Trials and Tribulations

My family and friends,

What a month it has been! Summer has officially begun here in Hungary. Students are finished with school for the year, days are starting to get hot and summer camp is approaching! Samantha and I are very excited to participate and help lead summer camp!

Overall, this past month has seemed to be more difficult than the others. By no means has it been bad. Samantha and I have had a lot of fun together. We've made all kinds of goodies, we've become crazy plant ladies, we've struggled learning Hungarian together and we've hung out with friends. On the physical front everything looks great. However, on the spiritual front, this past month we've dealt with a lot of warfare. There are situations we are dealing with that I never thought I would have to confront. Samantha and I have reached a point where we've become speechless, wading through uncharted territory. Our eyes have finally been opened to the stronghold Satan has on this city. To be honest, it's been hard not to become discouraged. It has felt as if all the steps we've taken forward with three specific friends, they've taken double the steps back in a matter of a few weeks. It's been hard for me not to become frustrated and it's been hard for my pride not to get in the way of things. It is the LORD's hand, not mine, that is working in the lives our students. It is His doing that brings students to Him. He knows the future and He has great plans for Nagykanizsa. Whether I can see that or not, all I can do is believe. There is no way Samantha and I could taken these on situations on our own. Therefore, we've lifted them up to Him. Please pray that Samantha and I will seek and continue to seek God because we need Him, especially through trials and tribulations that are sure to come.

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom" -Psalms 90:12
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight." -Proverbs 9:10

There have been great things this month, don't get me wrong! I now have two new students for the summer, and have had many great spiritual conversations. Never has my faith been stronger than it is now and never have I felt so powerless but yet at the same time so content. God's using situations that I lack control of and teaching me to rely on him even more. Situations I can't fix, He can! He's even showing me the messy bits and pieces of myself that I can't fix, He can. Talk about a humbling experience. God delights in us, although we're messy and broken (Psalms 18:19). That's why I love Him so much!

Blessings,
Kaitlyn

 Training for a Half-Marathon. Look at the beautiful trial I get the pleasure of running on! 

Girls eating French Toast the morning of our second sleepover

A Few weeks ago we traveled to Pécs. It's a beautiful city, with over 35,000 college students. 

Found a beautiful field of poppies. They grow wild every year.  

Got to visit our first Hungarian Castle: Sümëg. So COOL! 

A beautiful view of Lake Balaton. 

Our last day with Megan before she headed back to the states. She is doing great, although not enjoying the Las Vegas heat. 

 Went Geocaching with Sárá! After searching for a long time we finally found the cache hanging from a branch in a tree. 

 We started growing a little garden on our balcony. It's looking quite cute! 

Bought a Magyarország jersey to support Hungary in the European Cup.

Samantha and I after watching the Iceland/Hungary football match in our town square.

Annette, Samantha, and I enjoying day with each other. 

Forever His

Friends and Family,

This past weekend Samantha, Megan and I invited a group of high school girls to come and spend the night at our flat for a girls night/Bible study retreat. Our theme: Identity in Christ.

Beginning Friday night we had six girls (SIX!) come to spend the night. I began the night by leading a bible study showing who we are and how we're defined if we have a personal relationship with Jesus. To see for yourself I encourage you to look up these verses: You are God's masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10), you are significant (1 Peter 2:9), you are created for a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11), you are loved (Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 5:6-7), you are forgiven/free (Romans 8:1-2; Colossians 1:13-14), you are accepted (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), you are secured (Romans 8:35-39, Philippians 3:20), you are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and you are a child of God (1 John 3:1). Each student was given one of those bible verses to read out loud and afterwards we discussed which each one meant. Along with looking up these bible verses I showed them a wonderful video that talked about four identity myths we as a society like to believe in.

The 4 Identity Myths

Megan led a wonderful craft activity, that helped illustrate how God defines us. We were all gathered around a table, chatting, when all of a sudden Megan grabbed a beautiful piece of scrapbook paper and tore it in half.  Well of course, this grabbed our attention. She continued to explain that because of our sin we are like this ripped piece of paper. We are broken, messed up. But through a relationship with Christ he puts us back together and makes us into a masterpiece. So we all began ripping pieces of scrapbooking paper and gluing them onto a new piece of paper, creating a collage of colors. Once our collage was done we added "I Am" at the top, along with words such as "redeemed," "chosen," "loved," "accepted," and many, many others. What was once messed up and broken became a masterpiece, a work of art.

The rest of the night was filled with laughter, games and of course Disney movies! It brought joy to my heart when us oldies went to bed but heard whispering, laughing and then yelling "shhhhh!" until the wee morning hours. It reminded me so much of my early mission trips that were so influential in my walk with Christ. It reminded me of Life Together. It was an environment where these girls could just be themselves, an environment where they felt comfortable. In the morning we all got up for an American pancake breakfast! The six girls thought it was so much fun to flip the pancakes and make big stacks of them on a plate. On the table we had a layout of many toppings to choose from and showed the girls how to stack, layer and then eat the pancakes because one of the girls tried to roll them like palacsinta (their version of a pancake) which proved to be very unsuccessful.

Afterwards Samantha gathered the girls around in the living room for the final bible study. She taught on Ephesians 2:1-10 (Stance before God) and did an amazingly wonderful job! A couple of students read the passage for us and we began to discuss it. Either we are in the Kingdom of Darkness, or the Kingdom of Light. Placed on a door, Samantha drew two castles, colored accordingly to the kingdoms. Each student was given a notecard with a description on it. "Dead in sin," "following Satan," "alive in Christ," "obedient", etc. One by one the girls taped their cards underneath the kingdom it belonged to. Samantha then went on to explain how we are all born in the Kingdom of Darkness. No one has to teach a child to disobey, lie, or be selfish. We are all born that way. So how do we get into the Kingdom of Light? Is there hope? Samantha placed a cross between the two kingdoms. Only through Christ can one go from the Kingdom of Darkness to Light. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that its by Gods grace, not by our works. We cannot get to Heaven through our own merit. Christ died for us, this is how we are able to be in the Kingdom of Light and have communion with God, through Gods gift.

Throughout our time with the girls we emphasized that without a personal relationship with God, our identity is not "redeemed," "chosen," or "new creation." Without him we're still in the Kingdom of Darkness. Thus the message puts us in a position to make a decision. We will believe in Gods word or choose to ignore it? Where does your identity lie? Are you going to let the world define who you are or are you going to let God?

Many of the girls seemed to have been soaking in every word and really thinking about what was being said this past weekend. Please pray that they would continue to think about all that God has done for them and the great love he has for them.

Love and miss you!
Kaitlyn

Város Napja (Town Day)

Petra, Vírag, Megan, Me and Samantha hanging out during Város Napja

Fire Works Show! We had the perfect view from our balcony! 

The girls and I learning how to cook traditional Hungarian food for a Goulash party

A beautiful little village we came across while taking a Sunday drive

The Adventure Continues

Dear Friends and Family,

I know its been awhile since my last blog post and I'm sorry I haven't updated you all in how things have been going here lately. Life has gotten busy and its been hard to find a time in the week to actually sit down and write something. (Factor in that I'm a terrible writer and it takes forever for words to actually form on a page.) So...... now that I have a few free hours today I can inform you on a few highlights of how the last couple of weeks have been: 

First off, with a joyful heart, I would like to share that a student of our's, Petra, has prayed to receive Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior!! How amazing and awesome is that!? It has been incredible to see the enthusiasm and excitement she has living her new life in Christ. Not only has she begun learning and growing in her relationship, she's begun sharing it with others as well! She understands the urgency believers should have in sharing the message of Christ. (Matthew 24:42) It's been such a blessing and encouragement to witness and I would encourage you to check out her blog: http://szbpetra.wordpress.com. She would love it if you read about her stories and experiences she encounters as she learns about God and the amazing life He has planned for her!

Petra and I at the gym

As you know, the girls and I had the opportunity to go on a trip with a group of 45 high school students to Paris, France. Most of the week the three of us were trying to find ways to interact with the students which proved to be difficult. Many would observe us, trying to figure out why we were there but overall they didn't seem interested in getting to know us. Yet we kept praying that God would provide an opportunity to become acquainted with some of the students. Finally on our way home, a 17 hour long bus ride, some of the students came up and started talking with us. We were thrilled! All week we tried to make conversation and finally on the way home they wanted to talk! Through this interaction we had the opportunity to share why we're living in Nagykanizsa and made acquaintances with many of the students. Although we didn't necessarily make friends, we've become quite familiar around the school, among the students and teachers. Pray that this door will remain open!

Friday Nights have been going really well! Petra has been bringing a friend, Szandii, to bible study. Pray that while she's coming her heart will be open to the truth. Along with Petra and Szandii, Annette, Emma, Nóra, Virág, Barni, and Máté have been coming regularly. Tutoring is going great, as well. I haven't gained any more students but Szandii will start lessons with me this summer. Along with tutoring and Friday night bible studies, me and Samantha have been going to the gym with a few girls from the school. Not only is this good for my health but it's a great ministry to share the love of Christ. Lastly, we've started a baby English night (teaching young kids English) which is right up my alley! This past Tuesday was our first night and we had two families show up! We taught them the creation story and played with bubbles; it doesn't get much better than that :)

Baby English Night 

Friday Night Bible Study 

Bible Passage we read this past Friday night: 

"Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!-- assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to you former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 

Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." 

Ephesians 4:17-32 

Grace and Peace be to you, 

Kaitlyn

A recent trip to Zagreb, Croatia. We met with another missionary family there. 

Paul, Samantha, Megan, Me, Missionary Couple

I'd have to say Croatian ice cream is the best!