A Surprising Find

Today we came across a rather surprising find. In preparation for our move next month, we decided to "unload" some of our superfluous books at a store called "Half Price Books". There they will purchase your unwanted books and in return they sell them at a reduced price.

While we were waiting for our quote, Jonathan and I browsed through the aisles and somehow landed in the Foreign Language section. In the past we have enjoyed looking over travel and foreign language sections to see what Hungarian resources they might have. Usually few and far between, we often resort to purchasing our Hungarian finds on websites such as Amazon. Jonathan is particularly fond of the Hungarian history books. For example, a recent Amazon order included The Siege of Budapest: 100 Days in World War II.

Well today we were pleasantly surprised to happen upon a cute little picture book called the Beginner's Hungarian Dictionary. Quietly slipped between German-English dictionaries and Italian phrasebooks, it contains illustrations and Hungarian translations for a whole variety of everyday vocabulary words. Quickly, this inconspicuous dictionary found a treasured place in my arms as we meandered through the store and an unplanned $6 purchase brought a smile to my face.

This evening as I poured through the pages, silently mouthing the difficult pronunciations, again I felt the excitement, wonder and awe of the great task God has laid before us. Both Jonathan and I know that language will not be our only challenge as we move to Hungary in just a few weeks. We also know, however, that God is not sending us alone. We have a wonderful team of missionaries and Hungarians waiting to welcome us to our new home - and of course God is going with us!

I'm not sure who our little book belonged to before we found it hiding on the shelf, but someone put it there for us to find. In Hungary, God may seem hard to find, but we are going there to help Hungarians see Him. God isn't so hard to find, when you know where to look!

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ~Jeremiah 29:13

Searching for Something Special,
Corinne

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

This view is from the plane ride on our last trip to Hungary and soon the Long family will be peering from a small window again. On May 15th we will finally be heading to Hungary!

Our move in May has brought great excitement to our house and a flurry of activity as we finalize our packing. We are finishing the last of our planned meetings and starting to say our "goodbyes". In the midst, God is preparing our hearts for a journey to the other side of the world. We are anxious to start our work in Hungary, but also saddened to leave our families and friends. However, we know that the God who worked this miracle to get us to Hungary will not leave us when we arrive!

As we reflect on these months of planning and traveling, we are humbled by the blessings that God has poured out upon us through people like you. From the ocean waves in Massachusetts to the waves of grain in Montana, God has knit our hearts to the people and places we've visited. We feel the prayer of our friends in the mountains of Tennessee and Pennsylvania. We've grown to love the farmers of Indiana and North Dakota. All over the United States, we have spread the news of God's work in Hungary and in return, God has sprouted the support for our ministry.

And our move to Hungary does not mean the end of these new relationships. As we begin our ministry we look forward to sharing what God is doing in the lives of Hungarians. We cannot wait for the days we return to travel again and share the impact you have had around the world through your prayers and support. Thank you so much for the love you have shared with our family, we hope that you have felt our love in return!

He Knows the Plans

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you." - Jeremiah 29:11-12

The Long family waits...

Waits for the time when we will get on a plane and fly to the land of the Magyars. We wait for the day we arrive in the country to which we have been drawn by God. We wait for the "Go into all the world". We wait to be transplanted onto a new soil on the other side of the sea...

And yet, in the waiting God works. In the waiting we work. Each day we share again our vision for the Gospel to reach another soul. We walk where He leads and we tell the story of how He has changed everything. We work to grow our faith and our committment to His will in our lives. We pray...and we call upon God. He listens...and we listen. We search out His guidance and His direction.

Why all the working and waiting? Why not just go? Others have gone before with less...why?....Because He knows the plans He has for us. Plans to prosper and not to harm. Plans for hope and a future. We encounter setbacks...He anticipates them. We fight against struggles...He fights for us. We come up short...He makes up the difference.

God has a future for the Long family...and so we wait.