Currently Reading The Paul Street Boys see related

Long Time, No Word

So, old fellow xangonians (is anybody truly a xangonian anymore? it used to be like a religion) , it has been forever since I gave you a true post with updated information on my life.

Summer camp, obviously, is over. The week before it ended, my very dearest of friends over here in Hungary moved back home to England. We took her to the airport and then came back to take part in the last Friday night concert of the summer, where I cried the whole way through sound checks.

After camp ended, most everyone on staff started taking vacations varying in length and departure and arrival dates. So, with the students gone and staff disappearing and reappearing like little "Whack a Moles," it was deathly quiet around here.

Now, we are on the threshhold of opening weekend for the BI and this place is hopping. Meetings, chapels, classes, and all the general hubbub of a typical school year will resume tomorrow!!! I'm super excited. Our classes this year are over twice the size of last years!!

In other general news, here are some things you can be praying for:

1. I didn’t realize that my visa expires on 10/18 and that you HAVE to apply for your residency permit no later than 30 days before it expires or you leave the country. J Which means I have to apply tomorrow or Monday week and I’m trying to round up all the papers for it. I’m having to get stuff overnighted from the States, etc. Really be praying that I can get all the papers I need in time, can find somebody to take me to the immigration office, and that they’ll approve my request and grant my permit!!!! Quite truthfully, the stress from getting all this stuff together has been exhausting. On top of that, I found out the other day that MIT next year is not June 4-14, but June 1-11 and I’m supposed to be singing in my very good friends' wedding in Ohio on the 1^st!!!! I’m trying to get them to allow me to come a day late, but I’m not sure if that’s going to work or not. So be praying about that too. Another prayer request is money. I haven’t yet bought my plane ticket back here after Christmas. If you’ll remember, I bought a round trip ticket for when I came over here. The first part of it was used in January when I came over and now I’m using the return flight to get me home for Christmas. So, I need to buy a new one that brings me over here in January and takes me back home in May before MIT. I've been checking ticket prices and he found one for around $800. and the travel agency will hold it for me until 11/14 before they need money, but right now my ministry account definitely doesn’t have those kinds of funds in it. So, be praying that some new support starts coming in soon.

THE NEWEST PRAYER LETTER IS OUT AND ABOUT. IF YOU DIDN'T GET IT, LET ME KNOW AND I'LL SEND IT OUT TO YOU!!

Hope you guys are having a great day!! Peace, hope, joy, love, grace, and all other virtues be with you.

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KRISTY!!!

Currently Reading My Heart's Desire: Living Every Moment in the Wonder of Worship By David Jeremiah see related

Brownie Mixes and American Things

So, I went to Tesco for the first time in months yesterday and as I turned down a wrong aisle, I saw something really American. There, in the middle of the foreign food section were three things of "American" food.

Yes, these things looked pretty foreign to me too. In fact, this was the first time I'd seen these things in a store in the over 7 months that I've been here. At first, I thought it was kind of funny that that was the only "American" food they had. But the real eye opener came when I reached up to pull one off the shelf and put it in my basket. My mouth was already tasting the beauty of true chocolate chip cookies when my eyes caught a glimpse of the price on the shelf below this beauiful thing. My mouth dropped and I laughed in disbelief. I just checked online and apparently, in the US of A, these food items would typically cost around $2.50. Here in Hungary, $8.00!!! If I am ever accepted as a full time missionary of my beloved Word of Life, I'm going to take a brownie mix with me to churches and challenge them to consider giving the price of a brownie mix to the ministry. So, for those of you who still live on the other side of the big pond, don't just send your missionaries medical supplies and second hand clothes. Please always through in a box of brownies.

Currently Listening Seize the Day and Other Stories By Carolyn Arends see related

Goodbye, Helen

Took one of my dearest friends to the airport on Friday and said goodbye. Here's a video we shot. Helen, I miss you more than Serbian coke.

Currently Watching Green Acres - The Complete First Season (1965-66) By Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, Pat Buttram, Tom Lester, Alvy Moore see related

Post Serbia

Thanks so much to all of you who prayed for us as we were running camp in Serbia. My heart is just so full of praise to God for all the unspeakable and unthinkable things He did. One verse just keeps coming to my mind as I think of our two weeks there, “Now to Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we could ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory...” God certainly did do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think.

We left on Sunday, July 1^st, and came back to Hungary yesterday on the 14^th. It was a day camp and the kids would show up Monday through Friday at 9 and leave around 3:30 every afternoon. During the day they would have several hours of instruction in either soccer or English, several hours of team games, an hour of Bible meeting and two times during each week we visited the pool for a couple of hours. Our first week of camp was for children and the second week was for teens. We were so excited to have two weeks of camp this year. We’re just starting our ministry in Serbia and last year we only had one week of camp. Be praying, because it looks like next year we may be able to have 3 weeks of camp.

My job during both weeks was to teach English, which always intimidated me before. I had great groups during both weeks though and I think classes really went well. The kids seemed to enjoy it and I think by the end of the week they actually knew some English like colors and numbers. J I found my biggest frustration was not my teaching ability or the kids learning ability, but my knowledge of Hungarian. The first days of both weeks were emotionally exhausting just because I could not communicate with them. I had a translator, but he had other responsibilities as well, so if I was sitting with my kids at lunch I might be all on my own. I started actually using a lot of the things that I had learned in class the past year, but, more importantly, I found out that love transcends any language. Being able to give hugs, smile, remember names, and ask simple questions like, “How are you?” can really open up a lot of doors.

It was amazing to see the support that we received from the local community there. We had a baker that gave us all of our bread for free, the local swimming pool reserved 4 time spots for us over the 2 weeks for free, we would go into stores to buy supplies and when the people found out it was for camp they would give it to us. Whenever we asked them why they would always respond with, “Thank you for spending time with our kids.” All of these people don’t know the Lord, but they see what we’re doing and they see how their kids are changing and they want more.  

On Thursday afternoon of both weeks we gave a Gospel invitation and both weeks, the results were breathtaking. On the first week, 13 of my 14 campers came forward and during the second week 4 of my 7 campers came forward. It was incredible!!! Be praying for these kids as they go back to their everyday lives, that the decisions they made would be genuine. In September, our Bible club in that area starts back up again. Pray that many of the kids will come to club. One little boy went home after accepting Jesus and started telling his grandma what he had done and asked her questions about the Bible. She told him, “I don’t know the answers. You need to go to that Bible club to find out the answers for us.” J

I could go on and on with stories of how God worked. Whenever, I start talking about it, I feel like I’m bubbling over just trying to convey all that He did. There’s no way I can ever explain it in a way that does it justice, but I hope you understand one thing; God is doing incredible things in Serbia. Please be praying for these kids and be praying that He would send us workers for the field of Serbia, for truly this is harvest time.

Thank you again for your prayers. It is only through your faithful prayers that any of this is possible.

Me and my boss' wife being the responsible adults that we are.

The whole camp staff showed up to surprise me with a party on the evening of my birthday.

A big bear hug from our big teddy bear of a camp director.

Typical Helen and Megan. If this doesn't make you laugh, you don't have a sense of humor.

The scavenger hunt where the kids had to bring a live chicken.

My English class during the second week of camp.

Goodbye, beautiful Serbia.