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Our little guy...An Update

Many of you have been curious as to our little guy, Grant. We have written before that he was diagnosed by our pediatrician in Hungary with a somewhat significant speech delay and that there were concerns because he also toe-walks. We were blessed to have a speech therapist at the International Christian School of Budapest offer his advice and give some direction regarding testing for Grant once we returned to the United States and the assistance of our wonderful pediatrician in Indiana coordinating appointments for us.

The past couple days have been eventful in the diagnosis of Grant's delays. On Monday, Grant saw an audiologist who confirmed that Grant does NOT have any hearing deficit. We didn't feel there was a case of hearing loss, but when a child has delayed speech it is important to rule out. On Tuesday, Grant had an extensive evalation with speech and physical therapists. They were both wonderful ladies and Grant was at ease and enjoyed the entire process. They work specifically with children under the age of 3 and asked lots of questions regarding our concerns and Grant's abilities.

They finally concluded that the many seemingly minor issues we were noting actually can be drawn together under one diagnosis: Sensory Processing Disorder.

Sensory processing disorder or SPD is a neurological disorder causing difficulties with taking in, processing and responding to sensory information about the environment and from within the own body (visual, auditory, tactile, olfaction, gustatory, vestibular and proprioception). For those with SPD, sensory information may be sensed and perceived in a way that is different from most other people. Unlike blindness or deafness, sensory information can be received by people with SPD, the difference is that information is often registered, interpreted and processed differently by the brain. The result can be unusual ways of responding or behaving, finding things harder to do. Difficulties may typically present as difficulties planning and organising, problems with doing the activities of everyday life (self care, work and leisure activities), and for some with extreme sensitivity, sensory input may result in extreme avoidance of activities, agitation, distress, fear or confusion.

While we don't feel he has a severe level of disorder, there are definitely areas in which Grant will benefit from therapies. Most likely he will undergo physical therapy because he has low muscle tone and difficulty sensing his body position. This probably is part of the cause for his toe-walking as it allows him greater 'input' and stability. Occupational therapy will assist him in sensory integration which will help him to chew and swallow easier, and to be open to eating new foods and textures. And of course, speech therapy will help with the increase of his vocabulary and use of words. The therapists were very encouraging that with therapies and time he could overcome most if not all of his deficits. Also, we were relieved that they did NOT feel Grant has autistic characteristics, which often coincides with SPD.

We are just very grateful for everyone who has prayed for Grant and our family and to have some direction as to the course of treatment. Grant truly is a joy in our family and brings us plenty of smiles and love everyday!

Whew...

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind in the Long household. Now that the dust has settled a bit, we wanted to take a few minutes to update you on the comings and goings of the last month or so.
In July, the team in Hungary held their annual Summer English Camps, which were a great success! We were not able to take such an active role this summer in camp due to Jonathan's last few weeks of school classes. We were happy to host some of the camp volunteers in our home, to show them around Budapest and to treat them to a few meals along the way. They were happy to report that some of the young students indicated they accepted Christ for the very first time at camp! Yay, God!!

Toward the end of July, Jonathan successfully completed his MBA program at Central European University. He was very sad to say goodbye to all of the wonderful classmates he had the opportunity to study with. Most difficult for us, was saying goodbye to our good friend Maka who attended church during the year with the OMS congregation. Please pray for Maka as she settles back in her home in Kazakhstan.

Following graduation, our family was quite busy preparing for our return to the USA for furlough. On August 8th, we arrived safe, sound and considerably tired in Indianapolis, Indiana. We will be based out of the Indianapolis area for the next several months as we spend time looking to the future and seeking God's direction in our ministry. We have begun even in this first week to seek out the medical attention that Grant was needing regarding his developmental needs and are pleased to finally have some direction in that area.

We are excited to see what God holds for our family in the next few weeks and months, and look forward to sharing with you what He is doing in the life of the Long family. Would you remember us in prayer during this time? Pray for God's direction, guidance and provision. Pray also for Grant's development and health. Pray for Carter's transition as he must begin kindergarten in a new town. Pray for the youth in Hungary that we are missing so much and for the ministry that is taking place there in our absence.

God Bless,
Corinne & Jonathan

ENGLISH CAMP IS HERE!!

It's hard to believe, but Summer English Camps are upon us! English speaking staff have arrived from all over the globe and they have begun orientation in preparation for the campers to arrive on Sunday evening. This year we have people joining us from Scotland, the UK, the United States, as well as our Hungarian staff, making camp a truly international experience. Despite the cultural differences, we all have one thing in common - we all speak English and more importantly we want to reach Hungarian young people for Christ!

During the next two weeks, camp staff and missionaries will work to build relationships with the youth, to help them improve their English and to relay the importance of having a relationship with God. Everyone involved would truly appreciate your prayers over the next two weeks - would you join us?

1. Pray for the health and safety of all those involved in camp. (Last year we had several serious illnesses)
2. Pray for a unified team of staff, that they would be examples to the students of good Christian relationships.
3. Pray for the hearts of the young people to be open to the Gospel, to God's movement in their lives, and to a future relationship with OMS's ministries in Hungary.
4. Pray for the school employees (at the camp facilities). Pray for the influence and possible impact our team will have those individuals who are serving us. (we are at a new facility this year!)
5. Pray for good finances and for all the camp expenses to be covered.
6. Most importantly - PRAY FOR LIVES TO BE CHANGED!!

Thank you so much! We look forward to sharing with you in a few weeks about what God has done at camp this year!

Anniversaries

May is definitely a month of memories for us as we hold two special anniversaries in May. The first being our wedding anniversary on May 29th. This year we will celebrate 12 years of marriage. It truly is a blessing to be living in a Godly marriage, committed to one another and affirming each other in who God made them.

Many people know of our unique beginning as a couple, but for those of you who don't - Jonathan and I met on a blind date for my senior high school prom. We always joked that it was impossible to not fall in love when your have first date is in a tuxedo and evening gown...but the truth is, God had to have orchestrated our relationship from the beginning (with a little help from my family - you know who you are!). We were married just over a year later at the tender age of 19 and though most would find that age too young to begin married life together, we have been blessed beyond measure in the twelve years since.

Jonathan and I have had our share of trials and difficulties, as all marriages do, but as we reflect on the last 12 years, I think we can both say without doubt that we are more in love with one another, that our relationship has grown stronger and that we are more a family now, than ever before.

One of the great adventures of our married life was when we came to Hungary - and that brings me to the other anniversary of May. On May 16th we passed the two year mark for living in Hungary. I think we both can attest to year two being more superb than the first, and marvel at the speed at which at passed. It almost slipped by us without notice until we were asked by someone on the very anniversary how long we had been in Hungary. Like marriage, the time we have spent with Hungary has changed and matured us. We are not the same people that we were when we first began this great adventure, but the relationship that has grown the most in this time is our relationship with God. And as we reflect on these past two years, we can say we are both more in love with God, that our relationship has grown stronger, and that we are even more a part of the body of Christ than ever before.

Here are a few snapshots in time to show how we have changed since the beginning of these timelines.

Jonathan and I on the night we met (1998) ....and last Fall (2010).

Our family not long after we arrived in Hungary and two years later...

Definition:

Rooted - (Root"ed) adjective.

Having taken root; firmly implanted; fixed in the heart

When Jonathan and I first began our ministry with OMS, we were asked to supply a Bible verse that speaks to us about our ministry. There are a lot of great verses we could have chosen...things about seeing the harvest, showing God's love, or living passionately for Christ, but the verse that stood out in our minds was about something we hold very dearly in our lives: Being rooted.

Colossians 2:6-7 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

Seeing people make a decision to follow Christ is definitely exciting, but what is even more exciting is seeing them live the days following that commitment, growing in knowledge, and becoming firm in their faith.

This past weekend when our family went for a hike, I was reminded of how important roots can be. We were trekking up a steep path in the forest. The trees along the hillside were large and imposing, but over time the rain and water had washed the dirt away from the base of the trees. Their large root system was exposed. Carter began asking questions about why the trees looked so different (seeing their roots exposed) and Jonathan explained to him how the roots were what allowed the tree to stand tall, to grow strong, and to stay in the ground on a steep hillside.

One of the trees on our hike....roots exposed.

And really, we need to be rooted in Christ for the very same reasons. We need to stand tall, when oppression weighs us down. We need to grow strong so that our faith will not be shaken by the trials of life. We need to stay firmly planted when the rains of opposition and worldly thought threaten to wash us in the tide. We need to have God fixed firmly in our hearts. If our roots were to be exposed for the world to see, what would they look like? Would others recognize our source of nourishment? Would they see that on whom we rely? Would we be unshakeable?

Our prayer for ministry here and for your life wherever you are is that you would be firmly rooted in Christ Jesus and built up in Him! He is our life source!

It's that time of year!

I can hardly believe May has come upon us already...and that means we are only two months away from the start of our Summer English Camps! This is one of our most valuable ministry opportunities each year. This year we are praying for 80 students, ages 8-19, to attend this summer. We are excited to have commitment of several volunteers from the United States and are looking forward to sharing this beautiful country with those who are coming. We invite you to take a look at our camp website: Hungary Summer English Camps

We definitely still need your prayers as we spend the next two months finalizing details and making preparations. We are still in need of financial support for scholarships and operational costs. If you are interested in supporting the camps financially would you please contact us via email at long4hungary@aol.com or by sending your support to:

One Mission Society 

Hungary English Evangelism

Project # 301400

PO Box A

Greenwood, Indiana 46142

Also, it's not too late to join us this summer in Hungary. If you think you might be interested, send us an email and check our the video below for a brief snapshot of what we do at English Camp:

Fragile Flowers

Have you ever felt like something you were doing was futile? That no matter how hard you tried, you were just not going to succeed?

I had a dream a few nights ago. When I awoke, I could vividly remember -

I had a tray of new flowers and I was planting them in flower beds. The strange thing was, no matter where I dug a hole to plant a flower, there was not enough dirt to push back around the roots. Over and over I dug holes, placed a new plant and scraped (sometimes with my fingernails) trying to pull the dirt tight up around the base of the plant. The ground was hard like clay and difficult to work. When I stepped back to view my progress, all I could see were these fragile flowers surrounded by holes. It was like an exercise in futility. I planted over and over and over with the same result. I was planting flowers, but they were going to die.

The next morning, the dream was on my mind, but I didn't think too much about it until I began to share it with Jonathan. As I described the dream to him, I felt as if I was painting a picture of the work we are doing here. Hungary has had a long history of struggling Christianity. Years of political and economic hardship have hardened the hearts of people here. The soil is not fertile. It is not a healthy environment for new plants. We see people make the decision to follow Christ, only to be pulled away without a Christian community to be rooted in.

The reality is - Hungary needs your prayer. We need your prayer. There are times that ministry can seem like an 'exercise in futility'...but we know that it is not. We know that God is at work, that He has called us to the fields, and that He will bring a harvest. Pray that the harvest in Hungary would come quickly. We don't want to see any more fragile flowers die.

Grant's Lullaby

Grant is a firecracker. All energy, all emotion, all the time. He plays hard, he fights hard, and he loves hard too. He is such a joy in our home and I cannot imagine one day that he didn't bring some sort of smile to my face.

Tonight, however, Grant brought me worry. Some of you may know (but if you aren't nearby probably not) that Grant doesn't really talk much yet. He is now 28 months old and only uses a handful of words regularly. I know, I know what you might be thinking because I have heard it and even thought it myself.


Corinne, he is just a late talker. Corinne, watch out, because once he starts talking that boy is never gonna stop! Corinne, he is in a bilingual setting, hearing both English and Hungarian. Corinne, there is no reason to worry!

I have told myself these things to reassure myself that he is ok. That nothing is wrong. And there are many positive things I see. He is developing so well. He has no other areas of delay. He can identify the letters of the alphabet (yes, almost the whole alphabet!). But he just doesn't make the words. Sure he says things like "Momma," "Daddy," "Car-er" (Carter). He knows the dog's name and asks for jooz (juice). And most days we get along just find with pointing and babbles.

But not tonight. Bedtime can be a little stressful trying to convince two young boys to actually lie down to say our prayers and go to sleep. Usually Grant follows the routine and cooperates for the most part. But tonight was different. There was something he needed. Something he wanted that was beyond the bedroom. He was frantic, he was crying, and he was angry at me for not understanding. I went through a list of could-be's. Do you want daddy? Do you need a hug? Do you want a drink? No, no, no. He was so frustrated and I began to hurt for him. I wanted to meet his need. I wanted to calm him so he could go to sleep. Instead all I could offer was a hug and kiss. A soothing word. He grabbed my face by his little hands and pushed my head towards the door and cried. After several minutes of soothing, he finally calmed enough for me to tuck him in and step out of their room. Instantly the motherly worry swept over me again. As I stood by the door to listen as Carter and Grant drifted into sleep and I could hear the Lullaby CD that we play for them each night. A combination of scripture and music. The lullaby sang out Phillipians 4:6 -
Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 

Yes. Thank you God for a gentle reminder. Why, when there is a concern from my mother's heart, do I not immediately turn to my Creator? Why do I have such a hard time telling God what I need?

Several weeks ago, when I was praying for Grant I asked God to give him a voice. Not just for idle speech, but a voice for his kingdom. I prayed that Grant would become a man that spoke up for Christ. That furthered the kingdom by his words. That God would bless all he says. I ask that this be your prayer for him as well. Because, although I will cherish the many conversations he shares with me I know I will treasure more the words he uses for God.

A Place to Call Home

It's official! For the first time in the history of OMS Hungary, we OWN a place to call home! Yesterday Jonathan had the privilege of meeting with the attorney and owner of the building (you see in the picture above) to make the payment and sign the final papers. This is such an exciting time for the field and for the church. Although the facility will require much renovation, we look forward to the day we can open the doors to our church family here in Budapest.

We envision not just a church building, but a ministry center. A place to hold our Mama-Baba Club, English Clubs and lessons, church services, outreach events, Bible studies, offices, and overnight guests. We were blessed through the generous gifts of our supporters to be able to purchase the building outright and we did not require any loans to buy the property. Now we will need to raise funds for the renovations. We are trusting that God did not give us a building just to sit in disrepair...we know HE is going to make it a beautiful place to worship!

This coming week we will have an American contractor and an architect from the UK visiting to assess the work to be done. Pray for our team as we move forward with the momentous project. Pray for the funding that will be required. Pray for teams of builders and workers to come and help us. Pray that our new home will be a light in a dark neighborhood! Praise God!

A Mama's Heart

Last Fall, right about the start of the school year, I was exhausted. Perhaps a little physically, some emotionally, and definitely mentally. As we started the school year with Carter in ovoda and Jonathan began taking full-time classes for his MBA program, I was just plain tired of all the work and responsibilities that had fallen on Mommy. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to spend the majority of my day with the boys, I love taking care of our home (even the housework part), and I love being a supporting wife to my husband. But sometimes at the end of the day, I am just completely worn out. 

The worst part of this being tired was that I had started to become impatient and frustrated with my children's shenanigans. Anyone who knows our boys, knows they are an energetic pair for sure. Grant just turned two this past November and his super strong personality is really starting to show itself. I found myself getting overwhelmed with discipline and loving correction was not doing the trick. Too often, the day resulted in lost tempers for both myself and the boys.

I finally realized that I was not going to survive the entire school year with out a little help and I turned to my biggest helper...God. I prayed that God would give me a new mama's heart. That I would find the joy in caring for my children again. That I would have the loving patience that is required of all mothers but too often escapes us. That I would find pleasure in the mundane tasks of the everyday and truly enjoy the fun moments my boys seemed to be experiencing around me.

And....God answered my prayer. Simple as that. It wasn't a magic formula, or finding a way to count to ten when they pushed all my buttons. God has totally transformed my heart these past 4 months or so. I didn't realize it at first, because it came gradually.  I started to find the laughter within the tears, the fun within the frustration, and the joy of my children's journey. I began to feel truly blessed to spend time with Carter and Grant. (I do still look forward to bedtime, but I don't long for it as I did before).

I know how I feel differently inside, but for the most part I assumed this transformation was for my acknowledgement only. This morning, though, I had an experience that was totally unexpected. The Mama-Baba Club that meets each week with the missionary and Hungarian women gathered at an indoor play-place today. Carter and Grant were having a great time trying out the new toys and activities. But as most two-year-olds do, Grant experienced a few near-meltdowns as he became frustrated with his inabilities, or my redirection. He is high energy and high emotion and tried on a few occasions to have a tantrum right there in the play-yard. 

Later when we sat with some of the other mothers for a snack break, one of the Hungarian moms commented to me. "Your little one has such a strong personality and it amazes me how much patience you show him. I have never seen you become angry or mad at him. You always stay calm and gentle and patient. I don't know any other moms who are as patient like you" WOW! I never would have expected someone to describe my interactions with Grant this way, let alone pay me such a compliment. Later she went on to say "It is so nice to see you parent your boys. You are such a loving mother. I enjoy seeing how you act towards them." What a nice thing to say to a worn out mother. But then I realized, God too got credit for this one. Through the grace He has extended to me, I was able to be a witness to this Hungarian mother what it means to be a godly mama. God reminded me again, that His Light can shine through us even in the most mundane tasks, whether playing with our children, or providing them correction. Thank you, God, for being the change we all need. 

Grant acting silly - he is always good for a laugh.