Hungary- country #3

And we're off again! Well, really, this update is referring to last week, but I'm getting caught up slowly here, so today I'm going to talk just a little bit about Hungary. It was a wee little trip, so you're getting a wee little post. Sunday, the 21st, I took the train from Baden, Austria, to Budapest, Hungary- about a four hour trip. I stayed the night in a hotel, and then early Mon. morning took the train another hour out to the small town of Orbottyan, where our youngest staff couple live.

Heading out again

Waiting at the Nyugati Train Station in Budapest

Abby and Bence

The amazing little home that Bence built before they got married

With Abby

 

 

Abby was in the MMT(our US training center)class right before mine and headed to the field a month before I did in 2009. She finished her internship at the end of 2010, just like I did, but then got engaged to and married a Hungarian national. I've not known her very well, but had a really good time talking with her for an afternoon at Staff Conf. back in April, and realized that a visit would be a good thing for her. It's kind of unusual for me to go to a country for only one person, but this was definitely a trip worth taking. I so enjoyed my brief, two day visit with Abby and Bence. It's always great to get to see where our staff actually live, and get a clearer picture of their lives and ministry. We had a great time talking about all kinds of things, and I am really looking forward to continuing this relationship via Skype.

 Sometimes, the best encouragement that can be given is a visit to someone's home, a listening ear, and being someone who's willing to just invest time in a relationship. When a staff member is completely immersed in a culture and has no other foreigners in their location, sometimes they don't realize how starved they become for being able to speak their own language with another native speaker, being able to pray and worship with someone else in their own language, or having someone else who can understand what it's like to be different. Many times, showing up on their doorstep, being in their home, sharing meals with them, taking walks with them, and just listening to their life story is all that they might need at that moment- just a little breath of fresh air- just a little whiff of how God chooses to use the body of Christ to minister to one another.