As You Go - August 2017

Paul & Tena Brock Newsletter Excerpts

Nagykanizsa, Hungary

Dear Prayer Partners,

Kanizsa English Intensive 2017

We want to thank you all for praying for our summer camps.  God must be delighted that so many prayers surely are getting through.

A lot going on here in Nagykanizsa....19 people prayed to ask Christ into their lives. We praise God for the work He is doing in people’s hearts here in Nagykanizsa and beyond. Some of the 19 came to our city through family or friends just to be at this English camp, a couple from as far as Budapest (110 miles away). We think they had divine appointments to hear the gospel.

• Please pray with us that we will be able to do a good job of follow-up with all those who said they wanted to begin a personal relationship with Christ.
• Pray they will take the materials we mail to them and do the lessons that will help build the foundations of their spiritual lives.

We had two excellent teams with us this summer. The Summit Church in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area of North Carolina sent us 14 people to host the camp. And The IMB sent us an Endeavor Team made up of young ladies from several states....

Twelve people prayed asking Jesus to come into their hearts during the English camp week. That only happens when God is directing and obedient people are prepared to share the gospel. We thank Griff & Katie Crews and Phillip Black for getting their team ready and for sharing their lives and testimony with our students.

Our second team of Endeavor students was led by Betsy McCarter. Many of you already know Betsy. She was a journeyman with us for 2 years. She brought a group of 6 girls (ages 15-18) who were here for 30 days. They were part of the English camp assisting the Summit team. They also learned several Hungarian songs and helped lead our worship services at church.

Working together both groups were able to build relationships with students and talk with them about why they as young people had chosen to follow Christ. We like to say the students could see a Christian life “fleshed out” in the lives of the American students. This helps the Hungarian young people see that faith in Christ is not just something for their grandmother.

Prayer group before a gathering

The Endeavor team focused on leading the Purpose Driven Life study in small groups.... At the end of their time here there were another seven people who had prayed asking to begin a personal relationship with Christ. We greatly rejoice that this number of people would want to know God.

• Pray that we will see them follow-up and become those who produce 30, 60 or 100 times more.

We also would like to mention our current Journey woman, Katelyn, and our previous Hands On workers who came again for the summer camps, Samantha and Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn stayed over for 2 more weeks worked very long hours with both teams. We feel so blessed for all our help this year.

I must tell you of one young man, "J."  He heard the message and began a personal relationship with Christ....Paul told him that we would be having a baptism in August. He said he wanted to be baptized. We told him he had to have his parent’s permission since he is just 12 years old. He went home that evening and explained it to his parents about beginning a personal relationship with God and his desire to be obedient in baptism. They said yes.

• Pray for "J" that God will grow him in the faith and that his testimony thru baptism will lead others to do the same.
• Pray that his parents will understand the symbolic testimony as they hear it explained and demonstrated.
• Pray others will also be obedient in baptism.

Paul performing a baptism

We would also ask that you pray for Paul, Tena and Katelyn this fall. As of this writing we have been informed that we will not be receiving any Hands On volunteers to come help us from August to December. We are disappointed but know that God understands what is needed and will again prove faithful.

We ask you to join us in praying that we will receive some volunteers in January who can help us next spring.

• Pray that we will be effective in working with the number of students that will come to us for English through Bible lessons.
• Pray that the three of us will have the strength to do the work of five or six.
• Pray that the Gospel will be clear for those who come and that it will change their lives as they hear about the love and sacrifice of Christ for them.

Thanks again for your prayers for us and the Hungarian people.

Paul & Tena Brock
Nagykanizsa, Hungary

Contact the Brocks  
IMB Western Hungary website: http://www.hope4hungary.com

Betsy's update for the week

Walking around the lake soaking up the last colors of fall

Hello Everyone,

Things here have been moving right along.  We have been teaching students and we were able to have a youth group this past Friday night.  Please pray for those who attend the Friday night group that they would be bold in proclaiming the gospel, remembering that Christ Himself resides within them and that He promises to never leave or forsake them.

"A" and I during the children's lessons

Our Sunday house group was also quite full.  We had about 25 people in attendance and we were even able to have a children’s class and discuss the story of creation.  Please be in prayer for our group as several of the group are from the other church and are deciding where God is calling them to go.
 Please pray that everyone in the group would be bold and passionate about reaching their own.  This week we will have a youth party and watch The Blind Side.  Please pray for those in attendance and that many would come, relationships would be formed, and seeds would be sown.  We will also be celebrating Thanksgiving as well as a team.  Pray for relaxation and rejuvenation.

"J" and I during children's lessons

Finally, please continue to be in prayer for me and my team as we transition.  Three girls will be coming to serve in my role in January.
 Please pray for them as their fundraising deadline approaches, but above all pray that God would prepare their hearts and give them a love for the Hungarian people.

In Christ,

Betsy

Betsy's update for the week

Hello, Everyone.

I hope that this email finds each of you well.  Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and soon Christmas will be upon us.  I am always a fan of Christmas and this time of year.  Everything here is going well.  We have been meeting with students and getting to have some great conversations with them.  I have two new students, S. and K.  Please be in prayer for them.  Pray that God would open their hearts to hear the gospel.  We also had Sunday House Church this week.  Eszter taught for us completely in Hungarian.  It was great to be able to follow along about what she was saying.  Please also be in prayer for our group.

We have been talking with another group of believers in the city.  They attended house group this last week, and are seeking about what the Father would desire of them.  Please pray that God would reveal to us how we can best partner with them so that the gospel goes forth.  Finally, please also be in prayer for me, personally.  I have decided to accept a position with the company when I return to the states.  I will be acting as a J3.
My job duties will include partnering with a church in LaGrange Georgia, and working with the company on helping recruit people to serve in Europe.  Please pray for me as I make this transition.  I am confident that this is the next step for me, but please pray for me as I say goodbye to everyone here, a quick hello to my friends and family, and then move onto work in Georgia.  Please pray for peace within my heart.

Thank you all so much for the prayers.  I appreciate them so much.

In Christ,
Betsy

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Prayer Requests:
-believers to be strong and mature in their faith
-devotion and commitment from believers
-wisdom on how to partner with this other church
-my future steps

Betsy's update for the week

Hello Everyone,

I hope that this email finds you and yours doing well.  My apologies for being a bit tardy this week; however, better late than never I suppose. :)  Things here have been going well.  The weather has been quite nice and the leaves are falling leaving the trees bare, a sure sign that winter is approaching.  I was able to meet with several students the past week, and the Father blessed me with some wonderful conversations with them.  Please be in prayer for R. and Z.  I was able to discuss spiritual topics with both of them.  However, both agreed that it was very interesting, but they aren’t quite ready to make that step yet.  Please pray that the Father would open their hearts to the gospel.  I also got a new student this week, A.  Please be in prayer for her that the Father would open her heart to hear the good news and believe the gospel.

Sunday, our house group met and continued in our study of Luke’s gospel.  Please be in prayer for this group as they consider what it truly means to be a follower of Jesus and how they can be obedient to that.  Please pray that they would have a great desire to reach their own and the people of Nagykanizsa.  Finally, this week we celebrated Eszter’s birthday!  We are so thankful for her and her vital part in our ministry!

The holiday season is upon us and with that comes Lottie Moon Christmas Offering!  Please consider giving this Christmas season.  One hundred percent of this offering goes to the IMB to fund missionaries like myself and others to proclaim the gospel where it isn’t known.  Due to your sacrificial giving, I am able to live here and completely focus on working with Hungarians.  I don’t have to worry about support or fund raising.  This offering really means so much to me and others, especially with the changes that have taken place at the IMB.  If you would like me to give you a video telling what we do here in Hungary for showing at your church or small group, please let me know!  I would love to help in anyway that I can!  You can also search #whywego and find many videos from others around the world, explaining exactly how Lottie helps us in our everyday lives!

Also, as many of you know, many of our fellow colleagues have taken the Voluntary Retirement and have felt God calling them back to the states to further the gospel there.  With that being said, many transitions are upon the horizon.  One is that probably around 800+ individuals are returning to the states by the beginning of the year.  Many of them didn’t have this in the plans.  So many are returning and have some needs that need to be met quickly, such as housing, cars, jobs, etc.  If you or your church would be interested in helping returning missionaries, please let me know or contact the transitions team at transitionsteam@imb.org.  They will be able to let you know more specifically what currently needs to be met.

On another note, unfortunately, my time here is winding down.  I now have less than three months remaining in Hungary before I return to the states and to the next chapter of my life.  I am overfilled with a mixture of emotions during this time of change.  My hearts breaks knowing that I have to leave this place that has grown to become home and the people that I have grown to love so deeply.  At the same time, my heart longs to return back to those that I left and give some very long overdue hugs.  Also, added to this mix, is the anxiety of my next step.  Please pray for me in the days ahead.  Pray for guidance, assurance, and comfort from the Father.  Please pray for the people that I have met and with whom I formed relationships.  Pray that the Father would work greatly and mightily in their lives, and pray for good times ahead and good “goodbyes” and closure.  Finally, pray for my next step that I would be faithful and obedient, even though I don’t necessarily know the way, but that I would lay myself down all for Him to use as He sees fit.  I greatly covet your prayers in the days ahead.  Please know that I am so thankful for each and everyone of your prayers.  They mean so much to me and to the ministry that we do here.  Please feel free to respond and let me know how the Father is working in your lives and if I can pray for you in any way.

Until He comes,

Betsy

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Prayer Requests: 

-Students: R. and Z., Anikó

-Sunday Group: obedience and growth

-Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

-Future of IMB

-My time remaining: I would finish the race, strong

-My future steps:  God would show me and give me assurance and comfort

Betsy's update for the week

Hello Everyone,

I hope that this email finds each of you doing well.  I am so sorry that I haven’t written in almost a month.  Things got quite busy, but now they are getting back into our normal routine.  With that being said, I have so much to update you on!  First of all, my godparents were able to come and visit me along with their friends!  To say that this was fantastic is an understatement!  We spent a week in Budapest where I was able to show them part of a city that I have come to love.  We then traveled onward to Nagykanizsa and I was able to show them a bit of what life looks like from day-to-day for me.  I am so thankful and blessed that this could happen during my time here.  Although, unfortunately, parting had to come and it was quite bittersweet.  So please be praying for all of us in the days ahead.  Pray especially for me to remained focused during my finals months and weeks.  

Towards the end of my godparents’ time in Nagykanizsa, we also had a jazz group from America come to put on some concerts.  This group was about 25 individuals from all over the states.  They played concerts in Nagykanizsa, Lenti, and Körmend, as well as some orphanages and care homes, while they were with us.  We were able to strengthen our partnerships with some national Baptist churches in the area, as well as pass out over 300 Bibles and testimony tracts.

Please be praying for those who received a Bible or tract.  Pray that God would use those resources to open their hearts and that they would not be afraid to contact us with further questions about spiritual things.  I was also able to share with a believer that we met in one of the cities.  Her name is Anna.  She really needs to be encouraged in the Lord and His word.  So please be in prayer for her and her walk with the Father.

After having to part again with some great people, we were able to get back to teaching students and somewhat of our daily routines. We had a halloween pumpkin carving party with the youth and had about 13 attend.  Each one got to carve a pumpkin as well as make s’mores and play games.  Finally we passed out comic-book gospel plan tracts and information about our English lessons and Bible studies.  Please be in prayer for these kids who attended.  Pray that we would be able to strengthen and deepen relationships with them, and pray above all else that we would be able to either grow them in their faith or help them understand and come to know the Father.

This past Sunday we traveled to Székesfehérvár and attended the Baptist church there, as they had 7 people choose to follow in obedience and be baptized!  Praise HIs Name!  In addition to that, this church seems very open to working and partnering with us as we attempt to reach Western Hungary.  Please be in prayer for this relationship, that it would be glorifying to the Father and furthering to HIs kingdom.

 Teaching time with students finally got into high gear again this week.  I have been able to have some great conversations with some of these students.  Please pray that many more opportunities would present themselves and that I would be bold and courageous to seize such opportunities.  Pray that the Father would continue to work on hearts as they come to learn English.   Sunday group is continuing as well as Friday night.  Please pray for these times and that they would be glorifying and kingdom-building.  Also, please pray for our Tuesday and Thursday night groups.  Pray that more would show interest and attend these groups.

There is so much more that I could share with you, but since it is getting a bit long, I think I will cut it here and continue on next week.  Thank you all so much for your prayers.  Please know that they are felt and appreciated more than I can express.

 In Christ,
 Betsy

Betsy's update for the week

Hello Everyone,

I hope that this email finds each of you well!  Things are starting to get busy here in Hungary.  School starts this week.  Please be in prayer for all of our students.  Pray that they will have a great start to the school year, study hard, and excel in their classes.  Please be in special prayer for our believer students, as well.  Pray that, in addition, they would be a light for their fellow classmates and would be bold to share the gospel with their friends.  Please also pray that God might open hearts of the students that he sends our way to learn English.  Pray that they would have eager hearts to learn about Jesus and His desire for a personal relationship with them. 
Finally, please be in prayer for Friday and Saturday.  Friday night we are having Youth Group again and Saturday we are having a party for back to school.  Please pray that many would come and that we can make new points of contact.  We had Sunday House church this week and many people returned from summer vacation and activities.  Please pray that we can reconnect with those relationships. 

On a different note,  I wanted to mention a change that has recently taken place within our company.  I’m sure some of you have seen the article, but I wanted to make sure that you were aware, since you are my prayer partners.  As some of you know, the IMB has had some financial challenges over the last few years and our budget has not been able to be balanced.  Due to this, we have a deficit that must we corrected.  After much prayer and consideration, it has been decided that the next best step is to decrease our number of personnel both in the states and on the field.  Currently, the company is projecting for 600-800 units to leave by the beginning of next year.  Of course, this is quite a large step; however, we are trusting that God is sovereign over the company and what we do.  I am mainly telling you this to ask for prayer.  Please pray for the leadership of the company.  Pray that God would direct their steps in the days ahead, steps that would glorify and honor Him.  Please pray for the units that will be leaving their positions.  Pray for good transitions and continue spread of the gospel.  Please pray for those who remain as many will have to take on more responsibility.  Pray for flexibility, openness, understanding, and above all perseverance in spreading His word.  I have attached the press release below, and if you have any further questions, please respond back and I will try to answer them as best I can or direct you to someone who can answer them. 

Thank you all so much for the prayers and your partnership.  They mean more to me than I can express. 

In Christ
Betsy

Prayer Requests:
-upcoming school year
-believers to be strong
-Friday night group
-party on Saturday
-upcoming vacation
-reconnecting with friends
-Sunday House Group
-future of the company


Link to press release: http://www.imb.org/updates/storyview-3489.aspx#.VeS9U7QnVUQ

Betsy's update for the week

Hello Everyone,


I hope that this email finds you well and that you are enjoying this last week of August.  Here in Hungary, this is the last week of summer and most of our students start back to school next week!  So everyone is soaking in those last few moments of summer break before hitting the books again.  I have seen on that most of you guys have already started back and that even football season has kicked off.  It is definitely signs that fall is right around the corner. 

This week we were able to have house church and continued our study in the book of Luke.  Please continue to pray for our house church and for those who are coming to be obedient with what they are learning.  This Sunday was also the last Sunday for one of our students, "Zs".  He will be traveling to Debrecen (in Eastern Hungary about 5 hours away) for medical school and probably won’t return until December.  Please be in prayer for him and his adjustment to university.  We are so excited for him, but will miss him very much!.  Another student, "Z," will also be starting high school in Budapest next week.  Please pray for him and his adjustment as well. 

Finally, I have some absolutely wonderful news to share with you guys!  We have a new sister, "E."  She is a student of my supervisor’s and she prayed to receive Christ this morning!!! Praise HIm.  Please be in special prayer for her, because as it turns out, she is moving to Norway tomorrow to join her husband.  Please pray that God would make Himself known to her and that she will be able to find some other believers to grow with! 

Thank you so much for y’all’s prayers.  I am grateful for each and every one of them.  Please let me know how God is working in your life and if there is any way that I can pray for you.

In Christ,
Betsy

Prayer Requests:

-new believer, E. and her growth in Christ
-Zs’s move to Debrecen and adjustment to university life.
-Z’s move to Budapest for high school
-Sunday Group and Friday night group
-Our new students

Betsy's update for the week

Hello, Everyone.

I hope that this email finds each of you well.  Unfortunately, this update will be quite short, but I wanted to give you a quick recap of the week, and let you know what is up for next week.  So this week, we weren’t able to have any of the Bible Studies due to people traveling.  Please be in prayer for these studies and that people would come.  However, we did meet with the House Group and continued our study of Luke.

Tomorrow the rest of my team and I will be traveling to Poland for our annual company meeting.  We will spend a week there getting refocused and learning ways to better our ministry here in Nagykanizsa.  Please be in special prayer for this time, and that we would have open hearts for what the Father wants to show us. 

Thank you guys so much for the prayers.  They mean more to me than I can say, and I am so grateful for each and everyone of you.

In Christ,
Betsy

Betsy's update for the week

Hello Everyone,

I hope that this email finds you and yours well.  It is turned off cooler this week in Nagykanizsa, which I am loving.  Last week was a busy week for us as we had an American gentleman from Memphis, TN come and conduct a seminar, answering hard questions.  It was a great time of fellowship with some of our students as we dug deeper into what does the Scripture says about certain issues.  Attached are some pictures below.  Please be in prayer for the students that came, and that they would really consider what was talked about and how it applies to their lives. 

This week we are relaxing and resting a bit.  We also will have our Discovering Bible Group meeting as well as, the Friday night group meeting.  Please be in special prayer for these times and that many would come to discover more about the Bible or to be trained in how to be a disciple of Christ. 

Finally, next week we will be traveling to Poland for our annual company meeting.  Please be in prayer for this time as it is a time for us all to come together, worship and fellowship together, and to also regroup and refocus on what our jobs are in our cities again.  Please also be in prayer for me as this is my last big company meeting, and I will probably be seeing people for the last time.  Pray that there would be great times of encouragement and fellowship for us. 

Thank you all so much for praying for me.  Please believe me when I say that each and every prayer is felt and appreciated.  So often, the Lord reminds me of what blessings all of you guys are and how difficult my job would be without you.  So thank you!  Please let me know how it is going in your life and if there is a way I can pray for you guys.

In Christ,
Betsy

Prayer Requests:
-follow up from last week’s conference
-Discovery Bible Studies meeting on Tuesday and Thursday night
-Friday night meeting
-Upcoming company meeting
-Upcoming decisions to be made about my future after I return to the states.  May God’s will and glory be done.

Betsy's update for the week

Hello Everyone,

I hope that this update finds you well.  I know that currently Hungary is in the middle of a heat wave.  So we are all busy trying to stay cool, and have just been resting this week.  We had two discovery Bible studies meet on Tuesday and Thursday night.  Each of those groups had about 4 in attendance.  Please pray that God would bless these ministry endeavors and allow these groups to grow. 

Our house group also continues to meet each Sunday.  Please be in prayer that these believers would continue to reach their own.  Finally, please be in prayer for this week.  Bill Sorrell, from Memphis, TN, will be with us and will host a conference about difficult questions that Christianity and Christ answers.  Please pray that many will come to this conference and that God would be glorified through this conference and teaching. 

Finally at the beginning of August, we will all be traveling for our annual company meeting.  Please be in prayer for this time.  Pray that it will be a time of encouragement, rejuvenation, vision, and refocus for all of us.  Finally,  today marks only 6 more months in Hungary.  Please pray that my remaining time here would be glorifying to the Father and to His Kingdom. 

Thank you so much for your prayers.  They mean so much to me.

In Christ,
Betsy

Prayer Requests:

• Discovery Bible Groups
• Friday Night Groups
• House Church
• Upcoming Seminar
• Upcoming Company Meeting
• Remaining time on the Field
• Personal Requests

Betsy's update for the week

Hello Everyone,

I hope that this update finds you well.  I’m afraid it is going to be quite short.  Our main concern is camp for this week.  The American team arrives Saturday and camp will start Monday and last through Thursday.  Please be in special prayer for this time.  Pray that God would be glorified in all that we do.  Pray that the team would have a last kingdom impact on these kids, and pray that the students would form relationships with us that we might share the gospel with them.

Please be in special prayer for me as well.  I am already quite tired and the camp hasn’t even begun.  Please pray that God would give me newfound energy and that the time with the games and the songs would go well.  Pray that I might form relationships with the students and that we might have opportunities to share the gospel with them.  Pray that the team coming would have a servant like heart to come and teach the kids and help further out ministry here.  Finally, please just pray that everything would run smoothly and that this week would be a great time of gospel sowing, sharing, and kingdom building.

Thank you so much for your prayers.  They mean so much to me.  I am thankful for each and every one of them.

In Christ,
Betsy McCarter

Betsy's update for the week

Hello Everyone,

I hope that this email finds you and yours well.  This past week in Hungary has been quite busy.  First off, my supervisors have returned to Hungary.  Thank you so much for the prayers for their safety as they traveled.  Please continue to pray for them as they get adjusted to life back on this side of the world.

With students

Friday and Sunday groups met this week.  Please pray that those who met would be obedient during this week with what they learned.  I also had to teach this Sunday in Hungarian.  Many of you guys prayed for me during this, and I just want to thank you guys so much.  I was able to do it, and everyone was at least able to get the point of the lesson.  So thank you so much for your prayers they were heard and felt!

We also met with students this week.  I was able to have some great conversations with students.  Please be in prayer that we would be able to have more conversations, especially since our time with them is coming to an end as summer approaches.

Thank you so much for each of your prayers.  I appreciate them all.  Please feel free to email me back and let me know what the Father is doing in your life.

In Christ,
Betsy

Betsy's update for the week

Hello Everyone,

Students taking selfies after church

I hope that this update finds each of you well.  First, let me apologize for this update being a bit late.  However, better late than never right? :)  This week has had times of busyness and times of calm, interesting right?  Friday was a holiday here in Hungary, so all of my students cancelled.  We also had students graduating and getting ready to start exams, so many others were also busy.  However, we were able to have house church this week, and we studied on the book of Daniel. 

This upcoming week, I am preparing for my supervisors to return Thursday.  Please be in prayer for their safe travels, and mine as I go to pick them up in the capital city.  Please also be in prayer for our groups meeting on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Finally, this week is a time of prayer and fasting for the whole organization that I work for.  If you feel led, please join me in praying for God’s will and glory in the upcoming days of our organization as we strive to make His name known.  I hope that each of you are doing well, and please feel free to reply back with what the Father is doing in your life.

In Christ,
Betsy

P.S.  If you are interested, I have updated my blog recently with updates about my first year in Hungary.  To access it, please go to https://www.saraemccarter.wordpress.com

Prayer Requests:
-supervisor’s travel
-groups meeting this week
-students taking exams
-days of prayer and fasting
-upcoming summer camp June 28-July 3