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 I know my passport is out of date so I need to remember to get that updated asap!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!