June-August 2015

I had a great summer in the States going to the international convention in Baltimore and visiting with family in New York and Pennsylvania.

Since I have been back in Budapest I have hit the ground running. We have been working so hard getting the new school buildings ready for our September 1st start date. I have been laying flooring and hanging whiteboards as well as packing and moving tons of stuff. As much as I enjoy this kind of work, I cannot wait for school to start. I really miss my students!

Afghani refugees have been swarming into Budapest as they try to escape the trouble in their own country. This has caused refugee camps to be set up in the parks near the train stations in the city. I’m amazed at how many people are here. Some Hungarians don’t like all of these people “invading” their country but others, including our church here, have stepped up and taken care of the people. We bring them food, clothes, toys, diapers and water. It’s amazing to me that they just stay in the parks. They have no where to go and most are just waiting to be deported as they aren’t being accepted into the EU as refugees.

We have been doing outreach several times a week in these camps and on Thursday, my friend Pasha brought his guitar to play for people.

It’s amazing because he is from Uzbekistan and Afghanistan is one country away. He said these are just like the people he remembers seeing at home. Ruth, his wife, is American and they are trying to move to America this fall. Pasha is almost in the same situation as many of these people we met because if he returned home he would not be allowed to leave again. Please pray for these dear friends of mine: that his visa application is accepted in the next few weeks and he can become an American citizen in the next few years.

I have been thinking about all that God has blessed me with since moving here in 2013. I honestly had very little interest in youth ministry but since coming here I feel that my call has really been defined in that area. I have had the opportunity to speak to so many different cultures and people and tell them about the gospel. There have been difficult times and God has gotten me through them with grace and patience. Looking back, I can see all the small details that God has used in my life to define my call. When I was in Baltimore, I spent a short time working with the preteen ministry on Sunday mornings with Andy, who is now the director of GGIS and one of my closest friends here. I just love that God works everything together for good.

I’m sorry this newsletter doesn’t have much news in it but I think it is important to constantly see the hand of God in our lives. Please pray for the Afghani people here and that we can continue our ministry to them. Also, pray for a blessed school year as I now am in a full-time teaching position. Another thing to keep in prayer is the youth ministries I hope to be involved in this year, one at GGIS and one in a Korean church down town. God works everything together for good!