Difficulties of Living Somewhere Else

Difficulties of Living Somewhere Else

K & C at a Grain Game Conference preparing to speak

Kurt helping a colleague with some house improvements

                                                                   

   
Don't take life for granted! That has been a resounding call to us all this year. Many of our friends & friend's families have passed away without any warning. Between that & natural disasters & other newsworthy items - God's word remains clear, "Choose YOU this day whom you will serve" 

           Joshua 24:15

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

  

   So many people will say, "Oh, I have plenty of time. I will take care of that when I get to that point" If you haven't all ready chosen, WAKE UP!! There may NOT be time before you die!  Others may say, "Well, you can have your way, and I will have mine."  That is true, but I would much rather serve the Creator of the universe, THE ONE who spoke the stars into being, Who breathed life into man, than a belief in a possibility or the opposite of God!

   Grief is difficult anytime, but it's especially difficult when you aren't living close to the ones you want to run to, to wrap your arms around them and help console them, to love on them as best you can, to sit with them in quietness and let them BE.  That is one of the most difficult things about living away!

   We can pick up the phone and call someone - even get to see them but the lack of touch, of personally being there is so hard! It happened again yesterday - I have no wonderful, consoling words, other than, "I am SO sorry to hear this!"  Yet what I want to do each time is get on a plane and BE with them. Yet I am called to be here. 

  However, one of the strongest, most powerful weapons is in my hand - my Bible and prayers!! I can help be on the other side of the world and cover the 24 hour prayer vigils! I can pray and God can be there to soothe the aching hearts and minds. HE hears our prayers, HE hears our thoughts HE knows my heart and mind want to be with those I care about!!! What a mighty, wonderful God we serve!

Practical Differences

    There are times when you wonder...."Did they say what I think they did?"   Really, everyone goes through that at one time or another, right?  Have you ever been embarrassed by what you THOUGHT you heard and what was actually said? I certainly have! Both of us have!

   Yesterday here is what is called, "Torkos Csütörtök" (I know, easy for you to say!) but it is a 'holiday' of sorts when restaurants who participate offer a great deal on their cuisine, so many people summon up the courage and try something different. One lady I spoke with yesterday who goes to the Patchwork Klub was going to try Mexican food (maybe for the first time ever). Kurt and I went out - a rare occasion!

    This morning, after helping some friends with a car problem, he learned that the basis of this 'holiday' with  the restaurants was because it was right before Lent started, and the restaruants needed to use up the food and supplies that may not be

used until after Lent. Very practical, these Hungarians!

   So, if you know us, you are aware this probably led into another conversation of silly things -  for example, when I was growing up in a Presbyterian household, I had always heard about people giving things up for "Lint".  This concerned me and I would ask my mom about it & she just stared at me or poo-poo'd the idea.  I remember being at the laundromat with her one time and she was going to throw the lint away... "But Mom, we need to save that!!"  "Why?" she asked.  "We need to save that for the springtime!" (I am sure she thought I needed to make a project out of it)... but you see, I thought the lint needed to be saved for "Lint" in the springtime!
    It wasn't until high school or so when I really found out what "Lint" was all about...

     I also had a best friend next door growing up ('till I moved across town when I was 8), whose mom was Puerto Rican. The mom's name was Hilda (I'll get to that in a minute), and when Hilda would go to the store, she would invite me along with her daughter. No problem. We were on a special trip called "arrinds" (and you MUST roll those r's!!!) again, it was years later when my mom and I were headed to the store (which is what we called it) and she said something about other errands. I asked what that was - again, a look from her like I just crawled out- and she said that it was when you go other places other than the store..."Oh, 'arrinds'! Like Hilda does!" Bing! The light came on in my mom's head of what I had culturally grown up with and what things really were....

   Then I took German in high school & was thoroughly confused. Mom was wondering what I was so confused about.  "Mom, why do they have a Puerto Rican name as one of the main people in this story?"  (My German teacher hadn't understood my confusion.)

  "What do you mean dear?"said my mom.

 "Well, they have Hilda doing this and Hilda saying this...".

   Bing!  Mom cracked up!  "I was wondering when we might get to this conversation!"  (Really, is it a wonder she has had white hair for so long with me around??)

   SO - now we are in Hungary... and learning a new language.... LOL!  I am SURE God is laughing at many things about this! "Sure, I'll just send off these two - it will be great! You guys are gonna laugh so hard! (God is speaking to angels in heaven) ... "He is praying for healing in his left ear since he can't hear well out of it and she has a wild imagination and sense of humor!" We will all have a great time! To top it off, it's nearly impossible to lip read what Hungarians say!"
 
   Now, don't get me wrong - I don't think God has a mean or nasty streak in Him, but I DO know He has a terrific sense of humor! He made platypus' for heaven's sake!! He made us!!  I think He just gets a kick out of some of the stuff that happens that truly is funny.

   So here in Hungary, we have the word for carpet, which is "szőnyeg".  There is the word for mosquito which is "szúnyog".  They sound VERY similar!  A couple summers ago, we were at a next door neighbor's house for a bograc (like a grill party) and the mosquitos were terrible because of all the rain we had had.... I remembered that I had some Cutter wipes at home, so I ran to get them. As I brought them back, I figured it would be good to show what they do (since they don't have anything like that here), so I had started wiping the insecticide onto my skin, clothing and hair. I was asked what these were and so I explained (in Hungarian) as I passed around the container offering them

one, that these were wipes to put some repellant onto your body so the mosquitos don't bother you.  As if orchestrated, everyone's head leaned over to the left at once and a curious look came over their faces...  I thought, "Uh oh, what have I said?" (see photo to the right:)

  One of the younger people there said, "Carrie neni, were you trying to speak of the little insects?"

   "Yes, I was - OH!!"  So I replied once more in Hungarian, " Oh well, mosquitos OR carpets...either way, these will work to keep them off you!"  to the laughter of them all as they grabbed the wipes.

   So, as you are working/shopping/ listening today, please, for the sake of others, enunciate well:) We will try to do the same. Food for thought:  (If a child looks at you strangely, perhaps you are introducing a new word into their vocabulary.)

Updates from us!

Kurt helping to deliver Shoebox presents

 Happy New Year!

  Wow, we can't believe it has been so long since we posted anything! Please accept our apologies. We had a flurry of events happen and departed the states a week after we received our needed funding. To say it was a whirlwind is mild! PTL and thank you for all of you who helped get us back to the field!

  Since we got back at the end of September, we have been leaping back into ministry that normally happens here ( Bible Studies; Patchwork Club; Men's Club; Team Meetings; Assisting pastors; Serving at the Barka) plus some fun extras like helping with donations for the refugees; Friendship evangelism; Grain Game days; Men's outreaches and helping some other people. We have moved into a small apartment (first time we have ever lived in an apartment! God provided a large European fridge and an inside dryer!); Celebrated our 30th anniversary; Renewed friendships here; Carrie had her knee replacement surgery; Re-started language lessons - this time with a private, Christian tutor; Re-started physical therapy; Joined our team with some of the puppet ministry events;  Skyped with a few of you; Helped with some of the Christmas Shoebox deliveries,  and quite frankly, our return (thanks again to you), reassured the Hungarians that we were true to our word in saying we wanted to come back and we are committed to working with them. This says something huge in a culture that is quite suspect of what others say and do and how they act. Does this help you understand what it means to support missionaries?? See? You not only help us serve, but you are serving as well through us!

  During our 10 months in the states raising more support, we drove over 30,000 miles, Spoke at 61 specific functions we were invited to in order to tell about what God is doing in Hungary; met up with hundreds of you personally to talk about ministry, flew at least 10,000 (including trainings and conferences), met literally thousands of new people, revisited with many of you, renewed old friendships, prayed with many strangers and for many truckers, celebrated with 5 new couples at their weddings, celebrated Christmas with Carrie's mom AT Christmas-time, got to spend some great times with all of our sons and their wives, met new family members, said good-bye this side of heaven to many others, and EVERY single day God gave us an opportunity to tell someone about what God called us to in this new adventure in life. On the average, we had a different place to sleep at least two times a week for the entire time!

   We also had the privilege of having God direct our steps more than once. Often to us it looked like we were to go to one place for one reason... then God stepped in and a flurry of other opportunities bloomed because we were willing to trust Him with the one thing. Such is a life wholly depending on God, wherever a person is. God calls each of us to obedience, step by step and it is a process every day, no matter how old you are. There is never one way continually to do something, other than expense reports! Our God is SUCH a God of creativity!  What a joy to live for Him daily and rejoice in how He designs each day!

Our economical dryer outside... but as you can see from the icicles hanging from Kurt's sweater, it  has some drawbacks at times!

"Keep Calm and Kiss"

         We are wanting to post our latest thermometer of support funding, however, we continue to have technical difficulties with it being scanned/loaded/cropped to our computer, so we just have to wait further… but we have good news in many ways!

    Our first item of Good News is that Jesus Loves YOU and wants you for His own!! Many view the Gospel as exclusive. Please know that it is NOT exclusive, but SO INCLUSIVE that it is really quite astounding!!  Only the enemy (satan - yes, he does exist)  twist this truth into people thinking that the complete inclusiveness of God coming to earth to save us (i.e. Christ would love to have everyone sincerely accept Him and go to heaven) twists so that man thinks that this means that God doesn't want anyone to come to heaven.  Scripture blatantly says, "1 John 4:9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him."  

   Our second item of good news is that our MINIMUM amount of support has been raised, PTL!!
Now we are encouraging people to help support us to go BEYOND MINIMUM into the "Suggested Amount" of support to get back to Hungary and not only continue with the outreaches, but also get back to language school!  We are nearly to the amount required for many one-time costs (language school; tickets to fly back; money for deposits on a rental place again…) So, there is still help needed - is God calling you to help support us through monthly gifts and/or through gifts for departure costs? If so, you can just click on the either of the links to the right of this page with Pioneers or International Ministries and help, starting TODAY!!

    Our third item of good news is that we may be able to go back to Hungary as early as mid or late September! We don't have the official word yet, but we are anticipating that any day! 

  Thank you to so many of you who have housed us, hosted us, planned a meal or event for us to meet others, loved us, give generously to this ministry (we view that EVERYONE who gives, gives generously!), PRAY for us and tell others about what we do!

   We will be speaking on the 13th of September to a church in Pasadena, CA, so if you are close by, or know someone who is who would like to be there to hear what God is doing in Hungary, please email us @ Hungry4Jesus@hushmail.com or reply with this blog and we will give you more details.

God Incidences

 

   Well, we are still here in the states.  God has allowed us to be invited to South Dakota. It has been over 100 degrees so far on our way over to the Dakotas - some place new to both Kurt & I.

    Thankfulness fills our hearts for all the people who have offered to host us for different periods of time - such a blessing! (yes, it can be stressful moving every week at least once… we appreciate your prayers!) We love having the chance to truly catch up in the midst of our days with our hosts & it continues to strengthen and reaffirm our friendships.

    Well, this morning, after spending a very brief night at one of our hosts' homes, we were on the road again. At about 7:30 we were following verbal directions (always a danger when you are bleary) and we got to an intersection in the middle of nowhere, quite literally. Kurt stepped out to find a map when I heard him speaking loudly after a car turned….. then I heard him say, "Oh MY!"

    It turns out that we met up with a great friend on the side of a road in the middle of nowhere~ Isn't God GOOD??  The brief visit encouraged us greatly:)

    2-3 weeks ago, we stopped at a rest stop out of Leavenworth, WA after speaking at a church & who should we see but yet some more friends! God is so GOOD!  More encouragement from that visit, too.

   Last week, we were in the airport in Kansas City - and we see one of our pastors and his wife!  Love seeing people we know in unexpected places! Yes, it is great encouragement when you have interactions with those you care about.

   We also love getting mail from friends - especially when we live outside of the states!

   {Like} cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a distant land.  Proverbs 25:25

Smalley's Early June Update '15

   We  wanted to give you an update of how 'life' is going for us - currently, unless a miracle happens we won't be able to leave by the end of June…

   As you can see we are still short in our monthly support (one of the MOST important ways you can help), as well as in our Language school support.

   Since we CANNOT LEAVE until both of the financial thermometers are filled, we remain in the US. We pray that we can be back in time for English Camp, to help with the staffing, since often it is on the lean side.

   Lately I have been hearing and reading nearly the same continual theme - "Using your resources for God, rather than for man"  - I often think about how this applies to our exact situation.

      So, as the month of June wanes - what we hoped would be our departing month, we are trying to not be too depressed as this time of waiting extends.

   If you know anyone who would like to help get us back, or to hear what we are doing in Hungary, we would love to chat with them! Email us back:)

Unexpected Breakthroughs

  I love surprises - good ones, that is.  Being on the field has been one of those, even though it can be difficult, there are many great surprises. Some fun surprises are in the midst of hard things, Kurt will do something fun and unexpected, like the photo below.

Now THAT's a cup of coffee!

   Other fun surprises are when we get blessed with boxes of love from the states - fresh coffee beans, mugs, encouraging books and notes, twist ties, bits of everyday life we used to take for granted, but no longer do. We love sharing some of those gifts, like the fresh coffee, with friends, so they can understand more fully what we also like and enjoy.  The Hungarian people (usually) are more than willing to at least try something they are unaccustomed to, just like you and I.

   Some things are possible to obtain, but often at a great price, or in a different country.

Thank you Camano Island Coffee Roasters! Heavenly coffee!

    Other breakthroughs can happen during unexpected times. We just heard about a couple in a different country who are now expecting twins & she has been astoundingly sick with morning sickness. This has become a huge change for both of them, but also for the community as the men are seeing how he cares for his wife during this time. The husband is loving, helping, ever careful and gentle with her - far different than what is expected of men there… and it is changing the way men are looking at life!

   When I had my knee replaced in Budapest, (thanks to many people helping me gain back my mobility!) the way Kurt took care of me, loved me, spoke volumes to others. He was trying to stay busy and there was an abundance of fruit in our yard, as well as at the local market which is called a "Piac" (pee-yahtz). So, Kurt asked how to make applesauce, jams, etc… & then did them! Did that ever surprise the people we knew! "What? YOU made this, Kurt???? How can that be? Ok, because YOU made this, I will try it…" Kurt became an amazing canning/cooking machine! People looked at him differently, nearly reverentially.

    After I could move around more and more, I wanted to get back to the piac as well to see people I had been interacting with, getting to know, plus, I just love seeing what is locally fresh and available. Kurt and I slowly made our way there, me with my crutches and Tylenoled up… (Painkillers aren't very prevalent there, so I was using some I brought from the states). As I spoke to the man who sells eggs, there was something within the crowd that was like a disturbance. Then speaking to the honey seller, more disturbance, then a vegetable saleswoman who understands me better. She asked how my time in the states went.
   "I didn't go to the states." I replied.  "Yes you did - was it good?" she said.  "I didn't go anywhere." I said.
   "Yes, for your surgery." She said.
   "Oh, I had that done here, in Hungary."
   "HERE?? You had gone to a hospital HERE??" Now there was a real disturbance in the people as it seemed to sweep through the crowds & people whispering. (It's not like people hang on every word we say. There are a lot of people in this farmer's market area & it's a great way for people to catch up with each other, but I was getting the feeling somewhat of jungle drums, or the equivalent).
  "Yes" I replied.  "No, in America, or maybe Germany" she said.
   "No, right in Budapest, on ____ Street" I said.
   (Now the swirling sensation in people really took off)
    "Wow" she said, then carefully asked, "Are you pleased with it (your surgery)?"
    "Yes, I am. It is a difficult recovery, but it is good" I said.

     I tell you, I couldn't have paid people for the looks of awe as we hobbled back to the car parked a block or so away. (I was used up, tired beyond tired & in pain - but it was SO good to get out after being cooped up at home!) The breakthrough that God provided through needing a new knee continued on - people treated me as though another wall was broken down - I was respected more, but allowed to be more of "Hungarian".  Even a year after surgery, people would still ask me about my knee and how it was doing - and I had never seen them that I know of!

   There is a bonding in our surprises, quite often. You think of some silly or tragic things that happen, and those that are with you are drawn in to a deeper understanding of life together, something that needs to be nurtured a bit, but can last a lifetime.

   I can't wait to get back, to gather together over coffee or tea and talk about what God is doing, what happened with each other, and greet people with kisses on each cheek again (but rarely hug each other!). I am ready for the grumpy lack of customer service in stores, but the camaraderie of the piac…

 

Nuts, grapes, wreaths, dried fruits

Vecses Kaposta (sauerkraut that is sweet/sour) - yummy!

    Here are some sights you might see at the local markets held outside, twice a week, all year long, no matter the weather!

  Again, most is seasonal, and if you don't get it that day/week, it may not be back! So, you learn to shop well, often and figure out a way to preserve it with little/no freezer space or fridge space! (Maybe this was the reason I started canning over in the states - was to get ready to can over in Hungary?!) God may be preparing you for something new, too!

   My quilter's heart loves all the colors, as well. Maybe someday I can convey this into art, too:)

The ever present beautiful peppers - the heart of Hungarian cuisine!