Sunday, June 20 – Teams provided the Worship Music and the Message at Calvary Chapel in Esztergom. It was very exciting for the Christians and we have set up our VBS programs that will run Monday through Thursday this week. We will be in a beautiful park setting and right on the river bank of the Danube.
Monday, June 21 – Teams woke up to rain. One thing we have learned over the years is “on the mission field, you must be flexible”….Well, this is one of those days. We moved the entire VBS program inside the Calvary Chapel Church. As it turned out, it was perfect for us. The Bill Drake Band opened up for us and Mary Peck, Sharon Trimper and George Keith led the way for the first day. It was very exciting for the children ages 6 to 16 years. Both boys and girls participated from Esztergom, Hungary. The Slovakian kids couldn’t make it, due to the fact they still are in regular school this week. Everyone stayed dry! After lunch, we went to spend two hours with Peter & Laura Antal. They are house setting for Michelle and Sam McCartney (Full time missionaries to this church Calvary Chapel Church) who are home on furlough in Fredricksburg, VA. It was held at the McCartney home and everyone was excited to hold a “small group” devotion with this young couple. The are future missionaries to Hungary and Slovakia. Pastor Laci came as well with his wife, Lila. They were very happy with the overall program, but asked for the Band to play a few more songs each day. We agree! They were absolutely awesome!
Tuesday, June 22 – Esztergom, Hungary
Praise the Lord, even for the rain again today. We moved the VBS program indoors once again, but the boys and girls (about 30) had a great time with the Bible Story, games and crafts that Mary Peck, Sharon Trimper and George Keith (CA Team) have been using with them. The Bill Drake Band has provided some exciting music for them as well. You should see the great smiles on these young faces! It is wonderful!
Wednesday, June 23 – Esztergom, Hungary – Sturovo, Slovakia
Praise the Lord, the rain is easing up now! We are heading for some clear weather finally. The ground was still wet today, so we stayed inside for the VBS program.
The children, about 30 Hungarian and Slovakian, are still very excited as they come to hear the bible stories and participate in the sports and craft sessions. They made their own “Salvation” bracelets and all had them on as they headed home to tell their parents what each color bead represents. They will get a special prize if their parents sign off that their child shared with them.
Mary Peck, Sharon Trimper and George Keith are having a wonderful time working with these children. They are very attentive and well behaved! Mary go to presented the “Gospel” and more than half signified they had prayed to have Jesus come into their lives!
We can see that a great foundation has been formed already for the children and we are simply building upon it. God loves the Hungarian and Slovakian people!
In the evening, we distributed Gospel tracts in Sturovo, Slovakia and announced the Bill Drake Youth concert to be held on Friday night. Translators were short and it makes it difficult to speak to people who only know Slovakian, but we did have tracts in their language. Pray for the Word to find good soil!
The Men’s event started at 7 pm and was really awesome! We went to a bowling alley for a wonderful dinner and a time of competition. Afterward, we had devotions back at the church. About 30 men in all attended.
Keep Praying! Tonight is the Women’s Event
Thursday, June 24 – Esztergom, Hungary
Our team finished up with the 30+ Kids at the Calvary Chapel VBS program in Esztergom, Hungary. We completed the final Bible Stories and Craft sessions indoors, then took the children to the park to use the 25′ Parachute and play soccer. Pastor Laci said it was a very good week and they were so thankful for us helping them. Several of the children that they have been praying for that live in a neighboring village, attended and were among the ones that prayed to invite Jesus into their hearts. It is going to be hard for us, now that the program has ended. The kids won our hearts!
Sharon Trimper and Mary Peck held the “Princess Bride” Women’s event and it turned out to be very special. They both made a spiritual bond with the ladies from Hungary, as they touched special areas in the hearts of every woman attending. The needs are the same, no matter where in the world you happen to live, and only God can fill those areas of deep emotional fulfillment. There was joyful fellowship among the ladies after the program and no one wanted to leave.
The DanceLink girls provided a special touch to the program and really made it seem like a real wedding was actually happening. The ladies are going to be talking about the program for a long time.
