What is normal?

It has been interesting to look back over our past 2 1/2 years here and see how much things have changed in our work and daily schedule. The first 2 months we were heavy in language study and I spent a good portion of my free time trying to keep up with personal emails from America. I remember spending whole weekends trying to respond to 50+ emails in my in-box and rejoicing that I had written 30. (I won't tell you how many emails I have in my in-box at this time because that will just give my friends and family members an excuse not to write me! Let's just say in the past year my work load has increased and I now have work emails waiting on me also!)

Six months after arriving in Budapest, I took over the Eden House ministry and Glenn took over medical coordination when the Doyles left on their stateside assignment. During this time, we got to know a lot of our personnel when they came to stay at the Eden House for medical care. My days were spent managing the "reservations" for the Eden House, taking families to the grocery store upon their arrival, making sure the rooms were ready (and cleaning a few myself), and visiting with the families during their time with us. It was a lot of fun for me, ever the extrovert, and enough people for a party!

The Stephens' arrived in the spring of 2008 and took over as host/hostess of the Eden House in June, and with the Doyles back in Budapest and doing medical coordination, Glenn and I began traveling to visit our personnel across central and eastern Europe. Summer of 2008 was when we were finally able to do what we envisioned doing in member care. Of course, we did member care before this point, but most of it was via email or by phone, rather than in person.

If you've followed our blog for the past year, you know we've done a good bit of traveling across our 26 countries in 12 time zones, and met some wonderful people who are living in some pretty rough situations. We have truly been blessed by getting to know them, hearing their stories, and growing to love them as fellow believers. We are humbled to be able to serve in such an awesome ministry and don't ever want to think that we have anything to offer in and of ourselves other than what God chooses to do or say through us. If there is anything good that we do, it is only because of the Holy Spirit who lives in us and speaks through us. To God be the glory for all He has done!

Today I want to share with you another aspect of our ministry.

Sometimes in talking with families, we feel it is best if they come to Budapest for some focused time with us or for medical care in addition to the counseling we do. We will generally meet with the families in the morning and evening each day, and they have the afternoons free to do some assigned work or to reflect on what God is saying to them. Occasionally, they have a large enough block of time off to go into town to do some sightseeing, taking advantage of being in our beautiful city.

And if it happens to be a female by herself, I enjoy being her tour guide for the day, which happened this past week!


Moat around the Castle in City Park

We set off for a few hours in town. We started with lunch at Arriba, a Mexican burrito fast food place, and then headed to Heroes Square and City Park. (Yes, two weeks in a row as tour guide. Good thing we love our city.)


Balloon reads: Eredeti GPS

Lots of folks in the park strolling. I guess this man's wife was afraid he'd get lost and sent him with a GPS!


Church on the castle grounds

I've probably shown you this church in the park that is located inside the fake castle. We call it a fake castle because, well, the castle was never really a castle. It was built for an exhibition showcasing the many different architectural styles across Hungary through the ages and no king ever lived in it. There was a wedding ceremony taking place when we walked past so we peeked in the amber windows...




...and this is what we saw. How cool!

Men playing chess

Where are their wives? At home canning vegetables?

The tourists are here! The tourists are here!

The tourists were out in swarms. The more tourists, the more booths. This particular booth is located across the street from the Szechenyi thermal baths and sells womens bikini bathing suits and men's Speedo's in plastic bags hanging from the racks. I wonder how many people actually come to Budapest without a bathing suit and after seeing the bath houses decide, "Oh, I want to try out the thermal pools, but I don't have a bathing suit. Where can I buy one?" Evidently enough to merit selling them!

Loved the roasted corn display!

We got a cold drink (Coke Zero for me) and sat on a blanket on the bank of the moat that went around the castle and talked. It didn't really matter that there was no water in our part of the moat.

It was just nice to sit, listen and share. And that is another aspect of what member care does.