Here!

2.12.08

Well, I made it! Finally in Hungary at last….after much spiritual attack and a slight delay, God has made a way and I am here. I can testify to the goodness of God. So many people here have been on their knees for me prior to even meeting me that it feels like they know me already :o).

After a very tearful, emotional goodbye, I made the six hour flight to London and three hour flight to Hungary, arriving in Budapest. I was exhausted, hungry, missing one of my pieces of luggage and unsure how I was going to be getting to the college (the shuttle company responsible for picking me up informed me 3 hours before my flight that they were full on the day of my arrival and unable to accommodate me) :o( Thank goodness for my blackberry. I was able to email between the college and my sister and CCBCE was graciously willing to send someone on the two hour drive to pick me up!

After waiting in the airport for three hours, an intern from the college, Bence, picked me up and told me that his parents lived very close to the airport and his mother wanted to feed me since I had been waiting SO long there! We drove to his parents’ house where his mother, Sarah, feed me Hungarian soup, home made bread that Bence’s dad had made, and Hungarian cake! I was so blessed! And to top it, His dad, who is part of a mission board, will be traveling to Pennsylvania in May to visit a church in Pittsburgh. In a way it was like God was allowing me to have a connection to home….between Sarah hugging me and feeding me and Bence’s dad sharing stories about my home state, it was one more small way God was allowing His comfort and peace to settle in my heart! He really has called me to be here, despite the delays and times of doubt, He is my provider and desires me to walk closer to Him. And for this reason He has called me to a place where I need to rely on Him more than ever to direct my steps and guide my path!

With the time difference of 6 hours, I woke up at 1:30am on the first night…wide awake! Willing myself back to sleep, I finally fell asleep around 4am. I skipped breakfast to take a much needed shower and then jumped into my first day of classes!!! Talk about hitting the ground running. I’m taking a class on Hebrews, James, Apologetics (Christian Worldview), an evangelism class for the students in my program, and then the requirements of morning chapel, Sunday and Thursday night chapel, and practical ministry (I’m in the coffee shop!!!!!!).

My roommates are wonderful….I’ve really connected with two of the girls in my program, Jenna (who is in her thirties) and one of my roommates Alica. Mary, my dorm room leader, an intern here at the college, has been such a blessing to help me acclimate and feel at home while having missed the first week of orientation. The girls have been so funny in wanting to figure out how old I am and talking about what I did before I came here…..Alica’s comment today was “God pulled you out of, like running political events with the President to come live in a room full of teenaged girls and study the Bible in Hungary!” And I couldn’t be more thankful that He did….He is making it so clear that I needed to pull away from all the distractions and really focus my heart and mind on Him and His will for me. This morning in my devos (on the Bible Bus for those who want to join!!!! ;o), God gave me Ex. 34:11 & 14 “Your responsibility is to obey all the commands I am giving you today….You must worship no other gods, but only the Lord, for He is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you.” Me….He is passionate about me! The God we serve is so good and so faithful!

A couple things to keep in prayer:
My program cost more than initially anticipated and we have additional 10 day outreach trip which I will need to cover cost wise, so please pray that the Lord would provide and help my doubting heart to trust Him!

Many students here came down with a similar virus that I had had the week before coming. Praise God I had it while in the comfort of my home and in my own bed (and my mommy’s ;o). Please pray that the Lord would keep my immune system up as I am tired and still getting over the traveling of the past couple days (yes, I’m taking Vitamin C and Zinc).

I am behind in two of my classes due to my late arrival, so please pray that God would carve out the time needed to catch up.


Thank you so much for your prayers and support! You all have been such a blessing and I am so thankful for each one of you! God has graciously blessed me with such an awesome family in Him!

Love you all!
In His grace ><>