Kiskunmajsa

The town we were in this past week was called Kiskunmajsa (Keesh-koon-my-sha). This trip was very different from the others. It was shorter, we didn't teach English, and our days weren't packed full from morning to evening. We helped out with two small churches that wanted to put on a week long evangelistic outreach. We spent most of our time in the center of town where they had set up a tent, chairs, and the OM Bus 4 Life. This picture is of us doing some singing and dancing on stage with the painting that some of my teammates created in the background.

Some of the things that went on at the outreach were kids programs, speaking sessions, worship, book selling, and late night movie watching. We also helped out by doing some dramas, singing, and telling of testimonies. I had the privilege of testifying on the last night. It was an awesome experience.

We also helped advertise the event by getting our faces painted and walking around town inviting children. We've learned a lot this summer about not getting embarrassed very easily :)

Overall it was a good week and I'm so thankful we got to help. We also had the chance to visit a really interesting refugee/homeless ministry. The buildings are in former soviet barracks that have been fixed up. It was cool to see that something once used for so much evil can be used to bless and sustain life! This picture is of one of the buildings that are NOT being used yet. The rest of the pictures are of some adventures in Budapest and one of my favorite Hungarian friend. I met her in Liter and she's been a huge blessing to me since.

Next stop, Balaton. Then, it's on to Vienna. This has been an awesome/crazy/fast/challenging/fun/exciting/unusual/ summer. But oh what a blessing!

Cegléd

English camp number 4 complete. We've had 5 camps back to back and today is our very first day off. I'm exhausted.

Last week we were in a town called Cegléd. We were leading an English camp for around fifty 3-16 year old kids. It was extremely challenging at times due to the language barrier and lack of translation. It seemed like most times we were just fighting to keep the kids occupied and less and less focus was on teaching English at all. Luckily, many of our evenings were free and I spent a large portion of them resting. On our last day the church paid for us to go to a water park/thermal spa. This day couldn't have come at a better time! We all had a lot of fun as we kicked back, relaxed, and had a ton of fun.

Next we have a few days off and then we head to another city called Kiskunmajsa. Supposedly in this town we will be doing an outreach to gypsies using the "Bus for life." This bus is a mobile literature store that travels all over Europe doing outreaches. I'm not sure exactly what it will look like, but I know we're going to be on the bus. Here are some random pictures from our time here in Hungary.

A statue symbolizing Hungary breaking free from communism.

The view from on top of the church in the center of Cegléd.

The train that took us back from the water park and the sleepy ride home to Budapest.

Magyarország

Our summer has completely consisted of camps. We started out in Gutenstein, Austria helping out at a European youth camp by cooking and cleaning. We came home for less than 24 hours and set out for Hungary. At that point, half of us went to a tiny village in Hungary called Litér, and the other half stayed in the town of Erd where the OM base is. I was one of the four who went to Litér and it was an amazing week. We helped lead a kids English camp with a local church. We were on the move from 8 in the morning till about 8 or 9 at night every single day with temperatures peaking in the 100s! The long days were totally worth the amount of memories and fun we had in this ity bity village. The Hungarian people we came in contact with absolutely blew us away by their hospitality. They didn't allow us to spend a penny the entire time we were there and made us feel so cared for and right at home. We had the opportunity to do a lot of fun things like go sailing, horse back riding, city exploring, and we even attended a street performers music festival. The kids were also a major highlight. I felt so reminded of God's love for us when I watched this group of innocent, joyful, and completely unashamed kids. They were eager to learn English, play, and just be held. My week in Litér was probably my favorite week so far since being on internship. It was amazing.

Oh! And how could I forget! The whole reason we came to Hungary for the summer was to get a visa. AND WE DID! We are officially able to legally stay in the European Union! God is so faithful. We are all very aware that God's plan from the start was for us to not receive a visa in Austria. This summer God is using us to be a blessing to others, while also teaching and showing us tons of new things. It's great how He works.

We also just finished two weeks of another English camp in Erd. This camp however was not for children. I was placed as a teacher for beginners and it was so much fun. My students ranged from 10 to 68 years old, all of them not knowing a lick of English. We had classes in the morning and evening for two hours each with a time of planning in between. It was an exhausting week but so rewarding. We all had so much fun getting to know our students and teaching them as well. We even got to lead a few chapels where the gospel was shared through a few of my teammates giving their testimonies. At the end, many of the students lavished us with gifts, fruit, and tears of thankfulness. It was an awesome time.

Big move

In about one hour my team and I will be moving to Hungary until August 23. During this time we will be helping out with summer camps in different cities all over Hungary. These months are going to be pretty crazy as we have one camp right after the other the entire time. Please be praying that our team would stay unified and connected to one another and God during this summer. Also, please keep in your prayers our meeting with the Hungarian immigration office on July 16th to find out if we've received a visa. We truly believe that God is in control and is more than aware of our situation. May His will be done!

Boundless Love

This evening my team spent a good portion of time singing hymns together. It was so moving and powerful to belt out the words to these weighty songs. These were team favorites, so I wanted to share the lyrics.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, ’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

What a love. How can it really be so? Next song:

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father’s world, should my heart be ever sad?
The lord is King—let the heavens ring. God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,My heart is still at home.

Budapest

Our team ventured to Hungary for 4 days to explore what life will be like during our two month stay there. We also, on this trip, applied for a Hungarian visa through the Evangelical Alliance as a volunteer. On July 16th we will find out for sure if we will receive this visa to stay in the European Union. Please continue to pray that God would make a way for us to stay in Austria however that may look.

In 2 and a half weeks we will venture to Hungary for about a two month stay. Our summer will definitely be packed full as we serve every single week at camps put on by the OM Hungary team. Last week they trained us in teaching English since that will be what we mostly do while there. I'm really excited to also participate in some physical activity while helping out at sports camps.

The next two weeks we're continuing to get plugged into ministry. I've been doing a lot of work with the homeless ministry in Vienna and it's been a lot of fun. I feel very welcomed and loved by the guys there.

Here are some pictures of Budapest.