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.

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.

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!

Pray for "J"

Sunday we found out that Hungarian friend "J" collapsed several days ago and was taken by ambulance to the hospital in another town.  He has been attending the church plant meetings off and on for quite a while now, is willing to talk about spiritual things to some extent, but has not committed his life to the Lord.  The last we heard was that they were doing tests to determine what is wrong with J, and that he is extremely weak.

Please pray for our friend's healing and difficult situation in life, but most of all that this medical emergency will be the catalyst that brings him to the spiritual decision-point; pray that J will give his life to Christ and follow after Him in joyful obedience.

Update to urgent prayer request

Praise the Lord, our friend is doing much better now and has been allowed to go home.  Thank you to everyone who has been praying!  Please continue to lift him and his family up, that they will have a good restful night tonight and peaceful day tomorrow as they process the day's happenings together.  Next week there will be more tests looking for the cause of the problem, so pray that it will all go well.

Thank you again!

Urgent prayer request

A co-worker/friend is having a medical emergency right now --  the ambulance is on its way.  Please pray for him and his family, for the medical personnel, for good communication across language barriers, for the peace of God and His healing hand to be very evident to all.

Thank you!

There's an elephant in my coffee!

OK, it was actually a cappuccino, but somehow I just wasn't expecting to see a foamy Jumbo on top of my java--I had to smile and applaud the barista's artistry!  

Coffee and cappuccinos are both a big part of friendships and ministry here in Hungary, both in malls and at the wonderful little sidewalk coffee shops that are so common in this part of the world.   It's amazing how God can use these times of casual conversation ...we just have to take the time to sit, chat, and let Him love people through us.

Please pray that the Lord will use our coffee-time conversations to encourage, uplift, and to draw new friends to Christ.