Our Friday Night Group finally Has a Name

For weeks our group has been brainstorming, suggesting, and considering names. We meet on Friday nights at 6pm for dinner and have a program at 7. Our group has slowly been growing and we have become involved in more activities.

Every other Thursday we are now partnering with the Salvation Army to feed about 300 homeless at Keleti Train Station. It's been an amazing experience and many of our group have felt really good about being involved in this type of ministry.

We have also helped out friends, and friends of friends, with various projects from wood chopping to collecting cardboard to burn in the cold weather. There seems to be a plethura of ministry opportunities.

Our group ranges from 15 to early 30's and amazingly get's along quite well.

So it seems like it's become hard to identify just exactly who we are, and how to encapsulate that in a name. The last week, after a vote during our normal weekly meeting, we settled on a name.

CIA. No, not the intelligence agency. Christianity In Action. It means that we are searching for authentic Christianity. We are looking for a real relationship with Christ in the realest of senses. But we're not satisfied with stopping there. We want more. We want our relationship to inspire action. Action to love, care and show Christ to those around us. So we are CIA. We are putting Christianity in Action.

When Being Handy, comes in Handy

It's funny how you never realize how important right now is...until later. It seems like time and time again, I find myself realizing how the experiences of yesterday can be used by God today. It gives you a sense like he has a plan, eh?

In the past year I have seen many instances where what was seemingly a random experience has come in handy.

Several years ago I accidentally found myself in leadership of the Young Adult group at our church. We worked hard and created a dedicated group of young adults. I didn't realize it at the time, but that wasn't simply filling a need at the time.

Years later I find myself in Budapest, Hungary, running a program for Youth and Young Adults that in some ways is remarkably similar to "The Loft". Who would have thought years ago when we were meeting in the upstairs of our church, that I would be doing the same thing in Hungary?

As a child I grew up with a handy man for a dad. Craftsmanship runs strong in our family, and I remember many days of handing nails, tossing roof shingles, holding dry wall, and even rewiring wall sockets. I failed to appreciate then the life experience gained in these small tasks.

Missionaries really don't have a hard and fast job description. You often find yourself doing tasks that you never really thought you would do.

So it was this last wednesday. Our church is small. Space is at a premium, and we've been thinking of ways to make our space more useful for the various ministries that use our church during the week. We had plaster falling off the wall in our office, we had junk piled upon itself in another room, and our sanctuary, while being nice, had a plank topped stage that shall we say, had become less than inviting.

So a church workday was in order. My guys Norbi, Sanyi, Doni, and I set about the tasks of doing maintenance and beautification to our space. The hole in the wall was expertly patched by Norbi, Sanyi and Doni and I muscled the stage around (see picture above) and I installed carpeting and trim to it. Random things were organized, and a place was even made for small children and babies to nap for Sunday Mornings and Mondays Baba Mama Klub.

I couldn't help but think of the endless hours of helping out dad with various projects and how they had equipped me to do the task at hand. I never would have imagined that they would come in handy, years later, in a small church in Hungary. Who knew? Well, God knew.

So when your at a place or time and you feel like what your doing seems insignificant, remember that what your doing may not just be for today. Someday you might find yourself looking back and saying "wow, it's a good thing I learned that, it has really come in handy".

From the Eastern Front,

Jonathan

The Blind Man of Budapest

One things that amazes me in our district is the number of blind people on the streets. I would think that the streets of Budapest are hazardous enough even with the benefit of sight, let alone being blind. But it seems a daily occurrence that I see someone tentatively walking down the sidewalk, standing at a cross walk, or just trying to find their why, white stick before them fanning out for contact.

A few weeks ago I was at a major intersection ready to get on the bus. The bus pulled up and as I walked towards the forward door I observed a man attempting to make his way onto the bus. He was still standing on the edge of the curb, white stick through the door looking for contact. His arm outstretched groping for where he hoped he would find a handhold in the open door way.

As I came next to him I saw the the handhold was a few feet beyond his hands and while moving ever so slowly towards it, the bus would soon ring it's buzzer to close the doors. So I reached over and placed my hand over his. Immediately his body relaxed. Realizing someone was there who could see, he put his trust in me and stepped boldly onto the bus without hesitation. A few steps and I placed his hand up the hold he was searching for.

We never exchanged words. I didn't linger there but walked to the center of the bus where I like to stand. He was still clinging onto the hand hold at the front of the bus when I hopped off at my stop.

I realized that this is a good metaphor for spiritual life. In many ways we are like this blind man of Budapest. We can't see the future, we're not sure what lays before us. Sure we have clues, and we desperately grope for what we hope is in front of us, but ultimately we live life in a cautious way, step by step, dealing with what is within arms reach.

Oh how I long for God to take my hand and lead me to where I should be! To rest in the knowledge that someone is there who sees what is in front of me, and can guide me to the safety of a hand hold. Do you feel this way? Like your life is a mixture of fear and caution.

Christ says that we do not have to be afraid. He is our Shepherd, who's rod and staff are comforts to us. He knows the way, and he offers his hand to help us through the snares and pitfalls of life, if we will simply allow him to take our hand, and put our trust in Him.

I don't suppose that the blind man of Budapest knows that he reminded me of an important lesson a few weeks ago. But I thank him for it, and pray that this week, you find God's hand, relax, and let him lead the way.

From the Eastern Front,

Jonathan