Budapest 20/10

WHAT FABULOUS SUPPORTERS! THANKS!

2010-11-08T12:23:00.000-08:00

We were truly blessed by the outpouring of interest and love we felt from our prayer partners and financial supporters Sunday evening.

We've come so far together with your prayers.

And it was so great to enjoy a time of food and fellowship with all of you who supported us with prayer and/or financial support during our training and trip.

It was great to get a chance to share some of our story with you--
some of the things God did while we were in Budapest.

We appreciate all of you so much!

PLEASE JOIN US SUNDAY EVENING

2010-11-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

The trip is over and our hearts are full of praise for how God used this trip...please join us to see a brief skit we've prepared to give you the highlights of our trip and how it touched our hearts.

Sunday evening (November 7) in the Crossroad's Cafe at 6pm.

We'll have refreshments (some Eastern European specialties).

A Few Hours With a Great Man

2010-10-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

"Communism set out to destroy me.

But Communism is gone and I am still here!"

Father Placid

In the small room where he lives and reads

He is not great in stature, but Father Placid is great in faith. Of all of the events that our team participated in this week, this one is perhaps the one that can not be duplicated. Meeting Father Placid, a 94 year old priest who suffered in a Russian Gulag for his faith, was a rare opportunity to meet a man who played an important role in God's Story here on earth...the story of faith and perseverance, the story of God's love for man and His strength and purpose in the midst of suffering.

Edina interpreted for Father Placid.

Please read the article below, written in 2004, when we (Michael and Gail) first met Father Placid. He retold many of the stories in this article, and he told some new ones. One new story I'd like to share happened three years ago when a priest friend of Father Placid was visiting a hospital. In this hospital, a man lay dying and this dying man asked the priest if he knew a specific man. The priest said, "Yes, I know that man because he was an especially harsh judge who sentenced me to the Russian gulag." The dying man then confessed that he was that man, and the priest told him that it was time to repent..."you will soon be forced to repent, or you can do it now of your own free will." The dying man did repent...to one who he had oppressed and the former prisoner prayed for the soul of his former judge. Minutes later the judge passed into eternity to meet his final JUDGE.

Father Olofsson—Grace In and Out of the Gulag

A Small Room, A Great Man

In November 2004 during our first three months in Budapest, Hungary, Michael and I had an opportunity to meet Father Carl Olofsson, a Hungarian priest who spent ten years of his life in a Russian Gulag. I will always remember that evening as a glimpse into God’s incredible grace.

High European ceilings with ornate trim and yellowing paint created an old world charm in the small room that Father Olofsson calls home. Disorderly stacks of books lined the walls and spilled over onto the massive antique desk. In contrast, the Father’s single bed was neatly made with an old blanket. Next to it sat a small table topped with a clean piece of Hungarian lace and two small plants.

We put our coats on the bed as Father Olofsson offered us seats in massive antique chairs with pieces of colored cloth covering their threadbare seats. A large framed award from the mayor of Budapest was propped against one wall. Hanging above it was a painting of three generations of Olofssons, a teen-aged Carl being the youngest. Olofsson is a Swedish name, but his family has lived in Hungary for hundreds of years.

During our conversation, Father Olofsson was animated and cheerful. His eyes danced, his hands moved rapidly in gesture, and from time to time he clasped his wrinkled fingers in delight. He laughed frequently while he spoke with us, and the lines of his face revealed tenderness and kindness. His overall impression was gentle and happy without a hint of the godly suffering he had endured.

109 Years Old

Our friend, Mary, translated as Father Olofsson (or Father Placid as his order of St. Benedict named him) explained his recent visit to a Hungarian nursing home. “I told them I was 109 years old and they were my little nieces and nephews,” he said, laughing mischievously, “because every year in the Army is worth two normal years, and every year in prison is worth three normal years, and I spent one year in the Army and ten years in a Russian gulag. So that makes me 109!” (He was actually 88.) A smile broke across his wrinkled face and he put his clasped hands to his lips in delight. When my husband, Michael said that (according to those calculations) he is 77 years old (he spent 22 years in the U.S. Army), Placid laughed and grabbed Michael’s hand for a hardy shake.

Speaking through Mary, Father Olofsson encouraged us to take some of the cookies and juice he had arranged on a small table next to us. Although he has a seminary degree and he knows several languages fluently, English is not one of them.

A Dainty Portrait

Mary explained to Father Placid that she had spent the previous evening telling us some of the stories from his biography (A Hit Pajzsa—The Shield of Faith). He nodded his head humbly, then jumped up and pulled a small case (about 3”x 3”) from his desk drawer. When opened, it revealed a tiny discolored mirror on one side and a small picture of a woman’s face on the other. On closer examination, we found that the picture was actually a small, detailed painting of excellent quality. The Father explained that this is one of his mementos from the gulag.

When the Russian guards discovered Placid had artistic skills,(1) they assigned him to do portrait work. Because he did so well on these portraits, a fellow prisoner approached him and asked him to paint a portrait on his mirror case (one of the few possessions prisoners were allowed). Placid was a bit fearful because this man was not a political prisoner—he was a violent man who had killed 23 people! What would happen if Placid’s portrait displeased him? But the Father had no reason to fear. The murderer was extremely pleased with the portrait and offered Placid protection in exchange.

This little mirror case exemplifies the quality with which Father Olofsson does everything in his life. It makes me think of the Old Testament story of Joseph and the way he found favor in everything he did, even in prison.

Arrested at age twenty, the Father spent ten years in the Siberian prison camp. He was beaten, forced to do hard labor, and fed only a small portion of bread and thin soup daily. Sometimes he and the other prisoners ate the bitter sap of birch trees, which they hoped would provide some additional vitamins for their survival. They slept in a comfortless cell without a blanket during the cold Siberian winters. When another prisoner stole his only pair of shoes, Placid walked and worked the frozen Siberian ground without shoes. When released, he weighed a mere 86 pounds.

He Knew His Purpose

“What kept you from discouragement during those years of suffering?” I asked him.

Father Olofsson explained, “It was very hard for me at first because I didn’t know my purpose. But soon God let me know that I was there to help the other prisoners, and my attitude must give them hope. Before this I would often cry; afterwards I tried to remain happy for the sake of the others. It was especially hard for me when part way through my ten-year sentence, they gave an early release to prisoners with much longer sentences than I had. But I knew God had a purpose for me to stay.” (Again I thought of Joseph who was “forgotten” in prison.)

A Theology Teacher

Father Placid insisted he must smile in pictures with the women and look serious with the men

Placid had always dreamed of teaching theology, and in an unusual way, he did just that. He ministered as a friend and priest in the gulag to guards and prisoners alike, and he did it in some creative ways. For example, he realized that his Russian captors did not understand Hungarian, so he sometimes sang messages to Hungarian prisoners while he scrubbed the floors or toilets. The guards thought he was simply singing a meaningless song, but it was one of his creative methods of ministry. And when his time for release came, he and some of his fellow prisoners voluntarily stayed a few days longer to help a Russian guard finish some work!(2) This is certainly a living example of Matthew 5:43-48.

Appropriately Framed

Father Placid has a warm sense of humor, and he comes by it naturally—his heavenly Father has one too. If you doubt that, all you need to do is hear some of the Father’s stories. For example, the Russians were unfamiliar with the European toilet so when the prison commander confiscated some German toilet seats from a captured train, he didn’t know what they were. The commander of the prison ordered the father to place Stalin and Lenin’s portraits in these new “frames.” Father Placid felt compelled to eventually explain this mistake to the commander, but the frames were put up long enough for the non-Russian prisoners to be cheered and amused by this fitting tribute to the Communist patriarchs.

"I am a happy man. I'm a child of the Gospel and the Gospel means 'good news.' There is no kind of suffering that can ruin that."

House of Terror

Placid shared the love of Christ, saw many of his fellow prisoners converted, and tried his best to administer the sacraments. Several prisoners worked secretly to craft a challis for his use, and this crude gift of their love for the father now sits in the House of Terror, the Budapest museum which reveals the atrocities of the secret police during the years of Communism. The museum is located in the same building where Father Placid and others were interrogated and tortured before they were sent to the gulag.

Placid’s Curriculum of Survival

While in the gulag, Father Placid developed a “curriculum” of survival with four main points:
1. Never complain. It only discourages you further.
Find something about which you can rejoice each day. Perhaps there are a few extra pieces of potato floating in the thin broth that is your daily ration of soup. When a guard passes, perhaps he does not require that you remove your hat in the icy wind.
Under Father Placid, the prisoners actually had contests to see who could find the most reasons to
rejoice. One prisoner found 17 reasons to rejoice during one of his days of gulag suffering!
3. Remember that you are never alone. Jesus is with you and He will give you strength.
We are all men, guard and prisoner alike, but we can show the guards that we are a different kind of men
because of Jesus.

The Communists arrested Father Placid without ever explaining the charges against him because his only crime was an outspoken love for God and his fellowman. For the first eight years of his imprisonment, he had no contact with anyone outside the gulag, and his family did not know where he was or whether he was alive. When he was released, he sent someone ahead to prepare his aging mother for his return. At that time, she still lived in the family apartment on Bartok Bela Street in Budapest where Placid and his sister were raised. The small room where we visited Father Olofsson is in that same apartment. A high school teacher now rents the larger part of the apartment and provides some assistance to the father.

Working For the Lord Even in the Laundry

For 10 years after his release, Father Olofsson was a marked man, watched constantly by the Communists. Unable to resume his duties as a priest, he began working at a hospital laundry where he soon became the director. Father Olofsson excelled at whatever he did because God was with him. The Bible does not tell us whether the patriarch Joseph had the same glow that Placid has, but the Father has trust and forgiveness similar to Joseph (see especially Genesis 50:19-21).

Before we visited Father Olofsson, Mary helped us learn the phrase “May Jesus Christ be praised” in Hungarian. This is a phrase of greeting used by Hungarian Catholics to which the one greeted responds “forever!” The father was delighted at our poor attempt to recite the phase, and he chuckled as he told us how ironic it was when the former Communist mayor said “forever!” when Father Olofsson praised Jesus at his recent award ceremony.

The Christian world knows the story of Corrie Ten Boom (who spent about a year in a Nazi concentration camp because she aided escaping Jews). We also know the stories of a few others, but many more of these suffering saints remain anonymous. Some died with only God as a witness to their faith; others survived but remain unknown to the world.

Some, like Father Olofsson, live humbly, barely aware of their impact on the Kingdom. And they continue to serve. Father Olofsson lets neither his age nor his past service deter him from his active life of church duties, speaking engagements and visits to the sick. Our land lady Mary, who sees the Father regularly, said that he is always cheerful and always full of wisdom about God. He has received some recognition (as the framed award from the mayor attests), but he is largely unknown and underestimated by the world in which he lives.

Western Christians have skills and knowledge that we can offer Christians in former Communist countries, but Father Olofsson and others like him can teach us something we know little about—they can teach us what it means to share in Christ’s sufferings (Phil. 3:7-11).

After our meeting, I asked myself: Do I have the kind of faith that can survive cruelty and injustice? Will I still trust my Savior when everything around me crumbles? Do I focus my prayers on my own conveniences and comforts or on the kingdom purposes of God?

I am grateful for the faith of Father Olofsson which encourages me to press on, to know Christ better, to serve him with a stronger resolve, to appreciate the little blessings and see inconveniences as opportunities for character growth.

The day following our visit, Michael and I saw Father Olofsson walking down Bartok Bela toward his apartment building. I wondered what he was thinking as he walked against the icy Budapest wind—was he thinking of those wintry days in Siberia when he had no coat or shoes? With a cane in one hand and a briefcase in the other, he looked rather frail and alone…but I knew that he was neither!

(1)—In our 2010 meeting with Father Placid, the interpreter explained that Father Placid had confessed to being an artist, thinking the guards would leave him alone. But, to his surprise, the commander of the prison asked him to paint his portrait. The Father said it took quite a bit of practice to improve his skills, but after a number of attempts, he began painting decent portraits.
(2)—In our 2010 meeting, if Father Placid was relating the same incident, it appears their work was for an individual who had contracted with the prison in order to meet his government quota for lumber work. Father Placid and other prisoners who were soon to be released were exempt from this work, but they chose to do it anyway to help this man meet his quota so he would not get in trouble.

Pray for Father Placid and for others like him. Pray that younger Hungarians, who never suffered under atheistic Communism, will understand their need for God. Pray for the Catholic Church in Hungary and for Catholic Christians. Pray for unity among genuine Believers, whether Catholic or Protestant.

PLEASE READ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ADDED TO MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY BLOG ARTICLES--(IN RED).

Friday English Club

2010-10-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

Our team had some free time on Friday to explore the beautiful city of Budapest...This picture is taken on the banks of the Danube with the Parliament building in the background.

But before our free time, we attended another KEGY church English Club where Tammy gave her testimony and others on our team participated in English conversation with Hungarian English students.

PLEASE PRAY FOR FRED WHO HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING SCIATIC NERVE PAIN. PRAY FOR A SAFE TRIP FOR PAM AND GREG ON SUNDAY MORNING AS THEY RETURN TO THE STATES. PRAY FOR THE REST OF THE TEAM AS WE ORGANIZE AND FINISH UP ALL OF OUR WORK AND PREPARE TO RETURN.

Thursday--Some Time Off Before Amazing Love Meeting

2010-10-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

Thursday morning we got a little extra sleep and then went to the Fine Arts Museum for a class and tour by Jane Stevens, a good friend of mine (Gail) here in Budapest. Jane has worked as a docent for several years and gives a course called "The Bible Illuminates Art."

Pam and Greg look at a 15th century fresco--see comment by Jane describing this piece of art, and click on picture to enlarge it.

God uses this class to share His Word with people who are interested in art because Jane always includes Bible reading in the lessons and shows how art reflects or fails to reflect God's Word. Jane explained that many of the old works of art contained symbols to help the people (most of whom could not read) to identify Biblical characters. For example, a raven or eagle would have helped them recognize the Apostle John in a painting. A lion might be used to identify Mark, a bull or ox to identify Luke, an angel to identify Matthew. This Hungarian museum has some incredible works on art many of them dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries.

Raphael's 1508 Esterhazy Madonna

The Lost Madonna

One of the things Jane hands out at her classes is her testimony using an interesting and relevant theme. Please take time to read this...I think you will enjoy it:

In the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, Hungary, there hangs an unfinished masterpiece. It is considered the jewel of the collection: Raphael’s 1508 Esterhazy Madonna, named after the Hungarian prince who sold it to the state in 1872.

Although incomplete, it is an extremely valuable painting-- because of the greatness of the artist and the rare insights into Raphael’s compositional skills. According to experts it is a mature composition of an accomplished master, capable of realizing his aims completely. In it we can view Raphael’s work in progress, especially when compared with an earlier version, The Madonna of the Meadow, in Vienna’s Museum of Art History.

But in November 1983 Budapest’s small-scale masterpiece took some unexpected detours.

It was among seven Italian masterpieces stolen. Although the lost treasure included another Raphael, a Tintoretto, a Giorgioni, and two Tiepolos, the Esterhazy Madonna was considered the brightest star in that constellation.

Three weeks later the ornamental inner mounting of the Madonna’s frame and its stretcher were discovered in a jute bag in the Danube River. After an anonymous tip in January 1984 Interpol recovered the Madonna and five of the paintings in a suitcase, dropped in the garden of a Greek monastery 100 miles west of Athens, Greece. The museum’s curator personally traveled to Athens to retrieve the cache and restore the paintings to their rightful place.

Like this painting my incomplete life has had its share of unexpected detours. Yet in God’s eyes I am still considered ’His workmanship.’ What a strange concept: to think that I am valuable—not in my own right, but because of the greatness of the master who created me. It reminds me of the saying, ’Please be patient. God is not finished with me yet!’

From childhood I wanted to know and please God, but as a young adult I went my own way and ignored God. I lived only to please myself and felt I had achieved some success in life. I had exciting, well-paid jobs – working first as a court stenographer, then as legal secretary to a Senator, and in the early 1970’s landing a job as an undercover agent for the State of Virginia. I was the first woman in the country to hold that position, which granted me police authority and a gun. However, when my oldest brother died suddenly in a car crash I began questioning the meaning of life. What was my life really for? Was there life after death? What shape should my future take?

By reading the Bible I gradually learned that God has plans and a purpose for my life far better than anything I could have envisioned. The Divine Designer will one day make all things new in Christ Jesus, including me and all my flaws. He loves to redeem and restore his creations, returning them to their rightful place. He gives our lives true perspective and puts us back in the frame. For after all, God is in the restoration business.

Fred speaks while Anima interprets.

The rest of our day was spent preparing for our Amazing Love meeting which began at 6:30 with popcorn and an ice breaker game from the Golgota English Home Fellowship (a group that helped us put on this meeting).

Next we put together a puzzle that showed how each of us is a part of God's plan. When completed, the puzzle was the face of Christ.

Then Fred and Tammy did a skit that gave the message of God's creation and His Love for mankind. The skit kept everyone's attention and got the message across in an interesting way. Fred wrapped up the evening by offering to pray with anyone who had not yet made a decision for Christ. Everyone seemed to enjoy the evening, and I'm sure that Christians were encouraged and seeds were planted.

Wednesday--More School Ministry and Missionary Foot Washing

2010-09-30T05:28:00.000-07:00

Today (Wednesday 9-29) was another blessing to us who are here doing ministry...another day when we have received more than we've given.

Pam, Greg, Fred, Michael and Tammy were up early again this morning having English conversation with high school students in the public schools, inviting them to evangelistic meetings presented by Campus Crusade for Christ.

Gail and Ann were busy all day baking, cleaning, and organizing for the evening meeting.

While the men attended a mid-week evening service at a Hungarian church, the women presented their "Beautiful Feet" (Isaiah 52:7) meeting for missionaries. Invitations for this meeting were sent out several months ago, and our goal was to bless a particular group of female missionaries. This meeting was held in the team flat, and we feel like we achieved our goal to bless these woman who labor full-time on the mission field, away from family and country.

AT this point the women had finished their bracelets with Ann's help. We are blessed to have a team flat with such a large kitchen and enough chairs to seat everyone.

Ann and Tammy offered devotions, Ann helped everyone make a piece of jewelry, and Tammy washed and massaged the feet of these saints while Gail prayed for each woman individually.

Pam set up prayer partners for these woman while we were still in the States, and the women were excited to get a card with their prayer partners pictures and information on it. In fact, they asked us to tell them more about the women who have agreed to pray for them for a year.

We served brownies and cookies and each missionary went home with a gift bag full of special food and cosmetic items. The meeting was supposed to end at 8:45pm, but it went on past 9:30pm. One of the missionaries joked about whether we needed to "kick them out." I think they enjoyed being served for a change since so much of their lives are spent serving others.

Giving out gift bags and final hugs to the ladies as they leave.

It was interesting to see how differently each woman designed her bracelet, and how differently each woman reflects the design our God. We had missionaries from Bulgaria, Serbia, and America attend, and they blessed us more than we blessed them!

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR REMAINING MEETINGS--GOD'S PURPOSES AND GOD'S WILL.

UPDATE: FEEDBACK

We were the ones who were most blessed by our ministry to the missionary women, but I want to share portions of a couple of emails I received afterward:

"I just wanted to say a big thank you to you and Ann, Tammy and Pam for last night! It was an encouragement indeed! I felt so special. I so appreciate the planning and thoughtfulness that all of you put into the details of the evening and each one of you blessed us with your own unique gifts and talents. Thank you for all the time and effort and resources that were invested to make it such a special time. (and i love my bracelet too! :-) May the Lord bless the rest of your time here in Budapest and pour back into you all that you have given out."

"Tammy, Anne, Pam, and Gail,

Thank you so much for the lovely evening!! It was absolutely fantastic and sweet! I pray that God's blesses each of you for your servant's heart this evening. I came home relaxed and refreshed. Thanks! The gift baskets were amazing too. Thanks for the thoughtfulness and generosity!"

Dear Budapest 20/10 Team. Thank you so much for the special treatment I received on Wednesday evening. What a blessing to be prayed for and have my feet washed. I am looking forward to beginning a friendship with my prayer partner...The jewelry making was fun. The gift bag was such a wonderful surprise...Thank you for all the love you poured out on us.

Tuesday Public School Ministry and Women's Precious Love Meeting

2010-09-29T05:12:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Ministry, by Ann Wayne

Fred Vanpelt is enjoying time in a Hungarian English speaking high school class room. This is part of the Campus Crusade Blitz in the high schools which leads up to some special evangelistic meetings for the youth. Notice the graffiti on the bulletin boards in the background.

Several of the Budapest Team members met with Hungarian English speaking students on Tuesday after school at a local Burger King. We had met them during their school day while working with Campus Crusade groups in the high school.

We held a seminar for Hungarian women titled "Precious Love" on Tuesday evening.

Tammy Blackburn spoke on how precious we are to God. The event was held at the Budapest Christian Library.

The women were instructed on making bracelets that reminded them of God's love for them. Ann Wayne gave an instructional devotion for making the jewelry. Both devotions were translated.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR REMAINING ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK: PRAY THAT PEOPLE WILL ATTEND AND BE BLESSED!

Monday Was Busy and Worthwhile

2010-09-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

Monday Ministry

We had "Chopping Devotions"--we prayed while we chopped fresh vegetables for the evening meal. Greg had planned the recipes and they required some work, so we added prayer to the recipe as well. Fred's songs while we chopped vegetables kept things very interesting!

The Evening English Club operated as an evangelism outreach at the church gave us several opportunities to interact with Hungarians, many of whom are not Christians.

Greg's vegetable pasta salad was a great hit. It seems everyone enjoyed it very much.

Many took home left overs to have later. The two little boys in the lower left hand corner especially enjoyed the cookies!


Fred Shares his testimony with translation. I know hearts were touched by his heart felt message and the Gospel was clearly presented.

Second from the left is a new friend to most of us, although Michael and Gail know her well. Her name is Sondi (pronounced shoon-dee) and she and her husband are the hosts for the English Club.

Feed Back from the English Club Directors

Thanks so much for coming to the English Clubs with the team. I know the students really enjoyed your visit and it was good for them to hear Fred and Tammy share. One of my students, Ilona, said it’d be nice to have the team here for a month as it made the English lesson very unique in that everyone was able to practice with a native speaker in small groups.

Shaun and Sondi

Saturday and Sunday--Arrival and Meeting our Hungarian Prayer Partners

2010-09-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

The Team arrived safely and soundly....everything came through fine except one box of ministry supplies.

Michael and Gail Kept them awake as long as they could that first day....

After church at two different churches, we met for lunch with a group of international Christian friends.

On Sunday evening we met with our Budapest prayer partners...

And the lost box finally arrived.

Please pray for our continuing ministry. Please check your schedules and pray us through each event.

View From Above

2010-09-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

Michael and I are presently in Budapest preparing for the arrival of the Budapest 20/10 team--Pam and Greg Popovich, Fred VanPelt, Tammy Blackburn, and Ann Wayne.

As I looked down from an old stone balcony the other day, I thought about perspective. We human beings see things so differently than our Father sees them from above. We have such a small view of the whole picture.

Our team has been praying for God to give us "20/10" vision. By that we mean that we want to see things better than normal, better than human 20/20.

We want to see things from God's perspective--to see what God sees in each person we meet in Budapest, each event we present, each ministry we help perform. Faith has so much to do with perspective. Being content and peace filled has so much to do with perspective. Being useful has so much to do with perspective.

One perspective of the Hungarian Parliament

Please pray with us as we ask God for 20/10 vision.

Greg, Pam, Fred, Ann and Tammy leave for Budapest THIS FRIDAY!!

Please don't let them go without your prayers.

Are You Hungry? We Are!

2010-09-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

We're preparing for this upcoming Sunday's Cafe event!

The Budapest team is getting excited....getting hungry for Hungary....How about you? Please join us this upcoming Sunday in the Crossroads's Cafe for a wonderful morning of baked goods, hot and cold beverages, and information on our upcoming mission trip to Budapest!

We need your prayers, so stop by before or after any worship service and pick up a prayer schedule and photo prayer card.

Michael and Gail are already in Europe, and they will soon be preparing things for our trip. Please pray for them as well.

Michael and Gail are celebrating their 40th anniversary in Croatia...shown here above the island city of Hvar.

Are We Ready? Not Yet! Will We Be? You Bet!

2010-08-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Prayer Supporters:
We have been practicing and planning and practicing and planning...and things are all falling into place. This month we've been practicing devotions and other activities for our events in Budapest, and it's been fun to see all of the creativity coming out of our team members! Please pray for us as we do this preparation...may we listen to God's heart and be diligent in all that we do!

Error Correction

2010-08-02T06:04:00.000-07:00

Oops!...whose been messing with my computer??

The COFFEE IN BUDAPEST event at the Crossroads Cafe is on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH, NOT 11TH. (I'm glad it's not on the anniversary of 9/11!)

Please come and give us a hug and a prayer.

It will be 2 weeks before we leave for Budapest, and we will be blessed to know you are thinking of us and praying for us.

Coffee in Budapest Postponed

2010-08-01T05:15:00.000-07:00

Due to a number of factors, our "Coffee in Budapest" has been moved from August 8th to September 12th.

Please mark your calendar and plan to join us before, after and between any/all three church services in the Crossroad's Cafe that Sunday morning. There will be some special baked goods available for a donation, (some of which will be home made breads and pastries from Eastern European recipes). And there are a variety of hot and cold coffee beverages available in the Cafe as well as other cold drinks.

Don't miss this opportunity to support the important ministry of the Cafe and to learn more about the Budapest trip. The Budapest team will be working at the cafe and look forward to giving you one of their prayer cards and talking with you about their trip!

Read more about the purpose of this outreach on our previous blog post: Coffee in Budapest.

You're Invited to "Coffee in Budapest"...

2010-07-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

This is a cappuccino from McCafe in Budapest...this is not like your American McDonalds...no paper or plastic and the coffees are great.

But that was just to get your attention...we want you to join us for "Coffee in Budapest" on August 8th (NOW POSTPONED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 12) in the Crossroads Cafe. We'll be there before, after and during all three worship services with fun facts about Budapest and our trip the following month. Our Budapest team will be serving at the cafe and offering some special baked goods.

This is NOT a fund-raiser although any "tips" will go toward the Budapest team.

But we want you to get familiar with the Crossroad's Cafe, the great beverages they serve, and the warm and friendly atmosphere. It's a great place to hook up with friends before or after the service and enjoy coffee or a breakfast snack. Or you can sit awhile and watch the service on the big screen.

And it's a great place to meet our Budapest team on Sunday morning, August 8th.

Expect to hear more about this fun event as time draws near!

JUNE PRAYER REQUESTS

2010-06-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

We had a great team meeting this week, and we all would appreciate your prayers as we deal with family responsibilities, finances, and balance in our lives.

We are each preparing special events for the Budapest trip, and WE'RE EXCITED! Please read a preview of some of our ministry plans and note our prayer requests:

We arrive in Budapest on Saturday, September 25th, and we'll get settled in and try to get over the inevitable jet lag.

Sunday, September 26th, "God's Family Reunion"

Pam is planning an evening meeting with friends in Budapest who have partnered with us in prayer and offered to help with our events. She has given the meeting this great theme to remind us that we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Our prayer partners are American, Hungarian, Romanian, and British, so this is truly a slice of God's international family.

Please pray for Pam as she continues to plan this evening.**Please pray that God would bless this time and create bonds between us.

Monday, September 27th, KEGY English Club

We will be participating in English conversation at this English Club which operates out of KEGY church as an evangelistic outreach. Greg has planned an American meal of hot dogs, green bean casserole, and apple cobbler to let the Hungarian students sample a bit of America. Fred will be giving his testimony that evening and it will be translated into Hungarian.

Please pray as Greg plans menus and packs ingredients not available in Hungary. *** Please pray for Fred as he practices his testimony. *** Pray that God will anoint everything our team does this evening so that we can genuinely transmit God's love to these unsaved Hungarian English students of all ages (approximately 30 students).

Tuesday, September 28th, "Precious Love" Women's Meeting

Tammy is planning this event for an anticipated attendance of about 30-40 Hungarian women. During the evening, the women will create a piece of jewelry to remind them of God's love, enjoy a devotion, have dessert, and play an icebreaker game. All of these events will be translated.

Please pray for Tammy as she prepares for this meeting and for all of the women on the team who will be participating. *** Please pray that each woman will leave the evening with a better understanding of God's precious love.

Wednesday, September 29th, " Beautiful Love" Meeting for Women Missionaries in Budapest

Ann is planning this meeting for a few select female missionaries in Budapest who may not have as much support as other missionaries in the area. We will be doing some fun things that will hopefully encourage these woman and make them realize how beautiful they are to God.

Please pray for Ann as she continues to plan this event and for the rest of the team for our involvement in the evening. *** Please pray that these women will feel loved and encouraged by the evening's events.

Thursday, September 30, "Crazy Love" Meeting

Fred is the only one crazy enough to take on a meeting with this title, and he's hoping to create a fun atmosphere for the Hungarian men and women who attend through games, popcorn, music and a skit-dialogue.

We will have some help from an English home group from Golgota Church to make this meeting a success.

*** Pray for Fred as he continues to plan this event and for the rest of the team for our involvement that evening. *** Pray that the participants will be able to gain new insights about God's crazy love for us. We truly serve a God who loves us beyond all understanding....Crazy love!

Friday, October 1, KEGY English Club

Tammy will be giving a devotion at the morning version of the KEGY English Club.

Pray for Tammy as she prepares and pray that the Hungarian students will be touched by what she says.

Saturday, October 2, the Bible's Love Story Seminar

Gail has given this seminar in Budapest a number of times when she and Michael lived there, but she has always given it for women only. This time she and Michael are going to give the seminar presentations jointly and Fred is also going to participate. This is an overview of the Bible that stresses God's love beginning in Genesis and going throughout the Scriptures. It is designed to share the Gospel with unbelievers and to encourage believers at every stage of growth. With translation, this is an all day event with lunch served.

*** Please pray for Michael, Gail, and Fred as they practice the presentation. *** Please pray for all of the other team members involved in various aspects of the seminar, especially Greg as he plans to serve a Cobb Salad (another American specialty) to the Hungarians in attendance. *** Please pray that all participants will leave with a deeper love for God.

We will be doing other things while in Budapest, but this month we'd like to ask for prayer for these events that we are already praying for and planning. Please join us in prayer that we will have good PUBLICITY, PLANNING, AND PARTICIPATION.

WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR PRAYERS

2010-05-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Prayer Partners,
Thanks so much for agreeing to pray. These are our MAY PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Pray for the finances for our trip--we need to have the full amount for our airfare by the end of this month.

2. Pray for our trip preparations: Each team member is planning a particular event for the trip. Pray that each of us will faithfully seek God and prioritize our time so we can give these assignments our very best. Pray that Satan will gain no ground in his attempt to distract us from these purposes.

3. Pray for Pam and Greg as they deal with the loss of Pam's father who passed away last week. Pray for them as they help her mother and also help Greg's parents move to a new location.

4. Pray that God would already be preparing the way for our ministry in Budapest.
PUBLICITY--that our events would attract all of the people God wants to attract.
PLANS--that we would have wisdom as we decide where/how/when to plan our events.
PURPOSE--that the things we do and the things we say will be anointed and used by God to change hearts and lives.
PARTICIPANTS--that God would already be preparing the hearts of those in Budapest who we will meet.

5. Pray for our:

HEARTS--that we will be changed as we prepare for the trip and that our hearts will be changed forever by the events of the trip.
HEALTH--pray that we will be in good health as we prepare and in good health during our time in Budapest.

Thanks for Making our Friend-Raising Event a Sucess!

2010-05-12T19:18:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 12, the Budapest Team had a Friend-Raising Open House before and after the Prayer and Praise service. We thank all of you who came to the Crossroads Cafe and signed up to be on our prayer team! And we thank the team members who helped make this meeting a success--Pam for her expert planning and Fred for his enthusiasm and great posters!

Team Yard Sale Saturday, April 17

2010-04-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, April 17, the Budapest 20/10 Team had a yard sale. No one got rich but we met a lot of interesting people, told them about our mission trip, and had a good time. Thanks, Ann for all the planning you did for this! Click on the collage above to enlarge it.

Saving Santa

2010-04-17T14:17:00.000-07:00

Sadly, our yard sale was somewhat marred by the fact that Santa showed up homeless and discouraged. Gail found him on the ground crying.

Gail listened as Santa poured out his heart, and she discovered that he would soon be homeless. As if that wasn't bad enough, he was near to heat stroke in his warm clothing.

Tammy's son tried to understand Santa's problems, but this was complicated by the fact that he no longer believed in Santa.

Kim had a talk with Santa and told him that his "jolly old St. Nick" image was a scam. He was old all right, but not as jolly as he had led people to believe.

Fred tried to act like he cared even though he was the one kicking Santa out!

Michael also pretended like he cared, but he didn't fool anyone.

Janna invited Santa to sit and chat, but she never offered to take him home for fear he would scare the dogs.

Ann tried to offer some of her Southern charm, but you could tell by the way she touched him that she thought he had cooties.

Largely through Gail's kindness and counsel, Santa felt cheered enough to play on the only toy that Fred would let him touch.

But soon Santa was found by his adoptive father who gladly took him home to join other Santas he had rescued from other yard sales. We did have to wonder at the adoptive father's motives when he suggested that he might leave Santa outside for long periods of time in the winter, but we all hoped for the best.

Fred tried to retrieve his tarnished reputation in the end

But he looked a little too happy when Santa left.

Hungary's "Material Deprivation" Index

2010-04-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

A material deprivation index measures 9 criteria like a person's ability to take a brief vacation, whether they are able to eat meat every other day, whether they own a washing machine, car, or TV. The higher the number, the higher the amount of material deprivation in the country.

In the EU, only Romania and Bulgaria have higher MDI results than Hungary.

Below are some recent MDI results.

Luxembourg 4
Sweden 5
Netherlands 5
United Kingdom 11
Estonia 12
Germany 13
Czech Republic 16
Slovenia 17
Greece 22
Slovakia 28
Poland 32
Latvia 35

Hungary 37

Romania 50
Bulgaria 51

March Meetings End With Excitement For the Future!

2010-03-30T22:50:00.000-07:00

We've enjoyed meals together every week this last month.

It's been fun getting to know each other better and enjoy the laughter as well as the serious times.

Blessed Be the Name of the Lord (in Hungarian)

2010-03-28T10:26:00.000-07:00

How Great Is Our God (in Hungarian)

2010-03-28T10:13:00.001-07:00

Want to Participate in Budapest 20/10 Without Leaving the States?

2010-03-20T11:42:00.000-07:00

Would you like to participate in Budapest 20/10 without leaving the States? You can!

We seven team members on the Budapest 20/10 team need two things:

Prayer supporters

Financial supporters

Would you pray about investing in our team in one of these two ways?

Notify team leaders Michael and Gail Purath or any of the other members of the team if you would like to be a part of our prayer team.

If you would like to give financially, make checks payable to "Crossroads Church" and write "Budapest Team" in the memo line. Send this check to the church or drop it in the offering plate. This type of contribution will benefit the team as a whole.

If you would like to give to individual team members, who are each raising the money for their personal expenses, please write a check to "Crossroads Church" and mail or give it to the specific team member so they can make sure it is applied to their account. If you prefer to send it to the church, please include a note that the check should be used for a particular team member or it will be split among the entire team.

If you need team member addresses, please contact Michael and Gail Purath at: growthandrenewal@yahoo.com.

Church mailing address: Crossroads Church, 220 George W. Liles Parkway, Concord, NC 28027, attn: Missions

If you just came across this blog while surfing the net and need more information about giving or praying, please leave a comment/question.

Thanks!!

Fund Raising--"Thank You For Saying 'No'"

2010-03-18T07:56:00.000-07:00

By Kim Jackson

“I think I’m supposed to pay for your trip to Guatemala.”
“What?” I stared at my friend and mentally repeated what she’d said.
“I’ll have to pray about it, but I think I’m supposed to write you a check for the whole amount.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. What a gift! And it certainly relieved my anxiety about raising the money needed for my upcoming mission trip. It was especially timely since I had just recently been invited to go, and our team would be leaving in less than six weeks!

Wow! That’s fantastic. Thank You, God! Now I can move on to other things I need to do, like check on my passport, find and pack appropriate clothing, go to the required meetings, and prepare lessons.”

My excitement about my friend’s offer was short-lived, however
“Um, Kim, uh…. God said ‘No.’”
“What?”
“God said ‘No.’” He doesn’t want me to pay your way to Guatemala.”
“Are you sure?”
She smiled. “Yes. I prayed about it. He said ‘No.’”
“Oh, wow. Well, OK. Hmmm…I don’t suppose you would want me to ask Him?”
She smiled again. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“Right. Well, OK then. That’s settled. I guess I should pray about what He has in mind instead.”
“Good idea. ‘Ask Jesus,’ remember?”
“Right. ‘Ask Jesus.’”

My circle of friends nod knowingly when we hear the phrase “Ask Jesus.” A common friend, whom we all admire for her steadfast faith, speaks the phrase so often that we frequently stop her just as she is opening her mouth: “We know: Ask Jesus.”

Still, I was disappointed that God had said “No” when my friend asked. “Yes” seemed like the appropriate response to me! I couldn’t imagine why God wouldn’t want to bless me through the generosity of a friend. And I know He blesses those who give, so it seemed like a “win-win.”

I’m not comfortable asking people for money. I enjoy donating to my friends’ mission trip fundraising, but I don’t like being on the other end of it. If only there was another way.

Oh, right: “Ask Jesus.” So now it was my turn. I like to journal my prayers, so I wrote out my request: “Jesus, how would You like me to go about raising funds for this trip?” Even as I wrote that simple sentence I remembered praying with a friend about whether or not I should go. God’s powerful “Yes!” had been undeniable.

So why had I quit asking Jesus after receiving His initial go ahead? Certainly I needed to be praying about every aspect of the trip, including how to raise the needed funds.

I looked down at the journal page, reread my prayer, and waited. In the stillness I began to sense God’s assurance that He was going to help me write a very “not ordinary” fundraising letter. I didn’t know what that meant, but when I sat down at my computer, the ideas began to drop in my mind and flow out through my fingers onto the computer screen. The process became so enjoyable that at several points I actually laughed out loud. Finally, at 2:00 a.m., I had completed a fun and creative “Participation Invitation.”

So the letter was written. But who should I send it to? I am blessed with lots and lots of friends and acquaintances. Should I send it to everyone in my Rolodex?

Oops…I almost forgot: Ask Jesus. I went to my journal and wrote: “Jesus, who would You like me to send the letter to?”

I felt led to get my Rolodex and begin flipping through the address cards. I felt a Holy Spirit nudge when I got to some cards, while passing others by. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the selection. When I came to the “Z” section, I counted the names I’d written down. 1, 2, 3….20, 21, 22….. 33, 34, 35. Thirty five! That’s not enough, is it, Lord?

Waiting in the silence, I felt I’d heard correctly….and 35 was indeed my entire mailing list. OK, Lord, I know You know what You’re doing, but this seems a bit strange to me. And don’t forget, we had a donor who was willing to pay for the whole trip!

I began folding and stuffing the letters into the envelopes, then addressing and stamping each one. These are fun. People will enjoy them, if nothing else. But I sure hope for a lot more than that!

When I dropped the envelopes in the mail, I whispered a prayer. “OK, God. I think I did what You asked, so it’s all in Your hands now!”

The first response came from a dear friend who was facing her own financial hardship. She handed me a five-dollar bill—her widow’s mite—and said a prayer that God would multiply it again and again and again.

And did He ever! Walking to the mailbox soon became the highlight of my day. Responses flowed in. A friend I had taught Sunday School with sent a generous donation. Relatives, co-workers, and church members responded with joy and generosity. A huge check from my best friend in high school arrived. The enclosed note said that she had been putting back money to give to missions, and every time an opportunity came up, she would pray, “Is this it, Lord?” Each time she felt she should wait. When my letter arrived, God said “This is it!”

I was overwhelmed at the response. Out of 35 letters, 31 people responded. When the donations were totaled, there was so much beyond what I needed that I was able to give the mission organization $500 to buy medicines for the clinics we’d be holding, as well as purchase a lot of the craft project supplies needed for our children’s outreach.

It was amazing to see God’s faithfulness. And I hadn’t even left the country yet!

The trip proved to be just as amazing. There were many opportunities to trust God and bless others. I knew without a doubt that I had heard correctly. I was supposed to be on the trip.

But I also knew that my friend had heard God’s voice. And I began to thank Him for telling her “No.”

God’s “No” helped my faith grow because it required more to believe for the needed funds than to simply deposit one check from a single donor. Plus, it had been fun to co-create my fundraising letter with the Author of my life! I also felt the joy of hearing and obeying when I sent the letter to the specific people He selected. Next, every person who received the letter was asked to pray, so my prayer base expanded. And those who had been waiting for God to say “Yes,” like my high school friend, could experience God’s pleasure in their obedience.

When I returned from the trip I enjoyed creating a follow-up letter, including photos and stories. Instead of handing it to just one donor, I delighted in sending it to my “support team” in North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and Florida.

The blessings were multiplied because God said “No” when I wanted a “Yes.” I was reminded through this experience that God sees the big picture. Not only that, He has a plan that fits with His perspective, not mine. And He loves it when I ask Him what it is!

But the story didn’t end with my return from Guatemala. It’s been three years, and now I find myself in a different sort of challenge regarding finances. The friend who had earlier heard God say “No” is not aware of my situation. Yet Friday morning she called and wanted to meet for lunch.

At the restaurant she slipped an envelope across the table. When I opened the beautiful card, I discovered several twenty dollar bills. “Oh, no, I…”

My shock went through the roof when I saw a check for $900.00. “Oh, my, oh, I couldn’t…”

“Then you’ll need to argue with God,” my friend said, “because He told me to give you one thousand dollars.”
“But I…”
“I don’t know what’s going on with you, Kim, but when I was praying I felt I wanted to give you some money. As I prayed about it more, God said “Yes.” I sensed Him say that the amount was to be a thousand dollars. I asked two friends to pray about it to make sure I was hearing correctly. They both said ‘Yes, it’s right.’ So please accept it. From God—not me.”

Choking back tears, I looked at my friend and said, “You can never know…This will help so much! I can hardly believe it. I am overwhelmed. Just overwhelmed.”
“Kim, God loves you so much. Don’t forget that!”
“I know it’s true, but I’m sure grateful for this wonderful reminder! It’s incredible how God has used you. Thank you so much for helping me learn that God’s ‘No’ as well as His ‘Yes’ are loving answers…in His perfect timing.”

First Team Meeting

2010-03-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

What a great team we have for the Budapest 20/10 trip! We had our first team meeting Tuesday evening. I know God has great things in store!!

We discussed divine appointments and team members shared some of their experiences: Tammy showed kindness toward an old man at Walmart one afternoon and ended up meeting with him whenever she went to the store. Pam shared how one of the cancer patients witnessed to her. Ann talked about the way God had answered prayer in her son's life this last week. Kim shared how a work related meeting ended up being a significant sharing time about the Lord. Fred talked about meeting a man on the beach in the Dominican Republic. I shared about a woman who had a call in the middle of the night from a stranger who she ended up leading to the Lord.

Since our Tuesday meeting, God has been giving us new divine appointments: Pam felt led to take time with one of her cancer patients and she was able to listen to some of this woman's concerns and prayer needs. Michael talked with a woman in Panera, and I contacted two women on the computer, a playmate of my sister's who I haven't seen in over 40 years and a female soldier in Kuwait. I know I would have missed some of these opportunities if I wasn't praying to expect them!

I'm anxious to hear what other team members have encountered this week!!

Divine Appointments

2010-03-04T20:25:00.000-08:00

“Chance Meeting” at the Train Station

When we disembarked from our train at 9:30 pm, after a nine hour trip from Krakow, Poland, we were tired. Keleti Train Station in Budapest has not been updated since the communist era, and it is dark, oily, drab and even a bit eerie at night. Yet it also is magnificently large with three story ceilings and long concrete platforms next to tracks that seem to run forever into the vast darkness of Europe.

Two English-speaking Hungarians approached us as soon as we lifted our suitcases down the metal train steps, and they asked if we were interested in a short term apartment rental in Budapest. When we told them we lived in Budapest, one of them moved on to other prospects. The other, a robust middle-aged Hungarian man in a tight leather vest with two days growth of beard and disheveled dark hair, walked with us toward the exit.

With a curious smile this man asked “What do you do in Budapest?” His English was heavily accented but surprisingly good.

“We do Christian work,” Michael answered.

The Hungarian man smiled even wider and in a mocking voice said, “OOOOOh, I’m afraid of you. Are you coming after me to try to make me a Christian? I better be careful.”

“No,” I said, “you don’t need to be afraid of us, but God is after you.” (1)

“Who is God?” he said rhetorically, “I think God is in a tree, in the wind, in a stone.”

“We cannot trust our ideas about God,” I said, “We must trust what God says about Himself.” (2)

“Then where is God? Have you met him?”

“Yes, we have,” Michael and I said in unison.

“We have a relationship with Him,” Michael added.

“Well, I don’t believe in him. I believe in myself. I have looked for him, but I have not found him. Yes, I believe in myself.”

“When you quit believing in yourself and begin believing that God exists, you will find God.” I said. (3)

“Yes?” he asked, still amused.

“We’ll pray that God reveals Himself to you,” Michael said as we headed out the huge front entrance into the city night to catch our bus.

“Don’t pray for me,” he laughed as he stood at the top of the steps, “I don’t believe in prayer.”

“But we do,” Michael said with confidence.

The eerie darkness of the Keleti train station might easily be described as a sort of “atmospheric despair,” but even more eerie is the spiritual despair of mankind that runs (like the train tracks of Keleti) into the vast darkness of Europe.

This man represents thousands of others like him who live apart from God, sometimes mocking, sometimes amused, but always ignoring the only way to be saved.

You and I will meet this man everywhere—in the train stations of Europe or the streets of Concord, NC. We may work with him or he may live next door to us. God always puts this man or woman in our path so we can offer him/her the Light of Christ.

Footnotes:
(1) “God our Savior…wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Tim. 2:3,42
(2) “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” Romans 1:22,23
(3) "...without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6; see also Matthew 7:7-11

Quick Tram Stop

We were waiting for the tram in front of the large Central Market Hall in Budapest. Michael and I had been talking in English when a young woman next to us tapped us on the shoulder.

“Oh, you’re Americans!” she said excitedly, “Where are you from?”

“We’re originally from Colorado,” we explained, “but we live in Budapest doing Christian work.”

“Oh!” she continued, “I just got here to study for a few semesters. I’m studying at the Central European University.”

As she was saying this, tram 49 rolled up in front of us.

“This is our tram,” I explained as Michael and I hopped on board and waved good-bye to her.

“It was nice talking to an American,” she said waving.

As soon as we crossed the river, it struck me. We weren’t hurrying to anything important. We were just heading home. We could have missed that tram and visited with that young woman for another five minutes. Maybe we could have invited her to our small group. We had two other students in our small group at the time. Maybe we could even have asked her to get a coke with us at the Burger King across from the Central Market.

Why hadn’t we? We were so caught up in the routine of life, that we hadn’t noticed this divine appointment! Not only was I sorry we’d let God down; I was sorry for the opportunity we had missed!

Pray For the Library!

2010-02-14T12:53:00.000-08:00

The Budapest Christian Library
www.christian-library.org.

The Budapest Christian Library is conveniently located in the building across from the famous Gellért Hotel and Baths. It occupies a large flat in a large building and has two rooms full of books, magazines, and DVDs. Most books are Christian, and most are English due to the lack of Hungarian Christian books, but they have a growing Hungarian collection.

Started by a couple in their 70’s named the Andersons, it was passed off to Carol and Merrill Davis a year ago. Recently, Merrill developed an eye problem causing partial blindness, so the Davis’ will return to the States in March 2010 for several years of medical treatment. Another young couple with children came to help the Davis’ about 6 months ago.

Because the Davis’ were paying the monthly expenses for the library, their departure means that the library will need to reduce expenses and raise funds in order to survive.

All of my larger Bible Seminars were held at the library which accommodates 25 at tables and more w/out tables. They charge a donation for use of the library making it very affordable, and it’s a clean, pleasant place to have meetings.

The library is a also great place to meet people from different church backgrounds, both Hungarian and ex-patriot, seekers and Christians. It also provides a wonderful service--English books and resources! English books are rare and expensive in Budapest, and many Hungarians enjoy reading them as well as native English speakers who live in Budapest.

Because we were planning on having some of our meetings at the library, its future can affect our team's activities significantly.

Please pray for the library—for funding, for God’s purposes and plans to prevail. Pray that God will direct us if we are unable to meet at the library.

Pray also for Merrill’s eyesight to be restored!

Our Ministry Plans

2010-01-02T11:43:00.001-08:00

We are planning to do men's and women's ministry this fall in Budapest, Hungary. Our team will participate in planned events, friendship evangelism, English conversation with English students, and service projects. We're looking for men and women who can teach, lead small groups, and serve behind the scenes. We will plan our events together using the gifts and skills of our team members.

Hungarians are proud of the heroes of the past. This square in the heart of Budapest is called "Heroes Square" with statues depicting many of their past leaders.

20/10--Eyesight and Insight

2010-01-02T11:41:00.001-08:00

We've named our short term mission trip 20/10 not only because we'll be traveling in 2010, but because we want to have 20/10 vision for our trip.

Eye doctors measure vision by determining how far we must stand from something to see it clearly. 20/20 vision is considered perfect eyesight, meaning a person can see a size 20 letter from 20 feet away. However, 20/10, instead of meaning we can see a size 20 letter from 10 feet away, means we can see letters clearly at 20 feet that a person with 20/20 vision can only see clearly from 10 feet away.

That's why we're asking God for 20/10 vision for our trip. We want vision better than our best human vision. We want God's eyesight and insight so we can see what God sees and do what God wants us to do. We don't want to depend on ourselves; we want to depend on God!

A key element in gaining God's vision is prayer. We will be praying as a group and encouraging our team members to pray individually as well a enlisting the prayer support of others.

This statue represents Hungary's Communist past--something that has left scars on Hungarian hearts.