A Certain Woman in Eastern Europe

While we were downtown we wandered into the famous Arany Bika Hotel (Golden Bull Hotel) which is a landmark in Debrecen. It has a wonderful coffee shop with the lovely Hungarian cakes and is featured in the Debrecen University language books. It also has a wonderful boutique which we visited. Because it is Spring Festival there was an exhibit in the lobby of what we thought were paintings. They turned out to be exquisite needlework portraits. Here is one of the Hortobagy, and a photo of the main lobby. Before we left, we visited the ladies room on the lower level. On the left was the cloakroom on the right, the bathrooms. On the wall in between (very close to the ladies room) was this sign..... does it mean all your clothes?....and you have to pay??

Sherry arrived from Kiev midday on Sunday and we made a mad dash to Miskolc for church at Ujszovetseg Gyulekezet (New Covenant Church) with our Pastor friend Tamas Raki. The guest preacher was LaVere Soper with whom Sherry and I worked in Scotland. Sherry for 7 years and me for 5. We had a great time of worship and prayer and preaching. It was a wonderful time. Sorry, my camera got left behind and we forgot to use Sherry's. Today, Sherry had an appointment with Milan, our local "hairdresser to the english speaker's". Here is a photo during the process and after.

Gyor is a medieval city in the western part of Hungary strategically located halfway between Budapest and Vienna. It is well worth a weekend of exploration. There you can see beautiful baroque buildings, cobble stone streets, some of the original city walls, a monastery, a beautifully refurbished synagogue, the convergence of 3 rivers, including the Danube and many other sights. One of the things that caught my attention was the unusual shop signs.

NAGYON BOLDOG ALDOTT HUSVETI UNNEPEKET KIVANUNK! A very happy and blessed Easter celebration to you all!! And in the United Kingdom and beyond the custom is to say .. He is Risen! -and the response is ...... He is Risen Indeed!! and how utterly blessed we are by that truth - there was and still is Resurrection life after the cross!! I was marveling once again about the account of the "Certain women" who were going to the tomb to anoint His body. On the way, they were talking amongst themselves and wondering how they were ever going to move the very large stone. Then "they looked up" and it was already moved away!" And then ...the amazing news, He is risen! He is not here. (Mark 16:1-6) Do you ever talk, or think, or meditate on a "large" obstacle in front of you that seems to be blocking the way? Lord, help us to "look up" and "see" what You have done, to "see" that You have already made a way, the large obstacle i...

Photo from Debrecen town centre thanks to Mike & Nancy J. (INSTE Hungary) Go to their blogspot for a great report on March 15. www.mnjuntunen.blogspot.com March 15 is a Hungarian national holiday commemorating the outbreak of the Hungarian revolution against Hapsburg rule in 1848. The uprising was crushed the following year, when the Hungarian army surrendered to Russian troops that had come to assist the Austrians. Many Hungarians wear a lapel cockade (kokárda), a national emblem in red, white and green, on the holiday, and there are often musical tributes and parades in the town centre.

What a fun night we had Friday evening at Syble's house. This was our second outreach to ladies in our community. This month we highlighted the celebration of Easter. We had an interesting discussion about the customs of our home nations. Our activity was to create an Easter Bonnet. See how creative everyone was. Most of the hats were built on egg carton's. Here is a picture of Syble's hat with me wearing the "before" and our colorful group photo.

Natasha and her daughter Kata go into the abandoned babies ward of the local hospital twice weekly. The church donates all the disposable diapers and the ladies change, wash, groom and hold the babies. Now there are 5 - 4 boys and 1 girl. 4 have been here since birth and are adoptable. Edick is 14 months old but can't walk yet - not enough time out of the crib. Here Pastor Vitaliy and Olena hold 2 babies freshly cared for. The church in Khust The young girls bless the ladies meeting with special worship I was invited to Khust to minister for a ladies meeting. Over 150 people attended from all over the region. They ranged in age from 6 -76, churched and unsaved. Praise God for His mighty presence in our midst. He really helped me adapt my message to minister broadly. The theme was "The wife has made herself ready" Rev 19.7. Five minutes before the meeting started I found out it was an evangelistic meeting. :-) (rather than for the churched). God came through powerfull...

Pastor Vitaliy and Olena from Khust with our Alla Alla, MJ, Natasha and Iza (Certain "young" Women)

Right after this angelic pose these little scamps pelted me with snowballs :-) Don't you love these coats on Marika and Oxana? Marlow loves his night light! Volodya teaching us to say KolbaaaSAH! The "Posers" - Angelika in the fountain, and Rita and Tanya

Marlow has a word for Pastor Tibi Richard and Anya as Gary (and Ev) teaches all of us on deeper levels of communication. Pastor Vadim and family. These little guys are 2 and 4 and they enjoyed the kids room. Marlow, calling us in for the next session. Marlow, illustrating a VERY funny moment. Notice what a great translator Volodya is. Pastor Vasily & Natalia and Pastor Ivan and Angelika and Lola The lady leaders, Lola, MJ and Rita

Pastor Marlow and Carissa Richard, Anya and Gary Efe, Richard, Anya Oxana, Volodya and Ev Marlow Dunham, Pastor of the River Church, Poughkeepsie, NY headed up this 10 day trip to Ukraine. Also, from NY was Gary and Evelyn Sherman and Carissa and Efe from Florida. Our first full day was spent at Volodya and Oxana's for a planning and prayer day. Volodya and Oxana and Anya and Richard are the "Hope and Life" ministers who live in Ozghorod. They make all the on the ground arrangements, schedule ministry time, transport and interpreters. What would we do without them? Carissa and Efe met with 3 or 4 youth groups, a number of english clubs and while we were at the pastor's retreat, they spent 3 days visiting poor families praying for them and delivering humanitarian aid.