Eger

Fall is quickly sweeping into winter. Without warning, the mornings have turned bitter cold, while each day is beautiful and crisp with falling leaves and breezes. I've learned how to turn the heat on in my flat, but unfortunately, my winter coat is still in the mail. I'm learning to layer my sweaters in the meantime. Of course, I am having trouble loading pictures onto my computer, on a day when I have so many to show you. I am at a friend's house, and they have very intelligent anti-spy-ware, which of course makes my pictures evil virus carriers that cannot be downloaded. I'll have to wait on the pictures, and see what I can do. Meanwhile, you'll have to use your imagination.
I've been asked a lot recently if I've done a lot of travelling around Hungary, and the answer is always, "No, just Vác and Budapest." That's not very exciting. So yesterday I went to a little village called Eger, which has a castle and a basilicum, and a lyceum (I think I spelled that very wrong, but it means library). Typically, after being in England for a while and travelling around the United Kingdom, I came to the assumption that once you've seen a few castles you've seen them all. Ok, this is till true, but yet this one was slightly different than any others I've seen, making it all worth the trip. Exploring the top of a castle always brings about great views, and this day was cloudy and foggy, and not good picture taking weather on top of a castle. I made the climb anyway, and took some rotten pictures, but as I was walking around, the sun came out, and the clouds parted. For a few brief minutes, the light shone on the still slightly hazy town, and I went back and retook every picture in this incredible new lighting. As I walked along the wall, on top of a hill there shone in this fog three castles on a hill. I never expected to see three crosses on top of a castle in Hungary, and it shocked and delighted me. Even in a tiny Hungarian village, Christ is Lord of all. It was a beautiful sight.
After the castle we went to the library. I wasn't excited about paying to see this little library, but when I entered, again, my jaw dropped. If you know me well, you know that I love the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. If you've humored me and watched this movie, you know when the Beast takes Belle into the library with her eyes closed, pulls back the curtain, and she looks up at walls and walls ofbooks stretching to the ceiling? Well when I walked into the room, there were golden books reaching up higher and higher, and as my gaze followed them, I saw the colorful painted ceiling mimicking the Cistene chapel.
This town is also in the middle of some incredible wine fields. Ifyou weren't aware, Hungarian wine is some of the best in the world. The town of Eger has a valley with wine caves where there are restaurants and wine tastings. I sampled some of the finest wine I've ever tasted.
Over all, the day was fabulous, for the sights and the wine, the meals and the conversations. I was reminded of how amazing it is to be living here, not just travelling and seeing the sights, but actually being a part of this country for a little while. It was pointed out to me that of everyone on the team, I'm supposedly the odd man out. This may be true in the sense that I don't have a best friend on our team, or even anyone I feel compelled to turn to. This doesn't bother me in the least. I have such wonderful best friends at home to email and write and talk to, why do I need new ones? They may not be here with me, but right now I need to be on my own, be independent, and experience the incredible closeness of my Father, and turn to Him for all my needs and venting and strength. There is something absolutely incredible about having none of your usual comforts (winter coat, a real salary, comfort food, that best friend to hug and talk to) and yet having everything. I haven't felt this completely in the center of God's will except on those summers I got away from college and spent as a camp counseler with my inner city kids. The most incredible thing about Messiah college was not the learning and books, oh no, but the high school youth group I helped out with and the kids I ministered with. It was where I felt completely fulfilled because I had purpose. Here I have this purpose and satisfaction, and I'll gladly give up everything to live my life with this perfect peace and contentment and closeness to my Savior. All else is rubbish, as Paul says, and I can understand him more than I ever could before when I did finally throw off all encumbrances and embrace the calling I received from God. Someone at church today in Vác told me I was awfully brave, and I'm tired of people calling me brave. Coming here wasn't "bravery." It was obedience, and I'm not brave, I'm completely blessed.
As for University of Maryland and graduate school, I've been given till the 1st of the year to make my decision, and I intend to use all that time before I make a decision. The goal is to stay where I am until God calls me elsewhere. If that's one year, two, or five, I don't know. I can always reapply if need be, but I will wait and see what the Lord has for me, and continue to adore and love and serve these students of mine as long as I'm called to do it. Speaking of which, I have two of them that want to go on a bike ride or a walk on this lovely Sunday afternoon by the Danube, and that sounds perfectly lovely. I got a few pics of Eger up on webshots. Check those out. I close with some words by Jennifer Knapp.
When I'm weak
I'm broken
I'm poor
Lord but I am Yours