All settled just in time for a ministry trip

Tomorrow I am heading out to pick up Pastor Paul Berube at the airport and then out for coffee with missionary friends and then will catch a 3 pm train to Ukraine. The journey will take 5 hours. Meeting us at the other end will be our "Hope & Life" associates Richard & Anya and Volodya & Oksana. It is the first time we have all been together in over a year. In the 4 days we will be in Ukraine we will be ministering and/or meeting people in 3 different cities Uzghorod, Mukachevo and Khust all in the Transcarpathia area of Ukraine. A leaders meeting and 3 church services are scheduled plus meetings with the heads of the Jewish ministry; Orphans; Outreach to poor; Street children and Gypsies that we currently work with.

On Monday Dec 7, we train back to Budapest and have 90 minutes to eat, change train stations and hop on an overnight train to Krakow, Poland arriving 6.30 am on Tuesday. We are meeting with at least one local Polish pastor and spending time with a ministry that teaches english, runs a cafe, holds special events and houses a church all in english. It is being considered for high school teams coming from New Hampshire. We will also spend Wednesday in Auschwitz and Birkenau. We are hoping that our Jewish ministry connection in Ukraine has connections in Krakow for us to meet. We again take the overnight train on Thursday arriving back Friday morning.

Thank you for praying for all our connections, crossings, meetings and God's will to be done especially on this first trip into Poland. Bessings.

Leaving Debrecen

The "Nagy Templon" - big church in the mist

The flower sellers

Pastor Charles and his new drum (in his new church)

The International Church of Debrecen and its new carpeting, curtains - looking nice and really spruced up. Pastor Csaba preached an inspiring message of how to successfully wait even if your prayers take a long time to be answered

My last evening and dinner with special friends and a special dessert - see how pretty it is decorated? Nori, Benji and Dorka with mom Eva and dad, Karis

Janos - checking out my car which has been renamed (from old Nellie) to Caleb - because even in old age (80) his heart is strong enough to take the hill country (like at 40 :-)

Celebrating with Intl Church of Budapest

A lovely setting - called "The Lord's Meadow"

Our host and hostess, Otto & Sharon Bixler

My dinner partner, Bela (one of my Hungarian grandsons)

and his mom & dad Patricia and Sandor

A wonderful Thanksgiving with turkey and all the trimmings. The best part was church family and friends.

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your heart be grateful, your table full, and your loved ones around you. I am grateful for you and thankful to God for His daily blessings! Love, Mary Jill

It is moving day

and in a strange but meaningful full circle - I am back at the internet cafe near the university. The university that incited me to move to Debrecen in 2006. i am here because my beloved and not too old Toshiba laptop seems to have bit the dust. The problem becomes magnified, the solution seems distant as ...it is moving day. ON GOOD NEWS - my car which would not start yesterday has had a serious recharging and is working well - Thank you Janos. His wife Agi feels this is all confirmation I should stay here.

So, it will be a little silent for now - miss you.

My new logo

I really should be packing but.....

In Budapest with Tom and Denise Walsh and Tom and Sally Easterly - visitors from New York on a rainy Sunday in Budapest - of course the weekends before and after were sunny, nonetheless these intrepid travelers navigated Budapest with no problems.

In the country - an abundance of apples and the (other) neighbor's hens

My nearest and dearest neighbors - Sandor and Eva

And at home in Debrecen - first attempt at homemade ice cream - chocolate and yummy
and time to catch up with friends

Agi and Janos have a new business

and when there are few customers - Agi builds up her Faith!




Ok - so now you are caught up - I need to continue packing - the mover comes tomorrow to give me an estimate and to see what size truck we need. My last week in Debrecen - mixed emotions as this has been a wonderful city to live in and it has been a very fruitful assignment.

Autumn Beauty with Fotosketcher

And one of my tulip photos

Trying out my new - free- Fotosketcher program

My entry for Autumn Beauty Photo contest

Romania

When finished this will be a home for a Gypsy king - really.

I really love the varieties of haystacks across the land

Creative parking at a petrol station exit in Cluj

Caramel Machiattos at...... Starbuck's in Cluj

and yet another road trip

This time to Gherla, Romania. Gherla is located in the Transylvania area of Romania about an hour north of Cluj or Kolozsvar as we say in Hungary.

I once thought my first mission assignment after Scotland would be Romania. I really enjoy the Romanian people I have met, they are so loving and hospitable. I have been fortunate to have traveled quite a bit in Romania and especially love the central and northern areas as they are so beautiful.

Tammy has meetings and training sessions with her INSTE ministry partners. We will also meet a missionary friend and may visit Starbucks in Cluj. Did you know there is NO Starbucks in Budapest?? How can this be? I suspect the taxes for new businesses in Romania are less expensive than in Hungary.

Well, time to go. Have a blessed day!