March 2008

Monday ESL



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Above: Heidi's beginner class.

We were thankful for a new student, Csilla joining Brenda's class tonight. She said that she also would like to bring a friend next week and possibly her 19 year old daughter. We are thankful for new students and hope that God will draw them to Himself through this program.

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Above: Mirella (in Roger's advanced class) chose to stay for the optional Bible hour. It seemed as if she was intrigued by our study of God's word. We studied Jesus' prophecy that He, the 'Son of Man' would be rejected, be put to death and on the third day be raised from the dead. We also studied Jesus' requirements of denying self and taking up our crosses if we wish to follow Him.

In other news, our brother Gábor who gave encouraging testimony in church yesterday received work today! Praise God for His provision.

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Above: I also got a call tonight from teenager Gabi S. who had to move from Petőfibánya to the other side of Hungary because of college (Gabi pictured second from left). Last week when visiting us in Petőfibánya, we prayed for his friend Dani who has begun to ask Gabi questions about the Bible and about God.

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Above: Gabi's friend Dani. Gabi told me tonight that after giving Dani an evangelistic apologetic book called "Is Jesus God", Dani inquired about studying the book of Revelation together with Gabi. Please pray for Gabi as he considers this new opportunity, and for Dani's salvation in Jesus Christ.
Comments

Weekly Update

Julika

Our friend Julika who had a cancerous tumor removed on Tuesday is recovering from surgery well. She has had various tubes removed and is already doing physical therapy. She should be returning home within the next few days. Last week, Miki initiated a plan to fix up Julika's apartment for her return. Through various donations, Miki and Allen were able to replace Julika's 'holy' (that is full of holes) bed, with a new one. While installing shelves for her three kids, Miki noticed that her kids' beds were also in terrible shape. We were also able to get new mattresses for them. We hope that these small gifts will make her transition from the hospital back to home a bit smoother and more comfortable for the entire family. You can continue to keep up to date on Julika's progress here:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/julika

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Above:
C'mon dad...can't you make lasagne or something?

My hands were full with taking care of Kira, Ben and Elianna the last few days as God provided an opportunity for Sharon to go to a women's retreat Thursday through Sunday. I took advantage of frozen pizza's, hotdogs and Cheerios to keep them content (or to keep my sanity?). There was great rejoicing when mommy returned this afternoon!

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Above: Elianna and Ben taking advantage of God's provision of beautiful weather and our new steep driveway.

Sunday Worship


Hugi's husband Gábor shared how God spoke to Him through Scripture while currently going through a time of testing in life. As he recently lost his job was going through difficult times, he began questioning where he should turn and what he should do. God directed him to Hebrews 4:12-16

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.  And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account. Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.

Gábor said that God made clear where he needed to go in these difficult times...to God's throne of grace.

Christian school

Over the past few months, Miki's wife, and another Christian teacher (Anita) who lives in the neighboring town of Selyp have been pursuing the idea to begin a Christian school in Petőfibánya. Both Erika and Anita have teaching degrees and have worked in Petőfibánya's public school. One of the next steps in seeking to begin this school is partnering with a non-profit organization. We will be meeting with such an organization this Tuesday to discuss ways that we might partner. Please pray for God's provision and direction in this whole process, that we may follow His will.
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Update on our dear friend Julika

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Above: Julika a few years ago teaching in our VBS in Petőfibánya. We have put up a special site for Julika with the latest updates and prayer requests. You can see it now here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/julika
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He is Risen!

May the Risen One, draw you into a deeper relationship that you may experience the abundant life that He graciously provides to His children.


Romans 6:4

Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life.

Romans 6:9

We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

Romans 8:11

Moreover if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you.

Below are some of my favorite shots from these past few days celebrating Easter.

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Above: Friends Hugi and Gábor at Easter service on Sunday.

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Above L: Andi celebrated one year of being in Christ at our Easter service. She gave testimony to God's grace in her life throughout the year and His enabling her to love in hard situations and find joy in being obedient in the little things of life. Above R: Zsuzsa gave testimony to God's comfort and provision of strength from the time she discovered that her husband György Kovács had cancer to the time he went to be with Christ.

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Above: Janka's Sunday School class.

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Above: Ben loses two bottom teeth in the course of 2 weeks.

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Above: Need I say that Kira just keeps making us laugh.

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Above: On Saturday night, we made cookies together. In the process, we read Scripture and pointed out various symbolic references to the Easter story while preparing the cookies. We then put them in the oven which would represent the tomb and the kids sealed the 'tomb' with tape. The next morning they discovered the cookies which were hollow inside representing the empty tomb. He is Risen!

Prayer Request:

Please pray for our sister in Christ, Julika who will have surgery to remove cancer tomorrow (Tuesday). We also ask for you to pray for Erika (Miki's wife) who will also have surgery for an abnormality in her mouth.
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Puppet and Drama Ministry Last Day

THURSDAY

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Above: Sharon, Kira and Elianna in front of Petőfibánya's preschool, our first destination for our last day of Easter puppet and drama ministry.

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Above: Gabi K. lent a helping hand today, as he was off from school on spring break. Gabi would also love to serve with us in this ministry, but he is in school while we travel and perform. Maybe someday, he will take my place.

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Above: Directly in the center (striped shirt) is Miki's son Bence who also attends Petőfibánya's preschool and is in the same class as Elianna.

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Above: Elianna with her teacher Edina, and Ben with his funky new hair style. Its funny that I used to wear my hair the same way when I was younger (but I think he looks cooler).

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Above: Our second and final stop was in the town of Lőrinci. Everything went very well in both schools, and the kids were entertained, well behaved and attentive when Janka shared the true meaning of Easter. Below is a taste of what the kids saw in the puppet show:



After finishing the Easter puppet and drama outreach, it is our custom to have lunch together and offer encouragement to each team member as to how God used them through the 9 days. This is an especially moving time for Hungarians as their culture is almost void of encouragement from families and in the public school system. We were grateful to God for keeping the door open in these public schools and for the seeds planted in over a thousand kids' hearts. Thank you all for your prayers which strengthened our ministry and effectiveness in these public schools. More and more we are hearing children shout out the right answer when we pose the question in auditoriums, "What is the true meaning of Easter." I heard multiple times children in preschool and in middle school shout out: "Jesus' resurrection!" Praise God for continuing to spread the good news that His Son has come as the Savior of our sins, and after paying the price with His own life, was raised from the dead on the third day.

FRIDAY TEEN OUTREACH

Zoli, and Gabi K. came early in order to study the Bible before our game time. We discussed the heart of King Solomon and his response when given the chance to ask for anything from God.

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Above: Let the games begin! The majority of the teens are still coming only for our game time, but I am thankful that this is an opportunity for them to be off the streets at night.

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Above: Two teens that we haven't seen for some time (Ádam, and Oliver) dropped by and stayed to the end. It turns out that Ádám lives a few houses down from our new house. We hope that both Ádám and Oliver will continue to attend on Fridays. Please pray that the Lord would draw them to Himself.
Comments

Puppet and Drama Ministry Day 8

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Above: Heves Megye means "Fierce County." We hope to see many churches planted in this Northeastern area of Hungary and we are using the puppet and drama ministry to sow seeds of the Gospel in this area.

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Above: Some hand made benches in the gym of Egyházasdengeleg, our first stop for the day. We have been visiting this school over the course of four years and have seen God continually draw the headmaster to Himself.

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Above: After the show, the headmaster invited us into the teacher's lounge where we had hot lemon tea and Hungarian biscuits. The headmaster (pictured above) has asked specific questions about faith every year and Miki was able to talk to her for over a half an hour today about salvation and peace in Christ. Please pray for her salvation, that she would continue to be drawn to the Lord and understand the wonderful gift of forgiveness and new life He is offering.

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Above: Kids from Egyházasdengeleg enjoying Miki's antics with the guard dog in the puppet show.

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Above: Teenager in Egyházasdengeleg trying to free himself from the 'bondage to sin' symbolized by yarn while Janka was teaching.

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Above: Many of the kids come to us after the show and ask for autographs. We are able to write Bible verses, and encourage them to look up the references with their own Bibles. Unfortunately, when I asked the majority of the kids if they had a Bible at home, they said no. After writing a John 3:16 reference in one teen's book, she left for a few minutes, and rushed back into the room saying the verse from memory (I guess she found a Bible in the school somewhere).

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Above: Our second stop for today was the town of Selyp which is just minutes away from Petőfibánya. Some of the children from this school attended our VBS last year. They did a great job paying attention and the shows today went very smoothly.

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Above: This year's puppet and drama team, Brenda, Hugi, Janka, Allen and Miki. Tomorrow will be our last day of our Easter Puppet and Drama Outreach. We will be serving in our home town's preschool (where Ben and Elianna attend) and also the neighboring town of Lőrinci. Please keep up in your prayers that we may finish well for God's glory.
Comments

Puppet and Drama Ministry Day 7

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Above: We definitely felt the drop in temperature as the forecast called for snow today. Thankfully, God held the snow back which gave us clear roads to our four destinations for today.

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Above: Our first destination was the town of Hered. The children and teachers in this school have always been far more well behaved and attentive than other schools in the area. It was neat to see some of the kids that we have visited twice a year growing up.

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Above: Towards the end of the show, the headmaster told some of the kids that she was sad how they behaved in comparison to the show at Christmas. She went on to say to the disruptive row, "Janka has something beautiful to share, something wonderful about Easter and you should pay attention to her."

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Above: Setting up in our second stop, the town of Nagykökényes.

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Above: The kids in Nagykökényes were very excited to receive the gifts of a CD and Christian children's magazine that we distribute after each show.

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Above: We were able to perform our dramas in our third destination of Héhalom.

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Above: Our final destination for today, Zagyvaszantó, which is just minutes up the road from Petőfibánya. God continues to empower Janka to clearly illustrate the amazing truth that Jesus Christ died in our place on the cross to pay for our sins.

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Thank all of you who have been praying for us. God has kept us unified and maintains a joyful spirit on our team. There have been limited technical problems and both the puppet and drama show have been used to clearly communicate different aspects of the Gospel in public schools to over a thousand children. Please continue to pray for our last two days of this ministry.
Comments

ESL and Puppet and Drama Day 6

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Above: Miki and Gabi dropped by a bit early and invited themselves to partake of Sharon's famous coffee. Gabi (above right) is on spring break. Some of you may recall that he had to move to a town called Sümeg which is hours away from Petőfibánya where he attends school. He was able to attend church last night and also helped us in our puppet ministry today. We are glad to spend this limited time with him before he returns to Sümeg.

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Above: Today's only show was in the town of Csécse. This was the first time we have served in this town and we were thankful for the children's and teacher's warm reception.

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Above: God has protected us these past six days as we have packed/unpacked and traveled in varying conditions.

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Above: Janka continues to do an excellent job explaining the Gospel through illustration and Bible verses. When she asked the kids today if they knew what sin meant, or if they ever heard the word, the overwhelming response was, "No." There was only one child that gave the correct answer. For many of these children, this puppet ministry is their first exposure to the Bible and the gospel. The children today were by far the most attentive we have seen to date. Thank you for praying for them to be able to pay attention and understand.

MONDAY NIGHT ESL EASTER CELEBRATION

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Above: Julika who will have major surgery because of cancer next Monday chose to serve tonight in the midst of her fatigue and pain. She did an excellent job telling the story of Jesus' triumphal entry, his death and his resurrection. As she spoke, she opened plastic eggs which revealed symbolic objects relating to the story. Most of these students don't know Julika personally and don't know of her current battle with cancer. It was very powerful for me to hear Julika in her evangelistic presentation quote the words of Jesus while he prayed in the garden, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done." (Luke 22:42). This has been Julika's response from the time she learned that she had cancer. We are so thankful for her and how she has blessed our church by using her various giftings for God's glory. Please pray for God to heal Julika and to provide for all of her needs (and her three children) in the upcoming surgery.

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Above: The students putting the Easter story paper cut outs (in English) in sequential order.

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The students payed close attention throughout the retelling of the Easter story. The rest of the team (Roger, Heidi and Val) worked most of the day preparing food for this special presentation. The whole night seemed to be a pleasant experience for all the students. Many of them who usually have to leave by 7:00 stayed until the end of this special dinner and Easter celebration together.

Tomorrow is one of our longest days for Puppet and Drama ministry as we will be traveling to three different schools. Please pray for us as we travel tomorrow as snow is being forecasted.
Comments

Sunday Worship

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Above: Zoli helping Ben across a freshly mopped floor. Zoli along with Gabi K, Gabi S, Hugi, and Dezső come an hour early to help us set up and to pray together before service.

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Above: Hugi gave testimony to God speaking to her through Psalm 139. She also shared how God gave her the encouragement to begin performing the motions for the songs we sing in our puppet ministry in front of the kids. This clearly exposed her hand which has been partially unusable since she was 18. She shared how this gave opportunity for her to give thanks to God for helping her in her life when the kids came to her after the puppet show.

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Above L: Peti brought God's word tonight. He encouraged us to submit ourselves to God, which puts us in a position where we He provides as we follow Him. The flip side is not allowing God to rule different areas of our life which puts us in a position to provide for ourselves. Above R: After service singing happy birthday to Marika who is a newer member of our church.

Sharon had to stay home to care for Elianna and Kira who continue to have fevers. It turned out to be a good time for them as Sharon was able to read them various Bible stories relating to Easter. Please pray for Elianna and Kira to be able to rest well this night and to be healed from these sicknesses.

Tomorrow we continue our puppet ministry and will have a special Easter program for our second hour of English class in Petőfibánya. Please pray for our English students to be drawn to God in this time. I have listed prayer requests from a previous post below for our puppet and drama ministry. We cherish your prayers!

Team:
1. Pray for our spiritual and physical health.
2. Pray for strength and the ability to get the rest we need in this intense schedule.
3. Pray for team unity and a love for one another that is apparent to team members and to those who see us in public schools.
4. Pray that we would be protected from all the schemes of the enemy to distract us from the Lord and from fulfilling our calling in this ministry with joyful hearts.
5. Pray for Hugi who is serving with us for the second time. She has a hand that is barely usable from a previous stroke and is performing in the puppet show and drama.

The Show:
1. Pray that all the technical equipment (lights, switches, sound) function in a way that would keep the message clear.
2. Pray for wisdom and strength in setting up, and tearing down the stage and props at each show.
3. Pray that God would help us to remember each of our parts and our lines.
4. Pray that the entirety of the show and our interaction with the children and teachers would clearly proclaim the love of God and the gospel message.

The audience:
1. Pray for the kids and teachers that they would be able to pay attention.
2. Pray that the Lord would draw them to Himself and give them understanding of God's truth.
3. Pray for hearts that would be softened and receptive to God's truth. Ask God to lift the veil of darkness that has blinded so many in this county.
4. Pray that the materials that are handed out would be effective in their homes to continue teaching the gospel.
5. Pray for their salvation!
Comments

Puppet and Drama Ministry Day 5

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Above: Our first stop on Thursday's outreach was a middle school in the town of Szirak. Instead of performing our puppet show for the kids and then having a separate show for the teens, they gathered all the kids together for both.

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Above: In contrast to Wednesday's show, the teenagers were very well behaved and payed attention. I even noticed one teen telling a younger kid (maybe his brother) to quite down while Janka was teaching.

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Above: The headmaster told us that he was glad we were willing to bring this message to his school. He said that most of the kids come from broken homes, and people in the neighborhood are constantly fighting and stealing property from each other.

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Above: As we packed up to leave for our next show, the kids became even more warmhearted. Some gathered around Janka and sang the song they learned from last year's Christmas puppet show. It is encouraging to see the songs remaining in their hearts as they have vital truths about the Gospel.

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Above: Hugi and Brenda fighting the wind at our second destination in the town of Szarvasgede.

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The headmaster at Szarvasgede's preschool said that there was a recent incident where the town's religious teacher told a child that Jesus didn't love her if she wasn't baptized. The child went home in tears telling her mother what had happened. The headmaster was thankful for our teaching in the show. She said that one of the parents heard that we were coming, and asked if her two children (who were sick at home) could come in just for the show. The headmaster also asked if we would be willing to perform in the neighboring town of Csécse as well. Since we initially had no performances on Monday, we were able to schedule a show.

Friday Night Teen Outreach

Gabi K. showed up early, and we were able to continue our study of Genesis. It is our hope that the other teens will also be drawn to God and begin attending the study at 5:00.

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Above: Friday's table football tournament after optional teen Bible study. A few weeks ago, I had to remove Dávid (above: tallest, center) from our Christmas program in Selyp because of his behavior. I also had to take him out of church service recently to talk to him again about disruptions. My first interactions with him have been as one giving discipline. I wondered if we could get beyond that and begin developing a friendship. On Friday, he seemed to have a different demeanor toward me. We were able to play a few games together and laugh together. I am thankful that in the discipline, Dávid didn't feel rejected by me.

Please pray for us as we continue our puppet and drama ministry. Please continue to pray for Elianna and Kira as they are still sick.
Comments

Puppet and Drama Ministry Day 4

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Above: This morning was a bit gloomy. We praise God that He kept us safe as we drove through the back narrow roads in foggy conditions.

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Above: Our first stop was the town of Erdőtárcsa. The teachers and kids have always given us and God's message a warm reception in this town.

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Above: One of the 'tighter space' times where three puppets are interacting at once. There is a lot of complex choreography that goes on behind the scenes. We praise God that He has helped us know our parts and given us the strength to perform well.

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Above: Our second stop was the town of Kálló where we were given the opportunity to do both puppets and our drama presentation for the teens.

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Above: Miki, "On the third day, He rose from the dead."

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Above: Janka teaching an object lesson with tightly wound yarn on the power of sin to keep us in bondage.

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Above: Ice Breaker time with the teens in Kálló before our drama presentations.

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Above: Our last drama which reveals Jesus' power to bring reconciliation. After the drama, I have some time to preach to the teens. Today was difficult, as four or five kids began stirring up the crowd and mocking me. This town in the past has been very receptive but a class of students has graduated and moved on, bringing in new kids. I don't mind being mocked, but this distracts the other kids from hearing the message of the Gospel. Please pray that the Lord would destroy the enemies work to keep them distracted. Pray that the message could be delivered clearly, giving all a chance to hear this Good News.

Our daughter Elianna has come down with a fever today. Everyone is just recovering from the flu, but we are hearing that there is a new sickness going around Petőfibánya. Please pray for her healing and for our health.
Comments

ESL and Puppet and Drama Day 3

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Above: Brenda's English class Monday night with new student Kriszti (Chris-tee) seated far left. Kriszti is married and has two kids. She lives in the same neighboring town of Rozsaszentmarton as Dezső. Kriszti and her husband attended our Christmas Musical and afterwards sought to build a relationship with us. After hearing about our puppet and drama ministry, Kriszti took the initiative to try to get permission for us to enter the schools in Rozsaszentmarton. In the past, Janka has had no success in getting into their public schools because we are viewed as a sect. Kriszti recently spoke with a headmaster and was given the save negative response. In our English program she told Dezső, "I'm not giving up yet. Let's try to get permission to use the local community center." We are thankful for a Kriszti as a new student and new advocate for our ministry.

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Above: Heidi and Roger Woo teaching beginner and advanced levels.

Last night in our ESL bible study Hugi shared about her problem sometimes understanding the Bible. She said that she sometimes reads a passage 6 or 7 times. I shared the importance of asking God to guide her in those times of devotion. I was also able to teach about the role of the body in her life who can teach and help her understand.

This morning before leaving for puppets, she had her Bible in hand and with great joy shared how God had personally spoken to her through His word last night. She said it was midnight when she came to psalm 139. She was brought to tears as the Lord revealed His real presence in her life. She said that she senses God helping her while serving in the puppet and drama ministry. She shared how she was never the type growing up who was able to do anything. When it came to being in front of people, she would tremble with fear. Now, in Christ, she is serving with us and sharing God's message of love and hope to a multitude of children. Praise God for saving Hugi and for blessing her with spiritual growth.

2 Corinthians 3:5-6
“Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,  who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant...”

PUPPET and DRAMA DAY 3

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Above: We returned to Hatvan today to visit three more public schools. The town was named Hatvan (literlay sixty) because it lies sixty kilometers from Budapest.

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Above: After our first show we noticed that Miki's tire was almost flat from a slow leak. Thankfully we had time to stop at a gas station in between shows to temporarily fix the problem.

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Above: Our second stop at one of Hatvan's preschools.

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Above: The kids payed close attention to the show. They screamed at the top of their lungs in one part of the show, as they tried to warn a sleeping guard dog that a fox was steeling eggs from the farm. When Janka began to talk about Easter and believing in Jesus after the show, all the kids began shouting, "I believe in God, I believe in God..." We hope that these kids will truly grow in their understanding of Him and put their faith in Jesus throughout life.

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Above: Hugi setting up in our third destination before the kids rush in. Our last show for today was in another special needs school.

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Above: After today's presentations, we met at our house and packaged magazines, CDs and tracts to be distributed throughout the week to students and teachers. Thank you for praying for us! Everything went very smooth today and we were encouraged. Please see the end of my last post for ways that you can continue to pray.
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Puppet and Drama Ministry Day 2

Today we visited the town of Hatvan and performed in a preschool and a special needs care center.

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Above: The children were quick to laugh and interact with us before the show. Because the Lord has given us opportunity to visit twice a year, most of the kids and teachers know us. Janka also is able to teach a Bible class to some of these preschoolers. When Miki pulled out his guitar, they were overjoyed. They even began singing some of the words to the song, "He Died For Me On The Cross" before we told them which song we were going to sing.

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Above: Janka sharing the story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from God's word. What a blessing to be able to deliver the gospel in this time, to this generation!

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Above: Miki bringing bringing laughter to the group at the Special Needs Center in Hatvan.

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Above: As we were leaving one of the teachers above said, "God bless you." We are thankful for their welcoming spirit, giving us the privilege of sharing God's truth and God's love with them.

We praise God for beautiful weather for easy traveling and packing/unpacking vehicles. We are also thankful to be healthy in this time while perfroming. We had one technical difficulty at the end of our first show which we have no explanation for. The closing dialogue volume suddenly began fading out. This is where the grandmother in the puppet show tells the kids to remember Jesus raised from the dead at Easter and encourages them to speak with God in prayer. After the show, we checked the cords and the speaker and the player and all worked fine. Please continue to pray that these things would work well.

Tomorrow, we will be traveling back to Hatvan to visit three other schools. Please bring us and this ministry before the Lord in prayer. Below are some suggested requests:

Team:
1. Pray for our spiritual and physical health.
2. Pray for strength and the ability to get the rest we need in this intense schedule.
3. Pray for team unity and a love for one another that is apparent to team members and to those who see us in public schools.
4. Pray that we would be protected from all the schemes of the enemy to distract us from the Lord and from fulfilling our calling in this ministry with joyful hearts.
5. Pray for Hugi who is serving with us for the second time. She has a hand that is barely usable from a previous stroke and is performing in the puppet show and drama.

The Show:
1. Pray that all the technical equipment (lights, switches, sound) function in a way that would keep the message clear.
2. Pray for wisdom and strength in setting up, and tearing down the stage and props at each show.
3. Pray for Allen as he has a short time at the end of each drama show to preach from God's word, and Janka who will be translating for Allen.
4. Pray that God would help us to remember each of our parts and our lines.
5. Pray that the entirety of the show and our interaction with the children and teachers would clearly proclaim the love of God and the gospel message.

The audience:
1. Pray for the kids and teachers that they would be able to pay attention.
2. Pray that the Lord would draw them to Himself and give them understanding of God's truth.
3. Pray for hearts that would be softened and receptive to God's truth. Ask God to lift the veil of darkness that has blinded so many in this county.
4. Pray that the materials that are handed out would be effective in their homes to continue teaching the gospel.
5. Pray for their salvation!
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Puppet and Drama Ministry Day 1

Petőfibánya's public school

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Above: Playing some games with the kids before the start of the puppet show in Petőfibánya. The children that came to our show had to get permission from parents to attend because of the 'religious' content. Praise God, over 25 children attended both our puppet and drama show.

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Above: Janka sharing God's word with the kids after the show. In contrast to previous years, the children were much more able to pay attention.

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Above: After each show, we are able to distribute a Christian family magazine for the kids which gives them more opportunity to learn about Jesus.

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Above: Ice breaker games with the teens before our Drama ministry begins.

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Above: The joy of seeing teens sing songs about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We were thankful for the success of our first puppet and drama show. All the technical equipment worked well and our team worked in a unified and loving manner. We were able to make known our upcoming VBS to many of the kids and saw the excitement in their faces. We were also able to invite more teens to our Friday teen outreach in Petőfibánya and hope to see new faces at our next time together.
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Weekly Update

WEDNESDAY PUPPET PRACTICE

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Above:
Hugi looking over the script of this years show. We praise God that for the second time, she has committed to serving with us in this ministry. Practice for the puppet show is going well. However, we are struggling in preparing for the dramas that we will present for the teens. Please pray for us to be able to be ready for this Friday for our first show in Petőfibánya's public school.

FRIDAY NIGHT

While we do have teens that attend our Sunday service, only two of them are saved. Most of the other teens are so worldly and lack discipline that they have caused disruption and distraction in our services. In order to not shut them out completely and keep the door open to minister to them, we are directing them to our Friday night outreach. By God's grace, if they come to know Christ, they will no longer be disrupters of worship service and rather participate in praising God with us.

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This Friday teen outreach continues to gain momentum. We moved the start time up one hour in order to have musical worship and small group Bible study together. We were thankful for the added help of Heidi (pictured above left) who previously lived in petofibanya and served on our team. Mani (pictured to the right of Heidi), also came out to help as well.

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Above: The old men battling against the teens in table football. Unfortunately, we couldn't withstand the undefeated champs Gabi K. and Zoli.

Please pray for us as we continue to develop this Friday night ministry.

SUNDAY WORSHIP

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Above L: On Sunday, Peti who preaches every other week, encouraged us to examine our willingness and commintment to prayer. He reminded us that God sometimes allows suffering and overwhelming situations to enter our lives in order to draw us closer to Himself. It is in those times that we are surrendered in prayer and truly fully depending on His deliverance.

As Peti had been in prayer over the past year considering our invitation that he serve as an elder in our church, God confirmed that he should move to Petőfibánya and serve with us. Peti is engaged and plans to be married to Edina later this year. Please pray that Peti would be able to find an apartment in Petőfibánya and a job that would provide for them financially as they serve along side of us.

Above R: Julika continues to go through various tests as doctors determine the next steps to take in battling her cancer. She is in need of wisdom and direction from God in this difficult time. Please pray for healing! We met with Julika last week to discuss her ideas for our VBS which she usually leads. She shared how she had come to know Christ in VBS camp when she was nine years old. Someone was teaching on John 14, where Jesus said He was the way, the truth and the life. It was at that moment that Julika understood that Jesus was the way of salvation. We hope that through Julika's work in our VBS that there will be many more children that turn to God at a young age as they hear and understand His word.

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Above: Sharon wishing Eszti a happy birthday after service with Scripture and prayer.

MONDAY ENGLISH CLASSES

Our Monday night English classes were far from full, as sickness continues to keep students resting at home. Even our family and half the team are in different stages of the flu.

Church members Gabi K. and Hugi attended as well as Istvan (eesht-vawn) and his 13 year old son Dávid. We studied Jesus' teaching of having to be born again when He met with Nicodemus. I am not sure where Istvan stands in relation to the Savior, but our team has often worked with his wife who is a believer. From what I understand, he does not attend church, and these may be his first steps in moving closer to the Lord.

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Csilla (ch-ee-la) who has been attending since last year informed us that she may no longer be able to come because of serious health problems. From what I understand she may even have to go to the US for surgery. Please pray that God would draw her to Himself through this difficult time in her life. Pray that we would know a proper course of action to show God's love and encouragement to her.
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