Where in the world am I?

I'm sorry I'm late this week posting our blog. Glenn and I were busy getting things squared away at the guesthouse for our trip to Prague, which is where we are right now. The IMB provides a wonderful "retreat" experience called Ebenezer for new missionaries at the end of their first year on the field to help them process what they have been through, get a realistic view of all that God has done in and through them, give them opportunities to worship in their own language, and to encourage them as they continue in their work. Glenn and I are actually here as counselors for them, and we will not atttend our own Ebenezer until the end of January. The name Ebenezer comes from 1 Samuel 7:12 ("Thus far has the Lord helped us.")



Glenn is leading a session on driving and surviving in your marriage, or something along those lines. He and I took a bunch of pictures of driving signs that we see all the time, some of which are decipherable, and some of which totally baffle us as to what they mean! He is going to relate them to navigating through our married life, and how much easier and better our marriage will be if we pay attention to and heed the signs! An impossible question to answer, but food for thought: How many signs do you have in your life that you fail to see and interpret correctly, that had you paid attention, might have helped you get where you wanted to go?



But before leaving for Prague, we took a day off and did a little more sightseeing with Dan and Janet. We wanted to climb to the highest point in Budapest and look out over the city so we



took the children's railroad partially up the hill and then hiked the rest of the way. The children's railroad previously was run by the Pioneers, which was the communist version of the Boy Scouts. The children and youth were trained on how to do the various jobs in running a railroad while being indoctrinated with communist ideals. Today, it is still "run" by children and teens, but is now a way for them to learn more about locomotives and transportation while learning good work ethics.


Spectacular view!


Glenn and me at the top of the Elizabeth Tower

On Thursday, we boarded a real train for Prague. It was about a 6 hour train trip so we got to relax, enjoy the scenery and fellowship with Dan and Janet who also had to go to Prague for their jobs.

We packed our own lunch since the trip was so long, and we didn't want to have to pay "train" prices for boxed lunches, and I was so looking forward to eating my homemade chicken salad sandwich until I saw this guy get on the train with a 20 piece Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket!!! Made my mouth water so badly that I slipped on my own drool and wasn't able to get a picture before he slipped away!

Glenn consoled me by rubbing my feet a good part of the way!

They still use human conductors to stamp tickets

We will be in Prague until Thursday morning, and our schedule is fairly free (we meet with the missionaries during meal times) so we have had some time to walk through the city, which is, to me, the most beautiful city I've ever seen. Having traveled as much as we have around the world, we've seen a lot of cities.) I won't bore you with a lot of pictures of castles, museums, ornate buildings, and churches, but I will show you some of the things that struck me as being different.

Mayonaise on French Fries!

Our first night out on the town we chose to eat at something akin to a "hot dog" stand, except they sold sausage dogs in a baguette that were almost a foot long. Evidently, in the Czech Republic they eat mayonaise on their hot dogs instead of ketchup, because they asked if we wanted ketchup (they could tell we were American-go figure!), and when they gave us our sausage doggies, they had ketchup and mayonaise! Other than knowing how fattening the French fries were, they tasted pretty good!

We also discovered in one of their grocery stores a package of cookies called Maryland Chocolote Chip cookies. I promise you, they could pass for Chips Ahoy except for their smaller size. Taste-wise, they were exactly the same. It was a nice taste of home.

Before I go home, I will pick up a 2 liter bottle of Dr. Pepper! We can't get those in Hungary so it will be a real treat.

The weather here is cold and overcast, but we are enjoying being with the other missionaries and getting a break from our usual duties in Budapest. I know I won't be able to convince you that we're NOT on vacation, because it sure feels like one! And it feels good!

As I close, I ask you to pray especially for those missionaries that are here with us as they are finishing out their first year. Some have had a really good year. Most are doing well with all the adjustments that have had to be made in their lives, and ALL will say that God has shown Himself FAITHFUL throughout the year, but it is still tough. Pray for them. Thanks!