Nick Vujicic in Hungary

Between April 18-20 Nick Vujicic, the man without limbs visited Hungary and spoke at 3 different venues 5 different times. It was breathtaking to see the impact as he boldly and clearly shared the gospel in front of thousands of people. He deeply impacted the audience as they saw him being happy, living with hope and sharing them how he has found eternal hope in Jesus Christ after he wanted to commit suicide not seeing any hope and meaning in life without limbs. He shared a very provoking challenge to the 20,000 people in the stadiums: "I thought if I would just have arms and legs than I would be happy. Than I look at you all. You have arms and legs and you are not happy. Arms and legs are not the key to happiness and hope. Jesus is the key to happiness and hope." WOW! Very profound statement from someone without limbs. After his presentations hundreds and hundreds were coming in lines to give him a hug and talk to him. Many were crying as they hugged him. One student shared that he wanted to commit suicide, but now, after hearing Nick, he has new hope in his life. 

In between his presentations Nick and our director, Gabor (Gabor was the interpreter in his talkings)  had some good opportunities to talk and dream about how he could come back and speak to all the students in Hungary. Gabor had a chance to give him our book: The Outrageous Promise -  which gives him a greater insight of what God is doing in and through this little country! The President of our country told Nick that if he comes back to Hungary, he will help him to reach all the students!!! We pray and hope that the near future Nick would be able to come again to Hungary and we could do a major evangelistic effort to reach many more with the message of HOPE that Nick communicates so powerfully. 

This is one of his talking in Debrecen (second biggest city in Hungary).

Student retreat

About 150 student from Hungary, Transylvania and Slovakia spent an awesome weekend together close to Lake Balaton. The speaker, Dan Hayes spoke on the power of prayer and on spiritual awakenings! 

Engagement

Dear Friends,

I'd like to tell you a true story. There was a boy and a girl who met three years ago at a church Alpha course. They were in a different group though. After the course the boy wanted to continue to know God and the Christian faith more and started to go to a Betha course at the girls home group. Unfortunately they didn't meet after the course because the guy went to a pre-confirmation course. After a year, as the girl was preparing her home group again and invited members, she sent out an email to the guy as well. He replied and told the girl that he goes to a different church now, because he moved and that church is closer to his hometown. But he asked her if she wanted to meet, since they had not seen each other for a long time. So after a few days they had lunch together, and a four hour long conversation over their empty plates. The next day the girl went to a conference in Turkey and promised that she would send photos of Ephesus. The guy invited her to his new home dedication party, but she couldn't come. After her trip, the girl forgot to send the photos and the guy forgot to take photos of his party. After a few weeks, the guy emailed her that he was still interested in seeing those photos... and they met two weeks later.

They kept meeting more and more often and love started to develop between the two of them. Week after week they enjoyed each others company more and more and they missed each other when they couldn't meet. They started to see how God puts all circumstances in place and how He helps them get to know each other. Everything in their relationship seemed so natural, there were no questions or doubts. They confessed their feelings to each other and decided to search together for God's will in their lives. From this point, things speeded up - after lot's of praying and asking for the advice of common friends, the guy decided to propose on the girls birthday. He took her to her favorite restaurant and after a delicious dinner he knelt down before her and asked her to be his wife. The girl happily said yes, because she loved the guy and wanted to live her life with him.

I guess that by now you found out that the story was about me. I would like to introduce to you my fiance: Norbert Nyiro. He works as a journalist at a magazine called "Our home". He became a Christian a few years ago at our church, and his relationship with God is an example for me. I'm thankful to God that He led us to each other, to be each other's mates. Our wedding is going to be at the Gazdagret Reformed Church on June 22nd. I attached a picture about us.

I'm also thankful to God for the decision of my leaders at Cru, who allowed me to stay on staff. Normally, husband and wife here serve together, so that they can synchronize their everyday lives better. But since I'm in the background ministry anyway, and my schedule looks more like one at an "ordinary" workplace, I will be able to continue my ministry even if I'm married to someone who is not part of Cru.

Thank you all for standing by me in prayer and thank you for your support!!!

With much love,
Ibi

3 new full-time staff

January is the time to go through new staff application. We have a very exciting news to share. On Monday we've accepted 3 new staff as full-time missionaries to serve with us. Let me give a brief introduction of them:

Lilla Pecsenka - is 23 years old, just graduated from university. Lilla started to come to one of our YTL High School groups 7 years ago. She had been faithfully serving with us, sharing her faith, leading small groups, discipling other students in the past 7 years. As her university graduation was getting closer it became evident for her that the Lord is calling her to give her life to evangelism and discipleship full-time. As she went through the application process her calling and qualification to be on staff with us was confirmed. Lilla is a very sweet and kind young lady with a teachable heart for the Lord!

Attila Egressy and Flora Katona - Attila and Flora is an engaged couple getting married this April. Attila became a Christian 2.5 years ago at the YTL Student Retreat. He is graduated as an electrical Engineer. He had been growing fast in his faith in Christ to the point where now he felt called to be in the ministry full-time. Flora came to know the Lord in 2006 at a SpeakOut camp where she came as a high school student. She graduated university as an economist. She grew to become a key leader in the women's side of our student ministry. Her enthusiasm, love for people draws many to Christ. 

Please, pray for the 3 new staff to be able to raise their full support fast. Much work needs to go into that from our part as well to help them get started. Next week there will be a training for these new staff.

  

You can watch Flora's short (1.5 minutes) story at the next "I'm not ashamed" video.

Merry Christmas!

Warmest Christmas greetings to you! As I think about Christmas this year, I remember what John the Baptist proclaimed, „Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” God had opened John’s eyes to the reality of who Jesus is and why He came to earth. Now, more than 2000 years later, God is still revealing to men and women who Jesus is and why He came.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz authored a well-known novel titled: Quo Vadis? This Latin phrase means "Where are you going?" Each year we devote a day for university graduating students in YTL ministry to ask this question from them: "Where are you going with your life?" We only invite those students who are interested about joining full-time mission work either with YTL as missionary staff or they are considering other type of ministry as their future. 23 students came to the "Quo Vadis? day" last Friday! These students a few years ago were nonbelievers and now they are willing to give up their future carrier for the sake of the gospel! Seeing non-believers coming to Christ and becoming life-time laborers of the gospel are the heart and essence of our calling! What a privilege to see that happening in such a great number! Each of them has a unique and wonderful journey with Jesus! 

Five of these 23 students are already decided that this next year they'll submit their application for staff with YTL. This is a wonderful news and a wonderful challenge. Because of the legal structure in Hungary we can't bring people on staff (and they can't start raising their support under our name) unless we start paying them from the first day. As you know, each of our staff has to raise their own financial support and they will not have their support raised probably within the first year or so. That means we have to have some seed money to bring these people on staff until they are able to raise their own financial support. Please, pray that the Lord would provide the financial resources necessary to bring these young committed Christians on full-time mission work. The prayer that Jesus commanded us to pray regarding the Great Commission is the prayer for laborers: "pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest" (Lk 10:2). We have the potential laborers, but we don't have enough resources - yet!

Fall Student Retreat

At most retreats in the past we had a speaker and we followed the traditional setting of students sitting in rows, and the teacher delivering the message from God. Not this time. It was complete participation on the students' part as the format was very interactive. Andy Atkins from the UK led a Bible study for the whole group. We did not sit in rows, but in small groups the whole time. There was a brief teaching part, followed by a series of related questions, and the students turned to one another and tried to do some expository Bible study on their own. Following that part came a brief teaching and summary. They wrote parts of their own teaching session. And when listening to Andy their minds and hearts were already engaged! I believe students took home a lot from the passage they studied all weekend long: Acts 20-17-38. Paul's comments to his leaders from Ephesus. 

   Andy, our speaker said: "any movement, that places God's Word as a central part of their existence has the potential to last for a long time!".