How Do You Know You Are Relentlessly Pursued?

  A conversation was happening last week we were involved in.

The question was, "How do you know God has relentlessly pursued you?"

   Such an interesting question! A person may consider, when? Then again, it may be in light of coming to know the King on a personal level, whether it be now or many years ago. It could also be viewed as a protective stance for us…. but consider also, maybe He has covered an area all around us - perhaps we have never looked to see how He protects us as we move forward or to the side, but only through the rear view of our lives do we see His hands having orchestrated our protection.

  The next question was, "What do you relentlessly pursue?"  

    This could be another question that would be considered, "when"? Yet it could also uncover some of our thoughts of us being over zealous about an occupation; coffee; a hobby; eeking out a living or starting a business from scratch while still working full time; Bible study; a loved one - yet how many of us relentlessly pursue God? Do you pursue Him with questions? Do you pursue Him with adoration? Do you relentlessly pursue running away from Him? Do you relentlessly pursue His goodness and joy? Do you relentlessly pursue making something different for dinner? Do you relentlessly pursue capturing the perfect light in a painting or photo?

    I have thought about these two questions quite often this last week, and yet again today was reminded of one thing I have relentlessly pursued - gardening. Our landlord thinks I (Carrie) am completely nuts in composting, buying cow manure to help improve the soil for our garden, tilling the compost/manure mixture with dirt…. He doesn't know it is such a joy for me to have soil that is actually soil! My life has consisted of a) clay  b) glacial till - i.e. rocky ground that is so rocky, there is really very little soil or  c) no garden, so making one out of scraping off the grass & roots and trying to coax life out of clay or rocky soil in a climate that either has very little rain or way too much.  The soil here is  dirt and sand mixture, yet has been used for who knows what, but it can be improved.  I thought when we moved here that Europeans are crazy about recycling and composting…. well, maybe Western Europe is, but there are precious few here that I have met.

  I know God relentlessly pursued me - saving me from giving my life over to satanic worship. In fact, I had yelled at God countless times for fouling up 'the plans'! Oh, what JOY, what AMAZEMENT, what ASTONISHMENT that He would care so much to even 'foul up' my planned death so I wouldn't submit to Him! The fact that He LOVED me, CARED for me, desired to have a RELATIONSHIP with me, and thought THAT I WAS VALUABLE! Me? Such a hater of Him??? He still wanted ME? WHY?? (That my friends, is still a conundrum!) But He DID!

    He CARES that much for you, too! His greatest joy is that when a sinner will submit one's trust in His salvation, His glory, His son's sacrifice for us, in order for US to be reborn in Him! ACCEPTED! REFRESHED! RENEWED! REWORKED for His purposes - some we can never even imagine until we see them….

   Oh, don't delay my friend - TRUST in His plans! There is nothing like the FREEDOM you feel when you come under His obedience and discover that the overflowing JOY comes from this! What an  imaginative God we have! He will till our soil, reworking it from the compost of our former lives, renewing it with the help of His holy spirit and the sacrifice and resurrection of His only son. Give it a go! Allow great beauty and growth to flourish in your hearts and minds through His will…

    

Photo courtesy of Lori Wentland

1st Anniversary for all of us!

      Happy Anniversary - To ALL of us! Without your help, your prayers, your encouragement when we have been discouraged, your friends, your support…. we wouldn't be able to be here.  We also desire that you would be inserted into the photos with us, so as you glance below, let your mind view yourself as being here, since you helped send us ok?

PS - PTL! Our car is now funded!!! Thank you for your help!!

K & C @ Höllökö Castle

Kurt teaching English at English Camp

Dancing at Attila & Evi's wedding

Hungarian Dancer

Hungarian & Indian Friends over to visit and have Mexican food - a special treat!

A child at a Bárka outreach 

A team outing

The Bárka's services now flow into 3 areas w/ so many people!

Hungarian Sunset on the Parliament Building

Carrie @ Patchwork Camp

Our Welcoming team (11:30 pm!) to Hungary

A Hungarian treasured floor - Music room, Vajita, 15 types of wood…..

The Women's Bible study

A 'punk' suit of armor

The youth of the church going on a mission's trip 

Catch an experience

 When you travel and experience a different culture, it is good to keep a fun perspective and remember to get photos while you can. Here are some of ours from last year:

Now THAT's a cup of coffee!

Door handle to a bakery

Hinges on a door at Fisherman's Bastion

A hand made Spartan hat

One of the many Budapest sculptures

Flower Shop a the Market

  Not only are the photos fun to look at, but many give back fond memories of outings with people we have enjoyed spending time with as we learned some history, some places to go, cultures and most importantly, what makes up some of the Hungarian mindset.

  We have all reflected our lives from this last year. For us it has been a time of intense and often frustrating growth but it has been seasoned with new friendships, joy at seeing others coming to Christ and progress in learning the language and the culture.

   There are SO many opportunities to choose to be a witness for Christ here. Step out your door and you will be observed, which has it's good and bad points, but it will always impact someone. We can all make that choice to impact others through our actions, thoughts and determination. Let's make some positive impact in another's world!

Traditional Transylvanian furniture and designs

Lovely Budapest

The roofs on the Castle Cathedral, Budapest

Sunset in January with the Chain Bridge and Parliment

The Castle Cathedral and one of our favorite statues

We have been hosting many people and going to local places during our Christmas break from language school. We are excited to have friends visit and to celebrate the joy of visitors.

What a privilege to host our first Thanksgiving in a country new to us with many from other places as well as starting one of our first game nights in our place with many of the people we enjoy spending time with!

Thanksgiving in 3 rooms with guests!

Hollókõ Castle Ruins, Hungary

Technology and More Label Fun

Sigh.... Technology should be our friend, right?  I just worked HOURS trying to get out our latest newsletter... and it didn't go! Well, I will try it again, but not tonight!

So, to make some things 'lighter' here is some more label fun:

Who would have thought - a Gluten free store and a toystore in one spot!?

Oh, c'mon, you know that says "Lord of the Rings" !

A new twist on a phrase

  We will be praying for all of you to have a great holiday season - we will be posting before Christmas,  but for those in the states, we hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving with whomever you get to spend the holiday with!! Make the best of it and keep your sense of humor... there is a reason:)

We need to purchase a car - can you help?

    The time has come for these brave souls to buy a car. We have been allowed to borrow cars periodically, but that only goes so long.  Our expectations are to purchase one larger than the above car (Kurt couldn't even fit in it if he tried!), and at least 3 decades newer, plus it should be able to go faster than this one in the photo.  You can click the link here, or read further on.....http://ww3.pioneers.org/donate/Kurt and Carrie Smalley/111493V
    We desire to have a car large enough so we can pick you up at the airport along with your luggage & still make it back to the hotel safely, in a single trip. There has also been a need for a larger vehicle to help with transporting items for ministry, traveling on outreaches and other ministry events.

   Maps are a great tool to use - yet we have completely astounded many people by looking things up the old fashioned way. More than once we have heard, "You LIVE in Budapest and you DON'T HAVE A GPS???? How in the world do you find your way around?"

   Yes, truly Budapest is a hard place to navigate. We have found many roads we never knew existed, as well as some roads that look like roads on the maps, but in actuality, they are staircases! No joke - staircases in neighborhoods.... yeah, we didn't drive down them, but have learned to look DOWN the road before you descend!  Ultimately, a GPS would be a handy thing to have, but a car is far more important and practical. Street names change continually, the old names are posted on buildings at the corner, which is fine, IF the corner building is still there and trees aren't blocking it, but never are they illuminated at night, so finding places can be a challenge.

   Our leaders have graciously allowed us to set up a fund specifically for a car, so you can either click the link here:  http://ww3.pioneers.org/donate/Kurt and Carrie Smalley/111493V    or the one in the right hand column to easily donate. The donations are tax deductible and will go specifically towards the car.  Thank you ahead of time for considering and end-of-year donation!

Fall '13 in Hungary Happenings

Hi!

fall color

 It is Fall in this part of the hemisphere, and while many trees have been turning yellow, we have also managed to find some extra color here and there in daily routines.

Walking on the way to the Farmer's Market (called the Piac - like Pea-yachts), we saw these lovely leaves. The piac itself has so much color this time of year with the different squash available, the 'kaposta' products (pickled items) that are SO good, the way people are dressed, other items for sale, and since it is almost November 1 (All Saint's Day), a LOT of beautiful wreaths and flowers for sale. Fortunately, Halloween isn't celebrated here. The beginning of November, though is HUGE - people place the wreaths and candles at the gravesites of relatives to remember them.

                                                                                    A friend of ours told us about their young son who loves to get extra candles to put at the gravesites where there may be none or few candles there so "they won't feel so lonely"! I thought that was a sweet idea & very compassionate.

Some of the famous Vecses pickled products sold 

An implement/wire product seller

Small Wreaths, nuts and fruit for sale

                 Some of the stalls at the piac are really interesting & very different than those you would see in an American farmer's market. There is usually at least one implement seller of metal goods (often handmade), but they also sell huge wooden spoons for people's bograc's (like a really big pot to make soup in outside over a wood fire - a traditional Hungarian meal). I have seen some of the spoons even 4' long! The picture above has a number of spoons about 3' long, as well as wire brushes for chimney's for smoke houses, and to clean various things, plus some sieves, spare wire, pots and pans and other tools for the kitchen you might need. 

There are other sellers - many with fruit & vegetables; flowers; dried fruits, beans and spices; used clothing or items for the house; books; plastics for the home; shovel and axe handles and other tools; sometimes pensioners selling whatever they can spare from their gardens or homes; shoes; clothing; Bio products; thread or leather goods; basket makers....   In my mind I sometimes make up stories to go with the products for sale.

   

There are also many events happening - it is after all, time for the Seasonal classes to start, like Quilt Club, English Club, Ifi (teen) Clubs, Men's Club and Women's Bible Study. 

We were able to help out another quilt club in the area with an outreach of some ladies coming over from Pennsylvania. Carrie helped with the quilting part, and Kurt helped some other men cook and prepare the lunch. The people were all very appreciative in everyone's efforts. 

Through all of our activities and interactions (there are many!), we covet your prayers - not only for our growing ability to speak Hungarian, but also for those with whom we speak with. We want to be God's heart and light to them, drawing them closer to the One who desires fellowship with them.

Traditional Debrecen symbols quilt top

Vecses Piac in Fall