Tuesday, April 29, 2014

"T" is out of surgery

Praise the Lord, we just got word that T made it through the brain surgery in Budapest & is now in the Intensive Care recovery room.  Her mom, Z, will get to see her sometime this afternoon.  Pray that the doctors were able to accomplish what needed done, and that her condition will improve.  Lift up T, Z, and all the rest of the family and friends, that God will use this in their lives to build trust and faith in Him.


Sunday, April 27, 2014

May month of prayer calendar available

May is almost here, and we're gearing up for our annual 31 Days of Prayer for Eastern Hungary! Join us in targeted prayer each day throughout the coming month as we lift up some key towns in our area, several groups of Hungarians beyond our borders, as well as praying for lost friends and new believers.

The prayer calendar is available for download on our website's Prayer page. Feel free to copy it to use with prayer groups, Sunday School classes, or as a bulletin insert.  We hope to soon add links to further information and virtual prayer walks for the towns, so check back with us in May.
 
In addition to the month of prayer, here are some current praises and prayer requests:

* Praise the Lord, Bruce and Debbie Cobb have found an apartment very near the university, and moved in this week!  Pray for their quick adjustment to life here, and that God will guide their ministry over the next 3 years as they work with English-speaking students in Debrecen.

* Continue to pray for Tiszafüred church plant friend "Z" and her seriously ill daughter "T," who we will be driving to Budapest tomorrow for pre-op testing.  T.  is expected to have a very serious surgery this week. Pray God will give healing, strength and comfort.

* Pray for teammate Kimberly Hathcock, for healing and wisdom in dealing with serious back pain; unless God gives miraculous healing she is facing surgery.

* Praise the Lord with us for the new "Seven Stories of Hope" Bible discussion group in our home. Lift up the friends who are participating, that their hearts will be open to the Good News.

Gary & national partner Eduard planning for Seven Stories of
Hope Bible study series

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Welcome, Bruce and Debbie!

Delicious Hungarian crêpes for lunch in Budapest
Gary, Bruce and Debbie with view from Castle Hill
Thank you for praying for Bruce and Debbie as they traveled to join us on the Eastern Hungary Team. We are so happy to have them with us!

The Cobbs arrived safely late Sunday night with all of their luggage intact, and after experiencing a little of Budapest on Monday, returned with us to Debrecen. Orientation has begun, and today they will start looking at apartments.  Pray that the Lord will make it clear where they should live, and that soon they'll be able to unpack their things and get settled in.

Pray that Bruce and Debbie's transition to life here will go smoothly as they get to know the area and get a handle on the culture and language; pray that the Lord will give them "divine appointments" with people who will be key in their ministry here, who will open their hearts to the Good News and in turn pass it on to others.

This Thursday's coffeehouse will be a chance for the Cobbs to meet many of the young people our team has been ministering to, so pray for great new relationships to begin.  And since the coffeehouse theme is an Easter party, lift up the conversations that will naturally arise as we talk about the true meaning of this special time.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Countdown to Bruce & Debbie Cobb's arrival

Rejoice with us and pray for our newest team members, Bruce and Debbie Cobb, as they will be arriving in Budapest on Sunday, April 13, at 11:55 p.m. (Hungary time is CST +7).

After a time of orientation, the Cobbs will be using English Bible studies and relationship-building to reach out to international students in Debrecen.  This will complement the work of the Hathcocks, whose focus also includes the Hungarian-speaking students. We are excited and thankful that they will be spending the next three years with us, and we can't wait to see what the Lord will do through them!

Pray that Bruce and Debbie's transition to life in Hungary will go smoothly, and that even now God will be preparing the hearts of those that they will be ministering to. 

Here are some specific things you can pray for the Cobbs this week:
  • Pray for Debbie's mom, Elaine Tice, who is recovering from surgery.  She had a cancerous tumor removed from her eyelid, and also had reconstruction to it.  In addition to the surgery, she is also recoving from pneumonia, so she is going through two major challenges right now.
  • Also lift up Debbie's dad, Robert Tice, who has been dealing with a bad cold over the last couple of weeks, and has been caring for his wife after the surgery.
  • Pray for Bruce and Debbie's entire family as they share this last week together prior to their departure to the field.  Pray with them that even with the health concerns, they will still be able to share wonderful family time together, and be able to say all that they want to say, do all that they want to do, and just have good good-byes together.  Debbie noted that good-byes are difficult for their family, as they are VERY close...they prefer to say, "till next time!"
  • Pray for Bruce and Debbie as they tie up all of the "loose ends," that they will remember all that they need to do before leaving on the 12th, and that above all else, that they would remember to put the Lord first and foremost, and continually abide in Him!
  • Bruce and Debbie have been traveling, visiting with family and friends
    before departing for their three-year assignment in Hungary
 

Saturday, April 5, 2014

TLTI: Practical training for ministry

TLTI training around the dining room table
As happens everywhere, pastors here are often stretched far beyond their limits in serving the people.  Some work other jobs to support their families, and we have pastor-friends who are responsible for four or five churches in an area, requiring them to travel more than an hour between the towns.

We're excited to partner with Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLTI) to help provide practical training for church leaders; the workshops teach them how to train their people to join in the ministry of caring for one another.  One of these seminars is being held right now in Debrecen.

Unfortunately, several of those planning to come were unable to attend after all, but great discussion is going on now as I type this post. Since the group was so small, it was relocated from a local church to our dining room...conveniently close to the coffee maker.  :-)

Pray that God will give wisdom as new action plans are being drawn up and acted upon, and that the training will be passed on to others.  Pray that in the future more pastors and church workers will come and participate, and that the Lord will bless them as they implement what they've learned in their churches.

Special request: please lift up TLTI trainer George DeVuyst (at left in photo) and his family, as they live in Ukraine and are being affected by events there. 

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Pacikert mission church prayer request

Pacikert mission church
Pastor Csaba* from the Pacikert** mission church called today.  Located in the most disadvantaged part of Debrecen, the mission church is working with families who have many needs, and they are doing a lot of teaching and outreach with the children in the neighborhood.

Csaba told us that he and his people have a vision of building a playground on the grounds of the church, which would provide a nice, safe place for the area kids to play.

Pacikert mission children's event in 2012
Csaba asks that we join him in praying that God will guide them as they move forward with this vision, and that He will provide the means to make it a reality soon.

*   [chä'-bä]
** [päts'-ē-kĕrt]