WEEKLY UPDATE

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Above: Photo of a clear but frigid day taken from just outside of Kira’s preschool. It’s hard to believe that one of first experiences in this town was over eight years ago in the yellow apartment building. It was there that we scrunched into a small room and at the time met with just a few people. Now we’re scrunching into a bigger room in the local community center that we are steadily outgrowing. Praise God for the growth He has caused over the years. He is faithful!

SUNDAY WORSHIP

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Above: Tamás, one of the core members of the church plant in Rozsaszentmarton giving testimony to his least expected brother and brother’s girlfriend putting their faith in Jesus after he explained the gospel to them.

As I have explained in previous posts, we have launched a church plant in the neighboring town of Rozsaszentmarton and have also begun a small group in the town of Apc. These meetings are held every other week. On these Sundays when the church is “scattered” in multiple locations, we continue to meet in Petofibanya with a smaller number and have a worship service that is designed for more interaction with each other and with God’s word. Even with a bulk of the church spread out in different locations, sometimes the community center room we rent still fills up!

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Above: Just a few Sunday’s ago we were overjoyed with the first time visits from Roland and his girlfriend (above left). Roland knows church member Peti and called him out of the blue asking if they could come to church. Peti and I have played soccer with Roland in the past and Roland is actually Peti’s father’s new wife’s son (if that wasn’t too hard to follow). We hope that this first time visit leads to greater understanding of their need for Jesus and a restored relationship with our loving Father.

To the right of Roland, you can see some other visitors (also related to Peti). These two young men previously attended our New Year’s party and have also been visiting on Sundays.

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Above: Monika and Attila (seated far left) also visiting for the first time. God has been reaching out to them for over a year through both Eniko (seated right) and her husband Gabi. The miracle of them coming can only be understood if you know both of their personalities. They are very private people and find it very difficult to be around other people. By God’s grace, more and more people from our local body have been reaching out to them and there is a greater comfort level that has developed over the past year first through attending volleyball, and then through attending an evangelistic study at Miki’s house.

Monika has already put her faith in Jesus and is meeting with teammate Brenda for discipleship on a regular basis! We hope that Attila will soon follow in putting his faith in Jesus Christ. God’s gospel is moving with power through family lines.

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Above: This smiley character is Márk. God has been hounding Márk with his grace for over two years and after reaching a low point in his life, Márk has come to understand his need to put his faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I’m currently meeting with Márk in preparation for his baptism on the 18th of this month. Please pray for Márk’s continued spiritual growth. By the way, Márk is church member’s Peti’s brother.

VOLLEYBALL

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Above: We continue to meet once a week offering volleyball to those in the community. We’re so glad to see newcomers and get to know more people through simple recreation.

THURSDAY TEEN MEETING

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Above: Niki, Zofia, Eniko and Monika.

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Above: Gyula and his mother (who doesn’t yet believe in Christ) to his right also attending the youth group meeting. I’m very encouraged with Gyula’s growth. From a worldly perspective, you first meeting with Gyula may lead you to believe that he is simple minded, stuttering and finding it difficult to put sentences together. His father suffers from depression. His parents are separated and sometimes fall into drinking. His living situation is difficult. But one thing I have seen in Gyula is a simple faith that seeks to obey what God is revealing to Him. He stops by at random times to share what is going on in his life and shares how God is teaching him in his struggles. I find no greater joy than a new believer pointing out how God’s word brought change to how they live or how they think.
Although in appearance, Gyula seems to be the most simple minded in our church, when you get into conversations with him is one of the deepest spiritual thinkers.

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards… God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Cor 1:26, 28-29)

Please pray for Gyula and that he may have more open doors to proclaim the gospel to his mother and his father.

FAMILY STUFF

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Above: Ben was one of four students selected from his class who got to compete in a regional scholastic competition. We’re thankful for his hard work in school and for this opportunity.

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Above: Finally a warm Saturday. Let’s take a trip to the zoo!

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Above: My little gorilla girls, Elianna and Kira.

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Above: A little football fun in the soccer field just behind our house. Just for your information, in Hungarian they call soccer “football”, and football “American football.”

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Above: Ziva waiting for the day she can tackle daddy..

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Thank you all for your continued prayer and financial support! Thank you for being faithful partners in this ministry with us in Hungary!
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