Passports!

Matt's passport hasn't expired yet, but mine has! Oh, the joys of passport renewal. :) Well, it wasn't as bad as I had thought. Several online sites will help with passport renewal, but they will charge a higher rate than going straight to the source -> http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html. I filled out the form online, printed it out, gathered my old passport, marriage license, a current picture of myself, wrote a check, and that should be it! After I mail it in, I should have a new passport within the next couple of months. In plenty of time for our trip (if all goes well). We are getting one step closer!

Hungary 101

We wanted to learn more about Hungary's culture and language, so google it is! Here are a few pages we've been browsing through.

• Learn Oasis Register here for FREE online lessons!
• Magyarora Hungarian pronunciations
• Omniglot Hungarian Alphabet
• Filolog Hungarian Culture and more
• Wikipedia Culture of Hungary
• The Budapest Sun In the news
• The Budapest Times In the news
• You tube Simple expressions
• My Languages Learn Hungarian

Today's the Day!

Today is the day that everyone who wants to go on the trip was to say. After church we had a quick meeting to see who would show, and there were about 15 of us who have confirmed. We need 25, so I'm sure we'll double check to see if there is anyone else who's interested, then we can fill in the remaining spots with some of the college kids who have said they are interested in going too. I have a feeling we'll have a fun, silly group going...some guys (my husband being one of them) cracked some jokes and our associate pastor put his hand to his head and said Oh my goodness! (but in a good way - he was smiling) It's a good group, and we're excited to get started with all of the preparations!

We can begin praying now, but starting on January 8th we are going to start meeting before church to pray for our trip. We'll get together at other times too just to hang out and strengthen the bond between us, also plan for fundraisers and the entire camp itself, which we have total control of. Thank goodness for translators because the Hungarian language is a bit tricky! We would like to learn some basics though.

** A HUGE thank you to the Sunday School class who raised enough money to send 8 more kids to camp! Yea!!! **

A Door Is Open to the Orphans of Hungary - Video

Here is a really neat video and summary of what we might experience during camp next summer.

A Door Is Open to the Orphans of Hungary - Video

Anxious!

The deadline hasn't even come yet, to detemine who is actually going on the trip....I think we are all suposed to say by Christmas time. I am just anxious to find out who is able to go! I want to get together and brainstorm more fundraising ideas, learn some basic Hungarian, etc. Matt just found a neat translator on his iphone. So, he was typing in some phrases like, My name is... and a woman's voice would relay the Hungarian translation. Ahhh...yep, this is going to take a lot of practice and repitition! I replayed the same phrase 10 times and I THINK I might have understood the first word. We can use a translator at the camp, but still, we'd like to know some basics.

*** We did find out that if someone where to give to this mission trip, you may write a check to Hope's Point and in the memo line write Matt & Amanda Taylor/Mission Trip. The donation would be tax deductible, which is a plus! You can mail it to: Hope's Point 1703 S. Miller Ave. Shelbyville, IN 46176. Thank you!

We are kind of excited that we've collected $100 so far - woo hoo! Much more to go, but that's a great start!

1st Team Meeting - 11/20/2011

There was a meeting after church for anyone who is interested in going on the mission trip to Hungary next summer. Matt and I were surprised, yet excited, at how many people showed up! We heard about some more basic info. about the trip. We need a team of 25, which I think we had! We now know the dates, the cost, etc....now, time to get working! I know my passport is out of date so I need to remember to get that updated asap! (Can't wait to get that teenage punk hairdo off of my passport - ha!) The next HUGE thing is brainstorming fundraising ideas for our individual costs and our team's cost. We are to pay for our flight, housing, food, etc., but we also pay for the kids to attend the camp. Since the government took camp away from the kids in the orphange, if we want to lead a camp we have to "BRING IT!" It costs about $150 for 1 child to attend the camp...and about 150 kids hope to attend. The government will still be watching closely though. We can offer a worship service, along with all the other fun stuff, but we can't say everyone has to come here at this time. We can't give an invitation, but we can use a translator and talk to a child one on one about God. Hey, we'll take it! Another thing I just remembered is, one of the other women who is interested in going KNOWS a Hungarian family HERE! Love how God works! Hopefully, we can meet this family to learn more about the language and culture. Awesome!

Orphan Sunday

On Sunday, November 6, we were excited to celebrate Orphan Sunday with the rest of our church family at Hope's Point. It reminds us of the day, almost 3 years ago, when we took home two little ones to call our own. We are eternally thankful for the opportunity to raise these little guys, and help guide other families who are exploring adoption or foster care. Now, we have come across an amazing opportunity to help out during a week long camp for kids who live in an orphanage in Hungary!

During the service, Pastor Clayton Beck, a representative for the Hungarian American Fellowship, came to share with us what he and several others had done, just a few months before! (This is the shorter version, but you can go to http://www.hafellowship.com/index.html for more info.) As we were told, Catholicism is the dominant religion practiced in Hungary, however NO religion is permitted to be taught in the orphanages. So, many children have not even heard of God or Jesus. Another unfortunate thing is that the kids' summer camps were taken away. For many, this is the only thing they look forward to every year. Thankfully, through a series of devinely inspired events and new-found relationships, a church group from Toledo, Ohio was allowed to run a summer camp for orphans for one week this summer. The results...amazing! Not only did they run an awesome camp, but 78 kids and 2 staff came to know the lord that week! Sa-weet! (We just watched Soul Surfer, hence the sweetness!) :)

The team is going to visit Hungary again this winter to host a discipleship camp for many of those who did get saved. HAF plans to host even more camps next summer! This is where WE come in...as Matt and I were listening to Clayton speak and watching the video we became convicted. We said we need to go! This is where YOU come in...right now, we are asking for prayers. Matthew 18:20 reads, "For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." We need you to join with us to pray for the details in preparing for the trip, the team, and more importantly His Will. Thank you!