Pig fat and prayer

It's been a marathon of activity here, but what a joy it is to see God working!  Gary has been assisting with a Grain Game Bible camp in Karcag, where he's had the opportunity to provide simple inductive Bible study for some of the older kids.  Some very serious conversations have been taking place!  Pray that these young men will open their hearts to the Lord as they look into His Word.

And tonight after camp is over for the day there will be a cookout -- the Hungarian delicacy of pig fat roasted on a stick over an open fire, with the tasty drippings drizzled over thick hunks of bread topped with slices of onion, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.  Along with food for the body will come some food for the soul.

Pray for Grain Game's Chip Riley and for Gary as they tell the story of how God orchestrated "random" people and events to kick off the crazy, creative wonderfulness that is the Grain Game - Bible teaching for kids unforgettably illustrated through active games, demonstrations, lots of water, shaving cream, balloons and more.  In addition to the Bible truths explored throughout the day, the gospel message will be shared very plainly tonight at the cookout with the campers, family members and friends who come, so pray with us that hearts will be open to receive the message. Pray that nothing--including rain, which caused the postponement of this event last night--will stand in the way of decisions for Christ!

First meeting at Berekfürdő mission point

Setting up for the first meeting

Thank the Lord with us for our first meeting in Berekfürdő, where we are establishing a mission point and praying for a church plant in partnership with Pastor Csaba Pesti of Karcag.

We are still looking for a permanent place for the Berekfürdő group to meet, but for now the Catholic priest--who is a friend of Pastor Csaba--is kindly allowing us to use a room belonging to his church.  

Only five of us were present at the July 7 gathering, but it was wonderful to actually be on site in the town for a time of worship, Bible study and prayer. At this point we will be meeting in the town every other week, with alternating Fridays spent in discipleship/evangelism training at the mother church in Karcag.

Continue to pray for Berekfürdő, asking that new connections will form, people will come to Christ, and that a vibrant, reproducing church will be planted.

Small group after the meeting. The courtyard has a very lovely, peaceful garden.

Baptism in western Ukraine

Berehove Baptist church baptism at the lake

Praise the Lord for how God is working! Last week when Gary was serving in western Ukraine, he had the privilege of bringing a brief message at a baptismal service out by the lake. Our friend Pastor Valentin Nehro of the Berehove Baptist church officiated, with the main sermon at the church beforehand being delivered by Pastor István Borzási, former president of the Hungarian Baptist Union in Romania.

Three ethnic Hungarians and one ethnic Russian were being baptized, and besides the church folks that were there, quite a few lost relatives and community members were also on the scene. Some of the family members were antagonistic to the gospel, and we are thankful they were there to hear the Good News. Pray for the new believers as they continue to take a stand for the Lord; ask that they will keep growing and sharing their faith. Ask that God will soften the hearts of the lost ones who heard the gospel, and that one day soon they also will come to Christ.

Longing for the fruit of our labor

OK, so our garden is yielding vegetables, not fruit!  But as I harvested some of the first produce from our little backyard garden today, I couldn't help but be reminded of our work and the longing of our hearts.

Ministry is full of seed-sowing, watering, tending...yes, there are weeds that must be pulled and pesky dangers that the new growth must be guarded against.  How we yearn to see more of the spiritual seeds that we have sown bear fruit, to have the joy of watching seedlings in the Kingdom garden growing toward maturity and bringing joy to our Creator God.

Pray with us for the work in Hungary, that the coming harvest will be bountiful!