If anybody has the misguided idea that missionary life is glamorous, this week's events would disspell those misconceptions. It was another outreach weekend as a group from Calvary Chapel Heidelberg Germany flew in to Budapest and then traveled to the Ukraine to work with kids at a boarding school there. Through guitar lessons, language practice, sports and games the group of young adults connected with the Ukrainian/Hungarian youth enabling them to share their faith in very genuine ways.
After arriving back at our home late Sunday night, Russell loaded them in the van very early Monday morning and headed to Budapest where he planned to drop them off at the airport before attending a series of meetings with different missionaries. Ahh, but the best laid plans of mice and men ....
About an hour or so down the road, the van died. After calling the auto club, they waited for hours. Even the very mechanically-gifted Germans could not get the van to start. By the time they got towed to the nearby town of Eger, the Germans raced to catch a train, but not all of them managed to catch their flight. They were trapped in Budapest with no way home.
The van was in the shop and Russell, being the able-minded problem solver he is alerted the church community in Debrecen and found a solution. Our pastor would let Russ drive his car, and he could take the group to Germany -- a 12-14 hour drive one way.
They drove all night Monday night. At 4am I received an SMS on my cell phone -- the pastor's car broke down as they crossed into Germany -- with four more hours of driving yet to do. The five large guys slept in the tiny car outside a repair shop and waited for dawn. By 8:30 am the car was fixed and they were back on the road and the sleepy crew made it back the fatherland in one piece.
Russ is making the most of the trip as he is seizing the opportunity to meet with the groups coming for our big Thanksgiving at the Miskolc Orphanage. He still must make the long trip home though, so please keep him in your prayers.
2 comments:
You guys are incredible - just caught up with the latest of your bloggings! So impressed with your apparent nerves of steel and gritty determination to hang in there and serve. We're proud of you and so, I'm positive, is God the Father. You're in our prayers daily as always and we can't wait until we finally make it back down to Mikepercs ourselves (now that Andi has probably forgotten all about us)... Big hug to all of you,
Christine&Eddy
We were just talking about you two! We need you guys to come and do one of your music nights here in Mikepercs. Andi has not forgotten you. --Trudy
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