Advent Letter 2008

Advent, 2008


Dear Friends and Family,

We greet you during this Advent season from Budapest, Hungary. What was once rather exotic and new has become our way of life, and we are definitely well rooted here now. Our daily routines are running rather smoothly and predictably. There are occasions where being flexible is called for, and we are even ready for the unexpected. We can picture the snow, decorations, and holiday excitement in western Michigan, but without any snow here, and with little in the way of decorations, except at the huge malls, we must make an extra effort to get into the holiday spirit. There are two strings of white lights in our living room now, and we have been lighting four candles during our Advent readings after our evening meal. So maybe it is a good thing to have a new perspective on the holidays, to go along with our new lives in this part of the world.

(Post Thanksgiving reflection) We have much to be thankful for; obviously our children, grandchildren (thank you Skype, too!), parents, and extended families top the list. We also appreciate all of our friends and partners who support us with prayers and finances. At our Christian Reformed World Missions orientation and our TeachOverseas training this summer, we made many new friends, who are now scattered all over the world, but are still considered friends. Here in Budapest we now work side by side with many colleagues who we just met since our arrival. So God has placed many people in our lives, along with the many experiences we have had in these four months.

There have been many times when we have not remembered to look at the big picture of why we are here in Budapest: it is to somehow bring the light of Jesus Christ to everyone God puts in our path. Students and colleagues seem rather obvious. But it is also the cashiers and sales people we have met, the people in our neighborhood, most whom we have not met. It is also those for whom we give up a seat on the metro, or help down the steps into the underground, or give a smile or an encouraging word. We must be a servant of Jesus and use each opportunity we have to share his love with others. So may you share the love of Jesus wherever you are and in every situation you find yourselves.

Our travel plans include sleeping in five different beds, celebrating with three family gatherings (Hudsonville, Wheaton, and Indianapolis), attending weddings on each of the two weekends, and squeezing in various breakfasts and suppers with friends. We are very eager to be home. Our flights to Amsterdam, Detroit, and Grand Rapids will hopefully be on time, and if so, we will be in Zeeland after midnight on Saturday, Dec 20. As public employees begin various strikes here in Budapest, including airport workers, we have a bit of a concern for our departure next Saturday. Please pray for our travels to go smoothly.

We wish you a wonderful, Christ-centered holiday season. With love,

Jack and Cindy