Latest News from Hungary (March/April Newsletter)

Hello friends and family,

Here is the latest news from Hungary! Language Day was a brilliant success! The students had a great time, their performances were funny and I loved watching the fruit of all my labor! The big project is complete. It opened up so many doors and relationships, Language Day was a huge blessing to them and me. My students even got me flowers for all my help! They were beautiful!
The day after Language Day I went to Cracow, Poland for Easter. It was an eye-opening experience, as I also went to Auschwitz for a day. You can read about Krakow, as well as look at pictures of Language Day on my blog (further down). Please take the time to check it out! Just scroll down. Since I got back from Krakow, all the flowers and leaves on the trees have budded and bloomed. Spring came while I was away! It is the most perfect weather, nearly 70 degrees every day! I've gotten to take some classes down to the Duna park and walk and talk with them. I love that I can do that and call it an English lesson :) My headmaster really doesn't seem to mind. Language Day was such a success, now I don't know what to do with my classes! I have to come up with some real English lessons, fun ones, to keep the kids entertained until the end of the year, which is coming quickly. I'm trying to think of some fun activities to do with them.

In the meantime, I have lots of paperwork to do. Not only do I have stacks of student papers to grade (and I have just 2 weeks before the seniors are finished!), but I have lots of applications. You see, ESI and I have agreed to part ways. Since ESI can't sign a new contract with my current school, and I will have to volunteer here, they want whatever school I work at and am contracted at to be my first priority. However, I have such a good relationship with my school and my students, that I am willing to work for the school at least twice a week for free in order to keep these good relationships! I don't want to start all over at a different school, since it has taken me nearly 2 years to get to this point. However, ESI can't sign a contract with my school if they're not paying me, and therefore, I can no longer work for ESI. So now I'm trying to stay independently. I am so blessed by all of you supporting and praying for me, I really want to keep you! To do that, I need a new missions organization with fewer guidelines and restrictions about the type of ministry I do. I think I found one called Shepherd's Staff, which is more of a missions facilitator, and I spent hours last week filling out the application, that hopefully I can put in the mail tomorrow! As soon as I know if I am accepted, I can give you information about how to continue your support, if you still feel called to do so. I hope that we can continue together in Hungary!

Beyond that, I need a part-time job to pay rent and such, and so that I am not a burden to supporters and unable to live. I am planning to move to Budapest and work there part-time at a language school, teaching business English to companies. I have an interview on Wednesday. Yikes! Scary! If I get the job, I will get paid more money than I get now, for working fewer hours! Wow! This will give me the time and the money to volunteer in Vác at my current school, which is my first priority, and not ask for any additional support from you! I hope that everyone can continue to give as much as they have been able in the past. That is my update about staying in Hungary.

Recently I have been going to a Bible study on Friday evenings in Budapest, and having a great time. It has lots of international students and working singles, everyone is in their 20's. I'm really loving getting to know everyone there and making new friends. They also have started meeting at Margit Sziget (an island park in the middle of Budapest) every Sunday afternoon after church, having a picnic lunch, and hanging out and playing frisbee. Frisbee is my favorite sport! I spent the whole day on the island on Sunday playing frisbee and talking and making new friends. That's a great thing, since most of my friends now are leaving Hungary next year, and I need some new friends who live in Budapest!

So, that's the latest with me.God bless and keep writing!

Blessings, Jo