Hungary 4 Him: Katelyn's December update

Some photos from this year

2017 was a year to remember.  There were many highs and many lows, but through each event I was reminded of God's faithfulness. 2017 was a year of many new things and saying bye to old things.  I grew (and am still growing) into the woman God wants me to be. Sometimes is is difficult to place our trust in God, but each day He is showing me how easy it really can be!  During the year I made memories that I will cherish forever.  Memories that have been made possible by the grace of God and your love, support, and prayers. 

This year I was able to travel to many different places and meet lots of new people!  God has placed these people in my life during this time for different reasons.  Even if I was only around some of them for a little bit of time, they left an impact on my life.  Plus it's not every day that someone gets to travel around Europe with their parents, aunt and uncle, and Bev!

Prayer requests:

• January 15-18 I will be spending time with colleagues in Bratislava, Slovakia (who are also from Oklahoma!)  Pray for safe travels and a cherished time with them.
• Paul and Tena will arrive back in Hungary at the end of January.  Meg, who is joining our team through Hands On, will also be arriving at the end of January.  Pray for safe travels for them.
• Pray for the students I will be working with this semester.  Pray that they will hear the Truth and that the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts.  I would love to see them all come to know the Lord before I leave.  God's timing is best!  Pray that I will trust in His timing with their understanding of Him.
• In 6 short months, I will be moving back to America.  Pray that I would spend what time I have left here wisely and for His purpose.  This also means I need to start thinking about what I am going to do when I move home.  As of right now, I have no idea what I am supposed to do next.  Pray that God would give me direction for where He wants me to be.
• English Camp is set for the last week of June. Begin praying for the team that is coming from The Summit Church in North Carolina. Many of the volunteers who will join us are high school students.  Pray also for Kaitlyn, Sarah, and Cate, who are coming during the summer to help out in different ways.

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

Bakers in Budapest - August 16, 2017

 Sowing seeds through Summer Camps
in Dunakeszi and Békásmegyer.   

Many children heard the gospel for the first time. New contacts were made.  For many the gospel and religion are still foreign.  We hope through relationships and continuous contact with believers these can experience God's love and the gospel.

Pray for Adrian, to continue following Jesus.  We have not been able to contact him for weeks.

Grain Game - using Bible verses with object lessons and games to convey Biblical truth.  (This child participated in the game about choices.)

• Pray for those in the camps who heard the gospel and those whom we made contact with. Ask God to continue to work in their lives and for the new relationships to grow.
• Pray for Adrian.
• Pray for us as we prepare to travel to the U.S. in September.  We will be staying for over three months.  Please feel free to contact us at monteaprilhavehope(at)gmail(dot)com

Thank you for partnering with us in the gospel here in Hungary.

The Bakers, Monte and April and family

Europe Facts
Of the 7.5 billion people in the world, 11% are European.  99% of Europe is lost.

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Debrecen,

It has been a full week, starting off with baseball camp. It was very challenging at first because the Ukrainian team seemed to have such hardened hearts which reflected their lost-ness, but God was able to soften them during the week. We are hopeful that seeds were planted. Darrel had some really good conversations this week. One friend called from his home country to talk with Darrel about his struggles; he is in a very difficult situation but was encouraged. Darrel also had a deep conversation with another friend about a verse that a priest had given him, which turned into a conversation about what it means to believe in God and to have a relationship with Him. God is at work in this young man's life.

Another friend, too, continues to be open, and as I talked with him he was able to see that God is helping him as a result of people praying for him.  I recently had my testimony translated into Hungarian and I was able to practice with our neighbor who is not a believer.

We will start school on Monday! God is giving Arianna clarity with the direction of where to go to college and we are thankful.

Please pray:

• That friend #1 would see that there in only hope in a relationship with Jesus, and that his eyes would be opened to the truth.
• That friend #2 would ponder the things discussed and that God would speak to his heart, that he would believe in Jesus.
• That friend #3 would surrender to God.
• That our neighbor would see the difference between religion and a relationship with God.
• Several of the young ladies in my discipleship group seem to be dealing with relationships or the lack of one; pray that their hearts would be set on seeking after God and that God would put His desire in their hearts.
• August 20th is a big Hungarian holiday. Pray that we would see the opportunities that God gives us to talk about Him while we are out among people.
• Relief from the heat; many of our colleagues in Europe are dealing with this heat wave without any air conditioning. Pray for wisdom in how to stay cool and safe as well as some relief from the heat. (We do have some air conditioning and we are so thankful.)
• Pray that the young people who come to Monday night discipleship time would be obedient to what God wants them to do next and that they would see it clearly.
• Monday as we start school, that God would give me clarity of thought as I work with some new material this year. That the girls would have a desire to learn and that God would use this time to prepare them for the assignments that He has planned for them.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

Blessings,
Kimberly Hathcock

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Debrecen,

It has been a full week and we are thankful for time with other colleagues and for our children to reconnect with their friends. It is hard to believe that we will be starting school soon and preparing to return to the states for a year. We are thankful for the students that God has placed in our lives and the opportunities that we have to invest in their lives.

Please continue to pray:

• Discipleship time on Monday nights, God would give us wisdom as we continue to invest in the lives of students.
• God's Spirit would guide our thoughts and desires and that we would keep our focus on Him.
• Clear direction and organization as I prepare and plan for this coming school year. I would have a realistic and balanced plan.
• Arianna would receive clear direction about where she is to go to school and what she is to study. God would give her peace as she waits on Him to reveal the next step.
• The girls would be blessed and encouraged as they help with a baseball camp for Ukrainian children from the war zone this week. It has been pretty hot here so pray for cooler weather!

Thank you so much for your prayers!

Blessings,
Kimberly Hathcock

Adams' prayer update excerpts

Dear Friends,

We are grateful for all you do to contribute to the Lord’s work. As I read stories about summer camps and outreach events here in Hungary and across the globe, I am reminded that Mike and I are just a very small part of a much larger team of believers intent on using our gifts and talents to spread the Gospel and make disciples. Thank you.

We finished our second camp on July 3rd and were able to follow up on a few of our campers. One is a strong believer, one is looking for a church home and answers to difficult questions, and one is not yet a believer. Please join us in prayer as Mike and I meet again with these teenagers in the weeks and months ahead to encourage, disciple, and once again share the love of Christ.

Our third camp experience this summer occurred this month in Erd. We were invited to help our IMB colleagues, the Browns, teach English for a short time each morning. It was a joy to work with the students and to come alongside other believers in sharing Christ.

The month ended with a beautiful wedding we attended in Balatonszemes. Tunde, who has helped translate in several of our camps in the past, married David. The high point for me at the seven hour wedding and celebration time came when I introduced myself to Tunde’s mother. She threw her arms around me and thanked me profusely for our prayers for Tunde. It took me a minute before I realized why she was so thankful. A year ago Tunde stayed at our house during camp week and asked us to please pray specifically for God to lead her in finding the man he wanted her to marry. We did not know about David at the time, but we prayed earnestly with her over those days. I believe God answered by giving her a wonderful and Godly husband.

Mike and Terry

Update from the Browns

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support! Because of Southern Baptists' faithful giving to the Cooperative Program and generous gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, we are able to serve here as ambassadors for Christ telling Hungarians about the hope and redemption God offers through Jesus' death and resurrection.

Below is our July prayer newsletter featuring the second week of Kids Games and Teen Games. Please feel free to share this with your church, Bible study and missions group.

In Christ,
Ron & Robin

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Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Debrecen,

We are thankful for truth and the power of His Word. God is at work among the young people in Debrecen. As we study God's Word on Monday nights it is exciting to see the students desire to know God more. J. continues to come and God is tugging at his heart. Our neighbors organize a worship camp every year and a lot of people from the surrounding areas come and participate. It is neat to see the Hungarians writing their own worship songs. There is such a desire among the young people to truly worship God that spreads across denominations.

We have also had an extremely hot week! We still see many immigrants around the train stations, even whole families. There was also a huge campus party this week. We are also thankful for how God is providing for us when we are in the states in January. Next week we will head to Poland for a gathering of missionaries for encouragement and training so I will not be able to write next week.

Please continue to pray:

• Darrel received an e-mail from D. who is aware of the difficult situation of his parents and is looking for answers. He is at a critical time so please pray that he will see God in such a way that he would know that God is different from anything else that he has worshiped before. Ask that he would put his trust in the One True God. He is in his home country right now.
• The youth that are serving in different camps this summer, that God would work through their lives. They would have opportunities to encourage and share truth with those they are serving.
• Safe travels for us as we make our way to Poland and that our kids would be encouraged in the Lord. We will keep our eyes on Jesus and that He would use us to encourage others.
• We would follow God's path to healing for Darrel's foot and for my back. Wisdom for those who are advising and helping us.
• Several students are at critical times in their lives and have big decisions ahead. Pray that they will see the next step and to be obedient. Pray that they would choose to honor God in their relationships.

Thank you so much for your prayers this week.

Blessings,
Kimberly Hathcock

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Debrecen.

Thanking God for His creative work in Debrecen. After talking with some students Monday night, we decided to have a movie night on Saturday. It was a great time to connect with the students! Good conversations! It has been a joy to see one of the students serve at a camp this week and how God is changing her and drawing her closer to Himself. It has been encouraging to see the sense of community that God is building among these students who have such different backgrounds. Darrel continues to talk with a group that is planning on doing a Thanksgiving dinner for students in order to have opportunities to share Christ.

Hard to believe that we will start school in about a month, so I have been preparing things for the coming year. I still get excited about starting a new school year and all the things that we get to learn about.

Please pray:

• God's priorities would become our priorities. We would be attentive to the H.S. in our daily lives and that we would be obedient to the things He tells us to do and say.
• Continued wisdom in reaching out to the students who are not believers. We would have opportunities to share our lives and our faith with them.
• There is a big refugee camp in Debrecen. Over the last few months there have been a lot of refugees. Pray for those who are working with the refugees that they would have wisdom, patience and discernment in doing the best thing for each person. You can read in the news about the different political problems that have developed. These are displaced people, many of whom need Jesus. Pray as God's Spirit leads you.
• Faithfulness in the daily things of life that need to be done.
• Darrel would be able to talk about spiritual things with "D," and that as he returns to his home country for a month that God's Spirit will continue to reveal who Jesus is to him.
• I have been meeting with a neighbor for language, Illona, and we started reading the children's Bible so I could learn some different vocabulary words -- I am praying that we will be able to talk more about spiritual things. Pray that God would give me the ability to speak Hungarian.

Thank you so much for praying for us this week.

Blessings,
Kimberly Hathcock

Update from the Browns

Dear Friends and Family,

We would like to begin with a huge Thank You!  to Southern Baptists for giving $153 million to the 2014 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. It was the second-highest total in the 126-year history of the offering. This speaks volumes about your commitment to global missions so that people around the world will have an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!  Thank you!!! You make it possible for us to be here and serve as Christ's ambassadors to Hungarians.

Also, we are grateful for your prayers on our behalf. Last Friday, we completed three weeks of summer camp at the public primary school here in our community with the Érdliget Baptist church. An amazing three weeks of camp: first two for children, grades 1-5; the last week for teens, grades 6-8.

Attached is our newsletter with photos and descriptions of the first week. Please share this with your church, Sunday School class, Bible study or missions group.

Again, we appreciate your prayers, encouragement and support of the Cooperative Program and gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering!

In Christ,
Ron & Robin

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Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Debrecen,

We have been blessed this week with a visit from some friends, Rollie and Ann Rinker who came last year on a mission trip. The Baptist school will add another class this coming year and they were able to help with the classroom. We are blessed by their willingness to share Christ with the people of Hungary. Waiting to hear how the camps went this past week and some of the students will serve in a camp this week. God is at work in "J"s life, keep praying! Praises! Arianna did well on her AP test that she took in May! The dean at the University asked Darrel if he would teach his class again! Yeah God! We also have an option for Darrel's foot that hopefully will give him some relief. We are looking forward to what God is doing and how we can join Him in His work.

Please pray:

• We are finding many students still around this summer. Pray that God would give us wisdom in the best way to connect with them.
• We would not miss any opportunities that God gives us to share about Him.
• Clear direction for several students who are trying to see the next step that the Lord has planned for them.
• Monday night discipleship time, that they would see God at work in the lives of the lost people that they know and are praying for. That they would see the opportunities that God gives them to share their faith and that they would have courage and boldness. That they would be a light where they work and study.
• God would give strength to the students and young people serving at camp this week, that they will have courage and wisdom as they share Jesus with others.

Thank you!

Blessings,
Kimberly Hathcock

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Debrecen!

Yesterday was a fun time of worship and fellowship. Yeah, God--He is working! It is awesome to see how He works in people's hearts and draws them to Himself. Curtis arrived safely back to the States and we continue to build upon the seeds he planted.

Please continue to pray:

• That "Jim" would surrender his life to Jesus. He has lots of questions. Pray for the Holy Spirit to make it clear to him who Jesus really is and that he will choose Jesus.
• For "K," as he thinks about the possibility of God, that he would desire to read the Bible and know more about Him. Ask that his curiosity would cause him to seek after God.
• Darrel has had some foot pain, pray that he will have wisdom for the best treatment plan.
• Our desire would be to know God above all else and to cooperate with Him so that He is glorified through our lives.
• Several students from our Monday night discipleship time will be serving in camps and in other places; pray that they would depend on God and that they would be stretched, and that they would grow spiritually and be encouraged in ways that they didn't expect.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

Blessings,
Kimberly Hathcock

Adams' prayer update excerpts

We hope you enjoy these pictures of our English camps. Thank you for your prayers of support. May the Lord bless you as you serve him.

Mike and Terry

(Left) Kickball was new to some at the Teenage Camp. (Right) Whitley and Donna are helping out a camper with his picture frame in crafts. Donna and Mike taught the Bible stories during the second camp.

 

(Left) Wade got "netted" during sports. (Right) Kriszti and Kinga led the Hungarian teams during the second and first camps respectively. Lilla was a big help as well. Ricsi just liked to photo-bomb.   :-)

 

(Left) Barnanne kept the campers moving as she imparted Biblical truth during recreation. (Right)  This is Jerry and Susan's 7th year of teaching the Bible stories at Children's Camp. We are very thankful for their leadership.

 

Jesus paid it all

  

(Left) Here is music in motion from the teenagers. (Right) English classes in 

the afternoons also prompted spiritual questions during both camps.

 Lincoln, Dylan, and Kayla are singing camp

 songs with the younger kids.

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,

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

Adams' prayer update excerpts

A yummy new pizza was introduced to an elementary school in Törökbálint in April.  Mike and I were invited by Krisztina to watch her marketing students (some of our English students) as they prepared their new sardine-topped pizza for sampling among the kids and their parents.

The high school students from the Bálint Márton School asked that those participating fill out questionnaires about the new food item. These were collected, tabulated, and made into a class presentation.

Mike and I were asked to check the written part of the presentation for English mistakes. This was a fun way to help students and meet new people.

We are grateful for our friend Zoli, who secured locations for the two camps we will have this summer. Please pray for faithful friends from North Carolina who will minister with us.

Our first camp in Budaörs will be for children. The second camp will be for teenagers, and it will be located in Törökbálint. Our desire is that those who come will clearly hear the Gospel and make decisions that will honor Christ.

Update from the Browns

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for your prayers! God is at work doing great things and we know that it is because you have partnered to pray with us. Your support of the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program and gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering make it possible for us to serve here. Thank you!

Attached is our newsletter for April. Share this with your church, Sunday school class, Bible study and mission group.

Grateful for your prayers and encouragement,
Ron & Robin

Update from the Browns

Dear Friends and Family,

Hi! Greetings from Hungary!

We are following up on the prayer request from our last newsletter for the children's program "Full Circle," hosted by the Érdliget church as a way of loving, blessing and connecting with families in the community. A few years ago, the congregation adopted a local elementary school to assist and serve. And it would be with this school that this children's program was developed and implemented after learning that a Christian musician was available to do a children's concert on Saturday, March 28.

We asked you to pray for this program that the church would connect and interact with the children (grades 1-5), their teachers and parents. And that happened. We greeted a lot of parents on Saturday, spoke with some, and had opportunities to visit with some of the children and the teachers. Teachers and the school administration was very pleased with how well organized the event was and how many children and parents came for it. This program also gave us an opportunity to also promote this summer's two weeks of camp for grades 1-5: June 22-26 and June 29-July 3.

It is through events like these that we get to meet and connect with Hungarians, develop relationships, exchange life stories and explain the hope we possess in Christ and the power of the gospel to save, redeem and reconcile us to God. 

Below are some pictures of the event.

Again, thank you for praying!
Ron & Robin

Brown family newsletter excerpts

From Browns' newsletter - January to March 2015

Saturday, March 28, Érdliget church will host a children’s concert featuring Pinter Béla and are inviting children grades 1-5 from the school for this special event. Pray that the Lord will use this event to help church members connect with families in the community and share the hope they possess in Christ!

Three weeks

Because the larger school building will be renovated this summer, changes have been made regarding this summer’s camp plans. Instead of 120 kids, grades 1-8 for two weeks, there will be three weeks of camp limited to 60 children each week.

1st week: grades 1-5 . . . . . June 22-26, 2015
2nd week: grades 1-5 . . . .  June 29-July 3, 2015
3rd week: grades 6-8 . . . . . July 6-10, 2015

Tailored focus with less stress

All three camps will have a sports theme where the children will learn teamwork, crafts, songs, games, English vocabulary and recreational activities that teach biblical principles, build friendships and are fun. The first two weeks will be tailored to younger children and should allow for more interaction with the children and their  parents. The third week will focus more on the abilities and interests of kids, ages 12-14.

Fellow helpers warmly welcomed!

Do you enjoy coaching kids in sports and fun recreation games? Or interested in helping children learn some crafts? As a native English speaker, how about having fun using games & group activities helping children learn English? Do you like to sing, play a musical instrument? Pray for these three weeks of camp. Share this with your church. We’ll be glad to speak with anyone interested in serving with us during any of these three weeks.

Thanks!

For more information contact Ron: www.heartforhungary.com/contact