25.2.06

OVM in transition:

Lake Balaton-
the largest fresh water lake in euorpe..... a one and a half hour drive from budapest and the new home base for OVM, which means drum roll please....we will be moving there, not till sept but yes we will be moving..... the picture beside is of joska and sandi, they are the american couple that heads up OVM and have been working in Hungary for three years now. OVM's main ministry up to now has been travelling the country bringing books, english classes and doing sports ministry to the unreached villages, always working together with a church. In the coming years the ministry looks to be focusing more on the balaton region. Joska and Sandi were missionaries in Austria before coming here, Joska's family is from Hungary so he always felt drawn back. In only the week and a bit we have spent with them we can already see how well we will work with them as a team and have built great friendships with them, over games of uno, dominos and a team meeting at the spa .... hungarian for hot springs and they are everywhere, basically like pools but really nice and relaxing..... anyways back to lake balaton, no OVM isnt moving there because the nice beachs or trendy areas, but because it's a strategic location to reach the surrounding villages that have little to no exposure to the gospel. We spent the night at the local baptist pastors place and it was so exciting to see a church so motivated to reach out. The town there is only 1700 people but they have a membership of 160 and have just recently built a new church basically all on there own. So exciting to see such a active church and also today we made a presentation in front of all the local reform pastors and elders and they voted unamiously to stand behind, work along and open doors for our ministry, Gods going to do amazing things in the Balaton region, we can already see it. The other pic here is of us infront of what will be our place, well the upstairs, its owned by a couple from the baptist church and the top floor is normally rented out to tourists but when she heard about our work she quickly offered it to us at a much lower rent. And the reform churches have offered for us to use their bus for the short term teams in the summer for free, we haven't seen the bus so who knows what it might be like, its exciting stuff none the less. Joska and Lynnette felt this as a opportune moment to clear their nostrils , what we have to put up with out here. And guess what Balaton freezes in the winter, can you say hockey ministry! Too bad i didn't bring my stuff, i'm suddenly envisioning a care package in the shape of a hockey bag! just kidding it would never make it through customs anyways..... the border guards would look like joska and lynnette...plugging their noses! Well I hope you all enjoy your weekend cheer extra hard for those Olympian cause we gotta at least beat the americans in the medal count!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

very excited for you guys...lake balaton looks like a nice place!

Anonymous said...

I am sooooooo excited for you guys! God is blessing you and opening doors left right and centre for your ministry. Praise Him! I love reading your updates and be assured of my prayers. Lorna

Anonymous said...

Lake Balaton?
I'm so happy for you guys!
It's so beautiful there!!
I'm coming to wisit. :-) (just to write it as i pronounce it :-))

Anonymous said...

very awesome... great to see pictures of your future "home"! love, andrea