Snow on the first day of Spring!

March 21, the first day of spring, brought a surprising snowfall.


Snowflakes falling gently

I was spending the day sitting in front of my computer, getting caught up on emails long overdue, when I looked up and was shocked to see large flakes gently falling. As I sat there, the flakes got bigger and bigger and fell harder and harder. If the snow would continue to fall like that for an hour, we'd have had 2-3 inches in no time.



However, it didn't continue to snow for long, and the next time I looked up, it was sleeting in huge waves!


Sleet the size of my pinkie

And the wind blew the walkway clear for us!

Cool, eh?

The weather forecast calls for mixed rain and snow for the next couple of days off and on, but we aren't there to enjoy any of it. More about our whereabouts later...

Inspite of all the snow flurries and sleet, the flower shops are bursting open their doors with spring flowers all over the pavement. Glenn and I found this beautiful bouquet of orchids for 1,400 forints (or $8!).

Still perfecting kettle korn!

Glenn and I are now in the Czech Republic to attend a regional support team retreat, but before coming I had to try ONE MORE TIME to make kettle korn for us to eat on the 7 hour drive to Prague. Another missionary (a man!) told me his secret to making kettle korn and I just had to try it. He said to pop the corn on the stove and then pour caramel syrup over the hot popped corn, stirring it well. Sprinkle with a little salt. After cooling for about 15 minutes, the caramel hardens and it is perfect! Obviously, because the 7 of us in the van ride just about finished off all the popcorn!

Glenn and I enjoy a hungarian meal in the market, our favorite local food joint

Pecans in the market!!!

While we were at the market, I was delighted to find pecans that were imported from Germany. Delight turned to dismay. I didn't buy any for two reasons. First, I had a bag in my freezer, and secondly, they were 3,950 forints for half a kilo, or $23 for barely over a pound of pecans!!! For some strange reason, we can buy walnuts here fairly reasonably (about the same price as in America), but pecans are outrageously high-when you can find them.

Chocolate covered coffee beans!

Glenn and I went to a new store (for us) called Metro, the Hungarian version of Sam's or Costco. Even though it looked like Sam's with concrete floors and shelves stocked high to the warehouse roof, the prices didn't seem to be any better than what we pay in the local Tesco (think Walmart). We have also come to realize that in Hungary when something comes in bulk or in a large size, it is not any cheaper than the smaller size per ounce or item. We did, however, find a couple of things we have never seen before, such as these chocolate covered coffee beans. We also found a 2 1/2 kilo bag (about 5 1/2 pounds) of chocolate chips. In fact, they had milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and dark chocolate chips! Again, we did not buy any because we still had some we bought at Sam's in Marietta a year and a half ago in the 10 pound bag, and because the bag was $28.

Yesterday was Easter and even though Hungary is a Catholic country, the only thing we saw that looked like Easter or looked different from any other day were the rows and rows of chocolate bunnies in the grocery store. Oh, and the huge piles of small, celophane-wrapped hams for sale everywhere. It is so sad, but even attendance at church is not much different on Easter Sunday! It seems that for most Hungarians, the Easter holiday is simply a day for family to get together to eat ham. It is only in the small congregations of true Christians that the sacrificial death and powerful resurrection of our Lord and Saviour is understood and celebrated. Hungary is so lost and in desperate need of a Saviour, and she doesn't even realize it! And for me, it is frustrating to know that I am so limited in the language that the likelihood of leading someone to Christ is slim to none. We need folks who are called to the front line to fight for the lost souls that otherwise will die and go to hell for eternity. Please pray for Hungary.

Pretty pathetic posting!

How I wish I were funny, eloquent and creative in my writings on this blog, but alas, that gift skipped a generation and ended up in the minds and pens of our two children, Kari and Chris. Both of them are terrific writers, albeit in two totally different forms, while I ended up with the desire to communicate what God is doing in and through us but without the words to adequately express it!

Even though I came to assist Glenn with Member Care, it might already be evident to each of you that I am happiest at the Eden House where I can use my gifts and talents to their fullest. That gift of organization as I figure out which families should go into which room and that other gift of cleanliness (right next to godliness, of course) as I have vacuumed more rooms in the past three weeks than I ever want to do again! I truly have no greater joy (besides knowing that my children walk in the truth; III John:4) than to be able to "practice hospitality" (Romans 12: 13b) to those who come for medical care, business or vacation. I have loved my ministry at the Eden House, but with the arrival of Brian and Michelle Stevens next month, once they get their feet on the ground (not literally, but figuratively), I will be stepping out of that role. God has something else in mind for me, and I will be watching with expectancy to see where He leads me next! I just want you to know how much fun I have had and how I pray that Brian and Michelle will enjoy it as much as I have!


Full house!

We are now back to "normal", whatever that is, at the Eden House and I am having time to do some other things that have been put on the back burner. Also, with the spring weather coming on, I have been able to get back to walking on a regular basis, which always helps my frame of mind!

Speaking of walking... did you know that many women in Europe suffer from depression due to a lack of vitamin D. In America, we get vitamin D from our milk that is "vitamin A & D enriched" and from sunshine. Well, here in Europe the milk is not enriched with D, nor does the sun shine much in the winter months. Now, what does that have to do with walking? Bear with me...One of the recommended prescriptions for dealing with depression here in Europe is to get outside and walk for an hour a day, preferably with your face uncovered so you can absorb that much more vitamin D! And from what I read, you absorb it through your eyes!


Walking uphill always lifts my spirits as we look out over the city!

Anyway, I think I have always suffered from Seasonal Affect(ive) Disorder to some degree due to lack of enough sunlight (except when we were in Africa!) during the winters, so now that the weather is turning warmer and the days are getting longer, Glenn and I are getting out more and enjoying the long walks that help so much!

Imported from Austria-Coke Zero!

And if the beautiful weather wasn't enough to bring a smile to my face, the arrival of Coke Zero sure did! I found it for the first time this past Friday at a local mall in a fruit and vegetable store!!! So far this is the only place I've seen it, but that could mean it is on its way in the country! This same store also sold Dr. Pepper for an arm and a leg ($2.51 for a half-liter!) The Coke Zero was $1.25 for .33 liter.

Better go get some more before the hoarders get it all!

Have a great week, and thank God for the sunshine in your life!

Week of wonderful things!

This past week is the second of three weeks in which the Eden House is full so let me start off by selfishily asking everyone to pray for stamina for one more week of craziness! I won't go into detail, but let me just say I have cleaned more rooms this week (some of them twice) than in the eight months I've been handling the Eden House! (Szylvia, the housekeeper, is on vacation.) It's been very busy with a lot of guests coming and going, but it's also been a lot of fun.


"Sorry, Mom. I must have lost my boot somewhere."

Now that the weather is nicer, we are able to get outside and get some walking in. While Kari and Jonathan were here, we came across this interesting sight. Now, how do you think this kid explained to his mother how or where he lost his boot?


Duane and Melissa

Mary and Alvin, our co-workers, had a visit from their son and his wife and two children just as Kari and Jonathan were leaving. It's too bad their visits didn't overlap more because, it turns out that, Melissa was Kari's Acteens leader the year the Olympics came to Atlanta! Melissa, called Missy at that time, worked with the other leader, Diane Andrews Rose, and taught the girls clowning, which they then did in Atlanta as part of the Olympic festivities. Isn't it a small world? I think it is amazing that we already knew (although not well) Mary and Alvin's daughter in law!


Darcy and David, the beloved grandchildren of Mary and Alvin

I babysat one night so that Mary, Alvin, David and Melissa could go out for dinner together. It was a true flashback from middle school days because Alvin had to come pick me up and then bring me home later (because Glenn needed the car.) It was eery!

Thanks for "caring"!

Got a care package this week from Darrin and Kesha who lived down the street from us until this past November. They were our first friends here; our friendship went all the way back to the time we volunteered as counselors in Poland before being appointed with the IMB. I think I've gotten Kesha hooked on Randy Singer novels. She read a couple of mine before she left, and then mailed me these two newer ones after she got back to the States. If you haven't ever read any of his books, they're great! In real life, he is a Christian and a lawyer who practices in Atlanta, and his novels deal with ethical issues. Great clean reading!

Getting back to the care package, she also sent us some microwave Kettle Corn because she knew I was trying to make it here at home. Unfortunately, I have scortched so much sugared popcorn that I have given up on trying to make it myself! Glenn and I will really appreciate the microwave kettle corn!

Well, it's about time!

Every time (no joke!) I go to the grocery store (Tesco, a British version of Wal-mart), I check to see if they have started carrying peanut butter, and finally, my perseverance paid off! We "could" buy peanut butter in the "international" section for $6.70 for 16 ounces, but we just "couldn't" bring ourselves to pay that much for it. I figured EVENTUALLY the world would discover peanut butter, and now I know the British have! Tesco must have gotten one case of 9 jars to test the market, and I got the last two jars and they were only 250 forints, er, I mean $1.49!!!


I'll let you know if they ever get any more in. In some countries outside of America, store owners don't like to stock "hot" items because they can't keep it on the shelves, and they just have to keep re-ordering it, and it's just too much trouble!!! We've heard this tale from more than a dozen missionaries about favorite items in their country (so it must be true, right?)

Welcome Skipper and Sue!

Much of my time the past two weeks, in addition to working a full Eden House, has been outfitting a house for a new couple that arrived on Friday. The Board provides them with a "furnished" place to live and the house that was rented for them only had furniture provided, so I have spent the past week shopping for sheets, towels, dishes, cookware, etc. for them. I love this job! Sue is my new walking partner and even though she is short like me, she can give me a work out! You'll hear more about the Perryman's later!

I'll write more later....got to get up to the Eden House to welcome a new guest! Szia!

Boldog szuletesnapot!

Trying to figure out Hungarian labels on food at the grocery store

Boldog szuletesnapot! That means 'happy birthday' in Hungarian, and this weekend we celebrated our daughter Kari's birthday. She and her husband Jonathan arrived on Friday and we spent a nice, relaxing weekend with them. This next week we'll be spending time with them, working at the Eden House, making a big pot of goulash for a special guest and guests at the Eden House, wrapping up the budget for next year and hopefully finishing a puzzle!


It's a good thing they have these handy informational signs to explain everything you need to know!


Fortunately, there is often at least a little English to be found. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean it makes sense. Take for example the 'Catch me if you can' sticker on the front of this truck.


Making Kari's birthday cake in the kitchen


Jonathan stirring in the carrots


One of our long walks in the neighborhood


It's the 'szuletesnapot' girl enjoying her cake!


Putting together a puzzle after Kari's birthday cake - gotta' work off those calories!


We saw this car on a walk and thought of Chris. Can you guess what kind it is?


Why, a wartburg, of course!

Making it up to you

Dear faithful blog readers,

I sincerely apologize for my mom's tardiness in updating her blog this weekend. In order to make it up to you, I offer this video of mom attempting to skip-ball with her left foot as a peace offering.



May it raise your spirits as it has mine.

Kari

PS - Check back for a blog update tomorrow.

Let's Play a Game!

This has been one of those rare weekends when we didn't really have anything we had to do. I've been fussing at Glenn about needing to "do" something on our day off and so he suggested we go ice skating in town, either at the huge outdoor place in City Park next to the Danube River or at the indoor place in Westend Mall. Well, it has been soooo cold here, down in the low 20's, that I nixed the outdoor place. Brrrr! And then Glenn suggested we go instead when Kari and Jonathan come, so we didn't end up going after all. So what did we do on our day off?


Glenn paints over Hannah and Cody's footprints

We decided to do all those odd jobs that we've not had time to do for the past 6 months! We wiped out all the kitchen cabinets, touched up with paint all the places we dinged when moving furniture into the house, cleaned the basement (takes about 20 minutes; there's not a lot in it!), hemmed curtains in the office, hung a shelf above our bed, made homemade chili and I gave Glenn a haircut. We got everything done on our checklist!


Cile relaxes with Solitaire


Glenn relaxes with a bowl of popcorn and his computer

Glenn and I have discovered a recipe for kettle korn. You know, sweet popcorn, but not as sweet as caramel popcorn. On Saturday, I made two big bowls of it, and we ate every kernel of it! I'm having a little trouble keeping the sugar from scorching, so I'll have to keep working on it until I get it down just right! Any tips out there? (And no, we can't buy kettle korn microwave popcorn here. I looked!)



This Sunday was our first worship service in English at the Eden House! There are several other IMB couples here in Budapest who are in the same "boat" as Glenn and me, in that we don't speak Hungarian. We go to a Hungarian Baptist church in the morning, but we don't understand most of what is said, and so we, like the others who work in English, really miss and crave good, ol' American style worship! A bunch of us decided to get together up at the Eden House on Sunday evenings for worship.

Robert led us in worship in song and then Alvin did a children's sermon for the 4 children, and then he actually preached a message for us from the book of John. It was great! Then, like true Baptists, we had a time of food (kettle korn, of course!) and fellowship! It was a blessing to worship in English, hear a great message (Alvin pastored in the U.S. before coming overseas), and pray with other believers! Great way to start week!

And, believe it or not, we have NO ONE in the Eden House this whole week until Saturday! Kari and Jonathan (who passed his Boards on Friday and will begin working in the clinic in France) arrive on Friday for a short visit. Unfortunately, the Eden House will have lots of folks coming and going while K & J are with us so I will still have to work, but at least I will have help!

We will be going to Prague on Tuesday and returning on Thursday. Glenn has a meeting up there on Wednesday. Fast trip. Be back just in time to clean the house before Kari and Jonathan arrive!!!

Hope your week is great!

PS-Dad, I'm really sorry I couldn't be there this weekend to help you move! You know how much I would have enjoyed it!!!! Hope everything made it safely. Sure missed seeing everyone that came to help!

Finally, a slow week!

It appears I have been named the Hungarian Goulash Soup (Gulyasleves) maker among our missionaries here in Budapest and with that distinction comes the "privilege"of fixing it every time there is a get-together. (Please don't get me wrong-I love making it and am honored that folks like mine better than at For Sale Pub in town!)



So Glenn and I took Thursday off (well, the afternoon anyway) and went into town to find the largest pot we could find because mine are too small for making enough for large crowds.



We found this one that is 20 liters (a little more than 20 quarts). I have it next to my crock pot from America to give you an idea of the size. It killed me to buya new pot because I had a really nice, huge one in America that I either gave away or is in storage! I don't know what they cost in America, but it was $70 here! I will be making Hungarian Goulash Soup for the IMB Trustees when they come to town at the end of April so I had to get one! Hey, do you think I can turn in the receipt and let Lottie pay for it? Hmmm, I guess not.



Things at the Eden House are relatively quiet this week so I was able to actually sit down and visit with several of the ladies staying there! This is my most favorite thing to do at the Eden House! (When I saw this picture, I couldn't believe how much I look like my mother!! Does anyone else see the resemblance?)



This picture is for Robin S. at West Cobb Baptist Church there in Marietta. We saw one of these scissor lifts in Prague and thought of him.

Hope you have a great week!

Back in Budapest!

We started out this week still in Prague for our Ebenezer.



We had a large group of folks that have been on the field for 12-18 months. We enjoyed the topics that we covered, but we especially enjoyed getting caught up on everyone's news.


What a great group of friends!

Last year from October to December there were 14 of us at ILC together for training before going out to our region of the world. A year later, there are 11 of us still on the field. We really missed the 3 that returned to the U.S. and I sort of grieved our loss while I was in Prague since their absence was so noticeable.


Member Care Team-Dan, Kyle, Glenn, Cile, Mary and Alvin

This was the first time that ALL 6 of the Member Care team was together and it was great! Dan and Kyle live in Russia and cover most of the work there. Dan was able to come to the Member Care conference in December in the U.S. but Kyle was not able to join us so we were thrilled when things worked out for Kyle to come to Ebenezer to help Dan/us with the counseling. I really, really enjoyed getting to know her and sure wish we lived in the same town!! I think we would be wonderful friends! Dan was a forensic psychologist in his former life and adds a lot to our team.

Ebenezer ended on Wednesday and we immediately headed back to Budapest (5 hours driving time) because the next day we had 10 volunteer ladies coming from Prague to the Eden House to sightsee in Budapest for 3 days. We had to beat them back to make sure there were clean beds for them!! There were already 12 others in the Eden House with another agency. From Thursday to Sunday we had every room filled in the Eden House with 21 adults and one teenager so things were BUSY! That is the largest number in the Eden House since we arrived!


Making Hungarian goulash soup for 16 is an all-day family affair!

We invited the 10 volunteer ladies, another couple at the Eden House and the Doyles to come for Hungarian Goulash soup. Glenn and I sliced, chopped, and simmered the soup all day and had a great time together doing it! It reminded us of our days in Marietta when we would get in the mood to put a ham bone on the stove to simmer and make a huge batch of vegetable soup! Ahhh! Such memories! (We can't buy ham on a bone here!)


Traveling Grandma's

This group of volunteers is quite unusual! Each year 8-10 ladies come from America for a month two times a year to do childcare for our folks who attend Ebenezer (1 week) and then the Strategy Coordinator's training (3 weeks). Most of these ladies are about 70 years old, with the oldest one being 84! For a couple of these ladies, it was their first trip to Prague to do childcare. Most have come 4-8 times. One lady has come 15 times!!! They decided this year to come to Budapest for the weekend in between Ebenezer and the SC training for a little sightseeing, and they were amazing!

There's not much more wonderful than a man with a vaccum cleaner!

Today is Sunday and all our guests checked out except three people in 1 room. As soon as they left, we had to clean two rooms because we had 2 more families arriving this afternoon. Phew, just in time! We love (or maybe I should say, "I" love...) the Eden House ministry. Alvin loves it too. (Michelle and Brian, will you let Alvin and me help you some once you get here in April???)

Glenn and I have been here a year and it is hard to believe how quickly the year has passed. I find it interesting now to recognize the cycle or the rhythum of the year and to actually know a little about what lies ahead. For example, we know the next big thing is the regional support team retreat that happens every spring. Then after that, the cherry trees produce in abundance. Next come the AGM's where we do more counseling, and then the heat comes, and so on. (By the way, we are part of the regional support team because the work we do supports all the folks in our region rather than in just Hungary.)

Kari and Jonathan are coming for a short visit in 19 days, but who's counting????? Probably the same person who can't wait to see them!