Christmas Letter to You

Sitting on the edge of my bed five weeks ago, I decided that the time had come. After five months of working with Zsofi through many ups and many downs, the time had come. “Zsofi, are you read to finally give everything to Christ?” “Yes,” she said quietly, but with conviction. She asked for help, so carefully I began to lead her through a prayer of salvation.

I don’t know why but I looked to my left and my eyes rested on my digital alarm clock. Holding my phone in one hand, I stared at the clock. My mind skipped for a moment and I felt as though all of Heaven had come to attention. The choir leaders called the angel choir to attention, party angels handed out confetti and those little horns that unravel as you blow into them. A child was coming home. My voice broke, we finished praying and cried together across the line.

Being missionaries in Hungary has already changed our lives, and God is using us to change lives. We continue to learn the language and I’m really proud of Corinne and how well she is doing with this difficult task.

Our boys have handled the change amazingly. Grant is days away from walking, and Carter shows us every day so many amazing, and often humorous truths of childhood. While we can’t replace our friends from home, God has given us relationships that have helped to sustain us, and encourage us. We feel as though there is no height or depth to which God’s blessings have not reached us.

But for me, it’s all about people. I want more. One week after Zsofi accepted Christ, Eszti a young lady from our church who attends our young adult group asked me a question about being a part of God’s family. I explained that faith is a walk, but that it begins by accepting Christ’s gift of Salvation. While walking them to the tram stop we talked about forgiveness, and mercy. I was turning my attention to her 14 year old brother, David, as their tram rolled in, and in a flash they were gone.

The next Sunday David came to me and said, “I thought about what you said, and I am a part of God’s family now.” We ducked into a side room and he relayed how he had decided that night to accept Christ and did just as I had described to his sister.

Ever week brings us into contact with more people like this. Brothers, friends, who are looking for God and want to talk with someone. They are tired of feeling hopeless, tired of feeling there is something more that they are missing. This week alone I will meet with a few of them. Please pray that the spirit would move.

I can’t begin to describe how humbling it is to see God use us this way. It’s a very tangible confirmation for us that He has us right where He wants us. Struggles, fatigue, funding issues aside, being exactly where God wants you is the only place to be.

My prayer for you is that this Christmas season, you recognize that you have been an important part of bring two people home to the manger. Your prayer and support have changed lives. May this Christmas find you exactly where God wants you, that he may use you to do amazing things right where you are.

Wishing you a Truly Merry Christmas,

Jonathan for the Longs

Family Update in Photos

In past few weeks, the Long family has had many celebrations. Carter, Corinne and Grant all had birthdays!

The end of October, Carter celebrated his fourth birthday...

And November 11th, Grant celebrated his first birthday!

Now we are busy gearing up for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays! We look forward to sharing more with you about all the goings on here in Hungary!

All A Little Older,

The Longs

It began with a word..."yes". Part 2

"Meet me on the far side of Keleti Train Station in 30 minutes,"I wrote, "I'll get the OMS van and pick you up." An hour later we were piling several large packs, countless smaller back packs, and 7 road weary and wet warriors into our living room. I wish, Dear Reader, that I could say at this point that I had the slightest clue as to what God had in mind, but Mike, Denise, Ashley, Nicole, Ralph, Bambi and Lindsay were camped out in my living room, and my life would absolutely never be the same.

Realizing I had somewhat of a captive audience, I asked if two of them would be willing to share their testimony at our Friday Night Youth and Young Adult Ministry. They graciously agreed.

Friday night came, and they laid out their testimony's with painful tenderness and honesty. In the moments immediately following I noticed Zsofi, a young girl who was part of our group, talking with a few of our guests, tears in her eyes. I suddenly understood, "this is why they are here,"I thought, but how I under estimate God sometimes.

Over the next week I got to take our guests around my city. They listened patiently while I prattled on about the history of everything from Castle Hill, to my street corner. We laughed, we cried, we wore ourselves out, and even froze a little bit. They quickly grabbed on to Zsofi, and she to them, and most of our trips included this 19 year old Hungarian Gem. Zsofi told me, "you need to have Americans like this around more often."

And so it was, during a phone conversation last Monday night that Zsofi mentioned to me that she had felt God's presence the previous evening, and that she wanted to feel it again. After a short discussion I bluntly asked "Zsofi, are you ready to accept Christ and give him eveything?" Her answer "yes", and while I led her through the first lines of the same prayer I had prayed to God, I looked to my left and saw my clock. 9:06 pm. The world stood still. I suddenly realized what was happening.

This is what it's all about. This is why we are here. This was why our beloved living room squatters were here. In a moment all the angels of heavens choir snapped to the edge of their seats. The confetti angels waited with handfuls of gold confetti, and it seemed that all of Heaven held it's breath. Slowly tenderly she prayed with me, and accepted the gift of Salvation from our Lord Jesus Christ. I came out into the living room and wept like a child relating to our guests what had happened. The following day we had a Re-Birthday party for Zsofi at her apartment. Monday, October 26th, 2009 is a day that a new creation was born, and it was in no small part due to the love of God in 7 stranded Americans.

The Bible says that a single soul is worth more than all of the treasures of our world. I would like to thank Mike, Denise, Ashley, Ralph, Nicole, Bambi and Lindsay for helping to make that kind of investment into the Kingdom of God.

When I picked them up that first day, one of the girls told me that I was an Angel. I don't think so, for in complete honesty Dear Reader, they were MY 7 Angels. In a hard moment, when I was lonely, discouraged and struggling, they came to My rescue, and pulled ME from the hard floor, whilst they slept on mine.

One "yes" has ultimately led to another "yes", and I had the privelage and honor of being a part of it. I am utterly amazed, recharged, encouraged, and ready for more. But I can't help but ask myself the question...What would have happened if I had said..."no"? - Jonathan