A Certain Woman in Eastern Europe

Well, it all started a number of years ago with needing business cards. In Hungarian culture having a business card is important. So, I thought well, this will be a good time to define myself. One friend compared me with a Lotus program – hard to explain but once you use it, you’re sold. Another friend defined me as painter’s putty. That is a substance that was used to prepare, smooth and cover cracks in walls before painting. If it is good painters putty it would never be seen but the finished wall would look real good. Ah, I get it …. invisible, unknown, behind the scenes but important. But could we put that on a card? Well, I had a certificate on my wall that said – Mary Jill Callery is a Minister of Helps, sounds good let’s print that. So, my good friend and assistant Kata and I made cards. Well, somehow those cards went all over the city and in a short space of time, we were getting lots of calls – Oh, you help people, well I need a babysitter, diapers, dog food, someone to move m...

Nadya, Alla, MJ Ready for the wedding! In November we "rescued" a teenage girl from a difficult and potentially dangerous situation. Alla was living at the Domboki state orphanage with her younger sister and brother. They were placed there 4 years ago when they were found homeless and living on the street as their single, alcoholic mom had no place for them. The children were doing well at Domboki but Alla never quite fit in as she was a bit different than the rest. After a battery of intelligence tests, Alla was declared to mentally fit for Domboki and she had to be sent out of the orphanage and back to her mom. Domboki is for the mentally and physically challenged and Alla’s scores were too high. In fact, the tester said she was smarter than her teachers! Of course, this was good news. When she finishes the 9th grade she can then go to regular high school and possibly on to university. It really gives her a chance at a full and normal life. Most children graduating from Dom...

I have always been a relational net-working sort of person, probably because I really like people and I like how they connect with other people and I really understand the concept of 6 degrees of separation between each of us. Remember, how we used to say "small world" upon meeting someone who knew someone we knew? Well, I think in truth we should say, “Big Kingdom!” I had a small world, big kingdom “happening” this trip to Ukraine. I had returned to my newest favorite city, Uzhgorod to attend a conference on the Holy Spirit. (Great conference!) At the end of the first session, a man who looked vaguely (very vaguely) familiar turned and said “Mary Jill!” and embraced me. In halting English, he reminds me that 9 years ago, I had “rescued” him and 8 other Ukrainian pastors when their van had broken down just as they had arrived Budapest on the return journey from a conference in England. They were cold and hungry and discouraged and still had 24 hours to drive to get home!!! We...

The new fence that was promised last year and started to become a reality on Thanksgiving day (and what a day that was - the fence was started and the adsl line was installed. Just another l work day here in Hungary) But we were so thankful, anyway ...... is almost all finished and here it is…. It was supposed to be painted by now, too but it finally snowed!

When I am in Ukraine as Mary Jill, a Certain woman (wearing a slightly different hat and having a slightly different assignment than when MJ on A-team), I stay with friends. Now these friends are very caring and hospitable. So, I was not surprised to find, right next to my prayer chair a case of non bubbly water. I was so blessed because I have been trying hard to walk more and drink more water and eat healthier etc. I did think it was amazing that in just a few visits they had noticed I preferred still water but….So, I picked up the first bottle and happily chug-a-lugged. In the course of the weekend I drank 3 bottles. When I returned home I had an especially great week. I got lots accomplished like 2006 receipts 99% sorted, official papers for visa renewal organized, I even had a burst of creative writing which contributed to the new blog etc….. lots of energy, lots of focus. Then I got an e-mail from the friends in Ukraine, was I ok? Ok? Why would I not be ok? It turns out the water...