by on

We meet yesterday to celebrate the Risen Christ. Hearts were heavy for the people of Sri Lanka after the terrible attacks yesterday. Yet we were also filled with gratefullness and joy for what Christ did for us

In the picture you can see ‘H’, a member of our church, himself a persecuted believer (he fled the Middle East after he came to faith). This was the first time he could safely take a photo of a table laid for celebrating the Lord’s supper!

Please continue to pray for him, that he would find favour with the authorities and be granted permanent residence in Europe. Also, please pray for us as a church that we would know how always to best help those in need.

Advertisements

by on

It was not the nails that held Christ to the cross, rather it was His love for us! As I looked out over the beautiful city of Győr this week, I was reminded how much God loves this city and all the people who live here.

Having served here for many years I can honestly say that although the city is magnificent, the need for Christ is beyond belief. Behind the amazing architecture we see the homeless, along with the Audi cars we see the children who are trafficked, drugs flood the streets and alcohol holds so many in its evil grasp. Sometimes I lose hope, I feel powerless against the flood of evil. Yet, I have a God who rose from the dead, gave sight to the blind and made the lame to walk! Won’t you join us in praying for this great city? For every single person, man, woman and child, to come to faith?

We too are held to Győr by love, not by nails. We love the children at the orphanage, the refugees at the detention centre, the Hungarians and foreigners who live here and worship with us. We love to preach, teach, counsel and help. We have rescued women who were trafficked, counseled men and women with PTSD, visited the ill in hospital and comforted those who mourn. Will you now consider supporting us both prayerfully and financially? We have only 46% of our support needs for 2019 raised and/or pledged. Unless significant support is raised, we will be struggling to make ends meet and will have to consider our future in ministry. We lost support from a couple of churches at the end of 2018. Perhaps your church, your home group or you yourself would like to partner in Kingdom work?

Please help us by sharing this post in your churches and amongst your Christian friends.

by on

A gentleman who recently began attending our church in Győr is a refugee from the Middle East. ‘H’ was born into a Muslim family but as an adult he gave his life to Christ. Forced to flee his country he is now in Hungary and attends worship at our church. He speaks little English and even less Hungarian but we were able to communicate a little. Every week I pick him up from the refugee detention center before worship starts and he helps me set up the church. After service he kindly cleans up our worship area. I have nothing I can offer him except a little food. I wish I could speak Farsi and communicate clearly with him but I am grateful for Google translate!

Having left his home for fear of death (because of giving his life to Christ), he fled to Europe. He is now ‘in’ the Hungarian system awaiting a decision on whether or not he will be allowed to stay in Europe. If he is refused, he will be sent home and that means execution for his faith. He misses his mother and she was accepting of his decision to follow Christ, Sadly other family members were not so loving…

This morning I wrote a letter on his behalf which will be given to the authorities. I ask that you pray that my letter will be looked upon favourably and more importantly, that ‘H’ will be allowed to stay in Europe.

by on

One photo can say so much. In this case it is of two men. Born into Muslim families in the Middle East, they gave their lives to Jesus and had to flee persecution because of their faith. They ended up in Hungary, 3800kms from home. I was contacted and was able to take them from a nearby refugee centre to church.

‘F’ was part of an underground (secret) church. His church was raided, his pastor arrested. He fled with just the clothes on his back before he could be arrested and killed for professing Christ as his Saviour. Both ‘F’ and ‘H’ have little chance of returning to ever see their family again. Parents, siblings, friends all left behind.

Tortured, beaten and mistreated, their road to freedom has been difficult. Yet now, they are free to worship God and be welcomed into a church family. Pray for them and pray that I and others would show then love of God to them.

by on

This evening at church we had an unexpected guest. During the service, a young woman (18 years old), came in. She was shivering from the cold and rain, had only very minimal clothing, was obviously high from drugs and was drinking alcohol.

I (with the help of one of our female leaders) was able to give her my jacket, got her to sit in on our service (which is a nice warm room), give her water and food. Afterwards we called an ambulance. She told me a little of her story. It was heart breaking. I will only give some of the details as the rest is too awful

‘N’ was brought up in the care system in Hungary. She repeatedly escaped from children’s homes throughout her years in the system. She began (and continues) to work as a prostitute. Her wish is to go to Austria or Germany and work as a prostitute.

How sad to see a child of God so used and abused. How awful to see the horrors she and others have inflicted upon her.

Where is God? Where is our loving God to protect ‘N’? It is hard at times to see how God protects and cares for those in most need of his help. Yet today I saw God. I saw him as ‘N’ sat with Sylvia (one of our leaders), who showed ‘N’ such love. I saw God as two of our church members spent 30 minutes cleaning the church and toilets after the service. I saw God as ‘N’ was taken by ambulance and as a church body we came together and prayed for her and the paramedics.

Please pray for ‘N’. Pray she will turn to God. Pray she is healed. Pray she will call me (I gave her my business card). Pray. ‘N’ could be your daughter, your sister, your friend.

Matthew 25

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

by on

As 2018 winds down, we are already deep into planning 2019. Here is a little of how it looks:

Continuing to develop the local work here in Győr – Bible studies, worship services, anti-trafficking work, counselling etc.

Focusing more on developing partnerships in Hungary with other churches and possible church planting efforts in other cities.

Trips to speak and minister in Ireland (January), Spain (February), America (June and July) and Ireland again in November. As of yet no dates for potential trips to Romania and Ukraine, but to be organised soon.

Conferences in UK (May) and Bulgaria (September)

Wedding of Zsuzsi and Zsolti in April.

Preparing for and welcoming new full-time partners to Győr (the Anderson family) in April.

VBS at a local orphanage in July.

We still have a limited number of free time slots where we can come and visit your church. Feel free to contact us and we can arrange dates and details.

We look forward to seeing many of you in 2019! May you all have a blessed and joyful Christmas and New Year!

Cute-Calendar-2019.png

by on

I am pleased to report that in partnership with a sister church in Spain, our church in Győr, Hungary raised money to buy a new washing machine for Vis de Copil in Arad, Romania. We also were able to buy food and cleaning products and leave a substantial amount of money for building repairs.

Vis de Copil serve the poorest of the poor (the homeless, families where single unemployed mums look after multiple children, beggars, prostitutes and drug addicts). They offer a hot meal, a place to shower and wash clothes and education and safety for children. It is still awful to see little kids begging daily in Arad but I am grateful that Vis de Copil are doing something to help these little ones!

The current washing machine was on its last legs when I came with a mission team from our church in August. With much love and generosity we could provide this new machine. I am so grateful to our church family in Győr and also to our brothers and sisters in Spain! You are all wonderful, thank you!

Whilst in Arad I was also able to help unload about 400 Christmas shoe boxes from Ireland that arrived. What a blessing to serve in so many ways!

by on

Please not that this newsletter has been sent to a number of churches that support us. The newsletter itself has been slightly modified for the internet.

Dear Friends,
A big Hello! from Győr, Hungary. After an unusually warm Autumn, the weather has recently turned very cold and we expect to see snow soon. We have really enjoyed this wonderful weather and are already looking forward to Spring 2019.

We are so pleased to report that ministry in Győr has grown incredibly well this last year and we are seeing so much fruit! Our many years of faithfulness and hardwork are being blessed by the Lord! Our local church has grown, as have all the related ministry programs. We have more and more people coming to worship regularly and they are also bringing friends and family with them. MOPS (mothers of pre-schoolers) is growing significantly, with up to ten young mums present on each occassion. The ladies coffee morning has had as many as twelve women present when they meet and is helping to bring women closer to God and to have a place where they can discuss significant issues in their lives. We now have two Bible study groups, one in English and one in Hungarian and are grateful that God is raising up local leaders who are taking responsibility to lead. Our high school program has as many as twenty five teenagers coming together! We also continue our ministry in the orphanage and had a great VBS there in July. We also continue to offer counselling for those experiencing marriage difficulties and for others who are struggling with problems, such as mental health issues. I am pleased to report that one couple I counselled with this year have experienced the healing power of Christ and are living in marriage together rather than in divorce! God is good! Please pray for wisdom and strenght as we meet and counsel people who are stuggling in life.

I was blessed to travel this year. Although I didn’t make it to Ireland (which I am sad about), I did make it to England. I was pleased to play a part in encouraging a partnership between Garstang Free Methodist Church and our work in Ukraine. The church in Garstang is helping to financially and prayerfully support this ministry in Rivne, Ukraine, which involves alcohol and drug rehabilitation. Contact me if you would like to know more!

I also traveled to Romania with a mission team from the Győr church we lead. Five of us worked with the homeless and the poorest of the poor. We peeled vegetables, played games with kids, did handcrafts and offered medical care. Our church raised money and we were able to stock the shelves and freezer of the ministry centre for a whole month. We also saw the need for a new washing machine (the old one was falling apart) and our local church (along with a sister church in Spain), have raised the funds to buy a new washing machine. Other travels included preaching and teaching in Belgium, studying church planting in Greece and education and leadership meetings in Spain.

We also continue to be very involved in figthing human-traffiking. We were involved in rescusing a young woman we know from a dangerous situation in Greece back in April. It was complex, with numerous people involved, including the Greek police, the Hungarian embassy in Greece and others. After a short stay in hospital in Greece she was returned to Hungary, where both Kathy and I visited her and her infant child. We prayed with her, gave her advice and promised to help her as we could. She promptly went back into a former dangerous and unhealthy relationship. Much of ministry is discouraging and frustrating. Pray with us for this young woman ‘L’.

Support is becoming an issue for us. Unfortunately I just received an e-mail from a wonderful pastor who is leading a church that has been one of our main supporting contributors. The church has run into a difficult financial situation and therefore has decided to stop supporting us. We absolutely understand that finances are often a difficult area for many churches, however, without your support this work will struggle to carry on. Don’t misunderstand, we are in no immediate danger of stopping this ministry, but if we lost another large supporter it would have a significant impact on our ability to serve. Would you or your church be willing to commit to us? Perhaps you know of someone seeking a way of supporting God’s work? If so, let them know about our ministry.

Our three daughters are all well. All three are in University now. Csilla is studying social education and is due to receieve her degree in May of 2019. Zsuzsi is also studying social education and separately she is studying theology for a second degree. Katica started studying physiotherapy in September. Both Csilla and Zsuzsi live at home but Katica has moved to Pécs in the south of Hungary (about a four hour drive) and we miss seeing her every day! Zsuzsi is engaged and her wedding is scheduled for April 13th of 2019. She is engaged to Zsolt Mecséri, a wonderful young man who came to Christ through our ministry in Győr. Zsolt recently finished his University degree and is an engineer.

We are grateful that you are our partners in this ministry and without your prayer and financial support, none of this would be possible. Please feel free to write to us, ask us more questions and send us encouraging notes We enjoy hearing from you!

Enjoy some photos from ministry this past year$

by on

These have been busy days and weeks of ministry for us. We recently had a wonderful church retreat by the Lake Balaton. Approximately 40 people attended and we enjoyed a weekend of teaching from Eric Perry an American pastor who has visited us several times over the past three years.

Worship, which was led by Petér, Lucas and Larry was excellent! Great to have this mix of nationalities (Hungarian, Brazilian and American) lead us in worshipping God.

We now have a second Bible study group every week. Sylvia is an excellent teacher and a women who loves God! Please pray for her as she works full time, has a family and serves the Lord through teaching the Bible.

We are also back in the orphanage, ladies coffee morning and MOPS (Mothers of pre-schoolers) and worship services of course. Our days are full with ministry and we are grateful to the Lord for all the open doors we currently have before us!

by on

January 24th through to the 29th (2019) I will be in Ireland and am available to speak at your church or Bible study group. This is an opportunity to hear about the ministry we are involved in here in Hungary and across Europe. Many of you will know that we actively work against human trafficking, in Christian discipleship and developing church leadership. Also it is an opportunity to hear about the persecuted church in the Middle-East.

I have a limited amount of time and availability whilst in Ireland, but hope to see many of you while I am there.

Ireland will likely be my first trip outside Hungary in 2019. I will also be in America, Canada, Romania, Ukraine and likely Belgium and Spain. Please feel free to contact me and we can try to arrange a time when we can meet and talk and pray together!