The past month and a half has been quite busy. It has been full. It has been good. It has been blessed by our Father.
This time has been filled of challenges and of growth. It has been a time of belly bottom laughter and a time of listening. And it has been a time of trusting in Him.
It has been a time of busyness, thus the lack of posting. and for this I am ever so sorry. So I am writing an extra long post today to make up for it. Enjoy...
As of last Thursday, November 18, I am going into my fourth month of being here and this place is becoming more and more my home than it looked like it would be in the beginning. I am becoming more comfortable. I am establishing those relationships I was made for. I am sharing life here. the way it is supposed to be. This next month is more than just getting my feet wet like it was back in August and September. It is about who I am becoming. I have rested and settled in Him. and I am becoming, day by day, more and more, the woman He desires me to be. But this is what I am afraid of, that I am going to become too comfortable and too settled and will become stagnant and not grow as I need to. So it is my prayer that I wake up each new saying “It is your day, Oh Lord. I am here to serve you. So have your way in and through me.”
…Since I cannot possibly write about everything I would like to from the past month and half I will give you a few highlights of some of the happenings in my life here.
- The weekend of October 9 Peggy and I traveled to Krosno, Poland with about 12 other people. This was an English teachers trip (something they do every fall) that included spots for their spouses. One of the teachers arranged most of the happenings which was really great of him. We traveled a little outside of the town to a castle and read Balint Balissi’ poems in his honor. Later in the afternoon we also had a chance to walk around Krosno which was nice because it was quite a quaint town. (not as quaint as St. Joe though!) A funny story from the weekend (though, not too funny at the moment), we got a flat tire out in the middle of nowhere Slovakia. And it was Sunday afternoon. Not a good combination. It is a good thing we had some pretty handy guys along. : )
- The next weekend, October 16, Peggy and I had the great honor and pleasure of being invited to go to Ukraine with the Calvin group. Every fall there is a semester abroad program that Calvin College sends students on and throughout the semester they go on numerous trips to the surrounding countries of Hungary. Well this weekend Ukraine was on the docket. And they were oh so coincidently going through Sarospatak on the way and could pick us up! I was pretty pumped to see a good friend and fellow Calvinites, even if I didn’t know them. We stayed in a cute little village and visited/stayed at a school another Calvin alum is teaching English at. (It’s great that even though I’m so far outside of the States and can still find those Calvin connections. : ) We were even to help her out and speak English with her students, played a few games, sang some worship songs, and then shared dinner together. It was so great to be able to have such community even though we could communicate only a little bit. Sunday we visited a Gypsy village and their church, which incidentally, a Calvin group donated the bell that rings for their church gatherings. At the end of the service the members of the congregation sang us a blessing song and then at their request we sang “My Friends May You Grow In Grace” and it brought tears to my eyes. It truly touched me that even though they wouldn’t be able to understand us they still wanted us to sing something for them. This made it clear to me that the church around the world is at work. God is work. through these people. and it was truly a blessing to be able to share in worship with them, despite language barriers, because that really is the only barrier that stands between us.
- Friday, October 29 was a celebration for the freshmen at school. It is called Pecur Avato. The whole week, really, was a celebration for them. (It reminded me more of an initiation actually.) It all started Monday when I noticed that many of my first year students were all wearing baby type of clothes, such as: bibs, binkies, little bonnets/hats, diapers…yes, some of them wore diapers. And they carried around little stuffed animals, blankies, or rattles. Some had all of the above and they could’ve won a baby imitation contest with how decked out they were. It was pretty funny until I was teaching and was constantly interrupted with students playing with the tape on their diapers or them rattling a toy or sucking their binkie. Anyway, each day during our 15 minute breaks we all would gather in the courtyard of school and watch the freshmen participate in some game or another. One day they played musical chairs another day they played tug-of-war, etc. It was quite comical and competitive, if you can only imagine. All of these activities led up Friday night which was where each freshmen class (there are 5 total) had to compete in an assortment of games and perform a skit and/or song in front of a forum of judges. It was pretty exciting and entertaining, especially since I teach 3 of the 5 freshmen classes. Even though I couldn’t understand everything that was going on it was enjoyable and I can certainly say I am proud of my students.
- Saturday October 30, after I got out of school (yes, you heard me right, I had to teach on Saturday. Not the most fun thing in the world, but hey, you do what you have to do, right?) I was showing a friend who was visiting around Patak. We came across a delectable little stand of something that is oh so unhealthy for you. (ask me if you want to know exactly what this little treat is!) As we were enjoying this newfound goody by a nearby cemetery we realized everyone was getting flowers and candles for the celebration of All Saint’s Day, which is November 1st. As we were talking about having our own memorial of walking through the cemetery we were greeted by two students. They were just about to get some roses in honor of two teachers and invited us to join them. I was (secretly) thrilled. What an honor and privilege, and Godsend. We walked across town to the cemetery they were going to and they explained to us how important this Holiday is to Hungarians. It is a time for them to honor those loved ones that are gone and a way for them to meet with people they haven’t seen in a long time (we saw a few who seemed to be having a reunion of some sort). We witnessed some sweeping the surrounding area of their beloveds’ tombstones and others standing in silence and memoriam. It was such a honor and blessing to be let in on a tradition of old with these students. It was something that I have been hoping for for awhile, to be apart of a Hungarian tradition, to be invited in and be apart of their world. So thank you.
- November 1st through the 7th I traveled to the Netherlands with two dear friends. We stayed with one of their friends who is studying for the year with an international program in Den Haag. We stayed in that city for a week and did a day trip to Amsterdam on Tuesday and to Delft on Saturday. Some of the favorites from the week include accumulating a new and fresh appreciation for art after the Van Gogh Museum, a visit to Parliament in Den Haag, telling people I was Dutch as well, finding Wilhelmina peppermints and Dutch caramel waffles (I don’t remember the official name), flying a kite on the coast of the English Channel… I am sure I could continue on with this list, but the week was truly about community and the beautiful gift I was given through it while in Holland. I went with two really good friends I have made through this experience so far, Annie and Maria, (other ESI teachers) and our relationships only grew stronger, but I also met Annie’s friend, Jose, and some of his international friends it I can not tell you enough how good this opportunity was. Through all these relationships we all were able to share in such community, that could not have been orchestrated by anyone other than God himself. We shared in meaningful late night conversations, meandering around a new and unexplored town, smiles and laughter, delicious (ethnic) food, wooden shoes, meeting of parents, bike rides, and lots of chocolate covered cashews, peanuts, and raisins. This week I was able to see the face of Christ in ways I never had before. And I was truly able to feel his love and grace through community. I firmly believe that we have been created and called to live in community with each other, in whatever form that may mean for each of us. And He has left it up to us to follow that call.
- November 18th through the 22nd Peggy and I, and the rest of the Central Europe ESI teachers were able to get together for a time of retreat. We celebrated Thanksgiving, were able to relax, recuperate, and rejuvenate, and just spent time quality time together. It was really great to see everyone, because it had been since August 17. (I know, people back at home, it’s been longer since I’ve seen you! Believe me, I know.) It was fun to catch up and see how they are doing at their respective schools. It was an incredible time of encouragement and love. God’s presence was truly felt in our time all together. As tired as I am from the weekend I am ready for this next stretch of weeks before Christmas break.
I am sorry that was so long and if you are still reading, well shoot, THANK YOU. I promise that whole thing of me taking so long to write will not happen again. Thank you again for your patience and certainly stay tuned for upcoming stories. And hey, if you have any questions, surely let me know! I would love to hear from you if you want to know anything else about my time here in Hungary.
