Magyar Mullets October 06 Newsletter

Magyar Mullets´ Newsletter 06-10Hungary,
October 2006
Dear Family and Friends,
Wintertime greetings from Budapest! I’ll put the best news first. God is still moving in the hearts of people. The last Sunday of October we visited an evangelical church in the city of Veszprém just north of Lake Balaton. Although the rest of us had never met, our pastor and theirs had met on a train, it seemed like a big family gathering. We worshipped God together, shared a meal in an elder’s home, and later met in an apartment for a congregational meeting to discuss their joining the Hungarian Evangelical Church. We very much enjoyed the fellowship we have with them in Christ.

The first week of October I found myself in Manhattan, KS as the best man in Allyn Weddle’s wedding. He and his older brother Eric spent several winters in Budapest laboring alongside us. They eventually brought their respective fiance’s to meet us. Ministering in Hungary was the occasion God used to introduce us and to knit our hearts together. Taking part in Allyn’s wedding was another precious memory the Lord added to me.

Thanksgiving in October was afforded to us by our Canadian co-workers. Shaun and Sondi Carlaw, (directors of the English Outreach program at the ministry center), threw a big Thanksgiving celebration for all our English students and their families. We all pitched in to provide turkeys, traditional dishes, desserts, and decorations. It was a wonderful occasion to express gratitude to God for our salvation and proclaim it to others. Pray for our students to take hold of the gift of salvation freely offered to them.

The last weekend in October the men and boys on our team went camping. We camped overnight in a national park an hour north of Budapest and the conditions were perfect. We’ll have to make it a yearly tradition.

Now, what seems to be the bad news: after four long years of legal battle over the occupation of half our ground floor by the heating company, we lost in the appellate court. We own the premises, but they can occupy and use them for nothing. Having won the lawsuit in May and waiting for the heating company’s final appeal October 26th to conclude the matter, this came as shocking news to everyone—even the winners. In the appeal the court made reference to a Municipality decree from 1967 that stated free right of utilization for central heating services. Although these are just offices for the heating company, the ruling stands. I have to believe this is the will of the Lord concerning us and the building He entrusted to us for a time. There are plenty of other things on which to concentrate our efforts now.

There have been very sad situations for leaders in our churches lately. Please pray for God’s mercy and protection over His flock. Just when we’re beginning to see evidence of new church plants and desires expressed to plant new churches, it seems the wolves attack the shepherds of the flock. One man asked me if I’d seen a lot of this kind of thing, because he hadn’t. I told him you see a lot more on the battlefield than you do from a lawn chair. We have to remind ourselves that we’re on the battlefield. Great fear of God needs to seize the whole church. We covet your prayers.
In Christ,Brad, for all of us

Magyar Mullets September 06 Newsletter

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings from Budapest! In addition to the normal things a September holds, we packed in what was left over from this summer. Ministries continue and some have restarted after the summer break. In this update, I want to give you a glimpse of what our life ministry looks like going into this fall: leading the City Team in church planting, helping at the Christian school, and operating/renovating more of the ministry center.

Our mission personnel in Budapest fall into three categories: the church planting team, the educators at the Christian school, and the Europe Area Office. As leader of the first two, I help get legal paperwork together to one extent or another for all of them to come, get moved in, and get settled. Getting visas, residence permits, and other legal paperwork for life here is time-intensive every once in awhile, but a much better process than when we came seven years ago. The church planting team is at an exciting stage of development: more of us are getting along in learning Hungarian, relationships with Hungarians are going deeper, and more opportunities are opening up for potential church starts. Team meetings for prayer, planning, and accountability are benefiting us greatly.

At the International Christian School of Budapest, Kelsey (17, senior), Peter (15, sophomore), and Jacob (13, eighth grade) are deep in studies and activities. A variety of obstacles have delayed the occupancy permit for the new building, so many of us have pitched in on weekends and late week nights to speed things along. I built stairs for the stage and helped teachers assemble new science lab stations. Kelsey is the captain of the volleyball team this year; I’m coaching the team three times a week at a sand court nearby. The team is undefeated so far. Peter and Jacob are playing soccer on different teams, playing well, and losing well.

At the Olimpia Ministry Center: I’m leading an English Club discussion group on Friday mornings in the coffee house and so far have had five new students and some returns from last year. Kari continues field book-keeping, English club sub-ing, new staff orienting, and personal discipleship. The English clubs are providing some of the best opportunities for our team to get to know Hungarians in a weekly forum. They’re also great for sharpening our Hungarian language skills. In between official appointments, team meetings, and church ministries, Geza and I have been quite occupied with winterizing the building and finishing up the guest apartment upstairs.

I got to observe Geza in action recently negotiating with a maintenance guy across the street to buy some spare fan coils and parts from a building being upgraded. I observed a classic part of the Hungarian economy at work: great deals are all about who you know. After several mornings of arguments between Geza and this guy, I thought the deal was off. However, later that week Geza told me to drive over and pick up the plunder: he got ten heating units, switch controls, and a new motor for $150, almost their value in salvage metal alone. Despite his wife being in the hospital, he comes in every morning and most evenings. She is quite ill with diabetes, heart and circulation problems. He visits her during allowed hours in the afternoon. Please remember to pray for her.

When I revisit the scope of all our ministry endeavors here, I remind myself that we Christians have a hope that extends beyond ourselves and that exceeds what we could ever do in our own power. My hope is in what God is doing and planned to do from eternity past: reconcile sinful humans to himself through his Son Jesus Christ from all times and places. Thanks for sending us to Hungary!

Warmly in Christ, Brad, for all of us.