While at the Hungarian Celebration dinner, we left the kids back in Budapest well taken care of by two of the teachers (middle back) from the International Christian school close to where we live (Savannah is not pictured).
I had to post this picture. This is of Andras (Andrew) and Mara, two of our Hungarian staff, while in a boat over the Memorial Day weekend. It looks like something from a GAP commercial!
A good crowd shot from our Hungarian celebration dinner.
Here our 4 Hungarian staff are with a close group of committed friends of the ministry in Charlotte, North Carolina.
I wanted to give you a brief report of our Hungarian celebration and fund raising dinner back on May 22nd. EB and I, along with our 4 Hungarian staff, had a lot of fun being in a room with over 200 people, all of whom could have been somewhere else that night yet chose to be with us.
The feedback we received was that the evening was professional and visionary but personable and fun. The Hungarian staff did a great job sharing passionately what the Lord is doing in their country. And they did it as they spoke in their second language!
We owe so much to the small army of volunteers and table hosts who really made the evening happen. Much prayer and much effort went into the dinner.
Due to the generosity of a matching fund, we received nearly $80,000 in cash gifts and pledges that night. Whereas we still have a ways to go to meet Hungary’s operating budget through 2007, we are grateful for how people opened up their hearts and their giving to the work of the gospel in Hungary.
EB has since returned to Budapest and is helping our kids finish their school year. I miss them greatly; I am not complete without my family by my side. I will meet EB and the kids in Kansas City this upcoming Wednesday. We will then divide the next 5 weeks in the States between vacation, visiting supporting churches and setting up personal support networks for our Polish staff in Denver and Kansas City.
I have a variety of emotions and thoughts as I turn my attention toward our Polish staff. I am somewhat fearful because we are just not as well connected in other cities as we are in Atlanta. And our Polish staff outnumber our Hungarian staff 3 to 1. Yet we must try something. If we do nothing, then we will in all likelihood loose many of our Polish staff. The cause of Christ cannot afford to loose laborers, particularly those working on the foreign mission field. And particularly those missionaries working in parts of Europe where there is openness to the gospel. Sometimes I am saddened that it seems to be the burden not of the church as a whole but of the individual missionary to ensure his/her support is raised.
Please pray for me and our family as well as the financial needs for our Hungarian and Polish staff. We need the Lord’s grace, strength and intervention in all areas of our lives, from personal to ministry. Thank you for walking with us in our ministry and in our lives.
