Wednesday 3rd March
I have been meaning to blog for the last few days but it is rather hard to find a spare hour around here without either getting up really early or staying up late...both have consequence on body, mind and emotions, and I’ve been frequenting both. Tonight it is going to be one of the late ones, since I am “dying to share” (to use a Hannah-exaggeration) about my weekend in Budapest. But I will try to be brief and perhaps let some photos fill in details.
First to tell you about two girls I’ve gotten to know here. Esther is my friend from South Korea, a small petite and beautiful Asian who has been grappling with taking classes in English when she has only a limited grasp on the English language. She has been a delight to know, frequenting visits to our dorm with a “Jemma, i didn’t understand!” but always smiling and playfully teasing.
EnLi is a chinese girl who has lived with her family in Budapest since she was 10, but attended an English school so speaks all three languages well. She is a tonne of fun.
So it was with these two I boarded a train Friday around lunchtime on route to Budapest. The weather was cold and rainy so it was no good for sightseeing, all the same it was exciting to be out of the castle with a whole weekend in front of me.
Esther has an Aunt and Uncle who live in Budapest, so I was to stay at their house. They were a wonderful couple, they’ve been missionaries in the city for many years working with the homeless inside the subway stations. Esther and I went to meet them after getting off our train. I just marvelled at these smiling Koreans singing worship and preaching in Hungarian to quite a receptive group of homeless folk. I got to help serve out the food, not being able to do much more than smile and nod. God told me ‘that’s all I require of you tonight, just smile and bring my love and presence’.
But wow, I can’t imagine the life those Korean missionaries live, spending most their time cooking and preparing messages for their ‘church’ meetings.
Saturday and Sunday were spent mostly hanging out with a group of Chinese young people, EnLi’s youth group. So I switched gear from learning more about Korean language, culture, food at Esthers, to Chinese (Yes, all in the middle of a European city).We participated in bible studies and worship and some meals (Sunday lunch we made dumplings from scratch, and they were delicious) and even though i couldn’t really understand the chatter, it was a lot of fun. The events were run by a couple of American missionaries who are living in Budapest specifically to minister to the Chinese people, after they got kicked out of their mission work in china last year. The ‘dumpling party’ was at their house, so it was great to talk to them, hear their story and imagine being in their shoes!
Observing all these missionaries, I have been seeing that the sacrifices are very real; if sacrifice is even the appropriate word. The giving up of ordinary life in your home country, of family and friends and certain comforts would seem to any worldly person and many Christians the most ridiculous thing you can think of. I have seen that without a sheer conviction of the importance of the work you are doing those same thoughts would overtake you. ‘What am I achieving here?’ would be a big temptation to ask. I know I would have to be convinced God had called me and then learn to see things from an eternal perspective, from Gods view. How much is one soul worth?
It was nice to get back to the countryside Sunday evening, back to ‘home’ at the castle amidst the beautiful green grass and trees (spring is setting in, it’s as gorgeous as the snow was!).
It was definitely cool to see the city of Budapest- I was able to take some photos on the way to and from church (a very big, alive and well established Calvary Chapel) and the train ride out took me on a tour of the suburbs. Cute little coloured houses with thatched roofs. But I’m glad God placed me in the countryside. God is so alive in nature.
Believe it or not this weekend I’m joining an outreach team to Vienna, Austria and the following weekend to Serbia! Please pray for the different teams, for unity and strength in the Spirit. For the work we will do with the churches there and evangelism on the streets. And pray that I can manage time well. Taking a whole weekend out means I have to cram more into my week to get homework assignments and other duties done. Not to mention having time to process all I am learning through study and practically!! Thanks for all who are praying for me. God is truly upholding me and using this experience in more ways than I know.
Enjoy the photos and stay tuned for updates!
BELOW
Homeless ministry Esther and I on the piano on the far left, Esther is amazingly talented...I was back-up/moral support.
Keliti Train Station is an impressive big building.
The apartments where the american missionaries lives were so cute, very european.
Below: Central Budapest...note the golden arches....
Above: Chinese youth group + one korean, one australian and two americans.
Jemma, I'm so glad you blog... it is neat to see your contemplative side and your thoughts all woven together. Sharing the dorm with you makes your blog all the more enjoyable I think. Wish I would have been there for the dumplings, both just because I like food and to see you with the chopsticks. :-)
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