The Big Easy

Well, I've been accused of dropping off the end of the earth, so I figured it was time to post an update.

Actually, I was home for only 8 nights during April, and my access to a computer was limited, but in any case, I am alive and well, for the most part!

A highlight for me was serving in New Orleans for a week with a group of 7 incredibly passionate people who poured out themselves for the sake of the Gospel and the good of others!















We were able to encourage our brothers and sisters at the Living Witness Church of God and the Nehemiah Restoration Program with our words, our work, and our very lives. We can't wait to go back and continue building the Kingdom of God together!!

By way of announcements ... we will be switching our blog site over in the next few weeks, so start checking both this blog and our new one - http://www.nextinternational.blogspot.com/

Comin' Home

Mark and Cathy Jensen and I arrived home to Wisconsin late last night. Our "transit" was uneventful (other than some "confiscated goods" in the Amsterdam Airport ... ask me to tell the story!!). Joyce met us at the airport and transported us to Menomonie.

Honestly, we are all a little "road weary" ... but certainly not feeling like the guy in front of the National Theater in Budapest. We're holding our heads much higher!

Again, this was an incredible trip and we were able to accomplish a lot ... and much of what we did was directly related to all of your thoughts, prayers and encouragements. Without those, we truly feel like our efforts would have been significantly diminished. Thank you so much!!

So, we're on to "decompress" and make plans for whatever comes "next." Stay tuned to the blog, and check the web album link for more pictures and video.

Givin' It Up!

The last couple days have been filled with work on the Mozi Ministry Center by day and visits with great friends by evening. Rise and shine is around 6 to 6:30 AM, breakfast and morning devos are finished around 8:oo and work starts. We've done a variety of jobs, with the primary focus on the reconstruction of the kitchen.

Today (Wednesday) the team "tithed" their efforts to another missionary family who is renovating an apartment in the center of the city. John and Jofi Wilson are working to plant a church, and have purchased an apartment. Along with the help of some friends, they've done a significant amount of demolition. Our job was to haul over 100 - 50 # bags of debris down 7 flight of stairs. We figured that each person made 10 trips up and down, nearly filling a dumpster with debris.

So, whether we are laying tile, carrying debris or praying on the sidewalk, it is truly our joy to love God together, and serve Him by serving our brothers and sisters as they carry out ministry in this great city.

Thanks so much for your thoughts, prayers and encouragements during our time here. We sense the light of Christ shining through us.

Worship with the Nations!

Today (Sunday) started out with the team praying over this area of Budapest (Kelenfold) from the roof of the Olimpia Mozi Ministry Center. Standing there, you can rotate 360 degrees and see row upon row of communist style apartment buildings, housing over 100,000 people ... and all within a couple kilometers from where we stood. Keeping this in mind, along with the new metro line ending just below the entrance to the Mozi prompted us to pray for laborers for the harvest field and for the gospel to penetrate the lives of the people who live here.

Then it was our privilege to worship together with the KeGy church at the ministry center. We sang songs in Hungarian (well, we tried) and English, and heard a message from pastor Mate'. We listened to a simultaneous translation on wireless fm receivers (hearing for the "old guys!")

The next "stop" was the train station to buy tickets for public transportation around Budapest.

We rode to the base of the castle hill and then climbed up for a beautiful view of the Danube and the Pest side of the city.

Of course, a "touring trip" would not be complete without trying on a couple of Russian army hats.

It was a great "low key" day ... praying, worshiping, and enjoying one-another's company. Tomorrow we'll be hitting it hard ... and probably into the night, as we begin to put the kitchenette together.

More than Two Times the Fun!!

Well, the Rhinos certainly hit the ground running! We worked last night until almost midnight, and completed the demolition work necessary to begin reconstructing.










Because of some needed "preliminary rough-in," we split into two groups to do ministry at different locations.

Mark and Dave were the plumber and concrete worker at the MOZI Ministry Center.











Chris, Joe, Aaron, Lon and Rob went to the home of a family from the church who is in the process of redoing their house in order to make it more usable for ministry. They worked on insulation, framing and sheetrock. Rob really appreciated the ministry of food, today. It started with fresh hot pogace from bakery just down from the ministry center, and continued with warm apricot cobbler from Zuza's oven. It ended with authentic Italian pizza and "buffalo cheese."

The work that the team did on the family's house was a great encouragement. It would have taken month's for this family to do this amount of work.

Tomorrow we will be worshiping with our Hungarian brothers and sisters and doing some sightseeing in the afternoon. We will be praying for many of you as well, as you attend worship services tomorrow. May God be especially close to each of you!!

How Far Have You Come?

Greetings from Budapest, Hungary. Mark Jensen and I arrived here this morning (Friday) on the EARLY!! train from Kosice, Slovakia. I am writing this from "the executive suite" in the Olimpia Mozi ... the former communist movie theater which is now better known as the ministry center for a number of ministries in Budapest. This will be our final "home-away-from-home" before we return to the US next Friday.

The Rhino Team from Northern Wisconsin arrived a couple hours after we did, and seemed in pretty good shape. During the team orientation meeting, we did notice a couple of nodding heads, but it wasn't long before these guys (and gal!!) were going at it full strength!
Mark and I almost feel like we need to apologize for repeating ourselves, but once again, the last couple days have been totally incredible. We've met some people in places we hadn't planned to go, and have seen God's hand using us to encourage people all along the way.

We've prayed with leaders of organizations who were feeling alone. We've played with and read stories to missionary kids who needed a couple more "uncles" to love them. We've shared a word of encouragement with congregations who often feel like they are the only one's in the world struggling against opposition and oppression, and we've seen young leaders taking a key role in outreach and service. There is much more to say, but for tonight, this will have to suffice. Mark and I are extremely grateful for all the prayers and words of encouragement from so many. Keep on prayin'!! I'm sure that this week will be full of God sightings and lives being touched by His power, love and grace. Stay tuned!

Dave, Mark, Cathy and 2008 Hungary Rhino Team!!

Schemes and Dreams

It's Tuesday evening and we're winding up our time at the Ellenwood's in Czech Republic. Our time here has been great, and we certainly have lots to think about. Our efforts for the last 2 days and for the next 24 hours will be spent dreaming and scheming for "next steps" for teams to come to Central Europe and help with a number of potential service projects in partnership with Josiah Venture.

Yesterday (Monday), Mark and I went with Mel across the boarder to Poland to visit a camp which Josiah Ventures recently purchased. The camp was previously owned by 50 different coal mine companies, and had been left for sometime with a very "short-term" owner's attitude.

Since being purchased by Josiah Venture - Poland, the camp has been redesigned to be attractive to students of a twenty-first century generation. A Polish construction company has been hired to do phase 1, and they've started some initial renovation. A number of American teams came last summer to help on demolition and site work.

Hearing and feeling the vision and passion of the leadership of Josiah Venture as to how strategic this camp is and how it will be used to touch the lives of Polish young people was incredibly inspiring and we're hoping to someday be able to help by sending groups there to serve. It may be a ways off, but this project certainly has plenty to do for a while!! And even though the camp facility will be "under construction," they will begin to use the camp as soon as this coming summer. Please pray with us for this project called H2O (like the water).

Today, Mark and I had the great privilege of taking the short bus and going "back to school" with Amy Ellenwood.

Amy teaches a class of "seniors" who are preparing for their "maturita" ... or graduation test. They do things a little different in Europe, as the students need to pass a final oral test on at least 4 different subjects.

This is a tough test and the kids begin studying now for the test in May! Our time with the kids was to help them in their English pronunciation. It was really fun as they asked us questions to determine what our jobs were, what our wives did, what our favorite cars were. I think that our time with them was profitable, as well as being an influence for the sake of the kingdom!

Tomorrow we are going on to Presov, Slovakia. We thought we were going to take the train, but its worked out that we can ride with one of the Josiah Venture workers who is going to Presov by car, so we'll ride with him! While in Presov, we will connect with Pastor Daniel Jurco, who is a friend of mine (Dave's) from when we lived in Czech. Daniel has asked me to "bring a word" to his church tomorrow evening, so pray that I can be inspiring and relevant to this congregation in Eastern Slovakia.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to blog next, but, as far as schedule goes, we'll be in Hermanovce, Slovakia on Thursday, and Thursday night, then on to Budapest by train early Friday morning to meet the team coming from Wisconsin! So, we very much appreciate your prayers, and your encouragement. We'll update as soon as we can!