually IMMANUEL - GOD WITH US. Not a baby anymore, not still on the cross, not still dead in the tomb, but a risen SAVIOR, living and interceding on our behalf to God our heavenly Father.

St. Nicholas - Mikulash

Hungary has Christmas traditions that are unique for us Americans. One of our favorite new traditions is December 6, Nicholas' day. Here, everyone's name is somewhere on the yearly calendar to celebrate a "name day." This is a special day in addition to your birthday. Nicholas's name is on December 6, therefore he is celebrated and remembered on this day, just as in many other countries he is also honored on this day. Here his name is Mikulash. Some families have grandpa dress up like St. Nick to visit their children, or you can "hire" someone to come to your house. I always see the signs with a phone number to call, but haven't tried the personal Santa visit. He did show up at Elizabeth's kindergarten class, and she insisted that he was the REAL one! (He had a real white beard and red clothes) Olivia wants to see him too, so we will try to track him down at the local mall.

The children put their clean boots outside on the window sill and go to bed in hopes of getting candy in the morning from Mikulash, rather than the "switch." There is actually a golden stick you can buy in the stores for this very occasion. And just to be funny, I bought four golden sticks this year to put in their boots. It is such fun to see the kids' faces when they find their boots in the morning!


As a family, we have enjoyed reading the true story about the real St. Nicholas, a man from Lycia and a bishop of Myra. Voice of the Martyrs has published a wonderful book that chronicles his life - his desire to share his riches with the poor, his desire to serve God, and his desire to preserve and preach the truth about Jesus Christ. He was imprisoned under the Roman ruler Diocletian for refusing to bow to him. He chose to worship God alone and stayed in prison.He endured years of imprisonment and persecution because of his faith, and was released when Diocletian died and Constantine came to power. Constantine was a Christian, and he released all the Christians who had been imprisoned. The story inspires us to pray for those who are being persecuted today around the world, and to live boldly for Christ. It's good to remember Nicholas. The real story certainly points us to Jesus, and that is worth celebrating.



(The Story of St. Nicholas, More Than Reindeer and a Red Suit, by Cheryl Odden, published by Voice of the Martyrs)

Budapest - Get Engaged

I love this video because it highlights some of the wonderful inventions made by Hungarians.

Children's Work

When the new school year began in September, the children's "Sunday school" at church also began after a summer break. Sunday mornings begin at 10 AM with the entire church family worshipping together, sharing testimonies, and prayer. Then, the children are invited to go upstairs for a special teaching time while the Pastor begins his message.



For my children, this is their favorite part of church. and they eagerly wait for the right moment when they can join their friends upstairs in the "children's room." We have 2 rooms upstairs - one room for ages 3-10, and one for the upper grades. Both classes have teachers. There is not yet a class for toddlers, but there is one room downstairs with some toys where the little ones can play while parents listen to the sermon. (these 2 pictures were taken through the glass door, thus the glare on the photos)



This year a new children's director was named and recognized before the church family. She is excited about quality Bible teaching, wants to plan some outreach events, and provide training for the group of children's teachers. Each Sunday the teachers rotate, so that they can take turns staying in the service. Each one is responsible for planning their lesson based on the theme for the year. There are a few children's teaching guide books in Hungarian, but the teachers can write their own lessons, and search through resources for games, songs, and activities to accompany their lessons. They are very talented and creative! I am so glad to have the opportunity to work with them.

I must say, that after having seen how our American churches function with regards to the amount of money spent on their children's programing, I really like the simplicity and the limited resources here in Hungary. Church is very simple. Teaching children is very simple and does not require expensive toys, the finest chairs, modern video equipment, or expensive curriculum. For our curriculum, we use the Bible. I say, we all need to model this simplicity....less really can be more! Children are really easy to please, and teachers are very resourceful. Imagine how much more we could give to Lottie Moon or to humanitarian efforts around the world if our own church budgets were reduced!

The Week in Review

I had a great week. This entry is going to read like a newspaper so just relax and skim it over. The stress of a language exam is now behind me and I have been able to rest and reflect on something other than verbs. I am still trying to take in and comprehend the depth and width of God's grace.....He has answered a prayer this week that has been a long time in the making, and is the fulfillment of a promise He made. I am just amazed. Because of having to wait and suffer through something that I had no control over, I can truly say this was GOD's hand, and not my own doing. It's so good to just sit back and watch what God does.

Monday Elizabeth was able to return to the ovoda (kindergarten) after being absent about 4 weeks. She had a series of infections that were difficult to get rid of and we are thankful that she is well now. She was very happy to return to her class and see her friends.

Tuesday we met with a Hungarian driving instructor at our house. He is going to prepare us to take a written driving exam so we can get a Hungarian driver's license, so we can begin driving again. We have had no personal wheels since July, and our backs are feeling the weight of lifting that double stroller on and off the bus, carrying Stephen, carrying groceries, walking uphill to church in the rain, etc....you get the idea. So, our driving teacher brought us the manual in English - so we could learn how to drive:) It is an 85 page manual that includes information such as herding animals, how to wait for a taxi, and how to load a car. For example, 2 children under age 10 only count as 1 person. So, if a car is only supposed to hold 5 people how many children can sit in the car? We will be using a translator since the exam will be in Hungarian. If we want to be sure of passing the test, he told us to pay the translator a little more money! Don't worry, we don't have any extra money for that!

Wednesday morning I went to the mother's group at church for prayer and fellowship. I am always amazed at the honesty and openness that the women express. No one wears a mask. If you are having a rough time, then you say you're having a rough time. There is no false pretense, no fake smiling, no saying everything is fine. And in this way, everyone really knows everyone else, and we really pray for each other. How refreshing.

Thursday evening was the weekly house group, and a small group from our church comes over for prayer & Bible study. When one of my friends walked in she was smiling, but when I asked how she was doing she burst into tears. She had just received a phone call that a friend had committed suicide. Suicide is a common solution to problems. In the past 9 months there are 2 others (who we are acquainted with) who were on the verge of suicide but were persuaded otherwise by loving Christians.

Friday was the World Fair at Josh's school. This was a one time event, but it seems to me that everyday is "world's fair" day at this school. There are 13 children in his class and only 2 are American! Most are Hungarian, plus several other Europeans. During free time, lunch, and recess, Josh is surrounded by Hungarian friends and and enjoys learning their language. Anyway, each elementary grade studied a country and made presentations. It was a good reminder of how diverse each culture is and how God LOVES each and every people group.

Monte has been talking to a couple of neighbors and helping them with yard work. Saturday morning he worked for about 4 1/2 hours helping shovel rock and dirt into a container. They were trying to clear out some of their land to prepare for the spring planting. Monte didn't realize that there is a right and wrong way to shovel. I had a good laugh when he told me the story - because if you know Monte, you know that he is a good, thorough, diligent worker who knows how to move dirt. Miklos, the neighbor, kindly demonstrated the proper way to shovel the dirt - it has to be done in an orderly and methodical way. Who knew? Their method did make sense because of the type of shovel they use. Instead of the typical American shovel, this is a square ended, flat shovel. So, Monte had a wonderful morning spending time working with new friends. They were so kind to give him a bag of apples, mandarins, and chocolates for all his hard work.

While he worked I stayed home and washed five loads of laundry, washed dishes, and decorated about 4 dozen cookies with the fabulous four. I have some beautiful leaf and pumpkin shaped cookie cutters to make "fall" cookies and we plan on delivering these cookies to the neighbors later this week....if we don't eat them all first.

God Answers Prayer

27 years ago, I was twelve years old and in the seventh grade. My mom began getting sick, and I would find her lying on the couch when I got home from school. Then, one afternoon she came into my room while I was doing my homework and she told me she was pregnant. I was in such shock that I couldn't finish my homework that night. I realized that God was answering a prayer that I had prayed - I had asked him for another sibling. The pregnancy wasn't the easiest on Mom, and she was often very tired. Dad and I began to do the weekly grocery shopping, which I really enjoyed. He and I would come home with all kinds of extra foods that we didn't really need! Mom made all of her pregnancy dresses and continued to serve in the music ministry at church. When the day came for the birth I stayed with Momaw and Popaw, who lived next door to us. I remember Dad calling to say that we now had another GIRL! I really believed now that God does hear and answer prayer, because I had asked specifically for a sister.

27 years ago, I jumped off the school bus and ran through the orange grove up to the house. Mom was coming home from the hospital that day, and when I ran inside the house I found her sitting in the living room holding our new baby. Those first few moments of holding the baby were wonderful...almost as if she was my own.

In the years that followed I did a lot of babysitting, watched the same Disney movie repeatedly for at least 500 times, woke up in the morning to a little sister staring at me or putting stickers all over my radio, found her wearing things that I had put in the trash, found her wearing my retainer (gross!), spent countless hours listening to her singing, got really tired of her peeking under my door, fussed with her because she always wanted to do things her way, and prayed with her to receive Christ. When I got my driver's license I would take her to the Winter Haven library, the Shake shoppe and the park in downtown Auburndale, Boardwalk & Baseball, Epcot, the Magic Kingdom, and we often went shopping together too. I always thought it was funny when people would ask me if she was my daughter. I didn't think it was funny when she tipped over a store mannequin. She was always my biggest fan and she promised she would always love me no matter what. God in His wisdom knew that I needed her and she needed me.

I know God places us in families.....for a purpose, for His purposes. I am thankful for the family God has given me. If we fail to acknowledge the sovereignty of God and His wisdom, we fail to recognize the larger plan for which we were put on this earth. If we fail to love and forgive, and fail to live peacefully with one another, we miss the whole purpose of the family. I hope I will live up to His purposes so that when I see HIm face to face He can say, 'Well done." Moments shouldn't be wasted and love shouldn't be withheld....."You don't know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for little while and then vanishes away." James 4:14 Each moment together is precious.

Rachel, you are an answer to prayer. Happy Birthday.

Same But Different

Just in case you ever wondered what living here is like.......we listed some of the differences to give you an idea of what daily life for us is like here in Hungary.


Different:
All bills are paid at the post office. This potentially means long lines every time you go, but it does streamline things.
A truck comes to our house to "vacuum" up our septic tank once a month. It must be emptied or it will overflow into the street.
Doctors can make house calls.
Eggs are always brown, and speckled bird eggs are for sale in the grocery store.
If you want to use a cart at the grocery store, you pay 100 forint. Your money will be returned when you return the cart.
Bring your own bags to the grocery store, or buy new ones each time.
Outside shoes are taken off when you come inside, and inside shoes are put on.
We use a clothesline to dry our clothes.
We ride buses, trams, metro (subway), and trains in the city.
Almost every home has a fence, gate, and a dog.
We eat FRESH bread, not pre-packaged, pre-sliced, spongy, plastic-wrapped bread.
Lunch time means a large, hot meal....sandwiches are saved for the evening supper.
You can buy chocolate infant cereal.
Greeting one another with 2 kisses!


Same:
The setting of the sun, and the evening moon rise, the dark night sky that makes stars so visible.....The same spiritual darkness is here, as is everywhere in the world. Lack of interest in spiritual things, unawareness of a greater dimension outside of this present time, intentional avoidance of the Bible, deep atheistic beliefs that prevent a thorough logical examination regarding the natural world, focus on money and position for a successful life, abortion on demand, and self-preservation instead of community. However, the love of Christ is a shining light and is evident in the affection and unity that believers have for one another. This unity always amazes me - to find people in a different country, culture, language, etc...but who have the same knowledge of Christ and share the same love.....it's breathtaking.

24/7

Recently I asked my children what they thought was the best and worst part of being a missionary. We live in a modern European city, not a third world country. We live in a beautiful duplex that is heated in the winter.....and in the summer. We can shop in modern stores full of choices......but they don't compare to Wal-Mart, Target, or JCPenny. McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Subway, and Starbucks are here......and are considered luxuries for us. We really do have to walk a mile uphill to get to church!! (Just remembering all the stories that Dad told us) So we do have our share of things that are different, strange, and difficult for us. Here's what they thought, straight from their mouths, unedited (well, I had to translate the 2 year old's words for you):

7 year old: The best part is telling others about Jesus, and seeing new places; the worst is traveling on airplanes because they make my ears hurt.
6 year old: The best part is meeting new people, learning a new language, telling others about Jesus, and hotels with swimming pools; the worst is getting kicked out of your country for no good reason, and hotels with no swimming pools.
4 year old: The best part is playing in the snow, playing in the backyard, digging holes in the backyard (she's been trying to find the mole), Christmas time, and ice cream (Hungarian ice cream!) The worst part is I don't like dangers or walking up steep hills.
2 year old: He likes the ice cream too, and the kokoszgolyo (chocolate Hungarian dessert) The worst part is when mommy washes my special blanket and I have to wait for it, and I don't get to see my grandparents!!


Mission work is obviously important to us, but the children don't always think about us being different because we are missionaries. God in His mercy and grace called us to move to a different country, and we have humbly tried to follow. We are ordinary people. We didn't coax or persuade the mission board to send us, or pretend that we were already perfect. God knew our weaknesses and our strengths. God simply opened the doors, made all the arrangements, and in HIS miraculous timing put us in Hungary. Everyday we talk with our children about why we are here and pray for opportunities....and all is normal to them. This is just life!

We are trying to teach our children that to follow God means to put your life alongside Him, which means you follow him wherever He leads, and obey what He tells you to do. Elizabeth recently wrote me a note which said, "Dear Mom, I will go to Africa when I am grown up." She then said she would bring me back a present! Joshua loves reading about China, and wants to go there one day as a missionary.

As a family we have enjoyed watching Kids On Mission DVDs that we packed in our crate when we moved here. That has been a great resource to see how other missionaries live and work all over the world. We also love to read books and watch films about missionaries - Hudson Taylor, Gladys Alyward, Amy Carmichael, George Muller, Jim Elliot, and of others who dared to follow Christ, like Corrie Ten Boom and William Tyndale. We also read from You Can Change the World (the children's version of Operational World) to understand how to pray for different people groups around the world. We play on the Wonderzone website where the kids can read biographies of people and Bible characters.......and be inspired to be a change agent in this world. My purpose in all this is to be intentional about teaching our children. Sometimes the very things you think you value the most can get overlooked, because they really don't assume a place of priority in our lives. The majority of our time and energy is spent on things that are important to us. Missions isn't a Wednesday night program for us. It's 24/7, living, breathing, struggling, worshiping, praying, and following Jesus one day at a time.

Let the Little Children Come!

Our Elizabeth turned 6 this month, and she requested a costume and tea party! It may sound like a mother's nightmare to open your home up to 14 little rascals (4 of them being your own!), but I actually like having children's parties. However, I confess that the day before the party I felt overwhelmed. My homemade doll cake completely cracked down the middle, the strawberry cheesecake turned out to be smaller than I expected, I realized I didn't have enough party hats for all the children, there was a lot of cleaning still to be done, my wet laundry was hanging up to dry in the living room (still wet after 2 days of hanging!), I stayed up until 1:00 AM and finished baking cookies .....and I did all this while caring for my own 4 children and rolling out the pizza dough for our Friday night dinner. I was praying, "Lord, help make all this come together without me coming apart!"



As it turned out, everything fell nicely into place at the right time, (and the cake was patched with lots of extra icing). All the extra work involved in planning such a party was WORTH IT! As the children arrived they could choose one of our costumes to wear, but some brought their own. We had so much fun taking their pictures in various costumes because each child's face glowed with delight! It was priceless to see the wonder and innocence of precious children, each uniquely created by GOD. We decorated sugar cookies which was a new idea to some of our friends. Usually this is done at Christmas time with gingerbread cookies. We also decorated foam picture frames, in which they could put a picture of themselves dressed in a costume at the party. I read to them from 1 Samuel 16:7, how Samuel went to choose the next king of Israel. God instructed Samuel not to choose a king based on outer appearances. Man looks on the outside, but God looks at the heart. What is inside a man is more important that what is on the outside. There was a chance to speak a truth about God, and the moment was not lost.



We had a great opportunity to share our love for Jesus with others. God used a routine event in the life of our family to reach into the lives of others. I have heard it said that families with young children should not come to the mission field. However, I have found that having my own 4 young children around has been the easiest way to meet new people and make friends. My children certainly go against the cultural grain sometimes - they talk loudly while on the buses and my 2 year old waves to old men and hollers, "SZIA!" (hi in Hungarian) But they are the ones who speak boldly, who are quick to love, and are not inhibited by language barriers. Children were on the heart of Jesus. He didn't overlook them, put them down, or tell them to go away. He drew them to himself. And that is a very good place for us to start.

Changes in Our House

Good-by middle of the night feedings, no more high chairs, play pens, bouncy seats, or sippy cups, first words from the fourth baby, and first day of school for the first child........a lot of things have changed in the last year! September has brought even more changes to our house. Joshua has begun second grade at an English international school and Elizabeth is going to a Hungarian kindergarten-like school, in Hungarian of course! Both are enjoying making new friends and getting used to a new morning routine. Joshua has Hungarian language lessons while at school. Elizabeth likes learning more of the Hungarian language and comes home with new words and phrases everyday. She is still getting used to the Hungarian foods served for lunch and is getting braver about trying new things. Olivia is also getting used to a new routine of life without big sister around, and Stephen is talking in a mix of Hungarian and English, and copying everything Olivia does! Some changes come more easily than others, and as I watch my children grow older, the changes seem to come more quickly. Living in the moment, savoring each moment, and contentment in the moment - it's the only way to live!

Good Summer Comes to An End

We were very blessed this summer to have two visits from family. In July and August we spent our vacation time with grandparents from Texas and Florida. We also got to act like tourists and visit many places we have been longing to see! We had such a wonderful time exploring more of Budapest and even taking a short train trip to Vienna. Even more amazing was that it felt like we had just seen them yesterday....even though it has been a year and a half since we have seen our families. Time is going by so fast, and we are glad to have shared some great memories with people who love us.




Leaving is never easy, saying goodbye doesn't get any easier, and I'm still not used to the separation. There's a pain in my heart when the children ask, "Where is Poppa?" Skype, digital pictures, internet, packages and emails make life a little bit sweeter, but trusting that God is in control makes all this bearable, and worth it all.

English Camp

Memories of when I attended camp as a child are still embedded in my mind. There is something unique about the camp experience that can heighten the senses and bring into focus all the important things in life. It is such a time when all other daily routines cease and the senses are dulled to the monotonous and exchanged for something far more glorious. The photo is tangible evidence and will always be there to remind.


The setting invited an array of questions:
"How do I know God is real?"
"How can God hear me? Does He really have ears?"
"How do you know when God is talking to you? Does He have a loud voice?"
"Can you tell me your story?" (a boy wanted to hear how I came to know Jesus)
"What about all the suffering in the world? Why doesn't God stop all the wars?"

And some bold, convincing statements:
"I already have a plan for my life, and I don't need God."
"I don't think God is real because I can't see Him."
"I am not a sinner."
"I became a believer at camp last year."


"But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8



It's amazing to find yourself suddenly in the middle of what God is doing...."God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:4


"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6 And so I wait for the day of completion in each of these young lives.

Stop and Smell the Berries

The mulberry tree behind our church is a magnificent display of God's creation. It's height is breathtaking to a girl from the South. We're not used to such tall trees. There are also so many different varieties of trees here - cherries, almonds, chestnuts, apples, pears, peaches, walnuts, red and black currants, and mulberries. Sadly, there are no Texas pecans or Florida citrus! We have enjoyed watching the trees bloom in the springtime and try to guess what kind of fruit it will bear.

As an adult, I can easily forget how sensitive children are to our surroundings. I forget that all the wonders I have seen for thousands of times are very new to a child who has yet to explore the world around them. The world is full of wonders to dazzle our senses....if we take time to notice them. Elizabeth can't wait to get to church so she can pick the berries from the ground and branches. She is so amazed to be able to pick these juicy berries and fill up her bag. Even Stephen is fascinated with these beautiful berries and helps pick them. Little Stephen always walks slow because he is trying to see everything - a butterfly, flowers, a rock, an ant. I understand why children always look behind them when trying to walk forward - they don't want to miss anything!

I like what Pastor Jay said from FBC Lakeland,....."What if God handed you a camera every morning and told you to snap pictures of you noticing Him at work wherever you go?" What would you take a picture of? Do we even know what God is doing around us? God is much closer than we realize. He is working in ways we do not always realize. He wants to speak to us, reveal himself to us, and show us the next thing to do. We have so many opportunities to be kind, to be helpful, and to speak about Jesus.....if we aren't too busy to notice. A big part of our work right now is going slow, being slow, being available, and taking time to notice people. We stopped walking through the mall because an elderly lady recognized us and wanted to talk. We sat down on the bench with her for awhile. It was good to not be in a hurry.

It's time to be still....know that he is God.....and join him.

Holocaust in Hungary

We visited the Holocaust Memorial Center in Budapest which is a memorial site of 1,441 lost Jewish communities and over 500,000 victims. They have an amazing exhibit which makes you feel as though you are part of this history. And actually, we are. We are not so distantly removed. If we think we are, then we forget.....we forget how to really love our neighbor, how to love people we don't like, how to treat a refugee, how to treat someone who is different from us, how to live in humility rather than pride, and how to have compassion.
A communist symbol was sprayed painted onto the wall beside the Holocaust Memorial Center. The letters above the symbol are in reference to the gas pipeline that is planning to be built through Hungary in order to transport gas from Russia to the rest of Europe. It's just another small piece of evidence to prove that the threat and scent of communism does still linger in the air here.



The outside of the center reflects the distorted and twisted world of Nazism and the darkness of atrocious killings. Immediately we were swept into a world of despair, unfairness, and ugly ethnic pride.



This synagogue is one of the largest built in Budapest in 1924. It has been restored and is now a part of the center and is used for concerts and exhibits. The blue and gold colors are strikingly beautiful. As another reminder of lives lost, there are empty glass chairs labeled with individual names.



This is a small portion of the wall that lists names of all Hungarians who died in the Holocaust. Relatives can locate their family name through a computer database, and research is still being done to finish collecting all the names. For now, there are still some blank spaces.

"All that is required for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing."

Waiting for the Harvest!

Spring is really, finally here!!! The days are still cold but now there is sunshine and the snow is only a memory. We bought some gladiola bulbs and soil at Tesco, and then worked to prepare a small "garden" in the back yard. I know it doesn't look like much, but the children worked very hard to plow up the hard ground, pull up the weeds & rocks, pour in the good soil, and bury the bulbs. We had fun digging up worms too. Everyday they love to go outside and water their garden with their very own watering cans. This week there was so much rain, that there are already some small shoots appearing.

Doesn't this paint a beautiful picture of how God works? Each person has a special gift and different abilities. As we work together in the body of Christ we are laying a deeper foundation in preparation for a great harvest - to see more people turning their hearts & minds to Christ. There are so many things we can do to prepare for a great harvest, but the truth is, we are a part of God's plan for a great harvest, and it is God's harvest, not ours. "I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. Now he who plants and he was waters are one, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers...." 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

And one last thought....
"And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few....." Matthew 9:36-38

The Hungarian People

"In truth I understand that God does not show favoritism,



but in every nation the person who fears Him and does righteousness



is acceptable to Him." Acts 10:34-35

In a Desolate Place

We visited a historic monument in Budapest which is located at the top of a hill overlooking the Danube River. It is one of the highest points in the city and you can see the entire city from here! While Budapest flourishes in culture, music, traditions, art, literature, medicine, universities, cathedrals, and cafes, this really is a desolate place - spiritually. The cathedrals are so ornately decorated, patron saints are everywhere, and heroes of the deep "Christian" history are named on the street signs. One would think this a place where Christianity abounds. However, under the surface of the goodness of the people, under their beautiful hospitality and welcoming words, my soul can feel a desperation for the touch of God. Most people don't know what a true Christian looks like because they have never seen one, and are unaware that there is more to this life. It is good to be in a desolate place, for it is there that you can recognize your need for God. But to never recognize your need for God is to live believing that you already have everything you need, and falsely believe that you are SATISFIED.

How hungry and thirsty I am, but never satisfied until I move closer to God!
"for here we are in a desolate place......and they all ate and were satisfied." - Jesus feeding the 5,000, Luke 9:12 - 17

Snow Days

This is our driveway, shared by other duplexes like ours. The snowfall has been just incredible. The Hungarians have said they haven't seen this much snow in years. We Texans and Floridians think it's just great and are having fun playing in it! But for those who have to shovel it (like Dad) it is a lot of work! Sometimes he has had to shovel it twice in one day. It has been a great way to spend time with the neighbors; pictured above, as they pose after shoveling the entire driveway! They keep small bottles of palinka (Hungarian vodka) in their pockets to sip from in order to stay warm.

Here is one pile of snow in our front yard that has been a small mountain for the kids to climb up and peek over the neighbor's fence.
Our language teacher lives out in a small village, just outside of town. The road isn't paved, is full of huge holes, and isn't plowed during the winter - which makes it very difficult to drive on. Our van isn't able to make it up the hill, pictured below, it just slips and slides. One day we were stuck, unable to make it up the hill, and we had to go down a different, more treacherous road to get home. So we made the decision to park the van and walk. That's me pictured above with a giant snowball aimed at my husband on our walk to class! And after the picture was taken he grabbed it and threw it at me - honest!
We are so grateful for these days, and are living to make the most from every opportunity - and to see challenges as just that - open doors of opportunity. "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven..." Ecclesiastes 3:1