Please keep our Reach students and leaders in your prayers while they are in Hungary, partnering with missionaries Jeff and Julie Bouma from July 17-25!

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Daily Updates from the Team

Please pray for safe travels home tomorrow. The team looks forward to sharing about their week with AACRC on Sunday morning!

Ice breaker question of the day: “Would you rather sneeze confetti or burp glitter?”

Group photo below was taken near the Abbey in Tihany, overlooking Lake Balaton.

- It was a very fun time with the Hungarian youth group. While in small groups, one student was not able to speak English at all, as she picked German as her second language in school. As a way to work around this, our youth group leader translated everything we said into Hungarian for her, and everything she said into English for all of us.
- During our small group reflection on the fruits of the spirit, my group and I were able to have a strong in-depth conversation despite two of the members not being able to speak English. Our group leader did an excellent job of translating both the questions and the answers back and forth so that we could all contribute.
- During lunch I got to talk with a Hungarian boy about my age. As we talked it turned out we had a lot in common and similar likes and dislikes. He told me a lot about the day to day life in Hungary and I told him about where we live and school in the USA. He spoke great English and it was easy to have a good conversation with him.
- I spent a while talking to one of the pastors about schooling in Hungary. Even though we are in a different country and speak a different language, their schooling is very similar to the American school system and I found that very interesting. He spoke very good English and was a very engaging conversationalist.
- I sat down next to someone during lunch and was trying to talk to her and get to know her but she couldn’t speak English. It was difficult not being able to have a conversation with her and felt bad that I couldn’t talk to her without a translator.
- Learning about the experiences of the Hungarian youth we met was extremely refreshing. It was encouraging to hear about the ways they worship and engage in their community. This experience helped grow my knowledge of the ways that Christians serve around the world.
- It was difficult to hear about what members of the church had gone through in the past, and how the history of Hungary impacts the current church. I was also able to make lots of connections with members of the youth group through shared experiences, and plan on staying in touch with multiple people. I was able to make a lot of bonds that I will be able to hold onto in the future.
- Meeting the Hungarian youth was very inspiring to me. It made me realize that religious connections and human interaction was not fully dependent on language, but on effort. I especially enjoyed learning the similarities of our groups, like trading book suggestions and even comparing fairytales.
- Getting to know the Hungarian kids was my favorite thing we have done. It was so special to learn from them and for them to be just as excited to learn from us. I was granted a friendship I will never forget and an invitation to visit her in the future!
- I have never been out of North America before—and it shows. It has been revealed that even simple navigation and posture in Budapest is vastly foreign to my eyes. However, the church that we went to and the people we met as a group were so incredibly warm and welcoming that it seemed as natural as stepping into my living room. I am so grateful to leave this place with a great perspective of Hungary and a lasting memory of shared practices through the connecting glue of the reformed christian church!

Today we spent the day with the youth group from the John Calvin Park Reformed Church. Music was led by the Hungarian praise team and Pastor Mike’s meditation was on Acts 11:19-24, which was translated beautifully by seminarian Victoria. The day was marked by small group discussions on the fruit the Spirit, ice-breakers, and great food. In our closing we all prayed silently as we walked the prayer labyrinth in the church’s garden. In her instructions for that final prayer, Pastor Zsuzsa talked about how a labyrinth aids our reflection on discipleship because — although it contains many twists and turns — it always leads us to the center, which is Jesus Christ.

Today we talked about “Acting Justly” during our morning Bible Study. After reading the Parable of the Persistent Widow, we broke down the passage and discussed what acting justly meant to different people in everyday life. In addition to this, we talked about numerous situations where we could practice acting justly in Hungary.

We started Sunday with a church service (in Hungarian!), and noticed some contrasts between their church and our church. Some hymns were familiar, although in a different language, while others were a little bit less known. Afterwards, we headed on a tram to lunch and proceeded to go to St. Mathias Church where we took time to take in details and view the museum. Finally, we ended the day by watching the world cup (Go Spain!!).

After a delayed departure, we arrived in Budapest tired and excited. Jeff met us at the airport where we boarded a city bus to the Bouman’s home for a delicious lunch. The afternoon was a walking tour of Budapest which included one of the oldest Reformed churches in the city and a climb up Jubileumi park as the sun was setting.

We would love to hear from home!

Please send us a note or write a word of encouragement. Humor is welcome & appreciated!
We'll read these together throughout the week.

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Messages from home…

From Joyce S. (Wednesday):
“We continue to pray for you (Grandson Ben) and the rest of the team! May you all have safety, good health, and grow in your faith as you continue to serve God in many ways!”

From Jon & Rebecca (Wednesday):
“Wow! What an amazing experience it sounds like you are all having over there! As we look across "the pond" from our beach chairs here at Hilton Head Island, we keep asking "what time is it over there now?" and "what cool adventures are they up to today?" We loved reading the reflections from your time with the youth from the Hungarian Church. The theme of "Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly" feels like it is right on point with what's happened in Hungary historically as well as currently with the issue of immigration. We can't wait to hear more of what you've experienced and learned together! ”

From Debbie T. (Wednesday):
“I so enjoyed reading about your experiences as you get to know students your age in Hungary. What a wonderful opportunity to experience a language barrier and discover how to navigate it while building new friendships. I'm sure these experiences will give you a deeper appreciation for different cultures and the many ways people connect, even when they don't share the same language.”

From Dawn B. (Sunday):
“Hello Rens and Ruth! So excited for you and your team to be traveling to Budapest. I hope you are doing well, having a great time and also blessing the people of Hungary by being the hands and feet of Jesus. Thinking and praying for you all! Love and hugs.”

From Vic & Jill (Sunday):
“Bonjour! Where we are right now, there are thousands of la cigale, or cicadas. They blend in with the tree trunks and are nearly impossible to see. At night they are silent but in the day they can be deafening. If you happen to eat one, it may taste like shrimp. Sometimes, God can be like a cicada, invisible to us, hard to hear at times, but also can be loud when we least expect it (probably doesn’t taste like shrimp, though). We hope you learn to see God in different ways throughout the week in the things you do and the people you meet!”

From Rita A. (Saturday):
“So glad to hear you all made it safely! What a fabulous opportunity to be together on this potentially life changing experience as you spread God’s love & are the hands & feet of Jesus in the local community . Your church family is very proud of the amazing & great group of teens that you all are !!!! Besides your leaders are all pretty cool as well . We’ll miss you all in church tomorrow! Sending prayers & love!”

From Kelly V. (Saturday):
“You guys—I’m so excited for you all—what an adventure! I’m sure you already have some great stories from the long flight. :) I’m praying for excellent group dynamics and inclusiveness, for energy and for an awareness of the Lord’s still, small voice as you go move through each day. 🩷 you all! !”

From Karen L. (Friday):
“I wish you all safe travels and a wonderful experience! Hungary is a country with a long and varied history, but the people are some of the warmest I have ever met. I lived and taught there and found the teenagers eager to ask questions of, and to connect with, Americans, so don't be shy! Blessings to you all!”