Sunday, January 29, 2017

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Texas,

Things are beginning to move along. Our plans were to return to Hungary on January 18th, but God’s plans are for us to return on February 18th. His timing is perfect! Looking forward to the remaining time in the states and what He has for us and as well as our return to Hungary. God continues to teach us many things.

Please pray:
  • God’s peace to rule our hearts during this transition and that we would keep our eye on Jesus.
  • Strength and wisdom to take care of several things before we leave.
  • God would do an amazing work in Hungary where He gets all the glory!
  • University students would see clearly the reality of sin in their own lives and how Jesus offers forgiveness.
  • God would awaken...students to the reality of who Jesus really is.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

One of His servants,
Kimberly

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Texas!

Wow! What a crazy 3 weeks! We have been on the road traveling, visiting with family and friends. We have been blessed with great memories and safety. We have received approval to travel back to Hungary and we are looking at February 1st or around that time. So now we are in full packing and sorting mode while trying to maintain some regular activities like school. This is always a stressful time for us, with mixed emotions and anticipation for what our Great God will do while we are in Hungary. It is an adventure! Our goal is to keep our focus on the Lord. We dropped Arianna off at DBU  yesterday, although we are thankful that she has connected with a good group of friends, it will be hard to leave. I am looking forward to her visit this summer. Darrel will be dropping some of our stuff off in Springfield this week and going to a conference. We are thankful for each day that we are here in the states and look forward to what God will do in and through our lives.

Please pray:
  • Travel safety for Darrel and that he would sharpen some of his skills as he attends this conference.
  • Arianna as she begins a new semester, that she would quickly reconnect with her friends and that God would guide her decisions.
  • Abigail and Sophia will be diligent as they continue with school and that they would have teachable hearts and not only grow academically but spiritually.
  • Logistics of packing and moving. God would give us wisdom in what to take with us and what to store and His perfect timing Safe travel as we will be taking our dog as well.
  • The hearts of the University students in Debrecen would be softened and their eyes open to the reality of who Jesus really is They would hunger for God!

Thank you so much for your prayers!

One of His servants,
Kimberly

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Hathcocks' prayer update excerpts

Greetings from Texas,

I  (Paul) planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. I Cor. 3:6 

So thankful that we serve an amazing God who does more than we could ever imagine. I cannot express to you how much we are blessed by your faithfulness to pray for us. We will be traveling over the next couple of weeks visiting family and saying good-bye. So I am not sure when I will be sending the updates over the next couple of weeks.

Praises:
  • Baby Ezra has engrafted after his stem cell transplant. He is a little over 2 months old and is doing well. Praying that God will heal him. Pray for wisdom and peace for his parents Ryan and Karlita.
  • Our co-worker and friend "A." will begin his treatment of chemo/radiation in the next couple of weeks, Pray for God to give him strength and to enable him and his family to walk through this courageously.
Thank you so much and we hope you have a blessed Christmas!

One of God's servants,
Kimberly

Sunday, December 11, 2016

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

Sunday, December 4, 2016

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

Sunday, November 27, 2016

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

Friday, November 18, 2016

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