Continue to pray!

Please continue to pray for the mother of our Hungarian friend.  In spite of what the doctor has predicted, she continues to hang on to life, eating and drinking barely enough to keep herself alive.   Pray that she will find peace in the Lord before she passes away, and also that our friend will have the strength and grace to make it through this difficult time.

Also pray for „M,” the sister of another new believer, who needs the Lord in her life and in her family.  Our friend tells us tearfully that the home situation is very bad, involving three young children, and that her sister is not open to words of wisdom or spiritual input.  Pray for protection for the young woman and her children, and also that God will soften her heart and draw her to Himself.

Members of our families back home are experiencing very serious health issues.  At times like these it is terribly difficult to be so far away, but we know we need to be faithful to what God is calling us to do...we appreciate your prayers and support very much.

Urgent prayer needed!

A dear friend of ours here in Hungary, a new believer, just called to say that the doctor had been there and told her that her mother is dying and most likely will be gone by Monday.  Her mom has been very sick and in a lot of pain for a while now, but the most urgent issue is that she doesn’t know the Lord.  Please pray that she will be able to understand her need for the Savior, and that she will open her heart to Him before it is too late.  Also pray for God’s merciful hand to be on both ladies and other friends and family during this very difficult time.  Our friend said that we can come and visit tomorrow (Saturday), so pray for good communication and the working of the Holy Spirit as we go to minister to them.

Model airplanes and a ping-pong ball catapult

Somehow I don't think this is how most people picture missions.  Our dining room table is covered with--among other things--four model airplanes, a "test your knowledge of aviation history" interactive board that lights up to show if answers are true or false, and a ping-pong ball catapult made from a mouse trap and plastic spoon. Gary is in the living room testing a 6-foot-long wind tunnel, smoky streams billowing from a fog machine. 

 
Materials for teaching the physics of flight / Gary putting together his wind tunnel (the fog came later.)
Pray for Gary as he travels to Romania for aviation camp, for safety and for smooth border crossings.
What does all this have to do with missions?  Glad you asked!  God has a way of using whatever background and experience you have in order to connect with people and teach them about who He is...who we are...and how we can come into relationship with Him. Gary has a degree in Aviation Technology and experience as a pilot and flight instructor, and God has given him a passion to use these things to demonstrate that God as Creator made the world in such a way that it reveals Himself to man.  While teaching the concepts of aviation and physics, Gary is able to incorporate spiritual principles in a way that is exciting and memorable. 

Please pray for the Aripi de Inger ("Angel Wings") Foundation aviation camp that's taking place this week near Timisoara, Romania, and for Gary and the others who will be teaching and leading it. Young people come for the chance to learn about aviation, to fly in an ultralight plane, and to participate in science competitions and in sports--but they often leave with a much greater experience than even those things. Many lives have been changed as participants see the world from a totally new vantage point and come face-to-face with the Gospel.   Pray for safety, for a great experience for the participants, and that their hearts will be open to hearing truths about God along with the concepts of aviation.


More information about the foundation and its outreach ministry:

The website: http://www.aripideinger.com/home_en.php

Current promo video in English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg6uPFkeE_g

Original video that has more history of the foundation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehmSQHVM-2g

Nádudvar stirrings

For years we've visited the town of Nádudvar as often as we could, prayerwalked the streets, held concerts and events, and longed for a church to be planted.   This weekend "T.", a young friend from there, told us that he knows he needs to make some changes in his life, and he asked us to have Bible study with him.  Praise the Lord for how He draws people to Himself!  Pray that our friend will continue on the path to finding a relationship with God, for wisdom for us in finding a time and place for the Bible study, and that this will be the first step to a church plant in that town.

    
    A Nádudvar bed-and-breakfast where our volunteer teams have sometimes stayed.

Learn more about the town:  Nádudvar's official website; Wikipeda article; the website of our friend Fazekas István ("Stephen Potter"), the master potter who makes Nádudvar's famous black pottery.

Work among Hungarians in the Ukraine

      In the past we've asked you to  pray for the 170,000 ethnic Hungarians that live in the Ukraine.  In July we met with Valentin Nehro, pastor and missions worker from the Transcarpathian region of the Ukraine, and his wife Tanya.    It was a great time of sharing, praying and encouraging one another--all over some really fine cappuccinos and coffee. 

     The Nehros said there is great openness to the Gospel in their area.  They told us that in their work they have ethnically mixed groups, so much of it is done in both Ukrainian and Hungarian.    God is doing great things there, but they desperately need more help on the ground to accomplish what needs done.  

     Their major prayer request is for people to come and work with them, whether on short-term mission trips or for longer commitments.  They are in urgent need of help in youth ministry and evangelism.  Please pray for this work and let us know if you are interested in being involved in this area.

Photos from Hajdúszoboszló English Camp 2012

Once again the  Hajdúszoboszló English camp was a great blessing to everyone involved!  Thank you to both the Cross Timber team and the  Hajdúszoboszló Baptist church for letting me use their pictures.

 
Opening event: a free concert by Hungarian singer Pintér Béla.  -- The Cross Timber team with Gary
   
            
      

     
  
              
One day of the camp a news crew came from the local online TV station and did several interviews.  Today I found the program on the Internet, and I was please to see how positively it was presented.  They didn't edit out the testimonies at all.  PTL!  http://hvtv.hu/musorok/2012/07/16/dijtalan-tabor

Greece, Budapest, and the Hathcocks' move

A big "thank you" to those who continue to pray for us and the ministry here even during times when we are on the run and don't get updates posted.  You are an important part of the team and of what God is doing!

After the English camp and some time with Grain Game folks here doing more camps, we headed off for a conference in beautiful, sunny (hot!) Greece.  It was a wonderful but activity-packed time of praise and worship in English, great Bible teaching, training and updates from our leadership, and connecting and networking with co-workers from many countries. 

Shortly after we returned home, I (Carolyn), along with teammate Kimberly Hathcock and other missionary women from Hungary, had the pleasure of taking part in a women's retreat in Budapest.  It was a great experience for me, full of belly laughs and tears, music, great Bible study, fun crafts and activities--and lots of time to chat with other ladies who love the Lord.  Thank you to Kim K. and all the team from Austin for the love and care that you shared with us through the retreat. May God bless you as you have blessed us!

Today is the day we've been looking forward to ever since the Hathcock family became a part of the Eastern Hungary Team!  Moving day is upon them, and they are busy transplanting their family from Budapest, where they have been studying Hungarian, to their new home here in Debrecen.  After they get settled in, Kimberly will begin home schooling the girls, and Darrel will lead his family to begin their student outreach to young people in Debrecen and the surrounding area. (Visit the Hathcock family's blog.)

Please pray:

• that the move and transition to life in Debrecen will go smoothly
• for the transition back to home schooling for the girls, and for Kimberly as she teaches them
• for the family's continued language studies
• for great new relationships - both for needed friendships and for the opportunity to share Christ's love
• guidance and focus for how to proceed as they move into this stage of ministry
• that hearts will be prepared to hear the Gospel witness that will go out through the family.
• for us to form a close, unified team, and for wisdom for Gary as our leader

Thank you for your prayers!