Monday, December 16, 2013

Merry Christmas!

IMB Eastern Hungary Team - Christmas 2013
Merry Christmas & a very blessed New Year from the IMB Eastern Hungary Team

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Coffeehouse Christmas party

We're in the process of packing up everything for the Christmas party at our weekly coffeehouse here in Debrecen.  Pray that the Lord will direct the conversations as we share the joy of this special season, and that hearts will be open to the Good News.

Also be in prayer for a friend of ours, "E,"  who is very troubled and going through some hard times.  Pray that God will use this in her life for good, and that as she experiences His loving care she will come to know Him in a personal way.

Today we finished up the Hungarian language refresher course that we have been taking, so hopefully now we'll have a little more time to prepare ourselves for Christmas! We'll try to post some photos soon of some of the happenings around here.  Thank you so much for your prayers and support!


Thursday, November 21, 2013

Feature story on Hungary from CNN

If you're thinking of coming to visit us, or if you already have and would enjoy the memories...here's a CNN feature story on 11 things to know before visiting Hungary.  Very interesting!

(We are not responsible for content of external sites.)

Friday, November 15, 2013

An amazing news story from Debrecen

Here's a truly amazing news story from here in Debrecen. Please pray for this family as they continue to deal with the grief of loss and the joy of a new life.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Michael Gott International English course in Debrecen

The November 4 - 14 outreach English course is in progress, and we are seeing amazing things happen!  PTL for all those who are attending, for the great progress they are making with their English skills, and for all the wonderful new relationships that are being built.  Pray for receptive hearts today at the Super Sunday celebration and all through this week as the teachers share their personal testimonies with the students.  We are thankful for this volunteer team, for Debrecen Baptist Church, and for the national believers who are partnering together in this work.

The MGI team opens the session with lots of fun music--songs are a great help in language learning

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Praise the Lord for volunteers!

The volunteer couple from Nevada, MO are on their way, and we'll pick them up tomorrow at the airport in Budapest.  Pray for a smooth, safe trip for Richard and Delores, and that the Lord will move in a mighty way as they prayerwalk the streets of Balmazújváros and Nádudvar.  Also pray for opportunities for them to share their faith, and that the Lord will use them to make contact with people who will be key in starting new Bible study groups.  Praise the Lord for volunteers and their willingness to come, to pray, to serve! 

You can join with them this week in praying for Balmazújváros and Nádudvar using these virtual prayerwalks:

Balmazújváros virtual prayerwalk - 2-minute video

Virtual tour of Nádudvar - 2-1/2 minute video

Monday, October 21, 2013

Time to get serious

A challenge from Tom Elliff, president of the International Mission Board...

http://s.imb.org/elliffchallenge (3-minute video)

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

As the washer churns

As I type this the washing machine is whirring away in the background, producing clean sheets for the guest bed...we've had a lot of company recently and I'm thankful we have extra room to put to good use. We have so many volunteers coming and going, and outreaches and projects on the calender, that I sometimes forget what comes next or what ministry we're talking about as we work together and plan!  Checklists and notes to myself help keep me headed in the right direction, but most of all prayer and times of laughter with Gary keep things in perspective.  

A few things to pray about with us:

  • Praise the Lord for His faithfulness, for the strength He gives us when we are weak, and for the opportunities He provides to share our faith. Pray for good health and moments of rest for all of our team in these busy times, and that the Lord will use us to His glory even in spite of ourselves.
  • Pray for our Tiszafüred church plant friends--many of them are in serious medical situationsAmong the most urgent: L's major surgery did not go well last week...she's still in ICU and may have to have a follow-up operation; T's brain surgery is coming up on Oct 24, and she & her Mom are both suffering & exhausted. Pray that God will provide healing & be glorified in these and other situations among our group.
  • PTL for the Timothy Leadership Training sessions this last weekend.  Even though the group was very small, the training was excellent and practical, and opportunities for expanding the program are opening up.  Gary has now completed the requirements to be certified as a Basic Trainer, which means he is now approved to begin teaching two of the manuals (for more about the training see http://www.timothyleadershiptraining.org).
  • Advertising is in progress & pre-registration is now open for the November 4-14 English course in Debrecen. Pray for the Michael Gott International volunteer team as they prepare to come and teach; also pray that the Lord will bring students to us who will not only benefit from the excellent teaching, but will also have hearts prepared to hear the Good News.
  • A small volunteer team from Nevada, Missouri will be arriving next week specifically to prayerwalk the streets of Balmazújváros and Nádudvar, where new work needs to be begun.  Pray that God will move in a mighty way as they prayerwalk; pray that the Lord will also use their time in these places to open up contact with people who will be key in the start of new small-group Bible studies.
Tiszafüred thanksgiving service - believers from nearby towns came to celebrate with us. Hungarian Baptist churches declare a day of thanks each autumn to praise the Lord for His good gifts.

I paused to take a picture of the Nádudvar sign last week as we left after Bible study.  We are working and praying for a church plant there, and it will be one of the places prayerwalked by the Missouri team.

Friday, October 4, 2013

DTE training again tonight

Gary will be teaching another lesson from the Decentralized Theological Education New Testament course this evening at the Pacikert mission church. Please pray that the Lord will speak through him and give him the words to say that will truly communicate what needs said...not an easy task in Hungarian! Also continue to pray for him and the church leaders as they make decisions about the group; they want to deal wisely with the fact that there are extremely varied levels of spiritual maturity and previous training within the same class.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Is there an old flannelboard in your closet?

Csaba [CHAH-bah], the Pacikert mission church pastor, called today asking for prayer that the Lord will provide a Bible story flannelboard set for them to use as they teach the children.  Please pray with us that this will come about, making it possible for the Bible lessons to come alive for the children and be even more memorable. 

If anyone has a used flannelboard set that's not in use that they would like to donate, please let us know.  Thanks!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Training at Pacikert mission church


Praise the Lord, the long-awaited Decentralized Theological Education (DTE) program has now begun again in our area, bringing practical theological education to the church leaders instead of sending them away for training. Gary left just now to go and teach the second session. Surprisingly, when setting up the program, the Pacikert mission church invited all attenders to join. More signed up than were expected, including several seekers.
  • Pray that as Gary teaches them about the New Testament, the Word will work in the hearts of the people--seekers and believers alike--and that God will be glorified. 
  • Also lift up the mission church, that the people will be encouraged and provided for, and that they will continue to reach out to that very troubled part of Debrecen.

Pastor Csaba and his wife Marika of the Pacikert mission church
The mission church's new facility - the Lord provided this through the work and donations of local believers

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Some Wednesday prayer requests

Here are some things we would love to have you pray about with us:

  • Pray that God would direct the planning as we prepare for ministries and for volunteer groups, that He would show us the most strategic places of service, and that He will bring together all the logistics. 
  • L's surgery has been put off, and this friend is suffering terribly, both mentally and physically.  It's now scheduled for September 19. Pray that the Lord will give help and healing, but in such a way that this person will see their need for a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ--that He is the only Way, Truth and Life. Pray that false assurances of salvation by any other means will fall away as L. faces their mortality, and that we and other believers will have spiritual insight and the right words to say in dealing with this situation. 
  • A national believer  is wondering if the Lord is calling her to work with children. Pray for guidance for her, and strength for each day. She also asks for prayer for her husband, who doesn't  know the Lord. 
  • Please lift up a national pastor friend who is in the midst of intense spiritual warfare. Pray that the Lord will be honored by the outcome of everything that is happening.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Tuesday update and prayer request

Praise the Lord, I'm excited to say that I've been able to import all the old posts into this blog!  There's obviously some clean-up to do, but I'm very thankful not to lose all the posts we've written since 2007.  A big "thank you" to those who shared their experience on their own blogs and various forums, and to you for your prayers.  :-)

Please continue to pray for "L."  She has been released from the hospital for now, but is in a lot of pain both in body and spirit.  A very delicate surgery is scheduled for September 19.  Pray that the Lord will give her healing, relief of pain, and the help that she needs, but most of all that He will use this to His glory.  Pray that God will give us and other believers the right words to say to her that will be truly helpful in her life.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Still in process

At this point I'm not sure when--or if--we'll be able to restore all of our old posts and photos, but we'll soon be adding new content to give you a glimpse of life and ministry here.

Here are a few current prayer requests:

  • "L", one of our Tiszafüred church plant members, just had a very serious surgery and we haven't yet heard how it went.  Please pray for healing and relief of her pain, also that the Lord will use this for good in her life to draw her nearer to Him.
  • Pray with and for a national friend of ours, a strong believer, who longs to see family members come to faith in Christ and to mend difficult and broken relationships with them.  Pray especially for his teenage son, that barriers will be broken down and his heart softened toward the Lord and his parents.
  • Pray for national believers and Gary as they discuss and pray over several training opportunities, that the Lord will show them which things to proceed with and how to set up the training so that it will work within these busy times in life.


Monday, September 2, 2013

Making the switch

Gary and Carolyn Miller of the IMB Eastern Hungary TeamWe had a surprise yesterday when we discovered that our old (in fact ANCIENT) blog on Xanga was no longer accessible...somehow we had never gotten the message that they were totally revamping it and moving to new servers.

So here we are on Blogger, at least temporarily. We'll see how it goes from here!

We hope to stay in touch with all of our friends and continue to post updates and photos.  Your prayers and support are appreciated very much, and we love to hear from you, too!

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Pacikert Mission Church's community outreach day

It's a beautiful, sunny day here in Debrecen, and the community outreach at the Pacikert mission is going on as I type this.  The people from the neighborhood are enjoying lots of fun activities including music, face-painting and pony rides.  Believers are there to make friends, answer questions, and share their faith.  Our teammember Darrel Hathcock and his family are on hand with other friends and volunteers to distribute Bibles from a booth near the stage area--pray for good communication and many opportunities to share. Later in the afternoon there will be a special time of live Christian music and preaching.
Pray with us that God will move in a mighty way to forge new connections with people and draw them to new life in Him.  Pray that the Bibles that are given away will be read, changing lives.

Mission pastor Csaba and his wife Marika give glory to God for the opportunities of the day


Darrel and friends at the Bible booth 

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Praises and prayer requests

Praise the Lord for how He worked through the English and Bible camps over the past month or so - I hope to post pictures and more information soon.  Pray that the witness that was given and all the Gospel seeds sown will continue to work in the hearts of those that heard.  We thank the Lord for all the volunteers, partnering organizations and national believers who worked together during these events.

Tomorrow will be a day-long community outreach organized by national believers at the Pacikert mission church in Debrecen.  Our teammember Darrel Hathcock will be working at a Bible distribution booth and will be interacting with a lot of people from the community.  Pray that as the Gospel goes forth, the Lord will impact hearts and draw people to Himself.  Pray that the Bibles that are given away will be read, and that individuals and families will be transformed by the power of God in their lives.

Please continue to pray for the Tiszafüred church plant, where very serious discussions are taking place during Bible study. Also pray that the Nádudvar Bible study will soon grow into a church plant; we are currently looking for a new place to meet that will allow more people to attend.  Pray for guidance and provision for us and our national partners.  Thank you!

Saturday, July 13, 2013

University of Mobile mission team

Praise the Lord for the volunteer mission team from the University of Mobile that arrived Thursday in Hungary and is currently doing outreach to Hungarians in the Transylvanian region of Romania.  They will be working alongside national churches this week, so pray for their local partners as well as for the team and those they will be ministering to.  Pray that hearts will be open to hearing the gospel, and that many will come to Christ.

   
The University of Mobile team, led by Dr. Jeffrey Quiett -- the team at dinner with the Hathcocks and Millers in Debrecen

Monday, July 1, 2013

First day of English camp

The 1st session of the outreach English camp in Hajdúszoboszló begins in a few hours. Pray for good new connections & a clear gospel message to be communicated as we teach using the story of the raising of Lazarus.  There is also a daily optional 1/2-hour session at the end for adults wanting to know more about God, so pray that it will be well attended and that hearts will be open to hearing and responding to the Good News.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

PTL, volunteer team arrived safely

Praise the Lord, the Cross Timber Baptist Church volunteer team arrived safely last night with all their bags.  This afternoon and evening will be a cookout and planning time, so pray that lesson plans and logistics all come together well.  Continue to pray for those who will be attending the camp, that a huge impact will be made on their lives as they hear the Gospel.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Volunteer team on their way!

A volunteer team--friends from Cross Timber Baptist Church in Burleson, Texas--will be arriving in a few hours at the airport in Budapest, then coming by van to Debrecen.  They, along with other volunteers and the national believers that we are partnering with, will be serving at an outreach English camp in Hajdúszoboszló (July 1 - 5). 

Pray for the team's safe arrival, and that all their bags and needed supplies make it!  Also pray as we continue to work on logistics and preparation for the camp, and that the Lord will prepare the hearts of camp attendees to hear and respond to the Gospel.  Pray for Gary during this busy time, that he will have wisdom in how much to do, relief from pain, and that his recovery from surgery will not be set back by any of the work.

Our virtual prayerwalk of the city of Hajdúszoboszló includes photos from previous years' English camps.

 

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Thank you for keeping us on the field!

Praise the Lord for those who faithfully give through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions and the Cooperative Program - your gifts keep us on the field, and we are grateful.  What a privilege to be able to be here and see first-hand how God is working to change lives, and what a blessing it is to be a part of it!

Although the 2012 Lottie Moon offering--finalized last week--fell short of the national goal, it was still the 3rd largest in our history!  Thank you to all of you who partner with us in giving, praying, and going to reach the world for Christ.

Article about the 2012 offering: http://www.imb.org/main/news/details.asp?StoryID=11925&LanguageID=1709

How to give: http://www.imb.org/main/give/default.asp

Interested in doing more?  Contact us about possibilities for coming as a short-term volunteer.  It's amazing how God can use any skill or gifting in His service!

Monday, June 10, 2013

Thank you for praying...floodwaters receding in Budapest

Praise the Lord for a good report so far regarding the floodwaters in Budapest.  Please keep praying for all those who have suffered losses, and for those further south who still face rising waters.
From the Budapest Times:
"Danube has peaked in Budapest, now receding slowly
The Danube has passed its peak in Budapest and the main forces must now be focused on the section down river of Budapest, where record levels are also expected, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told reporters on Monday morning at Római part, a riverside neighbourhood in District III, north Buda, the worst hit part of the capital.
“A lengthy stretch of the river must be defended to the south, so the key question now is the sensible deployment of resources”, Orbán said."
http://www.budapesttimes.hu/2013/06/10/flood-watch-budapest/

Saturday, June 8, 2013

State of emergency as Hungary expects worst-ever flooding

Please pray for Hungary and other European countries--Austria, Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic-- currently being hit by floods.  At least 15 people have been killed across Central Europe, and many cities and towns along the Danube River have already had to evacuate. Water levels are expected to reach record highs this weekend in Budapest, and volunteers are busy making preparations.

English article on the Hungarian Baptist Aid site: http://baptistasegely.hu/news/2013-06-05/baptists-on-alert-100-volunteers-10-million-huf-1-rescue-helicopter?lang=en

News article from BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22811172

Friday, May 31, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 31: IMB Eastern Hungary Team missionaries

It's hard to believe we've reached the last day of May, and with it the final day of this special month of prayer for eastern Hungary. 

Today please pray for us, the missionaries of the Eastern Hungary Team.  Pray that we will stand strong in our relationships with Christ and each other, and that as we serve Him we will never let the task of "serving" overshadow our love for the One we serve.  Pray that team unity will continue to grow, and that we will have wisdom and strength for each day.  Pray that we will see each other and the precious people that we serve with God's eyes, and always be prepared to give a witness for our Lord.

Thank you so much for praying with us and for us!

Carolyn and Gary Miller
The Hathcock family: (from left) Arianna, Kimberly, Darrel, Sophia and Abigail
   

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel..." Ephesians 6:19 (NIV)

"Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified..." 2 Thess. 3:1 (NAS) 


Thursday, May 30, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 30: Baja / Ouachita Baptist team update

Pray with us that many people in Baja, a very friendly city on the Danube, will become friends with God.


For more see the online prayer calendar.

Praise the Lord for how He blessed the time the Ouachita Baptist University volunteer team had here in eastern Hungary ministering through music and drama.  In addition to what was shared during the performances, many great conversations opened up with individuals. 

The team left us early this morning for some time in Budapest and then in Vienna before heading back to the U.S.  Pray for safe travels for them, as well as for fruit to be produced in lives that were impacted during the outreach that took place.

  
Photos from the OBU presentation in the Karcag school.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 29: Tiszaföldvár

Pray that this city, which in ancient times was a dirt-walled fortress, will come to know the mighty Fortress Who is our God. 
 


For more, visit the online prayer calendar.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 28: Tokaj / Ouachita Baptist team update

Tokaj, a beautiful town world-famous for its wine, is today's prayer focus.  Pray that Tokaj's people will come to faith in Christ and be connected to the Vine; pray that they will know a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, empowering them to love and serve the many who come to their historic community as tourists and businessmen.


For more, see the online prayer calendar.

The Ouachita Baptist University volunteer team has been making a great impact as they share through music and drama around our area.  Praise the Lord, four of the youth from the Friday night event at the children's home in Pacikert came to the Pacikert mission Sunday (a church plant by national believers from Debrecen Baptist Church). 

As I type this, the Ouachita team is on their way to Karcag to give a presentation at a school.  Pray that the Lord will speak to the hearts of the young people.

 
 

Monday, May 27, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 27: Kecskemét

Pray that the people of the historic city of Kecskemét will come to Christ and then spread the Good News to others. 




For more information see the online prayer calendar.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 26: Hungarians of w. Ukraine

There are approximately 160,000 Hungarians in western Ukraine, but only 7 Baptist churches.  Please pray that the believers will be encouraged in this very hard place, and that the Lord will work in a mighty way to draw people to Himself. 

More information is on the prayer calendar.

Saturday, May 25, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 25: Cegléd

The city of Cegléd sits at the foot of a beautiful mountain range, and is known for its food production plants and many vineyards.  Pray this agricultural center will become a great harvest field for God's Kingdom.

For more information see the links on the online prayer calendar

Friday, May 24, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 24: Gyöngyös

Pray that the small new church in Gyöngyös will be encouraged and continue to grow both spiritually and in numbers; pray that through this beginning many more vital, reproducing churches will be planted.


More photos and information are on the online prayer calendar.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 23: Szolnok / OBU team

Szolnok, a county seat, is in the center of eastern Hungary on multiple major transportation routes, including rail, bus, truck, and boat. Pray that this will be a launching point for a great movement of the Gospel all across Hungary and beyond.

For more, see the online prayer calendar.

Praise the Lord for how He is using the volunteer team from Ouachita Baptist University as they serve all around our area through music, drama, testimonies and conversation.  Today they are in a high school sharing with the students, and tonight they will be featured at our weekly coffeehouse. Pray for good communication and open hearts as they share the Good News.


Some photos from Sunday at Trinity Baptist Church in Debrecen

 
An outreach event Monday in the town of Kaba

          

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 22: Mezőberény

Mezőberény is an intellectual and industrial center with a long history of cultural and religious diversity. Pray that this historic refuge of religious freedom will find true freedom in Christ.


For more information see the online prayer calender

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 21: Hódmezővásárhely

Hódmezővásárhely has the largest geographic jurisdiction of any Hungarian city outside Budapest. Pray that the gospel will spread over the city's entire area of influence.

More info is on the online prayer calendar.

Monday, May 20, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 20: Szeged

Szeged, a county seat, is one of the largest cities in Hungary and is a key to reaching southeast Hungary and the Hungarians in Serbia. It has a strong identity as a university town. Pray that many students will come to Christ and carry the Gospel with them into their careers. 


For more information and a short prayer video about Szeged, see the online prayer calendar.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

May month of prayer - Day 19: Hungarians of n. Serbia

Of the approximately 300,000 Hungarians in northern Serbia, only about 1,000 are born again. Pray that national believers will be encouraged, and that they will remain faithful and effective as they continue to reach out with the Gospel to those around them. Pray especially for Pastor Zoltán Nyúl and his family, who recently lost their home and all their belongings in a devastating house fire. Praise the Lord for how He has used their strong witness during this difficult time.



For more information see today's date on the prayer calendar.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Music and Drama - student outreach

The volunteer team from Ouachita Baptist U. is here in eastern Hungary presenting a message of hope through Christ using music and drama.  Pray for them and for the young people that they are sharing with...pray that hearts will be touched and lives changed.  Praise the Lord for how He is working!