Ippistle 32

Ippistle 32
May 25, 2011


Dear Family and Friends,

May has been beautiful in Budapest, actually more like summer in the last two weeks. Days have gotten quite warm, in the low eighties lately, and for the last four days late-afternoon thundershowers have cooled things down a bit. We have adapted to warmer nights, bringing out the lighter bedspread and the oscillating fan. Beginning the day with the balcony door and all the windows wide open has been wonderful!

Life at school is definitely slowing down, as the students have all had their class trips by now. Cumulative tests are beginning this week, with the last class day being June 9. It does become a bit challenging when particular classes have the final test this week; then the students do not expect to do any more studying or practicing their English. It becomes a bit more of a "babysitting" job than anything else.

Jack has scheduled three pancake breakfasts for his 9th grade students, beginning next Monday morning. With his schedule he meets each of these classes two periods in a row at the beginning of the day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. So he will arrive at school at 7:50, walk the students back to our flat, and treat them to some American pancakes. The blueberry variety should be well received! Like the pizza parties we have had in the past, any opportunity to have students in our home is good for non-school conversation and relationship building.

Our TeachOverseas end-of-year retreat was held two weekends ago in Esztergom, a historic city along the Danube bend. Twenty of us ESI teachers here in Hungary and Slovakia spent the weekend at a small bed and breakfast that was reserved just for our group. Cindy, as the retreat coordinator for Hungary, organized the weekend to include several sessions for reflecting on the past year and preparing for the coming year, times of worship and communion, just hanging out together time, and good fellowship over food. As always, it was a wonderful time of Christian fellowship, but it was also the last time for some of us to see each other.

This past Saturday was a special day of volunteering here in Budapest. We joined with a Serve the City Budapest group that picked up trash along a road on the outskirts of town where prostitutes line the roads. This is the second time that Serve the City has purposely chosen this stretch of road for trash clean up. When we were finished we presented each prostitute with a rose and a hand-made card, saying in Hungarian that we want to make their lives more beautiful and explaining who we are. There was another part of our Serve the City group that went to a home for mentally disabled persons. They had a birthday party for the residents, made crafts, and sang songs with them. Their presence was really appreciated by both the residents and the caregivers. We sense that, in both of these places, this is the beginning of a regular relationship between our Serve the City Budapest group and those whom we served.

We are beginning to say good-bye to a lot of the "kids" we've gotten to know in the past year through our Tuesday night Bible study. There were several Erasmus students from France, Germany, and Estonia that are now going back home. They've really enriched our lives and we are sad to see them go. It has been obvious that God has really blessed our relationship with them and that they have really grown spiritually through their time in Hungary. Two of them became Christians during our time together. They return home to non-Christian friends and families who wonder what "got into them". Please pray for Anne, Susen, and Kevin as they go home to Germany and France and seek ways to grow and share their faith.

Soon it will be our turn to say good-bye as we take a summer break to come back home for seven weeks this summer. We will be on US soil from July 8 until August 28. We are looking forward to having all of our kids and grandkids together with us for the first time in a year. We also plan to spend time with them individually in California, Michigan and Indiana. We know that the time will go quickly but we hope to enjoy every minute of it. We would love to connect with as many of you as possible while we're there. We'll let you know as we have time available.

We continue to appreciate your prayer and financial support. Later this summer we will be sending out another support letter asking you for your commitment to our ministry for next year.

Áldás és békesség! Blessing and Peace!

Jack and Cindy