Weekly Update

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Above: Kira began preschool and has done quiet well adjusting to it. It helps to have her sister Elianna there to see on the playground as mostly everything else is new and confusing. The change in Elianna's diet due to celiac disorder has helped her in having more emotional strength and in contrast to last year, she is connecting with other girls in her class and speaking more and more in Hungarian.

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Above: Benjamin giving Elianna his customized lego gift on her birthday. Elianna turned six last thursday and we celebrated with Sharon's special gluten free cake and a trip to Aqua World water park in Budapest. The kids had a great time.

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WEDNESDAY ENGLISH BIBLE STUDY

We were thankful for Klári, Erika and Edina who continue to attend our English Bible study. Klári began asking questions about whether or not I EVER regretted leaving behind the US, and my carear to follow Jesus' call to Hungary. I could honestly and excitedly tell her that I have NEVER regretted living in the new life He has given me. Although it has its share of suffering and hardship, I find fulfillment, peace, satisfaction and joy in a restored relationship with God and in living according to His good will. It was clear that Klári was trying to get her mental arms around the drastic changes that have occurred to lead our family, Roger and Heidi and Brenda to this small town in Hungary. Please continue to pray for Klári to grasp the amazing truth of the Gospel and that her husband Tibor may also be saved.

BIBLE STUDIES

Miki continues to hold a Bible study at his house on Tuesday for young believers and those open to hear more, and a Wednesday Bible study for church members. He has seen God doing amazing work through these times seeking to know more about God's word. Church member Marika has often invited a neighbor Gizike to church. Gizike responded and attended and also began attending Miki's Bible study. After years of suffering from depression and haunting sorrow for the loss of her son, God freed Gizike as she learned about taking her burdens to Him and seeking healing in Him. Afterwards, Gizike was learning for the first time what Jesus taught about forgiveness and she recognized that she was holding a vicious grudge against two people for years (a common thing in this culture and in this town). By God's grace and His work in Gizike's heart, she was able to forgive these two people and shared this with the small group. After God took her through these steps of healing, He opened a door that had been shut for years related to the grudges that were held. Apparently, Gizike had a house that she had been seeking to sell for years and it had become a great burden. After Jesus freed her from her anger and holding a grudge, people showed up that week, looked at the house and signed a contract to purchase it. Praise God for His work in Gizike's heart and life to reveal His power and HIs love toward her.

Another amazing thing that happened in the small group was the bringing of peace between a few women in the church who had a misunderstanding with each other. I count any reconciliation and offering of forgivness in this culture as miraculous as it is completely absent in upbringing and even missing in the teaching in many churches. The probelm erupted in response to gossip which we have also been seeking to eliminate int he church through teaching about who we are in Christ. Through this teaching and offering environments where people can share hurts, work through misunderstandings and practice Christian love, there has been healing and reconciliation. There is great joy in these amazing works that only God can be given credit for!

THURSDAY OPEN DOOR

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Above: Petőfibánya sunset on Thursday night.

Miki, Erika and I met with a mother and son on Thursday night that continue to seek answers about life as they have recently gone through very tough times.

Over dinner, the son shared some of his latest airbrush works and shared his passion for art. When he began asking about my involvement in graphic design, I was able to share my testimony of reaching the top in my field and finding out it was completely meaningless and empty. His mother, sitting next to him also hung on every word as we sought to make clear that Jesus is on a mission to seek and save the lost and that our meeting, our similarities in pursuit of art, our intersection at this point in their life in this village in Hungary is not by chance but designed by a gracious God. The Spirit brought Acts 17:23-27 to mind and I was able to read it to the son:

"For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us..."

What also powerfully struck the son (who is a painter) was turning his attention to the reality of the Creator behind creation. God provided a beautiful moonlit sky under which we shared dinner and conversed. I commented that no one looks at a painting and begins talking to it to find out why the painting made itself. Behind every painting, there is a painter, and behind the beautiful creation that we see this night is a Creator. We must first go to Him to find meaning and purpose in life. He commented that he has become interested in psychology which led to a discussion of the futility of man's solutions to man's problems when man cannot escape the problem of death. God continued to bring the conversation back to His Son Jesus and I sensed no resistance, but rather found him joining in with each thought and agreeing. He seems to be very perceptive and is a deep thinker. Although they both expressed interest in church, they did not attend on Sunday. The son also expressed interest in going to our English Bible study, but did not attend. Please pray that the door to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with this family would continue to be held open by God's grace and that He would save them!

FRIDAY TEEN OUTREACH

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Above: Praise God for drawing these teens to Himself! This is the first time I have seen all the teens singing together and participating in the discussion with hardly any distraction. God seems to be giving a bit of traction to this weekly outreach and we are hoping to discuss this week ways we can better use the time to help the teens see Jesus Christ in His Word, in song, in prayer and in teaching.

SATURDAY BIBLE SCHOOL

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Above: Dezső (playing in Sunday service) who represents the head of the first family who became members in our church has grown so much over the past few years. God has been helping Dezső develop the pastoral gifts He has given Dezső and just this past Saturday Dezső began his first day at Bible School! This is such a great provision as it allows Dezső to learn through corrospondence with the requirement of meeting professors one Saturday a month. Dezső is seeking to faithfully prepare himself for the ministry of serving as a pastor that God has called him to. Gabi K., has also been accepted to the school and is attending with Miki and Peti (who are auditing the courses). Pray that the Lord may bless them as they seek to know Him through the gift of His Word, and that they may become faithful teachers of God's Word.

SUNDAY WORSHIP

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Above: Norbi, Peti and Niki continuing to attend classes on foundations of our faith and preperation for Baptism. What a joy to see new believers hearing amazing truths for the first time. We have been studying over the past few weeks the revealed law that judges even the activities of the mind and heart, and the amazing grace that God offered through Jesus Christ, the only One who fulfilled the law.

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Above: Baby Emily (Roger and Heidi's daughter) giving aunt Brenda's finger a squeeze.

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Above L to R: Hugi, Eszti, Brenda, Erzsi, Anita and Marika. Brenda has done a great job bringing these women together for an hour of prayer each week. This prayer meeting has strengthened their fellowship together in Jesus, and is an encouraging time to bless one another and the church with specific prayer.

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Above: Kids joining in up front for one of our worship songs that they had already learned in this year's VBS.

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Above: Just a few precious stones in God's church building.


PRAISE!!!

> Praise God for Miki being able to form four Bible classes in public schools in our area.

> Praise God for Dezső, Gabi, Peti and Miki having an encouraging first day of Bible School.

> Praise God for our children's smooth transition into school (Kira doing quiet well in this new environment).

> Praise God for the open door in Thursday's meeting with a mother and son who are seeking.

PRAYER REQUESTS

1. Pray for our team in this new semester as we seek God’s will in adjusting our lives to join Him in His work. (Clarity of vision, wisdom and unity in decisions) We will be having meetings together Thursday and Saturday.

2. Pray for the spiritual growth of Norbi, Peti, Niki and Enikő. (Peti, Niki and Norbi are currently attending our class on preparing for baptism)

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