Wednesday, October 08, 2003 11:51 PM
Subject: Poised...
In the morning, 9 people will leave the United States on our way to Rome. Friday, 4 more come from other countries in Europe to share the great Good News in Italy. Pray for all as we travel. Pray for the churches as they make last-minute preparation. Pray for Ettore Zerbinati, the project coordinator, whose father appears to be close to going home to Glory at any moment from his hospital bed in Rome.
Thursday, October 09, 2003 3:07 PM
Subject: Enroute ....
Chicago, Thursday, 2:30 pm
We are in the Chicago airport waiting for our flight to Rome. Seven of us: 5 from McKinney, plus 1 from Amarillo. 5 more come from Europe tomorrow. Dub Jackson says that every project is "a fist-fight with the devil." This certainly has been a unique struggle. As it turns out, we ended up having one dear brother from England volunteer to go and no place was available for him. Our cup runs over! We have already had opportunities to share on the flight from DFW to Chicago. The lady next to me, Nancy, and I had wonderful discussion of the differences between being a church-member and being a disciple. Pray for her.... We covet your prayer.....
Friday, October 10, 2003 4:36 AM
Subject: Texans arrive tired but safe
Rome, Friday, 10:30 am European time
The contingent from Texas arrived here in Rome in good shape (unless tired counts as bad shape). Others will be coming in through the day from Nashville, Holland, Germany and Switzerland....
Friday, October 10, 2003 4:47 PM
Subject: All in place...
Rome, Friday night, 11:30 pm
We have everyone here. All is in preparation. Tomorrow starts the fulfillment of the dreams God has had in mind for this week. I am tired and headed for bed. This is when I count on you to pray on our (my) behalf..... With great appreciation, Jerry
Sunday, October 12, 2003 4:54 PM
Subject: Great Lord's day!
I worshipped this morning in a coffee house church in Magdeburg Germany. It was a delightful time! I had a dinner meeting tonight with the leadership team to evaluate how a youth project would work here. It looks like a great opportunity and we will continue in discussions over the next few days and weeks. I have not heard anything as of yet from any of the folks in Italy. I trust that is a good sign, that they are too busy doing great things.... Warmest appreciation and love to each who pray, Jerry
Tuesday, October 14, 2003 10:07 AM
Subject: Terrific!
Tuesday, on the train, Magdeburg, Germany to Rotterdam, Netherlands
I have just finished with several wonderful days in Magdeburg (Germany) learning how students could be used in a project there. As discussion progressed, more churches indicated they wanted teams, so that there appears to be 7 or 8 teams needed. Each team will have 6 - 10 guest volunteers on it. At this time, we think there will be about 50 coming from the U.S. and we could use 5 - 15 more from Austria and/or Cottbus. The host churches are variable in size, style and age. It appears there are 4 more traditional churches in smaller cities around the state capitol city of Magdeburg, perhaps a larger traditional church in Magdeburg, and 3 or perhaps 4 new church starts going on now in Magdeburg and other cities. This project is on the formerly east German sector, where the Lord's work has languished for a many years. I praise the Lord for what he is already doing in and around Magdeburg and for what we may yet see him do! I have not yet heard anything from the teams in Italy. I am praying that it means they are so busy that they haven't had time to communicate.
Tuesday, October 14, 2003 5:21 PM
Subject: Holland and a little report from Rome
Rotterdam, Tuesday night.
I have arrived in Holland and had discussions about the project here next year. I go to the Dutch Baptist Union annual convention tomorrow and speak there on Thursday. I ask for your prayers for those meetings.
It looks like several churches (7-8) who are not part of the Dutch Union are interested in receiving a team next year. The leader here has set a deadline of December 31 for them to tell him of their steering committee, a requirement to participate in that project.
I received the following word from Italy.....
-----Original Message-----
From: Ettore Zerbinati Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2003 10:27 AM
Dear Jerry, This in not a real report but I just want inform you that thing are going pretty well, at least in Montesacro and Centocelle. Yesterday night we [Montesacro] had a very well attended service. Arleatha did a marvelous performance, as usual, and the message prepared by Louis (from Switzerland) reached the heart of many of those present. We, in Montesacro, are establishing a very warm feeling and an emotional correspondence that will lead to a deep communion. If we think that these are only the first days, and normally they are the most difficult, I'm hoping to see what is going to happen in the next days. I don't know exactly what is going on in Teatro Valle, but it seems to be suffering at the moment. This morning Jaimie joined that team and they would go to sing and give their testimony around the church. I will tell to Jaimie to write to you this night when we come back home. Please continue to pray for us. Ettore
----------------------------
Let's do keep praying for Italy!
Wednesday, October 15, 2003 6:24 PM
Subject: Late news from Rome
The work in Rome is progressing with some places going well and others struggling. Here is a part of a report from Jaimie Prigge, the young singer from Holland:
--------------------
Let me start with Montesacro. It's a small church. Louis and Stacey Paugh and Karen Crist are in this church. Hosting is good, although few speak English. The work there doing is great. Arleatha sung 3 times there, I've got my first time there tonight. The team has encouraged them and they need prayer for the younger people, there are not many there.
Let's go on with Centocelle, because they might need some prayer since they have also every night a service. Besides the church there is a orphan home with about 15 kids from the age of 10 till 17. They need prayer!!!!!! We got the opportunity to pray with Maria (13) she made a commitment with the Lord. We need prayers for Maria and her friends. We need prayers for the older people who are in the old folks home beside the church. They need encouragement to come to the every night services. The team of Centocelle needs prayers for doing the heavy job there.
Alright, now the last church. Teatro Valle is having some problems. The church has not been very involved with Morris and his team the past three or four days. So the team is pretty much on their own. My opinion is that Morris can handle this, for himself. But leading a team in a situation like this is an other story. When you have less church involvement, few plans, little help from church members, than I consider this as a problem. However, some things were beginning to happen this morning. There was a meeting with all the guests at the federation of evangelical churches in Rome. The team of guests arrived at various times: some were late and some were on time. So, I think I have made clear were we need to pray for. This last team is being on the streets ministering to most tourists because they are in an area in the middle of old Rome, and only a few people live there. Tomorrow evening Arleatha is going to sing there, thank God they have this organized. Let it be a great blessing!!!!! Maybe I can get to a copy store and make some flyers and so we can invite people to come to watch Arleatha. Tomorrow, I hope to have some direct reports from the team leaders. I've asked them to write some. Since Morris has no computer I will take my laptop there and make a report.
Jaimie.
------------------------
Be sure to pray in these critical transition days... Jerry
Thursday, October 16, 2003 3:08 PM
Subject: Oh my!
Leeuwarden, Holland
Thursday 1:30 pm
The building was full. 250, maybe 300 messengers from Baptist churches all across Holland had come together to this delightful "Park Church" (located next to a beautiful park) for the annual meeting of the Dutch Baptist Union. I am seldom intimidated, but this group did intimidate me!
The Baptist young people of the country had come earlier this morning and taken over the meeting, demanding support for their ministry agenda. They often used their green voting cards for some issue that I did not understand. Not the first time though, I had seen red and green cards flashing in voting on multiple issues unknown to me. Ouch! Things were running well behind schedule. I had been given 45 minutes, now it should only be 30 minutes, or less, if possible. I could feel the near-panic rising. How could I communicate the transformation of churches that I believe God is wanting to give to European church? I could not and I knew it.
Then came the crises of belief.... Was this of God, or of IC, or of Jerry? I surrendered......
Just what He had wanted all along.
I raced through the material and through the PowerPoint slides. Surely I had gone too fast. It could not have been clear. As I finished, I was 4 minutes early. What had I missed? What was forgotten? It seemed to all be covered. I passed the platform to the Dutch coordinator of the project, Arjan Treuren, spoke for his 15 minutes and my 4 extra.
When he finished, the moderator said something in Dutch and the people, virtually all of them, raised their red cards. It was clear to me: they had voted down the idea evangelistic partnership by an overwhelming majority (it looked like 80 or 90%).
I immediately began apologizing to God. I explained that I thought I was ready, but clearly not ready enough. I thought I had prepared a clear call for dramatic change in churches, lest they die. Yet, I was obviously not clear enough. I had clearly failed.
One of the Union leaders, Peet Wijchers, the head of church development, came up to me and asked, "Are you ready to get 81 teams? We have 90 churches and it looked like 90% voted to recommend to their churches to receive a team."
What? I told him what I thought had happened and asked him to explain...... He laughed and told me that no, they messengers only had one card, this year it was red, to indicate their vote. 90% had voted to recommend to their churches that they participate!
God had not failed! He was faithful! He was able! He spoke to every heart.
I could not believe it. My surrender was God's empowerment. All the credit goes to him! Hallelujah! What a God!
We had 42 people come to one of two workshops held in the afternoon. We are re-evaluating the scope of our plans for the 2005 project in Holland. People are excited about the new "Light the Fire" workshop in the spring of 2004. Is God stirring in a great way in Holland.
This is the harvest planted by faithful visionaries who labored in and for Holland for the last nearly 30 years: Romke Reiling, Dub Jackson, Luk Nieman, the Kosters and many more. To God be all glory! What a mighty God we serve!
Thursday, October 16, 2003 10:31 PM
Subject: Italy
This is from Jaimie, the Dutch young man who is in Italy singing from church to church.....
_____
Saturday: Morris meet Silvia, is a daughter of an old friend of him.
Sunday: After breakfast at the church, the church service at 11 o clock, early met people. Suzanne gave testimony. After service, lunch
Monday: Centocelle morning
Wednesday: Morning: Pastor gone all day Suzanne; Morris went to federation 11.00 o clock. Patrizia, Bernice ; Bernice joint later on. Went by bus. Walking tour, ended up near Centocelle. Evening: church meeting at Centocelle.
Thursday: Morning : Breakfast at ten. Pastor made tracts, team is getting out of the street and passing out.
Pat: Sunday morning: I came in and was being a hostess for the church. I met a woman and she was here for the first time, name Mary Lou (French, live in Northern Italy, feel lonely) Valerie is from the church and speaks Italian, English and French. Pat got them up to each other. Mary Lou was visiting the church and went to lunch later on with Valerie. Pat has the feeling that someone here in Rome has waiting for her. Danielle, a girl from the orphan home and she is new. This was all Wednesday evening in Centocelle. Pat got in touch with her and made a connection. During the church service they grasped each others hands. Girls name is Danielle. Another woman from the church (Teatro Valle) was smiling at Pat. Pray for this woman. We don’t have a name. But the woman is going through a divorce. She is lonely. Pat is called upon to go to lonely people.
Suzanne : Sunday was a big appointment for me. Few people were not coming to this church. I start talking to one boy. I had a whole group around me, and one of the younger people helped to do some translation. Suzanne read out of the Bible and people were laughing. Suzanne discovered that they did not laughed because of here, but they were happy that she was reading out of the Bible and not talking there just by her self.
Centocelle: Patrizia, we need some prayer for her father in Law (she is Ettore’s wife). She need some prayer for rest. The team thinks its great that they can share some stories of there own life with the people. Pray for all the passed out testimonies and bless those testimonies that they may have been read.
Bernice : Met at Sunday a girl named Isabelle. A whole group gathered around her and made themselves part of their conversation. Bernice shared her own testimony with Isabelle. Isabelle said: I don’t believe the same thing, but I want know things about this. Testimony and scripture was shared. Isabelle, not a Italian girl and Bernice had a moment of prayer with her. Please pray for sending people to Isabelle, and that she can ask God for Questions. Bernice exchanged email addresses. Pray for this team.
Saturday, October 18, 2003 7:21 AM
Subject: Update from Rome
Rome, Saturday
I got this message from Scott Corwin regarding the work in Centocelle church in Rome:
We haven't had internet access to give you a report so Jamie has offered to attach this note and send it to you.
Team Centocelle has had a rewarding experience ministering in the the church family and local community. Upon our arrival, it became clear that in between the home for the elderly, the foster home for teenagers, and the extended church family we would have plenty of opportunities to share the gospel with people on our door step.
Each evening we have had a service of worship featuring music or testimonies and a brief gospel message. The services have been well attended by the congregation with non-Christian family and/or friends attending along with those from the church. Each night the gospel has been proclaimed clearly in multiple ways with decision challenges and opportunities for people to consider accepting Christ. The people have responded especially well to Jaime and Arleatha.
During the day we have had opportunity to accompany Centocelle's pastor, Silvia Rapisarda, in visiting a variety people in the church to encourage them and to present the gospel to family members. For example, one faithful church member's wife is wrestling with matters of faith in light of their daughter's conversion to Islam. We had opportunity to encourage the church member, speak with his wife about her faith, and to listen to the daughter talk about her faith and correct some of her misunderstandings about the nature of Christianity. We prayed for each of them. Similar opportunities have presented themselves.
Today we met with the Monte Sacro team at the Piazza Navonna for a time of sharing. Some prayer-walked while others distributed testimonies. Still others talked with people that worked on the piazza or were visiting Rome as tourists. After our ministry we shared a coffee/hot chocolate at a cafe as we shared our experiences of God's work during the week. Among the highlights: visiting un-believers in the hospital, sharing the gospel with family members and friends, hearing the testimonies of our Italian brothers and sisters, seeing the work of faithful pastors and church members.
Continue to pray. There's work that has yet been done, especially: the non-believing husbands of faithful leaders at Centocelle; teenagers making key decisions about following Jesus Christ; renewed commitment to sharing testimonies and the gospel among the membership of Centocelle; encouragement for Centocelle's pastor, Silvia, as she works hard pleading for the cause of Christ, leading the church in its mission, and caring for the leaders and members of the church.
Italy is a difficult place to serve, either for a lifetime or for a short time. I know that my heart is turned toward this wonderful place that need the love of our wonderful Lord. I appreciate you joining me in praying...
Saturday, October 18, 2003 7:52 AM
Subject: Hungary
Saturday, from Hungary on the road to Ukraine (by phone)
I just talked to Tivadar Macher, the IC coordinator for Hungary, and Keith McWhorter, the project coordinator for this project, as some were driving by car, train and bus to several Hungarian speaking churches in Ukraine. We (I) had some confusion about visas for the ones going to Ukraine, but God took care of everything and they all got visas in Budapest to travel on to Ukraine.
The team staying in Hungary is having a children's program this afternoon.
There is a sense that God is stirring. Thank you for praying for this project.
Sunday, October 19, 2003 4:09 PM
Subject: Hungary update
I received this email from Tivadar Macher, the IC national coordinator for Hungary:
-----Original Message-----
Dear Jerry!
Today at 1,30am I arrived from Ukraine. The day was long and hard.
As you and I were speaking by phone, we were on the way. We traveled by train and by car, because there is no train directly to Beregovo.
The invitation letter from Ukraine arrived at time, but only by e-mail, we could not use them. But fortunately we could give a name and address which could be written as inviter, so the people could get personal visas. We had to spent the morning at the consulate, but at 3pm we get the visas. Meantime the whole group could take part on a sightseeing tour (2 hour), and at 6pm we have met in my church to discuss about the next week. Sándor Nagy (Ukraine) and Zoltán Tóth (Vác) described the situation on the mission field.
Saturday 9am the train departed from Budapest West. Sándor Nagy accompanied to the group, I picked up one translator, Pál Andriska and took him with me. In Nyíregyháza we met the group, ate something and went forth to Beregovo.
At the border we had to wait for more than an hour. They checked the visas, and we, the Hungarians had to get a paper... It was dark as we arrived to Beregovo Church. Nobody was waiting for us, so we went on to Gut. Than we had to arrange some thing, and after 9pm I could come home.
Today, Sunday one more translator could go to Ukraine from Budapest. Together with the lady from Beregovo all three groups has one translator. Tomorrow morning will start the really work. Please, pray for this group and for the church here in Hungary!
Tivadar
Wednesday, October 22, 2003 5:46 PM
Subject: Some home, some still gone
All but one has returned home from Italy to their respective countries: Holland, Germany, Switzerland and the US. One young lady went on to Egypt from Rome to visit friends. I did get a report from one of the team leaders from Switzerland:
I apologize that I was unable to send you a daily email. Due to my arrangements with Monte Sacro, I did not have internet access throughout the week. I would, however, like to let you know how our week went. Our group's primary ministry during this week at Monte Sacro was of encouragement to a church who is enduring many trials at this point. Many church members have family or friends with cancer and this week was especially difficult for the church. Due to this, we made many hospital visits, home visits and we prayed a lot. We held nightly services that combined evangelism with encouragement to a church family that is struggling emotionally, financially, and spiritually. We were able to make some evangelistic efforts during the days in a local park and I believe Karen had attained a few names and addresses of interested individuals.
As far as prayer goes, there are a variety of needs within the church community. I have already mentioned that many people are in the hospital, but this is not all. On this past Sunday after church, one of the members received a call that her brother had died unexpectedly and had gone unnoticed for two days. This, combined with other sicknesses, financial worries, and continued frustrations with the declining size of the church has weighed heavily on the heart of the community.
I hope this gives you some sense of what happened this week at Monte Sacro.
In Christ,
Louis
I also got an email from Hungary:
Today one Hungarian sister came back from Ukraine. She was able to translate for some days, and brought some news from the people there.
Everything is running, there are visitations, services. Some think, they could manage more program, but Zita says the people need time to be open. The weather is wet, and one of the ladies got a cold. She stayed at home today. Somebody, maybe Jim Thomas, has problems with his diabetes.
I try to get in contact with Keith McWhorter. It seems, he will stay for the whole time in Ukraine.
There is a lack of translators. One lady got ill, and she was planed to translate in Beregovo. János Kelemen planed to travel tomorrow, but he is not able to do so. A young man will travel there on Friday. Pray for this topic as well!
Tivadar
Thursday, October 23, 2003 9:16 AM
Subject: Just received a word from Hungary
I just received this (about the team in Hungarian speaking churches in Ukraine):
JERRY- JUST A NOTE IN BEHALF OF KEITH M.- THINGS GOING WELL HERE IN UKRAINE-5 REMAIN BACK IN BUDAPEST ABOUT 35 PROFS SO FAR. MANY CHANCES TO WITNESS, TRAIN AND ENCOURAGE THE SAINTS AS WELL. PLEASE FORWARD THIS REPORT ON TO RODNEY AND WE WILL UPDATE WHEN POSSIBLE. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PRAYERS- STU TULLY IN BEREGSZASZ, UKRAINE
Thursday, October 23, 2003 8:18 PM
Subject: 2 more updates from Hungary
I received two emails today about the work at the Vac church in Hungary. One from Tivadar:
Today afternoon I visited the group in Vác. Before the evening service I was able to talk to them.
In the last days they could visit some institutes. They met disabled people and old people. In one old folks home they supposed to stay about 15 minutes, but firstly they spent 45 minutes with the staff, and then 4 more hours visiting the rooms and speaking to the patients. The leader of the home was attending to the evening service tonight together with an other leader of an other home.
They were able to visit also some friends of the members, and talk to them. It seems, there are plenty of translators in this place.
The next days the church will work among children, so the volunteers will be able to speak to children and to the parents. Please, pray for this opportunity, and for the evening services!
And another from Dr. Richard R. DeFosse:
Just a quick note from the field in Vac Hungary, we are all doing well. We had a good service tonight and expect the same for the next 3 days. The people are great hosts and very excited to have us here. We are plowing the fields and we are planting hundreds of seeds. We went into one elderly home that we were told we could only stay 10 or 15 minutes. We had a meeting with the director and staff first, then after 35 minutes and a long prayer time, we set out to spend 3 or 4 hours with the residents, It was a good day for the Lord. there were 4 staff members at our service tonight and they say they will return to the Sunday service. God is good.
Saturday, October 25, 2003 8:03 AM
Subject: A final report on Italy
I received an email from Scott Corwin, the pastor of International Baptist Church in Zurich, who was the team leader at one church in Italy and had a couple from his church who lead a team in another church. I also had a phone conversation about the third team. First, from Scott:
Great week in Rome for Zurich team and Centocelle team! Was a life-changing experience for Louis and Stacey and helped in their process of adjusting to living/working in Europe. Great experience for me as well meeting Silvia and the people of Centocelle. I was glad to have the opportunity to connect with some of the Italian Baptists as well including Ettore (sp?). What a great person!
The ladies from McKinney—Vickie and Mary—were fantastic! Great attitudes in a rather trying situation where we were flying by the seat of our pants most of the time trying to be gracious and helpful to our hosts while teaching them through example and admonition that our intention is to work to share the gospel with people. We ended up getting creative at times and Vickie and Mary were right there in attitude and ministry. Tara—from Germany—was a great help, too. Was a meaningful experience for her. I enjoyed connecting with her as an MK and was able to share some of my story with her. She was a real help to the youth at Centocelle.
Only my second “campaign” but I’m even more convinced that everyone should have the experience of participating in an IC project. The training, the challenge, the sharing, the connections, the fellowship, the evangelism, the caring—all contribute to helping people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
Thanks for your contribution to my life.
Scott
A few reflections from a conversation with the third team:
The time in Rome was mixture of joy and disappointment with less than expected numbers of opportunities to share. Significant conversations occurred with young adults of the church and tourists and visitors around the church. The visiting team came from many locations and thus struggled to work as a real team, especially in the light of less planning by the church and distractions from other events going on in Rome.
The pastor had many responsibilities inside and outside the local church and, being a single man, had little help to meet all the demands placed on him by his ministry. Church members do not live near the church (it is downtown, in the historical area) and none were really involved. Partnership possibilities diminished as a result.
God is not finished with Italy, Rome or local churches there. Partnership could be a tool that He uses to grow the impact of the community of believers in Rome. In future efforts, the churches receiving teams should be prepared to engage with the guests and utilize the opportunity Partnership provides. Visiting teams need to better understand the imperative of team connectedness.
Sometimes, I am asked if my reports really are the whole story. I am not sure one could ever communicate in writing the whole story of all that God is doing in this ministry (even the gospelier, John, confessed the same thing about the ministry of Jesus), but I want to share my best understanding of the variety of the results of the project in Italy.
Thanks to each participant and to all of you who "held on to the ropes" through prayer, as others went "down into the well" in Italy.
Tuesday, October 28, 2003 10:46 AM
Subject: Hot news from Hungary
I received this email from Tivadar Macher in Hungary reporting on the work among Hungarian speaking churches just across the border into Ukraine. We should hear more today or tomorrow and I will pass that on for your understanding of the results of your concern and prayers.
Today the groups came back to the hotel, all safe and healthy - as far as I know.
The group from Ukraine came by minibuses. As they get off, they looked very tired. And they were. One of the translators and Alexander Nagy, the brother who met Keith in Siberia years before, traveled with them. I spoke with Keith, and he told me the food, transportation and accommodations were OK. After not easy start on October 18, it ran better, then we could have imagined. For sure, there where problems with the preparation, but they were able to make many visits. About 100 people prayed with them to accept Christ. They could visit the mayor of Beregovo. There were fewer services than we had hoped, but in some services there were many people from outside the church. Keith promised that, after his arrival at home, he will send more information to you.
The group from Vác came back to the hotel later. They had a much easier, but also great, time. They are excited about the work this church is doing among children. I hope, you will hear more from their experiences as well. I was not able to speak with the leader of that group.
We planed to have a final service, but the group from Ukraine was very tired, and some of them have to get up very early, so we decided to skip it. I hope I will get some responses from the host church side. If so, I will inform you.
Please, pray for the follow up, because I think, they do not have enough workers to do it properly! I plan to speak with a Hungarian pastor living near to the border and with a missionary living in Ukraine and ask them to look after this work.
I am very thankful for the work of these groups, I appreciate very much their willingness. I has been a hard job, especially in Ukraine. I hope, this experience will not decrease their courage for the next campaign somewhere else!
Thanks to all, who have worked very hard on this project! During the preparation for this project some of the Hungarian pastors told me, they were interested in a campaign in the future.
Tivadar
Saturday, November 01, 2003 11:31 AM
Final report on Hungary Project
I have received two reports as the project in Hungary closed. The first is from Tivadar:
Dear Jerry!
Today afternoon I visited the group in Vác. Before the evening service I was able to talk to them.
In the last days they could visit some institutes. They met disabled people and old people. In one old folks home they supposed to stay about 15 minutes, but firstly they spent 45 minutes with the staff, and then 4 more hours visiting the rooms and speaking to the patients. The leader of the home was attending to the evening service tonight together with an other leader of an other home.
They were able to visit also some friends of the members, and talk to them. It seems, there are plenty of translators in this place.
The next days the church will work among children, so the volunteers will be able to speak to children and to the parents. Please, pray for this opportunity, and for the evening services!
I asked Dick Jarrett and Rick DeFosse to try to send an e-mail to you, Jerry. Hopefully they will do it in the next days, then you can read more details.
Tivadar
The second is from Keith McWhorter, the IC enlistment coordinator for the project:
Tivadar came to visit us at the hotel on Fri for breakfast. We obtained the Ukrainian visas with minimal hassle. The opening rally at Tivadar's church consisted of our team, Tivadar, Alexander from Ukraine and a youth worker from Vac. Attila, pastor from Vac was not able to come.
Travel to Ukraine on Saturday made for a very long day. We were held up at the border for approx. one and half hours. Tivadar did meet us at the train station in Budapest and again near the Ukraine border. Alexander escorted us on the train.
Alexander was a Godsend. He and I had worked together in Surgut, Siberia in 2000. God used him to keep the Ukrainian portion of the mission from being a big problem.
We thought were supposed to have an opening rally and dinner at the church in Beroxas but no one was there. We traveled on to the Gut Mission House. The gate was locked and no one was there. After a little while a lady came and opened the gate. The house was very cold. We built fires in the wood stoves. I went with Alexander to a little store in the village and purchased cheese, sausage, bread and drinks for dinner. We snacked for breakfast.
The group went to Beroxas for the Thanksgiving service. The meeting was outside, lasted three hours and was quite cold. The pastors got together and made plans for the week. One stated that someone had come from Budapest and told them that American missionaries were coming but little or no preparation had been made.
The church in Beroxas( the city) had nothing for our team on Mon. The pastor came up with one visit for Tue. Visits were great there on Wed. Thu and Fri. but nothing on Sat as they had a wedding.
I worked with Alexander in Gut. He was able to immediately get us visits starting Mon. Gut is remote with no phone service as was most of the other areas. Jim Thomas' team had a good week in spite of lack of preparation.
The Vac church did not appear prepared for the week. Our team was kept reasonably busy with normal activities of the church which they described as a very active church. They did see 19 pray to accept Christ at Vac primarily thru group activities and not home visitation.
The total for the mission was 125 praying to accept Christ. I think this is remarkable with almost no preparation.
In my exit interview with Tivadar, he was very apologetic. He said, Hungary is just not ready for a mission at this time. Maybe the "Light the Fire" seminar will positively impact this.
In spite of man's shortcomings, there were 125 prayers for salvation and each team member was very positive and had good experiences.
Praise the Lord!!
It is a joy to see what God does when we do not do as well as we could!