Magyar Mullets November 2008 Newsletter

Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account. Philippians 4:17
Dear Family and Friends,

Warmest greetings to you all in the name of Jesus Christ. The Lord carried us through many joys and sorrows this past month. There were celebrations: Peter’s 18th birthday; the 10th anniversary of Wycliffe Hungary; the 10th anniversary of Apologetics Center for Research Hungary; the 15th birthday of the Kelenfold Evangelical Church; and a big Thanksgiving celebration. We celebrated our beloved Géza bácsi’s 9th and final year with us in an employed capacity. Hungarians have a saying, “with one eye I am crying and with one eye I am laughing.” It was sorrowful in that a season has passed. He just can’t make the hour and a half trip to work each day and his wife needs him home as she is quite ill and unable to care for herself. It was joyful in that a deeply forged friendship remains and that these years with us have been used by God to draw him into the fold.

Just in time for the celebrations, we put the finish coat on the auditorium ceiling and walls, and then finished the floor and sealed it. Thank you to all who labored and gave toward this significant undertaking. On the home-front: The boys won their last soccer game of the season against a Hungarian team that humiliated them the first game of the season. It was a very exciting game to watch and a sweet victory. On the team-front: We had a two-day team retreat facilitated by our Area Leader John Westrum and his wife Judy and the ServEurope director Dale Phillips. Other pieces of life here: There were the usual airport runs, meetings of every kind, and car inspections. There are still other exciting pieces in process that I’ll gladly share at the appropriate time. Suffice it to say we covet your prayers for us in the advancement of the kingdom—the reign and rule of Jesus Christ in the hearts of men.
By far the best day of the month was the last one: two believers were baptized November 30th. The young man has been attending our church for several weeks. He was compassionately led to the Lord by Hungarians in our church. He’s been loved into the fellowship and discipled by them. I shared my lunch with him a few times when he was hanging around the ministry center—more like forced it on him, some would say in the tradition of my Hungarian hospitality mentor: Géza bácsi. I got to fill the baptistery tank for his baptism. It reminded me that, alone, what I have to give might not plant a church, let alone multiply churches, but one believer, even a fellowship of believers, indeed the body of Christ is made up of many small parts.
We labor in Hungary for the fruit that increaseth to your account. May the Lord continue to richly bless you in your obedience with us in this ministry and increase the fruit to your account.
Richly in Christ, Brad, for all of us.

P.S. a little Christmas preparation.