Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Bonham,

Thank you for praying for us! God gave me wisdom in what to share and Darrel was blessed while sharing with a church last Sunday. We are so thankful for the faithfulness of so many who have prayed for us! I am encouraged by the fact that the same God who did some amazing things in our last term continues to be at work in Debrecen. We are hopeful and excited about what God will do when we return to Hungary.

This week we will continue with homeschool and Arianna will finish her finals on Wednesday. We will have some time in Bonham and then we will begin visiting family for the holidays and saying good-bye. Transition time is a mixture of a lot of things and emotions. We are thankful that God is our rock and He is sovereign. I am thankful that he sees the big picture and He blesses us when we are obedient.

Please continue to pray:

• Many of the Christian students that we work with come from homes where they are the only believers. Pray that they will be a light to their families and that they will have opportunities to share about their faith in Jesus. Their families would see a difference in their lives and want to know more about God.
• There are many international students who come to Hungary, some from Muslim countries, others are Hindu, and some are atheists. Pray that they will have divine appointments with other Christians who will share their faith with them.
• We would be better listeners and follow His Spirit in all that we do instead of going ahead of Him and doing things and then asking God to bless it.
• Our daughters would have peace during this transition time and that they would grow in their relationship with God.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

One of God's servants,
Kimberly Hathcock

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Texas!

We are thankful for God's blessings. Thank you for praying for the girls! They have been working hard, a few panic moments, but God gave them courage to stay on task. We had some good conversations with a few international students followed by the Christmas tree lighting at DBU. Darrel is speaking at a church in Monroe City, Missouri. Our church is having a Lottie Moon Christmas banquet tonight and I will get to share some of our stories from Hungary.

Please pray:

• Darrel as he shares that others would be encouraged by the awesomeness of our God and the work that He is doing among Hungarians.  
• God would direct my words so that others will see how God is at work in Hungary.
• God would give us wisdom and clarity as we prepare to return in January.
• Arianna will begin finals this week, pray that she will have God's peace during this stressful time and that she would have the strength to study and ability to do well.
• As the people of Hungary celebrate St. Mikulas and consider their good and bad deeds, that they would realize their need for a Savior.
• "J", a young lady who really wants to follow God, that God would show her and give her courage to take the next step as she desires to walk in obedience. Also that the enemy would not distract her.

Thank you so much for praying!

One of God's servants,
Kimberly Hathcock

Below is an article about a Hungarian tradition that will happen this week.

St. Mikulás Day (The Hungarian Santa)

On December 6th Hungarians celebrate the day of St. Nicholas (St. Mikulás). St. Nicholas is the Hungarian version of Santa Claus. On this Day, St Nicholas visits children at home and at schools.
At home children wait for Mikulás by leaving their polished boots at the window the night of December 5th. If kids have been good over the year St Nicholas fills their boots with treats, chocolates, mandarins, peanuts and small gifts such as toys and books.

If children have been really naughty they get in their boots some goodies and a switch made of dry twigs (virgács) as a sign of warning.

At homes where there are small children, usually a family friend dresses up like Mikulás and brings the presents himself to children. When Mikulás arrives, children sing songs or tell poems to him.
Mikulás praises them for the good deeds and calls them out for their naughtiness. Before leaving, St. Mikulás gives gifts to the children.

http://www.budapest-discovery-guide.com/hungarian-christmas-traditions.html

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Bonham, and welcome new prayer partners!

We just love Thanksgiving and the opportunity to focus on who and what we are thankful for. It has been crazy these last two weeks but we have been blessed by meeting some incredible people.

Yesterday as we were on our way home passing through Springfield, Missouri, we decided to drop in at the Old Navy to do some Black Friday shopping. The Lord allowed us to see two friends of ours, one of which was our friend/colleague that we were praying for, who had brain surgery a few weeks ago. We also got to visit with his daughters who we haven't seen in a while, in the middle of Old Navy. Another was a friend of Arianna's from the youth group from our home church. It was a good reminder of how God is at work around us and His timing his perfect. 

Please continue to pray:

• God would give us peace and diligence to get caught up with school. You can pray especially for Abigail and Sophia since we have not been able to do as much while traveling.
• Divine appointments as we will meet with some international students on Monday night at a dinner. Pray that we will be able to have spiritual conversations that would encourage them to follow Jesus.
• Ezra (my sister's son who has Krabbe disease) has had a pretty difficult week. Pray for the parents Karlita and Ryan as they face a unknown future about how this disease is already effecting their baby. The chemo is finished and the stem cell procedure was completed and now it is time to wait. Asking God to heal him.
• Pray for our friend and colleague who had brain surgery. They are now in the states with family. Pray for his wife and their children, as he faces radiation and chemo and they are hoping for the best prognosis. Ask that God's peace would continue to rule their hearts and minds.
• The students in Debrecen, Hungary who participated in our Thanksgiving celebrations last year, that they would remember and desire to know more about Jesus, the reason that we are thankful. There were so many Hungarian and international students and families that joined us. God's spirit would continue to draw them.

Thank you so much for praying!

One of God's servants,
Kimberly Hathcock

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Texas,

We have been incredibly blessed by our time at Southern Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Thankful for the body of Christ and their encouragement to us. God in working in and through this church. We were also incredibly blessed to visit with some dear friends. We appreciate the wisdom and encouragement from those God has placed in our lives.

Updates:
Our colleague who had brain surgery had a successful surgery and all the cancer was removed. He and his family are returning to the states for the holidays and some follow-up treatment. Their plan for now is to return to the country where they are serving for further treatment.

Ezra had his stem cell transplant and now it is the time of waiting. In the next couple of weeks his body needs to accept these new cells so it can replace the abnormal cells. He is expected to be pretty sick during this process, also the effects of the chemo will be more evident in his body.

Please pray for them as well as:

• "J." - God continues to stir his heart. Recently he has had some spiritual conversations with a friend. Pray that he would surrender to Jesus.
• We are traveling again this weekend to Perryton, Texas, and Darrel will preaching and we will have the opportunity to encourage some friends who will be serving in Lesotho.
• Many of the University students in Debrecen are taking exams this week so please pray for them that they would realize how much they need God to help them and they would see His hand in the midst of stress.

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

One of God's servants,
Kimberly Hathcock

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Texas,

Thankful that our God knows and sees everything! He is totally trustworthy! It has been a heavy week and I want to thank you for praying for our friends and family. We are looking forward to the next couple of weeks where we will have opportunities to share our stories with some churches. So I am not sure what our schedule will be but I will try to send updates.

Please continue to pray:

• Travel safety and His words as we share with churches. They would see how God has been at work in Debrecen and be encouraged. During the missions conference, people would listen to what God is asking them to do in the area of missions.
• Ezra as he begins chemotherapy. God would use this to repair his body. Wisdom for all those who will be taking care of him. Ryan and Karlita will see the goodness of God and His provision.
• Our colleague who just had surgery, wisdom for the doctors and family as they make important decisions on Monday. God's peace that doesn't make sense and that those who are watching this family will want to know more about this Jesus that they are depending on and trusting.
• The university students of Debrecen, would hunger for and desire to know God. They would see the emptiness of trusting in anything/anyone else other than the true God. Boldness for those who are believers to share their faith with their classmates.

Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. Acts 28:31

Raise up churches in Europe who follow the Holy Spirit and are willing to send out teams to proclaim the Word of the Lord cross-culturally.

(Taken from "40 Days of Prayer for European People" )


Thank you!

One of God's servants,
Kimberly Hathcock

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Thank you for praying for our colleague. The surgery went well but the doctors believe that his tumor was a gliomablastoma which is a type of cancer. Please pray for his wife and daughters that God would give them peace and wisdom as they will making decisions about further treatment what that means for them as missionaries. Pray that God would be glorified in their lives and in this situation.

My sister and her husband also have news about their baby Ezra. The Krabbe disease is at its beginning stages so they will proceed with treatment. Sunday night Chemo therapy will begin and continue for 9 days and then on November 16 a stem cell procedure will take place. Ezra is only 28 days old, if he doesn't receive any treatment the prognosis is that he will die within two years but if he receives this treatment the possibilities are much better. This is our limited perspective, but we will see what God has planned.

Thank you for praying,
Kimberly

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Please pray for a colleague of ours who had emergency brain surgery. Pray for wisdom for the doctors and family. Pray that God would heal him.

Thank you!
Kimberly Hathcock