Vacation Bible School is finally here! Our team has been hard at work over the past few weeks preparing everything from crafts to curriculum and of course an exciting drama for the kids. Our theme this year for our VBS is Living in the King’s Court. We’ll be sharing various parts of the gospel over the remaining five days. Today, the children learned about God our Creator.



Above: The morning registration for the first day has been chaotic in the past. We praise God for giving wisdom as to how to better handle this process more efficiently. There were lots of smiles on parents faces.







Above: Both Fanni and Bojana have begun attending our youth group meetings and also church. They also are serving as helpers in this year’s VBS.



Above: “Flash Jack” making a cameo appearance. Last year he was a hit with the kids, sadly he’s just visiting today and not planning on staying.





Above: Anna and Elianna helping sing some new favorites at camp.



Above: Last year, Edit (blue vest) attended as a visitor as she stayed with her grandchildren. After camp she began attending small groups and church and later gave her life to Jesus. This year she is leading one of our preschool classes. What a joy to see her using her giftings for Jesus.





Above: Teaching the kids in small groups the day’s memory verse. Teammate Val commented that each in her group (above) were able to recite the verse form memory even though they are some of the youngest at our camp.





Overall this was a great first day! Many who are serving with us have years of experience which makes the camp schedule much easier to grasp. It was great to see everyone serving with joy and each doing their part to make everything run smoothly. I heard a lot of kids commenting towards the end of the day... “Is there going to be more. Today went so fast!” For many of these kids, this is truly a refuge for them, a place where they are loved unconditionally and can find peace. It is our prayer that they meet Jesus through us at VBS and that his truth find a place in their hearts to flourish.

Would you please pray join us in this ministry through prayer?

Prayer Requests

— Praise God that He held off the rain today and gave us great weather for camp. Because of our limited building size, it is very important that we are able to be outdoors the majority of the day. Please pray for the rain clouds to leave and for great weather to come and bless these kids.

— Teammate Heidi and her son Sammy came down with a sickness just before camp started. They are recovering. Please pray for complete healing. Two children at our first day of camp came down with high fevers and had to go home. Please pray for protection from any others getting sick and for healing of those who desire to attend.

— Praise God that there were absolutely no disciplinary issues today. Please pray that the kids would be so blessed with all that is taught and provided through camp that they would not wander towards being a distraction to others. Pray that each one of the kids finds fellowship with others and that no one feel rejected.

— Please pray for the volunteers who are handling the constant moving of heavy tables and benches throughout the day into different configurations. They need strength!

— Tomorrow we will discuss the fall of man and the problem of sin. Please pray for Gabi who will be giving the main teaching in the morning and for the kids to understand the wretchedness of sin and rebellion against God.

Thank you all for your continued support!

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost

Years ago, a young boy named Dávid regularly attended our church with his best friend Gyozo (jew-zoo). As the years passed, Gyozo took life more seriously and came to faith in Christ at one of our English Camps. As Gyozo continued to grow, Dávid continued to drift and began spending all his time with a different group of friends. He began drinking and doing drugs. I would often see Dávid as I visited his parents who are church members. He was always polite but seemed to have no conviction that the direction he was headed was destroying his life now and into eternity. Though Dávid abandoned his pursuit of God, Jesus had not abandoned him. Dávid, by God’s grace, is beginning to realize that he has chosen the wrong path in life. Just recently, he was taken to the hospital as his body suffered withdraw symptoms from drugs. We rejoiced in seeing Dávid stroll in with his parents to worship service this past Sunday. Dávid approached me and said, “Can you pray for me?” After service we had an opportunity to sit down and talk. He was honest and explained to me how he sensed God was making it clear to him that the path he is choosing is leading to death. He shared how he was hesitant to come to see us today because of past times of being a hypocrite and not being serious about what we were clearly serious about. I told him only God could bring about the change he was seeking.

Dávid acknowledged how he saw God’s power at work. He saw his friend Gyozo change over the years. He saw his own father who would leave the house limping and in pain return home healed and walking normally. In the depths of his own spiritual pain and aftermath of a wasted life, Dávid is now being drawn to God. I was able to share the Gospel with him and reassured him that he would not find condemnation from us. I told him that the old Dávid must die and God is ready to give him a new life set free from sin through faith in our Redeemer Jesus Christ. Dávid wasn’t ready to decide on Sunday, but it is clear he is now headed in the right direction of repentance. Before leaving, I prayed for him. I put my hand on his heart where he had issues. I was asking God for deliverance for Dávid and for God’s Spirit to bring healing into his life. As I kept my hand on his heart, Dávid’s eyes lit up. I asked him what was going on with my hand still resting there. He said, it’s getting really warm on the inside. Dávid then began saying, “Whoah, Whoahhhh. I’ve never felt anything like this before in my life. I asked, “Is it getting warmer?” David said, “No, It’s like an electrical current running through me now.” After praying, Dávid (now over six feet tall) leaned over and embraced me (not a cultural norm in Hungary). What a privilege to be the body of Christ extended God’s love and grace toward the poor in spirit. Dávid asked for direction as to where he could start reading the Bible and said he would like to begin attending our church’s youth group meeting on Fridays. Guess who leads the youth group? Gyozo, Dávid’s friend from years ago. Please pray for David! May the patience and kindness of God toward David lead him to repentance and faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Northwestern Choir

Last Sunday we were blessed to have the Northwestern Choir from St. Paul Minnesota perform in Petofibanya. The local government was gracious to place a good sized color advertisement for the concert in the local newspaper for free. We had a great turn out with the majority in the audience being visitors not only from Petofibanya, but from surrounding villages.


Above: Church members busy in the kitchen serving up goulash soup to the choir of 78 people before the show. Two students from the choir gave short testimonies and also Eniko from our church shared how she came to put her faith in Jesus Christ. The Choir along with the testimonies was powerful! A few of the elderly women in our church said that as they listened it was if they were in the very presence of God and knew they were cleansed from all their sins.






One of the teachers from the neighboring town of Rozsaszentmarton where we are seeking to plant a church also attended. She spoke with Miki afterwards about how she saw something different about us. She saw the love we had for one another and the unity. Miki was able to explain the difference between being religious and having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Miki spoke with a few others afterwards and invited them to a small group study of God’s word. We praise God for the opportunity this concert gave to share the gospel. We thank Him that He also used it to continue to give our local fellowship a good reputation in the town.

Bogács

Above: As with most communities, the Romani population is tucked away in a separate section of town.


Above: Teammates Miki and Erika’s daughter Anna who comes to help with children’s ministry in Bogács.


Above: Izabella with her son Dávid.


Above: Pulyka, the father of the household we visit every Tuesday.


Above: Brenda talking with Katyus and Mazsi.

Just a few weeks ago, we were once again reminded of the depths of sin in the Romani culture and why the town of Bogács needs Jesus. Months ago, we had asked God to help Izabella with purchasing a house. There are incentives from the government that were in place and just a few weeks ago Izabella found a house at an unbelievable price. She invested much time and money with lawyers and meeting with the owner to finalize the deal. Izabella and Süni put the money down on the house and were waiting for the final papers to be signed the next day (the day we would have our house group).

It turns out that Izabella’s brother heard about the deal and met with the home owner personally behind her back. He then made a deal in secret and bought the house. Izabella was completely broken as what she had hoped for and had already seemed to be hers was snatched away unjustly. Needless to say, that night we arrived for Bible study was like walking into an emotional storm. This was the perfect opportunity for discipleship. Jesus calls us to teach others to obey all that Jesus taught. Brenda and I sought to help them navigate this heartbreaking matter through the eyes of faith as followers of Jesus and not as those who are of the world. The conversations shifted from their family wanting to curse the brother and wish the worst for him to remembering what Jesus did for us while we were sinners. It was a difficult lesson for them and we hope that they choose the way of Jesus and follow His Spirit rather than the ways of the world. Please pray for Izabella to have spiritual discernment and to be the bright light of Christ that this community so needs to see.

VBS coming soon!

Above: Our team has been invited to various Children’s Day festivals in our town and surrounding villages. This is a great opportunity to get the word out for our upcoming VBS.







Our team is busy with the various planning and design involved in this year’s VBS. We already have over 65 kids registered, the majority having already attended in the past. We could use your prayers as we finalize curriculum, crafts and prepare for our drama presentation throughout the week. Pray that in all we do, the Gospel may be proclaimed and God’s love may be displayed through us.

Family Photos

Above: Ben, Ellie, Kira and Ziva at Budapest’s zoo.


Above: Ziva dragging big brother Ben around.



Thank you all for continuing to keep our family and our ministry in your prayers. This summer, we have multiple camps not only as outreach to Hungarians but also Missionary Kid Camps that our children will be attending for their spiritual growth. If you would like to contribute financially, it would be a blessing in helping cover the costs for these camps and for other financial needs of our family and ministry as we serve in Hungary. You’ll find easy ways to give toward these needs by following this link.