Fun Fall Festivities

Recently we attended a Sunday service at which five Hungarian Baptist churches joined together for worship. It was a really special time to see these five churches together in one place. There was even a bouncy house, face painting and crafts for the children. The girls (above) are pretty princesses, puppies, and butterflies, while the boys (below) are fierce wild animals!



The children's school held a fall festival with games and loads of candy. Our two grade schoolers were the baker and the princess. Kind of reminds me of a scene from Despereaux.




I absolutely love the fall leaves! And I am so glad I get to witness the beauty of such splendid colors.....and watch the kids play in them!

Dear Mother-to-Be,

Dear Mother-to-be,

Four times I have been pregnant. Four times I carried a child nine months inside my body. And four times I had a c-section. I did not plan the pregnancies, nor could I control the outcome, but I was eager to become a mom. During each pregnancy I looked forward to the routine sonograms to watch the beating heart, tiny arms and legs kicking and punching, and even the occasional thumb-sucking. During the waiting and anticipation I really didn't like surprises, as any woman understands. Maybe your pregnancy was a surprise, or maybe there was a surprise in the sonogram.

You may have just discovered that there is something wrong with your pre-born baby through a sonogram or blood test. Whenever you receive such news it isn't easy to understand and the shock will resonate for a long time. It is difficult to accept....how could this be possible? What went wrong? Whose fault is this? That "something wrong" really means that there is something your child has that will make them very different from other children. Five months into one of my pregnancies I learned that something was very different. My genetic counselor offered abortion as a perfectly normal choice. Abortion had never crossed my mind, but now I understood the choice that women must make. One must consciously and unselfishly choose to keep the baby, and even pray that the baby survives the pregnancy. No one wants to be called selfish, after all, we all have rights....? It is no easy decision to sacrifice our plans, our money, our lifestyle, our career, our time, or our comfort to accept something different into our lives. You will forever be walking down a different path, and what is normal for others will not be for you.

Please understand the doctors and genetic counselors are simply doing their job, but they cannot possibly, accurately predict the outcome of any single pregnancy nor the degree of challenges your child will face. Sonograms and lab tests should not be relied on for making a decision regarding the life of your child. It is your child.

I am glad I did not have an abortion. I cannot imagine life without my beautiful daughter. Regardless of how many doctor visits, medical tests, treatments, difficulties, and emotional trauma that we have been through, she has made this world a better place. She is a normal girl with an extraordinary intelligence, endless affection, and passionate personality. Really....abortion a normal choice???? Consider what you might be missing if you choose to end the baby's life.

Sincerely,
A Mom full of joy and peace

New Life

Almost one year ago, Monte missed the bus and had to wait for the next one. While waiting for the next bus, an elderly man walked up to wait for the same bus. They began a conversation and continued it after boarding the bus. Then the bus was stopped because of an accident ahead on the road, which caused the bus to take a thirty minute detour. They had more time to talk because of the delay, and they became friends, exchanging phone numbers. Gyuri (pronounced Jury in English) is Hungarian but lives in Norway, and travels back and forth for various reasons. Even though Gyuri was agnostic, he acknowledged that it was not by chance that he met Monte. Gyuri is 78, he escaped communism and found asylum in Norway, and has lived his whole life in search of peace and joy. In his search he acquired many things that he thought would bring him happiness. Over and over he and Monte had long spiritual talks, but he still had so many questions and much opposition to accepting Christ. He asked us to pray for him because he was "haunted" by this decision to accept Christ or not. So, we sent a prayer letter to our praying friends, and we continued to wait.

July 31, Sunday evening, Monte went to visit Gyuri in his home, and stayed 4 hours. Monte came home after midnight, and said that Gyuri had prayed at 11 PM to receive Christ. Gyuri had said, "I don't know what I'm waiting for, this is really a simple decision!" Now the really amazing part is this - We had just received an email that night from one of those praying friends, telling us how burdened he was for Gyuri, and that he was prompted to pray for our friend.

We are so encouraged that God raised up someone across the world to pray at the right moment, and that that our dear friend put his faith in Christ. He said that he now has Jesus with him, before him and behind him.

In Self We Trust?

After Steve Jobs died last week, I couldn't help but notice all the news articles which highlighted not only his company's achievements, but also his personal philosophy. I can appreciate all his hard work, his technological advances, and his motivational ideas that led to the success of Apple. I personally benefit from his life's work, as do millions of other people.

Many people find purpose for their lives in their work. Good works are marvelous, but I tend to compare myself to Jobs and other successful people. Then I realize that I will never change the world to the same degree that he did, I will never invent something that will benefit the entire world. I am not nearly as intelligent, experienced, or as motivated. I will never amass great wealth, nor be able to give away wealth. My own competitive spirit and personal motivation to be "the best" only leads me to self-pity. My achievements are no match compared to theirs! I am sure others feel this way, and this even leads to depression, low self-worth, and lack of purpose in life. It can even be the reason people step back and don't get involved.... we feel too small, too insignificant, too weak, or too unimportant to make a difference. At my high school graduation, I heard the same moving speeches that were meant to spur young people on to make a difference in the world, because life is short....embrace it and live life to the fullest!

Most people believe that if they do enough good on earth, then they will have a good afterlife somewhere. But what scale is God, karma, or any other thing using to decide this? In the end, how is success measured? Did I do enough? Did I do enough good? Do my good deeds outweigh my bad deeds? Did I make a mark in the world? If the value of my life is measured by my works, if the purpose of my life is shaped by my works, and if my hope and trust lie in the scope of my achievements, then I am indeed to be pitied the most. The truth is that earthly successes are short lived and only provide temporary relief to our insatiable appetite to excel and be a cut above the rest. One must continually seek purpose and salvation in the next big thing.

My own list of achievements - education, family reputation, marriage, children, jobs, awards, experiences, etc., can cause me to be covered in pride, temporary happiness, and self-exaltation - certainly nothing that brings lasting joy, peace, or hope for the future. Besides, my failures often overshadow them. The Apostle Paul had a great list of achievements, Philippians 3:4-9. However, he called them all trash compared to knowing Christ! He found the secret to living well now, and to living with eternal peace. It was not based on his achievements, but on Christ's achievements. Christ was the object of his faith, and gave him a "right standing" with God. Like it or not, we all put our faith in something. If our faith focus is not in God, then it is usually on self. I agree with Paul, the value of knowing Christ is far greater than all my works, and my righteousness is not based on my good works. I am not "good enough" because of what I have done. I cannot find salvation in my work, marriage, or in any other successes. Contrary to popular belief, it's not what you do that makes you successful, it's who you believe in. I have found that nothing satisfies like the resting place of Christ. Good works are simply that - good works. But they should not be a resting place for our faith.


"For by grace you have been saved through faith....not as a result of works, that no one should boast." Ephesians 2"8-9

A Little Child Will Lead Them

Two of us Bakers just took a quick trip back to the States to visit family. Stephen is three years old, and even though he is so little, I see God using him and leading through this little child. While we were visiting Mimi and Poppa's house in Florida, Stephen suddenly said, "We need to worship God. Let's go!" I asked him what he meant by this, and he said, "We need to sing, let's go to Poppa's room." So, the three year old led Mimi and I to my Dad's room, where he was sitting. We each pulled up a chair, sat down, and chose praise songs to sing. Jesus Loves the Little Children, Nothing But the Blood of Jesus, Lord You Are More Precious Than Silver, and The Lord Is My Shepherd, were just some of the favorite songs that we sang together. He didn't ask to sing the ABCs, Twinkle Little Star, or Skip to My Lou, or much less the latest song from a pop star. There was no music, no instruments, no great harmonies, just our simple voices stopping in the middle of the day..........together.........praising our great God. I am still amazed to understand that within each of us, is a built-in longing to be in relationship with God - whether or not we realize it. Even a small child can sense the divine, the closeness of God, and desire His presence. And even a little child can lead us to worship in the simplest way with quiet songs full of great theology.

Heroes' Square

Heroes' Square is such an iconic place in Budapest.....everyone really needs to see it up close and marvel at the sheer size of the statues and be amazed by Hungarian history. We've driven around it and around it many times, but we finally stopped to let the kids run around in the square. There is a great flash mob Christian video on YouTube that was filmed here, and a scene from the movie, An American Rhapsody, was also filmed here.

The archangel Gabriel is actually at the top of this column holding St. Stephen's crown and a Christian cross. All the figures pay tribute to renowned Hungarian leaders, and was completed in 1929 to commemorate the Millennium Celebrations of 1896.

Our kids always enjoy statues, especially when they share a name with one of them. This is our Stephen standing below King Stephen with his left arm raised, holding the Christian cross. He is the one who transformed Hungary by converting the country to Christianity, at least a form of it.


While we ran around, we also ran into many people to talk to about real Christianity - which is about knowing Jesus personally. Wherever we go, whether as a local or as a tourist, there are always opportunities to pray as you go and tell what you know!

Vajdahunyad Castle

This summer while we do still have language study, the children are enjoying the relaxed routine of not having school and ovoda. We have tried to do some fun outings with the children that have been on our to-do list. Budapest is such a great city for families to vacation in because there is so much to see, experience, and even taste. It's really nice that we can enjoy such interesting places on a Saturday morning! So, become a virtual tourist and join us during the next few posts as we explore some more of Budapest.
Since I grew up with Disney World, Sea World, and other entertainment parks, I didn't realize how much children could enjoy just architecture, ancient history, statues, and art. When they see that we, the parents, are fascinated by such beauty, they too become enthralled.

This castle is surrounded by a real mote, and a bridge must be crossed to reach it.....imagine that this is a fairy tale you can experience. Instead of a sea monster in the mote, there were friendly mother ducks with their ducklings who were quite happy to eat some of our morning rolls.

This castle is actually a series of pavilions designed for exhibitions in 1896. Each section of the building showcases a different style of architecture, from Romanesque to Baroque. This is a part of Varosliget, one of the largest city parks in Budapest.

Beauty is all around us....take time to enjoy the view!

The Shepherd is Mighty to Save

Recently we went with our Hungarian church on their annual retreat, and this year they went to the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia. On the way north, we stopped at a little resort town for bathroom breaks and ice cream. In a distant field we saw a flock of sheep and a shepherd with his sheep dog. It was an amazing sight to us who have never been close to seeing sheep grazing on a hillside. The children immediately wanted to walk over for a closer look, which the shepherd allowed. Stephen was one of the last ones to arrive at the field. The fluffy, round little creatures were indeed bleeeeeting and grazing their way through this field, the traditional shepherd was very poor, and the sheepdog was welcoming, but the most amazing thing was hearing little Stephen singing, "The Lord is my shepherd, I'll walk with Him always..." He was very bold in his singing and very sure that this was the appropriate time to belt out one of his favorite tunes. At first I thought that maybe Stephen thought this shepherd was Jesus, but he just kept telling me that "this is a REAL shepherd." He had been wondering what a shepherd was!




When we arrived at our destination, we admired the breathtaking view of mountains with peaks hidden by clouds. Stephen's response? He began singing, "Savior, He can move the mountains, my God is mighty to save, mighty to save...." What could be more appropriate than a response of praise to our Creator and Savior? How simple life is for a child! Just a pure, honest response when he was moved beyond his own ability to speak of such wonders.


"From the mouth of infants and nursing babes Thou has prepared praise..." Matthew 21:16
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

Graduation

A kindergarten graduation is a big transition in childhood. Our Hungarian "ovoda" is similar to an American preschool, and children usually stay in the same class between the ages of 3-6. After this, they can go to first grade at the elementary school. Elizabeth has attended for one year and will go to first grade next year. The daily routine consists of playing, learning Hungarian poems and songs, eating, brushing teeth, and napping together. Hot tea or warm milk with bread is served in the morning, a hot lunch at noon, and a snack for the afternoon. For the graduation ceremony, each child brought bouquets of fresh flowers to decorate their building for this special occasion. Greenery, large leaves, garden flowers and florist flowers were brought and hung from the ceiling and doorways. We did not fully understand how big of an occasion this was! Parents even brought specially made bouquets for their child.

Parents were invited to the classroom to listen to the children recite the poems and songs. We heard stories of hedgehogs, flowers, trees, and chickens.


While this was a happy occasion for us, there were many tears! It was unbelievable to hear Elizabeth recite her poems, how well she speaks Hungarian, and how well she loves her friends. It was hard to say goodbye to her teachers and classmates, but we look forward to what will come in the future.

Curly Haired Pigs and Thatched Roofs

We visited the Hungarian Open Air Museum in Szentendre and enjoyed a beautiful journey back in time. This open air museum features buildings and village segments based on the different regions of Hungary during specific time periods. Even though the weather was cold and rainy, the kids loved sloshing through the mud and discovered lots of treasures from Hungarian culture......like curly haired pigs, the mangalica pigs. They are really cute close up!

Peeking into wells, looking through windows, going into houses, cottages, barns, and village churches, and seeing the chairs, beds, and dishes that once belonged to someone else make us mindful of those who once lived here, and of those today who seek to carry on their traditions.



The museum really is dedicated to preserving Hungarian traditions - folk dancing and singing, traditional village dress, handcrafts like wood working, spinning wool, egg painting, sewing, and language preservation through story telling and poetry. Our children got to make flying birds using real hollow egg shells, which is a traditional Easter craft.


A walk through a slow, unhurried village, touching the thatched roofs, eating langos and kurtos kolacs baked in outdoor ovens, hearing the pigs and the chickens, and admiring the skillful determination of cultural preservation is a nice reminder of our humanity..... a walk through the past is always good for the present.

Wonderfully Made!

We first learned about Turner Syndrome in 2004, when our daughter was officially diagnosed right after her birth. Prenatally, we knew there was a problem but we waited until after her birth to have genetic testing done. We had just come home from the hospital after her birth, when a nurse called our home to tell us the genetic test results. That was one of the strangest phone calls I have ever received. The conversation was all so matter of fact, as if she was telling me when our next doctor's appointment was. What could I say but, "OK, thanks for the information!" But when I hung up the phone, I burst into tears. After wondering for four months, I finally knew exactly what was wrong with our baby girl, and it was the moment of acceptance.

In the last few months, the questions have been coming from our daughter, and she is coming to that place of acceptance too. Advice can be so freely and callously given from a variety of sources, and parents must decide what advice is worth taking. During the pregnancy, the genetic counselor told us that she was an accident, meaning there was no one to blame for this "mistake." Therefore, it was acceptable that we could have an abortion because it was "a mistake." That was one piece of advice I have never accepted. To accept that her life was a mistake, because she wasn't "perfect," is to not believe that God is in control. Is God good or isn't He? Is He good all the time? Does He really care about us? Do I believe that God will help me through difficult times in this imperfect world? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. The best advice came from a nurse. She told us to have our answer ready before the questions come. Many people will ask questions, and if we prepare our answers now, we will be ready to face the questions. I took this to heart, because I knew that my own daughter would have the most questions, and I wanted to be ready.

There were several difficult topics that we knew we would have to tell our daughter about as she grew older. I wondered how and when I would have to explain these things to her. I contemplated this when she was only 6 months old, and I was already overly concerned about it. I felt that I needed some wisdom on this matter. What will I tell her? How will I answer her own questions? How do I explain why she must have a daily injection? How do I explain that she will probably never be able to give birth? How do I explain why she must have strange tests at the cardiologist's? Amazingly, the Lord answered me immediately with this, "For You formed my inward parts, You knit me together in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well....." Psalm 139:13-14

This answer was the all purpose answer to every question - the very foundation that would guide every discussion. You are wonderfully made.....purposefully made......miraculously formed......God's creation is beautiful, and I can be thankful for who I am. And now, six years later, as the questions begin to unfold, I stand ready with God's wisdom which marvelously puts our lives into the right perspective. While mystery is woven into understanding God's sovereign plan, the truth is that this world is a sinful, broken, place where suffering invades every person's life in some form, and the truth is that God is still in control and will one day bring an end to all suffering. In the mean time, we live by faith, trusting that God did fearfully and wonderfully make us, and we will praise Him rather than despise what we are.

The Surrendered Life

The surrendered life is......

accepting what God gives,
adjusting your life to the unexpected plans,
joyfully laying down your own plans,

not despising the suffering that God gives,
not despising the work that God gives,
not despising the provision that God gives,
not delighting in something else,

looking for joy in what you are given,
listening quietly with open hands,
moving beyond the temporary,
receiving hope in things that are eternal,

letting go of the disappointments,
loving the present gifts,
looking past pain to find joy,
looking past self to find Christ,

......this is an exchanged life.

Galatians2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me."



The time leading up to Easter found us stricken with a strange virus that left us (the parents) quite unable to do anything. Extremely painful swollen joints made even sitting, standing, and sleeping difficult. Opening bottles, bags, and bananas was unthinkable! With much painful pulling we had to take off our wedding rings. Thankfully, we took turns with the virus, leaving only one of us ill at one time so we could take care of the children. Thank you to those who prayed for our recovery!
The real test was not so much the physical pain, but what to do with loss of time. There is so much work to do. We know the seriousness of our language study, we see our unbelieving friends, we know that time is fleeting. It was very difficult for life to come to a sudden halt in our house! At least when we have a cold we can throw some dirty clothes in the washer, and when we have the flu we can boil water to make some soup. But this time, I wasn't able to do anything but sit and feel the pain! I suddenly can relate to those who suffer with arthritis or autoimmune disorders. My thoughts were also on the cross. I could not imagine the depth of Christ's pain and the lingering suffering leading up to his death. And in a unique way, the physical suffering brought me into deeper fellowship with Him.


As for the "loss of time," God is able to redeem what Satan tried to scheme. I believe it is no coincidence that our family becomes ill at important times. God is able to work everything to conform to the purposes of His will, Ephesians 1:11. God is sovereign, and His ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are deeper than my thoughts. What to do with the suffering? Embrace it and trust Him. Habakkuk, whose name means "embrace," knew that terrible suffering was coming to him and his people. And he chose to say, "Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high places." Hab. 3:16-19

"Suffering is a mystery, but not so much a mystery that I cannot trust you." Joni Eareckson Tada

Third Culture Kids

What's it like growing up in another country? I wouldn't know, but as I observe my kids I see the differences between their childhood and mine. They are Americans absorbing the Hungarian culture, which equals a unique mix - a third culture. Here's some of the new things they have encountered while living here:



They watch Dora and Diego in Hungarian,
Electronic toys talk in Hungarian,
Language doesn't really matter when there is another kid to play with,
When we buy a DVD here, we get to choose from Czech, Polish, Romanian, Slovenian, Slovakian, Hungarian or English language,
Our cereal boxes can have ingredients written in up to 20 languages on the back,
We don't use idioms in our house, or try very hard not to use them simply because they are too difficult to explain to the kids,
Our son has friends from around the world at the international school,
Our daughter prefers to play while speaking Hungarian even while at home,
I had to explain corn dogs, smores, root beer floats, and Taco Bell,
Toy selection here is nothing compared to ToysRUs or Walmart (I am grateful for this),
Toy selection here is very expensive, and we don't buy unplanned purchases,
They know the clothes drying rack works better than the dryer,
And to turn on the AC they open the window (in the van or in the house),
Free drink refills and ice at a restaurant?
No free ketchup at McDonalds,
Fast food restaurants are not a part of our daily life, so we eat healthier!
The girls have learned how to make biscuits and roll out tortillas and pizza dough,
They have learned that anything you want to eat can be made at home - and you don't need a boxed mix!!!
They love paprika on their food,
Pre-packaged "snacks" are too expensive or non-existent, so we eat fruit, homemade cookies, etc.,
The fresh breads and rolls are in abundance and our kids know how to choose a good croissant,
The children help carry our bags to the stores, help bag the groceries, and like to pay the 100 forint to "rent" a grocery cart!
They visit their grandparents through Skype, and
Church is not about great programs, large video screens, age-graded classes, or colorfully printed take-home papers......it's simply a group of people who meet together, adults and children together, to pray, sing, and share the Word.

Talking to Strangers

Some of the neatest conversations with Hungarians have happened because we stopped and initiated the conversation. We noticed this lady sitting on a bench trying to sell her handmade beaded eggs. We walked past her because we were tired and ready to go home, but then we looked at each other and knew we should go back and talk to her. She was selling her little beaded eggs for 600 forint, that's about $3.00. But she was more interested in our children and why we were in Hungary. Fortunately, our English-accented Hungarian and our American culture were of some interest to her, and she had lots of questions. We had a great conversation and some instant bonding, and we were so glad that we stopped. People are always more important than our agendas. You never know who could be in need of a little friendship.....and usually you are the one who will be blessed the most.



We went home with less forint but more love, and eggs in our pockets.

Red, White & Green

March 15 is an important holiday in Hungary, and all who celebrate wear a red, white, and green ribbon on their lapel or wave the flag. We decided to avoid the crowds and speeches but wanted to be out in the city, so we went to Gellert Hill. There are great slides that the kids enjoy sliding down. The spring weather is just perfect! This place was swarming with families all enjoying some sunshine after the long dreary winter.



From Gellert Hill you can look out over the city and the Danube River. The green Freedom Bridge is one of our favorites, and this day it was decorated with Hungarian flags.



The Petofi Bridge in the distance,



the Chain Bridge,



and the Elizabeth Bridge - the real favorite in our family! If you look closely you can see the Hungarian flags waving their red, whlte, and green.

A Rare Day

We went to Hungary's National Rare Disease Day and were thrilled to see the number of organizations represented. It truly was a rare day to have so many people who are affected by rare disorders to be under one roof, and it was a beautiful sight to see so many people working together to promote equality. We were also able to meet some new friends who are affected by Turner Syndrome and who are interested in working together to spread awareness and support to families.



There were tables with information available on numerous rare disorders, but not one for Turner Syndrome. It is my hope that Christ will use us to comfort others with the comfort that He has given us, and that every part of our lives will be used for HIS glory.




My eyes were filled with tears as I watched the dancers, who in that moment found such joy and freedom in their abilities. Christ offers unparalleled freedom and joy, and even hope in the midst of strange, daunting experiences. The acceptance that Christ offers is indeed rare among a hurting world that often fails to acknowledge the needs of our weakest and most vulnerable people.




"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 5:16

This Little Light

We recently visited a local "cave" which was really an old rock quarry. Rocks were cut out of this to use in the magnificent Parlament that sits on the Danube River. Now that this "cave" is no longer used for mining, some people have "rented" a small room inside to grow mushrooms. The cool, damp, dark conditions are perfect for growing mushrooms. We never would have known about this if some locals in downtown Diosd didn't whisk Monte away one afternoon to show him the little rooms inside. We've seen the cave many times but never went inside. I admit, I was a little apprehensive because it was completely dark inside, and we had to walk until we found the small light where the workers were. We were too late to get any fresh mushrooms, and they told us to come back at 8AM. We did get to share Christ with one of the workers - standing in the dark holding flashlights - and the reality is that this is what we are doing everyday. We are living in a spiritually dark, dark place, and are shining a little light into the darkness.

"I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of LIFE." John 8:!2