YES! We did it and THANK YOU for your prayers. We really could feel the Spirit's guidance, faithfulness and provision this past weekend.
Middle School Missions Trip: Big smiles, helpful hands and serving hearts came out of the middle school students...of course so did sillyness of trying on random gypsy clothes while supposedly sorting them (photo), accidently having one 8th grader fall in the gypsy toilet (I admit, i did laugh for a long while on this one) and the missionary who works with the Roma (gypsies) burn his hand on the lawn mower. But really the missions trip went without too much pain. We were able to put on 3 programs for the gypsy kids. It was amazing to see our 8th grade students put on skits of God's love and His Great story of saving grace. Our theme this year for the gypsy kids program was the Wordless Book (sharing the Gospel message using colors). The kids with the help of our students made bracelets, bookmarks, played games with tarps, played lots of soccer, and most importantly heard and saw the love of Jesus' hope, hearing of His saving life, death and resurrection. The students also helped the gypsies by cleaning houses, doing yard work, maintaining a soccer field, organizing and cleaning the newer gypsy community center and of course by building relationship with them. It was amazing to see our 12 and 13 year olds, boys and girls, running around, playing, holding hands and skipping with the many Roma children. This was a big answer to prayer. Please continue to pray for the gypsy ministry here in Hungary.
High School Retreat: First, yes, the rumor is true. After the past 2 years of trying, the senior boys did finally get Oliver into the pond. It took 8 of them to do it, but when push came to shove, he and 3 other boys were soaked. High school retreat is a time for the students to take a deeper look at their own spiritual lives along with the community of believers that they go to school with day in and day out. Last year one of Pam's students, Aniko, now one of Oliver's students, accepted Christ. It was so fun to visit with her as she visits with other students of how He has changed her in the past year. This year's retreat was over Micah 6:8, the students were reminded of God's calling to them to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with their God. This of course is a life lesson for all of us. It was held at the local Bible college. Oliver lived with the boys of HS and was able to visit with on how their lives are now and how they and Jesus want their lives to be. We really do praise God for a great and unique time to bond as a whole student body in high school.
Thank you again for your prayers this weekend. God is working in Hungary and it is evident that He is using students at ICSB to affect the people of Hungary and when these students graduate or leave us, truly the Lord uses them to affect the world.
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I will put photos up soon of the retreat and missions trip. Because we did not want things to be taken, we only had one friend of ours be the photographer and our friend will give us the photos soon**
We appreciate all the celebrating the Hungarians do and we embrace this part of the culture with ease! Last weekend we had a four day weekend celebrating the 1956 revolution (as spoken of in the last entry) so Oliver and Pam took a fun trip to Croatia in celebration of their 1st year anniversary (which is in three weeks) and Pams bday. It was a wonderful time together to relax, look at the beautiful scenery, walk along the Great Persecutor's Diocletian's castle wall from the Roman Empire times and to observe the Croate culture. Their war of course is more resent than Hungary's and even on the way down we saw bullet holes in buildings and were able to read on the devastation that occured in the 90s. All in all it was a beautiful trip and a great time together...plus to add to the excitement you'll see on our Picasa site we did experience a variety of weather from sunny to cloudy to high winds to rains and even snow!
