Budapest

3.3.08

Oh my word! I don’t even know where to begin….seriously! It was a crazy weekend in Budapest. Our word for the weekend quickly became “overwhelmed!”

Ok, so Thursday the Lord was really working on my heart about how I hold onto stuff…material things, clinging to this mentality that I may one day be in need or want…really, in essence, once again not fully trusting God or being totally dependant on Him (seems to be a common theme this semester…lol!). In my missions class in the morning we were discussing financial needs, and how those who are always in abundance often end up missing out on the blessing of relying on God to provide for their needs and watching Him work out amazing miracles. Later on, as I was reading God’s Smuggler (Brother Andrew’s story) I was really impressed by his dependence on God to supply his needs and the amazing stories of His faithfulness, to really learn to live in the “Royal Way,” as Brother Andrew calls it. Finally that evening during chapel, my heart was heavy with the realization that God was calling me to let go and to give back to Him…to trust for His provision as I walk in obedience. When I left chapel that night, still struggling within my self in regards to letting go, I called my sister…her advice? “Make it fast and painful!” LOL Thanks Sarah! So that’s what I did….

I had so much peace once I did it…so much joy in knowing that God spoke to me, I listened, and then He gave me the strength to obey….sounds simple, but it was a harder task than I thought!

The next day, my friend Jenna and I headed into Budapest (two hour train ride from Vajta) to work with missionaries from Campus Crusade who have a homeless ministry. They are a Korean couple who have been serving in Hungary for 20 years! It is a crazy thing to see two Koreans speaking fluent Hungarian! They are amazing people. Truly with hearts desiring nothing but to be about their Father’s business!

When we arrived at the train station, we jumped right into the ministry and began helping to pass out the meals of rice, Hungarian soup and bread. There were about 40 people waiting in line before they even had the food out of the van. It was frustrating to not be able to talk to these men and women, yet knowing that they had so many stories they could share. To look into their faces and see the exhaustion, the lack of hope and defeatedness, and to realize that many have seen far more than I will ever see in my lifetime (the effects of communism was still evident). It was a difficult thing to jump into….definitely one I was unprepared for.
What blew me away more was the unbelievable love these missionaries had for these people. Kati hugged every one of the women, kissing their cheeks in a greeting and showing them the same love and respect she would give someone of royalty! It was an overwhelming emotion to watch her love on these people….and realize the lack of love I often have!

After we fed them, the pastor took the mic and began to preach from the word. To be honest, I had a hard time concentrating, as all I was consumed with was watching the people’s faces and the joy on Kati and her husband’s face. What also made this time so special was that the pastor’s parents from Korean were visiting and had just flown in the day before. They too, although only speaking Korean, couldn’t stop loving on these people and singing the hymns and worship songs to Jesus with such amazing love and devotion to their Savior.

After packing up and heading back to the missionaries’ house, Kati and her mother-in-law prepared an amazing Korean meal that we shared together as we listened to their story of how God called them to serve in Hungary right after the fall of communism in the country. They are truly a testimony of God providing for their every need as they both came from backgrounds of working in the professional world with prestige and honor, and gave everything up to move to a country, not knowing any of the language, and commit their whole lives to serving the Lord and following His will.

And the amazing part of all of this, is that while we came to bless them, they wanted nothing more than to bless us. Kati took us on a tour all over Budapest at night which was simply breathtaking. The next day they took us to the indoor hot springs and when she found out that we were in need of t-shirts for the unexpectedly hot weather in Vajta, she called up a friend who is constantly trying to give her new clothing and asked if she would be willing to bless us! God is so faithful to provide for His children. He loves us and wants only to give us God gifts. The words of the man will his demon possessed daughter became the cry of my heart….“Lord I believe, but help me in my unbelief!”

What truly brought me to tears was the morning devotions that we had Saturday morning at 6:30am. We sang several hymns (they sang in Korean, I sang in English) and we read from Acts when Paul was called to go to Macedonia in chapter 16. The Pastor shared his calling to be in Hungary and how God had asked him to lay everything aside for that call. Afterwards, we had a time of prayer, where everyone was praying independently yet aloud. At one point, the pastor stopped and directed everyone to pray for Jenna and I, to thank God for our hearts to serve Him and to guide us as we head into the mission field. I was so overwhelmed to listen to these prayers being lifted up in Korean…to understand nothing of what they were saying except to hear my name bring raised to the Lord! I just started to weep….who am I? I felt so undeserving of their blessing and prayers. It was a time that I have sought to etch into my memory…one of those special moments when you know you are litterly in the presence of God, before His throne, and that you are his most beloved child!

The last day that I was there, Sunday, we worked in the morning to make the food and then headed back to the train station to have another service with the people who are living there under the stairways and on the benches. The pastor and his wife, his parents, Peter, Joelee, Truble, and an older couple who are celebrating their 50th anniversary, all come together to worship the Lord with these people and share the truth of His word. Once again the love poured from them and the people gathered around with smiles and looks of expectancy and being loved on their faces was an overwhelming picture. These men and women know the love of Christ through the love that is tangibly being given by these missionaries. Every touch, every hug, every kind word and praise is as if it was straight from God given to penetrate their hearts with a hope that never fails!

At the close of the service, unexpectedly, they asked for the people to pray for Jenna and myself! I was so humbled…here these people, without a home, without material things, without security of a job, were lifting us up and thanking us for our hearts to serve the Lord. It is an experience I will never quite fully process or ever forget.

Afterwards we once again helped to pass out the food and were met with such smiles and words of appreciation. As I boarded my train to return “home,” I couldn’t help but sense that I had seen God in the faces of those people. When I got back to the Bible college so many people remarked at my look of joy and complete peace! I think I understand better now what it means to be in His presence and to radiate His glory after seeing His face.