Thursday, April 30, 2015

May month of prayer

With May comes our annual 31 Days of Prayer for Eastern Hungary.  Please join us in this month of focused prayer!  This year we'll feature primary ministries and events; individual friends who don't know the Lord; strategic towns and regions; and Debrecen University students.  Since so many international students study here, we will be praying for them by countries, listing some of the largest people groups represented.  We're excited to think that when these young people come to Christ they could carry the gospel message to the far ends of the earth as they return to their homes!

The prayer calendar and an accompanying prayer topics information sheet are available as downloads.  Be sure to check out the virtual prayer walks linked to on the info sheet.
  


Printer-friendly versions can also be downloaded and printed front-and-back.  Feel free to share them with prayer groups, Sunday School classes, or use as a bulletin insert.


Thank you for praying with us throughout this month!

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Sad news about J

As we drove back from Budapest yesterday we got a very sad message.  Church plant friend "J," that we have been asking prayer for, has passed away.  He had heard the Gospel many times...our hope is that in his final moments he did realize his need for Christ and turn to Him in repentance. 

Thank you for praying for J for the last couple of weeks.  Please pray now for his family and friends who don't know the Lord; ask that God will use this to bring others to think seriously about where they are in life, and that they will acknowledge their need for the Saviour and put their faith in Him.  Also lift up the believers at the church plant, that they will not be discouraged or overcome -- there have been several other deaths in the circle of friends there -- but that they will feel the comfort that the loving Father gives and will be even more courageous in their witness to their lost friends and family members.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

An encounter

Last week I had to really stretch my legs to make it to a weekly appointment about a 10-minute walk from our house...this week I decided to leave early so I could enjoy a more leisurely pace and still not risk being late.  As I headed off down the tree-lined street I saw one of the neighbor ladies coming from the opposite direction.  We had greeted each other many times before but had never really talked. 

Today as our eyes met and I smiled at her, she immediately approached and started pouring her heart out, telling me all about health and family issues and other trials in life.  I didn't get to say much, mostly nodded and made sympathetic noises.  Then she stopped talking, and I saw that I really did have to go.  I told her that I am praying that the Lord will help her in the situations, and then we parted.  Was this the beginning of a new, deeper relationship with the neighbor lady?  I pray that it was, and that God will use it to open up many opportunities in the future to share the Good News.

I had to laugh as I hurried on toward my appointment, scurrying down the street to avoid being late.  Leaving early hadn't kept me from having to rush, but it had made it possible for an encounter to take place that otherwise wouldn't have happened.  May the Lord guide us in even the small things of life, using us to bring hope to those we meet.   

Pray for this dear neighbor lady and others that we encounter as we go about daily life; ask the Lord to speak to hearts and draw people to Himself.


Friday, April 3, 2015

Planned visit to "J"

Two of the church plant members are planning to go see "J" in the hospital on Sunday after our special Easter celebration --- they want to visit for a little while and take him some food and other needed items. In Hungary, family and friends often take food and other items to patients since not a lot is provided.  The hospital is in a different town from the church plant, and since these ladies don't have cars at this point they asked if we would be able to go with them in our car before we return to Debrecen (we live an hour away from the church plant.)  We are so glad to hear of the plan, and we are more than happy to go with them,  see our friend, and supply the transportation. 

Pray that we will have the right words to minister to "J," and that in this time he will experience the physical and spiritual healing that he needs.  Also pray that as church plant members reach out to him, that they will be encouraged to keep growing in their own spiritual walk.  May the Lord get glory in all of our lives!