Some COOL Winter Events

The winter of 2001/2002 was one of the snowiest on record in Hungary in many, many years.  After three years in Southern CA, and then last winter here with only one day of ‘playable’ snow—our boys were very excited to have so much snow to play in.  One of the ‘best’ storms came the weekend before Christmas, giving us a wonderful White Christmas and winter wonderland for that whole week.  Anna wasn’t as thrilled with the snow stuff—she’s our So. CA girl, being the only kid born there—it must have really gotten into her genes.  She hated her boots getting snow on them, especially dirty snow and wanted nothing to do with ‘playing’ in the snow—I mean, it’s cold, and wet.

God’s timing was awesome, as usual.  All our prayers were answered just before Christmas when God provided our van—a blue, 8 passenger VW.  It was our most awesome Christmas present since Josiah was born on Dec. 4, 1995!  It was also very nice not to have to walk everywhere in all that deep snow—and we were also able to give rides to and from church in the cold weather.

We had asked for your prayers in our last newsletter for the ‘triple’ birthday party we had planned.  The party got postponed until February instead of January, but it did happen.  We got to meet several of the parents of our boys’ new friends from school.  And we also had fun introducing Piñatas and the birthday party craziness that goes with them to Hungary.  Though, Rachel will make them farther in advance next time—it was a rather hectic few days before the party getting everything ready PLUS helping the boys make their piñatas. 

But the best outcome of that party was the deepened relationship with Josiah’s friend Máté and his family.  Rachel had been slowly getting to know Máté’s mom Kriszta as they would meet to pick up or drop off their boys at kindergarten.

Máté came to the party with his mom and little baby brother Beni—and it’s been since that time that Rachel and Kriszta are getting together with the kids at least once a week, sometimes more often.  They’re either going to each other’s houses or meeting in parks—the kids are having a blast, Kriszta is improving her English and Rachel is working on her Hungarian (they each only speak the other’s language during the get-togethers).  God really wants this family.  It was shortly after the party that Csaba, Máté’s dad, came up to Norbi in the gym and asked if he was Josiah’s dad.  Norbi had seen him there many times before.  There are many gyms in Szeged, and we know it’s God’s hand in all this that Csaba and Norbi use the same gym.

We’re thrilled at our growing friendship with this family, please join us in praying for the salvation of Csaba, Kriszta, Máté and little Beni.

Máté and Josiah at the party.

Spring in Szeged

Spring is here—and man, are we loving it!  Last year was the year of working to get our backyard under control, plant grass, and just see what happens in our garden throughout the year and plan how we want things.  This is the year when things can get ‘pretty’.  Rachel planted her first bulbs in the fall, and has been outside most every day as spring has been coming, anxiously watching her tulips and hyacinths pop up out of the ground.  Anna has been the ‘helper’ and together they’re out there everyday, watering and watching the progress.  We also transplanted Irises last year, which are proving very happy all spread out and in their new locations.  Rachel still hopes for roses this year—as the attempt at growing them from the roots last year just didn’t work.  We still need to find a nursery around here that sells them already going, in dirt.

But it’s such a joy to have our own ‘little bit of dirt’, and to get to enjoy God’s beautiful creations and marvel at how He sets nature in motion. 

Spring also means getting outside more, walks into town and getting more chances to meet and run into neighbors and such.  We’re slowly getting a nice relationship with our neighbors on one side, we share a fence—and have met them most often when needing a ball or frisbee that has gone into their yard, but they don’t seem to mind.  They in fact seem to really like our kids (well, of course!).  And with all this warm weather the first church BBQ of the year in our backyard can’t be far off!

Worship Update

The picture probably tells the biggest change: Rachel is now on the worship team too.  She’s always wanted to be, but well, needed to be able to sing in Hungarian—for more than just the handful of songs she could do when we got here!  Pronunciation still needs to be worked on, but it was also a big need to have someone doing the echoes and ladies’ parts on many songs—and that Rachel can do. 

There are many others in the church with gifts in singing and musical abilities—it’s our prayer that getting Rachel up in front will also make it that much easier on others who may also want to get involved, but were scared to go up ‘alone’.  Okay, Norbi and Laci have always been up there too—but it can still be a scary thing.  The church continues to grow in their worship—it’s so awesome to see people really praising God!

Family News

Our kids just keep on growing!  Anna will be turning 3 in August, Joshi turned 5 in February, and Siah turned 6 in December.

Anna’s world is fairly simple, here at home, church and the people there, her Nagymama's (Grandma’s) house, and several parks and stores we go to most often.  Except for Nagymama's house, most of her world happens in English, so her Hungarian isn’t coming along as well as the boys.  Her favorite person, by far, is Odi—whom she attaches herself to each Sunday as soon as Odi walks in to church.  This has been very helpful when Rachel began to be on the worship team, as we didn’t need to worry over who Anna would stay with during worship.  At almost three, Anna is talking all the time—way more than the boys did at her age—very much a girl!  And she loves to be ‘Mommy’s Helper’, washing the plastic cups and bowls over and over while Rachel washes all the other dishes, and coming along after with her own watering can and getting those flowers Rachel missed.

Joshua, at five, is very much like the Joshi we knew at four!  He still doesn’t take too much in life seriously, but probably has the most fun of anyone in our home.  It has always been a challenge to find things that truly interest Joshi, and not just what he does to follow along after big brother.  One such thing has been discovered this year—Joshi LOVES to help cook.  He’ll stay and add ingredients, stir and stir long after both Anna and Josiah lose interest.  He even likes to watch cooking shows on the BBC channel we get!

Both boys have been going to Judo (form of Karate) for many weeks now, and are LOVING it.  Mom Rachel was not too sure at first—the whole violence thing had her worried.  But she got convinced after the first class.  It’s mostly a lot of tumbling, falling (and learning how to do it with out hurting yourself), games and wrestling.  Now, our boys have been wrestling since they were barley walking, so it’s actually nice to have them learn how, without killing each other. 

It’s also one more great opportunity to meet families in Szeged.  There haven’t been that many classes yet, but Rachel has already gotten to talk nice and long with another mother who heard her coaching Joshi in English.  The other mom lived for three years in Berkeley, CA while her husband finished studies there.  We really know that just our being here is a witness, and again, the question was asked as to why we came back to Hungary, after living in America.  We’re praying for this mom to be there again, it was her fist time as the dad usually brings their son.

Josiah will be starting full Hungarian first grade in September.  Please continue praying for him through this summer, as he really needs to be able to communicate better in Hungarian.  In March we had him tested by a child psychologist to get the papers needed for him to enter school here (these are usually just signed by the Kindergarten teacher, but his case is special).  He understood things well, but they are concerned at his low ability to speak in Hungarian.  So, we are to take him back in August, and they want to see improvement in his speaking.

We have gone through much prayer over the whole issue of his schooling, and debated the home school idea versus a Hungarian school here, and then if school here, which one.  Thank you for praying with us.  We have much peace about sending him to public school here, and have chosen a different school than the Catholic-run one they are attending now.  A big factor in our decision is that he’ll be able to have  a friend in his class with a remarkably similar family situation.   Dominic’s mom is Hungarian, and his dad is an American missionary serving here in Szeged through another church.  It also means a lot as Máté will be going to a different school, so Siah will still have a friend in his class.  Siah and Máté, as well as Kriszta and Rachel, have plans to keep seeing each other, same school or no.

New Family Addition

Now that we have your attention, no, Rachel is not pregnant.  We have our first family pet—a little, fluffy, white bunny rabbit named Buttercup.  We had been talking of getting hamsters or a guinea pig for some time now, wanting the kids to have the experience of pets.  With Norbi’s allergies, cats and dogs were out of the question.  And then we went on a fateful family walk through the ‘piac’ (open market) on the way to the park the Saturday before Easter.  We never did make it to the park that day.  Our kids, Joshi especially, gave us the teary-eye thing and pleaded and cried—and we came home with Buttercup in a shoe-box, having paid all of two bucks for her.

We initially didn’t think a rabbit would be much different from a guinea pig.  We were wrong.  We got online to learn about rabbits —and from all that reading have decided to let Buttercup be a ‘house-rabbit’.  Norbi built her a bunny condo where she sleeps and eats, but she spends most of her time roaming the house, which she now thinks is hers and is nice enough to share with us.  We’ve litter-box trained her, like a cat, and she’s proving to be a wonderful little pet.

She misses us when we’re gone, does the silliest hops and jumps when she’s happy—is very social and loves to be petted.  The kids’ room is her favorite, and she’ll often settle in in the middle of their train tracks or other toys while they play.  We’re all loving our Buttercup, now if we can just convince the neighbors that we’re not going to breed her, keep one of her babies, and then eat her and the other babies! (That’s the general idea here with rabbits)

Picture:  Buttercup eating one of her favorite treats, a dandelion.  We’re not sure how she keeps it in her mouth while eating it—but she does, and it’s hilarious!

Praise Reports and Prayer Requests

“Is anyone of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise…

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”  James 5:13 & 16b

Praise Reports:

 - Our VAN!  Thank you to all who prayed, and many thanks to those who gave toward the van.  Special thanks to our secret giver from CC Vista, and to Robin Schultz from CC Simi Valley for her idea of the pancake breakfast to raise money for us.  God used you both, and so many others to really bless our socks off!

 - The boys’ Hungarian is really taking off, teachers tell us they’re communicating more and more.

 - Several new families with children have been attending church, one family very regularly. 

 - Our friendship with Kriszta, Csaba, Máté and Beni.

Prayer Requests:

 - For the salvation of Kriszta, Csaba and kids—as well as Norbi’s dad, Béla, and his wife Marika and their daughter Niki—Norbi’s little half-sister.

 - That we would continue to be useable by God in the above people’s lives, as well as our neighbors’ and those we meet through the boys’ Judo class.  And that we would stay spiritually awake to conversation opportunities to share Jesus, and have the boldness to do so.

 - We continue to wait for Rachel’s residency visa to come through—it’s now gone beyond the six months they told us it would take—which isn’t really a surprise.  There are conflicting reports now on new laws—and having those papers is the only assurance through all the red tape.

 - Learning Hungarian!  Rachel is getting together with Kriszta, and speaks mostly Hungarian at those times—so that’s helping—but keep those prayers coming!

 - Worship—Norbi doesn’t want it to become like a routine, with the same old songs.  He asks for wisdom as he introduces new songs.  And with one more person up front, the worship team would still not be the focus—but simply point others to the throne and guide them in worship of our King.

 - Church leadership—for Kyle to stay sensitive to the Lord’s leading as he pastors.  For wisdom for all of us, we know we’re young.  And for a unity among our core leadership group here—Kyle & Odi, Laci & Keri, James and us.  Servants hearts for us all.

 - Anna’s eczema is improving, but continues to be an issue and goes through good and bad seasons—often triggered by foods.  As it’s gotten less, it’s now again more obvious when it flares up.

 - More financial support.  This has gotten to be a bigger need now with car expenses and as we entered a new year, inflation here is 10% - but our income has remained the same.