A Year of Thanksgiving

Sziasztok, from the Promise Land! Translation: Hello, from Hungary! We are busy as ever here, doing the work of the ministry for the glory of God. Paul has been busy learning the tricks of the trade for his new position as Acting Director of the Bible Institute. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, here's an exerpt from a previous blog I wrote, but never published:

And now for the big news... starting in February, Paul Weaver, my wonderful husband, will become the acting Director of the Word of Life Hungary Bible Institute! As some of you may know, Dave James and his family will be moving back to the States in early February to begin a new ministry entitled Alliance for Biblical Inegrity. Long story short, Dave had a conversation with Jimmy DeYoung this past summer about the incredible need for churches around the country to clearly, accurately, and appropriately interpet God's word. Alliance for Biblical Integrity wants to have the most well-developed, dependable, intricate, and exhaustive website available that will help churches and Believers as they seek to accurately interpret God's Word. Eventually, Dave hopes to write some books on the subject, as well as have written programs for churches, and conferences.

Paul will be stepping into Dave's place as acting Director of the Bible Institute. They are tremendous shoes to fill, but I know that if anyone can do it, it's my dear husband! Paul has had mixed emotions about this huge transition. Of course, he is very excited and eager to get started, but he also feels incredibly humbled that God would choose him for this major role. He is nervous for the obstacles ahead, but is fully relying on the continuous grace and peace that God has given us in the past, and will continue to give us in the future.

Some of Paul's new responsibilities will include, scheduling guest lecturers to come teach at the Bible School, making the official school calendar, being the bad guy for major disciplinary circumstances, leading Bible Institute staff meetings, scheduling conference speakers, continuing to teach, and much, much more. Please, as you think of us, please pray for Paul during this transition. God has chosen him to be an incredible leader, but along with that comes much responsibility. Please pray that Paul will remain faithful and sensitive to the Holy Spirit as he strives to please the Lord in all things. Thank you for your encouragement and excitement over this big change. We are truly thankful for each and every one of you!

Amongst other busy activities, Paul and I have really been enjoying getting to know the students. We've had several "fellowships" at our home and have even had a few students for dinner. Usually there is a "fellowship" at a different staff member's home every week for the students. I think most of them come for the free food, but it's also a nice time of conversation, fun, and bonding.

This past week, I had a Pancake Party at our house, girls ONLY! Poor Paul; he looked so pitiful in our bedroom, all alone. Somehow, he survived! I think it was the pancakes that helped him along. I made over 60 pancakes, a fruit platter, and hot chocolate. It felt like IHOP. Then again, I guess it is the International House of Pancakes. Those girls totally inhaled those cakes! I was afraid we'd have a bunch of sugar rushed maniacs on hand, but somehow they were able to enjoy the Cinderella movie we watched afterwards. It truly was a fun time! Here's a pic of all 18 girls in our tiny living room! Anything for pancakes, right?!

And... I know this has nothing to do with this blog, but I gotta show off this cake I made a few weeks ago for another fellowship. This one took a lot of sugar!

Only one more week in Hungary and Paul and I will be heading back to the States for one month. Paul's older brother, Keith, will be getting married December 6th, so of course, we thought it would be nice to stay with family for the holidays. It's hard to believe that only one year ago, we were living in my Mom's basement, still raising support in the States, dreaming of the day we would finally get on the mission field. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom, but we are SO glad to finally be in Hungary! God has truly blessed us in amazing ways this past year. He is amazingly faithful!

It will be sooooo nice to see everyone again and be able to spend Christmas together. I am REALLY excited to give all my family members a gigantic hug... and to eat Taco Bell ...and Wendy's ... and go to WalMart! Sometimes I feel like the wimpiest missionary ever!

Please pray for us during our travels. Although the main reason for going is for Keith's wedding, we will also be speaking to many youth groups about the Bible Institute. We want to use our time in the States for the glory of God. Paul already has about six engagements with youth groups and Christian schools to speak about Word of Life Hungary. Please, please, please pray that we get several applicants from these visits. It is extremely important that these young people have a firm foundation in Christ before they head to college or a liberal university. Paul and I genuinly feel that the time spent at our Bible Institute is the most important one to two years of a young person's life.

Thank you so much for all your prayers and encouragement. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and save me some turkey!

Busy Little Bees

There is a famous Spanish proverb that says, "The busy man is troubled but with one devil; the idol man by a thousand." (by the way, I can't read Spanish. I found it online. Ole!). There's no doubt about it, we are B-U-S-Y! School has started, Paul is teaching, I'm learning, and the oven is working overtime! I think in the past three weeks or so, I have probably baked on at least ten different occasions for something special pertaining to the ministry; everything from fellowships, to girl's devotions, to one of Paul's meetings. I think the Word of Life Bible Institute is fueled on cookies!

Paul is in the third week of his new class for the Fall, Biblical Theology. The course basically goes through the Bible, book by book, and discusses the different theological truths we learn about God, Christ, The Holy Spirit, the Church, Man, Sin, and End Times. Talk about a difficult task! My heart hurts for Paul sometimes because I know he wants to elaborate in class about a specific subject, but there is just no time! The Bible is a big book, and this is only a 30 hour class. He's done an awesome job so far keeping a balance on class discussion and his own teaching. I think the students are excited to see God's Kingdom Program clearly played out in the Word. This course helps road map the workings of God throughout history, to establish His Kingdom. Very cool! He's definitely my favorite teacher :)

Paul is also the Academic Dean at the Bible School, so he has been busy organizing academic records, talking to students about expectations, and preparing for the jam-packed year ahead. Not to mention, he is also in charge of the internship program for all of Word of Life Hungary. This year there are 12 interns who are busy helping the ministry operate and improve. Paul keeps their department heads accountable, leads meetings with the interns once a week, and is available for any questions that may come up.

This year, I will be responsible for organizing hospitality for our guest lecturers. Many of our teachers come from the States for one week intervals to teach a certain course during the school year. While they are here, the goal is to build strong relationships between our guest lecturers and staff members. One way we do this is by having the teacher in a different staff member's home for dinner each evening. It is a way to show our appreciation for their willingness to come and to get a good meal in their tired bodies! I am responsible for making a calendar each quarter, showing the guest lecturer for the week and the different homes he will be eating in. It may sound simple, but it is so not! I don't think I knew what I was getting into! I have to figure out exactly what day and time they are flying in, which staff members are available when, if the teacher is bringing his wife, and when they plan to leave. Lots of details!

Also, I am taking the second year at the Bible School, and finishing up my degree online with Liberty University. I am sooooo ready to be done with school! I don't think I'm one of those so-called "life long learners." The learning stopped for me after language school. I'm educationally pooped!

Last night, Paul and I had a few German friends from language school come over to our house for dinner and board games. They all drove in from Budapest. We showed them around the castle and grilled out on our porch. I think they really enjoyed seeing the "country side" and all the wonders of our little village. We love having the opportunity to open up our home be hospitable to others. I just don't like the cleaning up part!


Below are some pictures from open air evangelism a couple weeks ago. Paul is explaining the Gospel through a paint board. For those of you who know John Neineghbor from Columbus, he is pictured below on the right. It's exciting to be starting another school year. God is going to do amazing things through His servants at Word of Life Hungary. We are bee-ing what He wants us to bee!

Full Steam Ahead!

Check out our newest video as we plow through the streets of Budapest, trying to get to language school. This ain't your typical school bus ride!


The school year has officially begun! Word of Life Hungary Bible Institute is now in session! Full steam ahead! This weekend marks the beginning of the 15th year of our Bible Institute. Fifteen years ago, two very brave men, Dave James and Alex Konya, stepped out in faith and began teaching Hungarians the Word of God. In the beginning, there were only a handful of students, and classes could be taught from our castle’s dining room! Now, this year alone, we have 52 students and 12 interns! There are 24 new, incoming students, and 28 returning, second-year students, including me! I will be completing my second year of the Bible Institute as I also continue to take classes online with Liberty University. Should make for one educational year!

Last night the entire staff and student body celebrated the beginning of a new school year with a delicious banquet. We ate, laughed, and caught up on what everyone had been doing over the past three months. It was a great encouragment to hear about the different summer ministries the students had been involved with. One thing is for sure, God is working through the WOL Bible students. The Lord has a great plan for each and every one, and it’s so exciting to see those plans being played out!

After dinner, we all headed down to the meeting room where we did some singing, had staff introductions, and opened the Word. George Theis is the guest speaker for the weekend. He is the former President of Word of Life International, taking over for Jack Wyrtzen, the founder of Word of Life. He and his wife Joan have been married for 49 years and have ministered throughout their entire married lives. They started out in the Clubs ministry with Word of Life Florida, but were then called to begin the very first overseas Word of Life in Brazil. For twenty years they served the people of Brazil, until the Lord called their family back to the States to take over for Jack Wyrtzen. It is such an awesome encouragement to see a couple who have served the Lord whole heartedly their entire lives. God truly does bless those who are faithful to Him.

The rest of this weekend will be packed with seminars, instructional meetings, orientation, and fellowship. This coming week we will start the first class of the year, entitled Street Evangelism. Sam Frey, an expert in open-air evangelism, will be our guest lecturer for the week. This guy is amazing. He travels all over the world, teaching people how to get out there and evangelize, whether it be on the street or to a stranger on the bus. At the end of this week, our students and staff will all travel into Budapest and put what we’ve learned into practice. Armed with the Word of God, a handful of tracks, and a little bit of bravery, we will spread the Good News on the streets of the city. Please pray for this amazing evangelistic opportunity!

Paul and I were busy this past week, preparing for this upcoming school year, and settling back into our humble home after being away at language school. It’s amazing how much a yard can take over in just one summer. I spent and entire day outside trying to tame Mother Nature back into shape. Luckily, our sunflowers needed no help. They have finally opened up! My wonderful Grandma Prebeck sent me some sunflower seeds back in May, so now I have a little piece of her in my own yard across the world! I was so excited, I even decorated cupcakes in a sunflower motif! Paul used them for his intern orientation this past week. He is the official Intern Coordinator for the year. There are 12 interns helping out at WOL in various departments. Each has special talents and abilities and a true desire to serve the Lord.

As we look to the year ahead, it is exciting to see what God will do. His blessings are endless for those who are willing to follow Him and remain faithful.

A Hungarian Holiday!

Well, it's been another eventful, fun-filled, completely exhausting week for the Weavers! Just like always, we have been going, going, going. Last Monday, August 19th, was the first day back to language school after our nice summer break. I was so thankful to the Lord that I was ready to go back! In the beginning of the week, I was dreading it, but by the Friday before school began, I had pumped myself up mentally to get back into learning Hungarian. I do not learn very well if I am not totally and completely tuned-in to the subject being taught, so it was important that I was motivated to go back to school, or else the time could be a waste!

For the last three weeks of language school, Paul and I have decided to attend a new university all together. It is called ELTE (Please don't ask me what the acronym stands for! All I know is it is a famous Hungarian's name plus the word "egyetem" which stands for "university"). We made the decision to switch schools because our friend's wife was also attending, and she had recommended it to us. The program is thus that we attend six hours of class per day, and at the end of the school hours, we have some kind of special presentation or outing. For example, last week we took a trip to the National History Museum, and we had a guest professor come in a discuss the history of Hungary in the 20th Century. It was incredibly interesting, and that means a lot coming from me (AKA: queen of zoning-out)! This next week we will take a visit to the Opera House (I totally almost wrote "Oprah House"!), The Museum of Applied Arts, The Terror House (a museum devoted to the Holocaust in Hungary), and the same professor will return to speak about the history of Hungary from the fall of the Berlin Wall until present day. One week down, two to go!

This past Wednesday was the national holiday for Hungary which celebrates their independence. Budapest was completely packed! Paul and I headed into the city for the afternoon to check out the activities, food, and events. One of the biggest attractions for the holiday is the annual Red Bull Air Race. Professional stunt-performing pilots from all over the world compete in a race of loops, twists, turns, and obstacles, in order to receive the best time. The coolest part was that the whole show took place over the Danube River! Literally millions of people were lined up along the shore, as they watched these stunt planes complete their amazing tricks. I've provided a few pictures of the event. It was so cool to have all the ancient and beautiful Hungarian buildings in the background! Parliament is pictured at the top of my blog.

Yesterday I played "mad scientist" and attempted to propagate ivy so I can plant some in my yard this fall. I took stem cuttings from the end of the ivy growth and placed them in prepared soil. According to the Internet (and Martha Stewart) the cuttings should have rooted in 4-6 weeks, at which time I can transplant the ivy into my yard. We will see! I know you will be checking "Jill's Blog" everyday as you anxiously await the results! Until that time, thank you for your prayers and interest. We love and miss you all! Sziasztok!

P.S. Happy Anniversary Gramps and Grams! We are amazed at your commitment to eachother and to the Lord! We love you!

P.P.S. Welcome home, Dave and Karen James! You have been very much missed over the summer! We are so glad to have you back from furlough!

The Weaver Summer Low- Down

Well, it is officially the last week of our break from language school, and I'm not sure I am ready to go back! There are still so many projects around the house I want to complete. Seems like there is never enough time in a day!

Starting this Monday, Paul and I will continue our intensive studies in Hungarian for three more weeks. After that, the Bible Institute will be in full gear, so language study will have to be slowed down big time. Actually, I am hoping we will be able to find an adequate tutor to help us during the week throughout the year. Learning Hungarian is my top priority right now. I don't feel like I can fully function or the Lord adequately unless I can communicate with the people! Don't get me wrong - I look at everyday as a gift from God, one that should be used to its fullest potential in that moment for the Kingdom, but I absolutely cannot wait until I can thrive in a Hungarian speaking society! I want to be able to go to the store and not be embarrassed, chat with my neighbors, and talk to my kids' doctors (when we have them, in like 20 years!).

Paul and I have decided to test out a new language school entirely for these last three weeks. This new class takes place in the oldest university in Budapest. It will consist of four, two-hour sessions, including grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and speaking exercises. In the afternoons, the school will have "labs" consisting of either a guest speaker or a field trip. The guest speakers will give seminars on Hungarian culture, history, and society. The field trips will be to historical Hungarian sights, such as Parliament, Castle Hill, and various museums. Should be lots of fun! I am more than certain we will be two pooped puppies by the end of the three weeks, but hopefully we will be chatting away in Hungarian!

I have spent the break cleaning, sewing, relaxing, studying, and canning! To the left, there is a picture taken of our very first harvest from the garden! Since then, I have been out every other day, picking more green beans and tomatoes. The peppers are coming in slowly, but they look awesome! It is amazing how much one can find to do around the house when you really think about it. I took time to wash all the windows and shutters, inside and out. I cleaned the whole house, top to bottom, getting rid of dust on the upper pipes, cobwebs in the rafters, and organizing "junk drawers" that everyone has, I'm sure! I also found time to complete some much needed sewing projects and little around-the-house crafts.

Probably the neatest "chore" I completed over break was canning! Tomatoes were super cheap this past week, about 100-150 Forint/kg (around $.60/kg), so I took advantage! (those older ladies in the store can get awfully pushy when it comes to cheap produce. All I can say is it's a good thing I'm a Christian!) Not to mention, we have a nice crop of maters ourselves, growing in the back yard! I canned about 17 jars of crushed tomatoes, and I tried my very first stab at salsa as well. I've made fresh salsa before, but never tried simmering it and preserving for later use. I had no idea what kind of peppers to buy at the store to give the salsa a kick, so I settled on "eros paprika" peppers. Eros means strong in Hungarian, so I figured they were at least a little spicy. I charred them in the stove and removed the skins, seeds, and veins. Luckily they were just enough heat to give my tomatoes and fiesta flavor! It will be nice to have the salsa for last minute company.

I also made some homemade peach butter from a recipe that Karen James, my friend and fellow missionary, gave me. It turned out sooooo delicious! Really easy too - just some peaches and sugar in the crockpot. This canning thing is getting better and better!

Tonight we are house sitting in the Diosd house, where we lived during language school. The family who owns the house will be returning early next week, so I have to take some time in the next couple days and clean up our scum from there home. They were very kind to let us stay here, but I think they appreciated knowing that someone was looking after their home as well. Next week, when language school starts up again, Paul and I will move to a new house in Budafolk where a staff member with Word of Life's mother lives. Her mother is on vacation for the next four weeks, so the timing worked out perfectly! Praise the Lord!

My wonderful grandparents, on my dad's side, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last weekend. Wow! 60 years! You must really get to know someone after that length of time! They are such an inspiration to me. They were not Christians until after they got married. Life has definitely brought them some difficult times, but through it all, they have relied on the Lord for wisdom and strength. I hope that when Paul and I look back at our marriage in 60 years, we can be half the couple they are. I am so glad the family and their church friends were able to get together last weekend and celebrate a truly God-honoring, faithful, and selfless marriage. I love you Gramps and Grams!

Word of Life just wrapped up its last week of summer youth camp. There were seven weeks of camp, which included volleyball, basketball, baseball, soccer, and various languages. Paul and I had never been in Hungary for a summer to see what all goes on during the camping season. I have to say that it is amazing! It was awesome to see the staff playing different roles from that of the Bible School, and morphing into "camp mode." We attended a couple different meetings and activities at the camp this past week. I was so impressed! All the kids seemed to be having the time of their lives, while also learning about the Lord. This is what the ministry should look like!

Please pray for us during the rest of this last week before school, especially Paul. Not only is he the Academic Dean of the Bible school, but he has been placed as head over the internship program this year. He will be responsible for keeping around 15 interns on their toes, plus he is teaching a new class this Fall. This requires much study and organization, not to mention perseverance. On top of all this, he is expected to learn Hungarian, and be my husband! Please pray that my wonderful Paul does not burn out. He needs to be strong for me!

The Amazing Race: Paul and Jill Style!

Well, once again, it's been a very busy week in the Weaver household. I hate to use the word "household" because it could mean one of several places: Budapest, Toalmas, or even on the road (we spend so much time driving now a days). In fact, in the past three days, Paul and I have set foot in four different countries! We have been to Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria all within the past 72 hours!

Because we are currently in a short break from language school, and because we will have next to no time once the Bible School year starts, we decided to take advantage of our independence and see the world! (or at least a couple of neighboring countries :) Our first stop, Bratislava, Slovakia, wasn't all that exciting. Slovakia, formally a part of Czechoslovakia, has only been independent from Czech since 1993. Apart from a palace and one castle, there was not much to see there. In fact, we weren't even allowed inside the castle or palace. We took a few nice pictures from the outside and jumped in the car towards Prague.

Prague is a BEAUTIFUL city! I absolutely loved it! I could totally see myself perusing through the city streets, dining on gourmet meals, and taking yacht trips down the Danube. Of course, this is my worldly, "in your dreams" self that only lasts for a few short seconds until I realize we're living in the real world. BUT... if I ever make it big on American Idol or something, I think I will live in Prague next to the Palace District which is over 6 Km large!

Paul and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in the city. We stayed in a really nice hostel that I was able to find online for half its original price. It wasn't at all what I thought it would be. We had our own room which was pretty nice and even our own bathroom down the hall, because the rest of the rooms were vacant. The hostel even had free breakfast, consisting of authentic Czech salami, cheese, bread, and coffee! Wowzer!

By the way, (this is definitely a rabbit trail) did you know that all McDonald's in every country have a "Dollar Menu" ? Expect, it's not really a Dollar Menu because the American dollar is so weak. For example, in Vienna they had the 1 Euro Menu, but the Euro is equal to $1.57 American dollars! In Prague, there is the 17 Crowns menu, which 15 crowns is equal to $1. I just wanted to tell everyone this so their eyes are opened to the conspiracy which is McD's. What a rip off! (did I mention that they charge like 75 cents for ketchup?)

During our day in Prague, we took a tour of the Palace District, which consisted of the oldest Gothic-style church in Europe, several monuments, and of course, the castle. We were even able to spend time in the gorgeous castle garden, which I totally loved! Later in the day, we rode the "Funicular" up to the highest point in the city. The Funicular is similar to a ski lift, going up a hill, but it looks more like a trolley, and is definitely safer. The view was beautiful! Probably the coolest site in Prague is the Charles Bridge. It was the famous bridge that Tom Cruise jumped off of in Mission Impossible (at least that's what Paul tells me). It's huge and very grand, but unfortunately, I can't tell you any history about it. I was too excited about all the shopping located around it! You'd be proud though, I left Prague with just a few postcards!

One of the most exciting sites for me was the Barbie Exhibit at the Toy Museum! For those of you who don't know, I spent most of my teenage years collecting Barbie Dolls and studying collector's magazines. I was pretty much a Barbie-loving nerd and had no shame! Ever Christmas and birthday, my only request was Barbie. I think I have somewhere along 80 doll still in their boxes. They are currently sitting in my old closet in my Mom's house. Poor Barbie felt pretty ignored once I entered my senior year of high school. Instead of buying collector's magazines and memorabilia, I switched to paying for clothes, make-up, and gas to get to school. Anyway, this exhibit was pretty thrilling for me! I enjoyed seeing the classic dolls up close and in person, or should I say in plastic? I actually owned many of the newer dolls on display. It made me want to get into collecting again, but I don't think I will. My collection will probably find itself on eBay on of these days when we are back on furlough :(

On the way home, we swung by Vienna, just a half hour out of the way. We saw a couple palaces from the outside and walked the historical streets. What a beautiful city! I highly recommend it! Before leaving, Paul and I enjoyed some sweets in this totally cute cafe that was all pink! It was definitely a memory.

We are currently safe and sound, back at home now, enjoying each other and our wonderful life in Hungary. Paul will be preaching in the village church this Sunday, so he will be busy the rest of the week working on his sermon. As for me, I have to get registered for classes this Fall online with Liberty. I think I will also try to plant some cool weather crops in the garden and just see if they will come up in a couple months. Maybe some spinach or lettuce? Or maybe I will plan another trip somewhere! I think tomorrow we should go to Paris!

Nyaralunk! (We are on vacation!)

Phew! What a busy week! Paul and have been studying away like good little Hungarian students. We now have a vocabulary that is probably 1200 ish words large (of course, I could be way off on that number, but it sounds good). This past week we learned how to use the possessive language, such as "Jill has a ball/Jill's ball" or "Paul is Jill's husband." We also learned how to use the superlative (I think that's the word). For those of you who have no idea what that means, it is basically a comparison term. It's easier to show you an example: good vs. better, strong vs. stronger, nice vs. nicer. So... now I can tell Paul, " My test grade is better than yours!" I won't tell you if that past statement is true or not, but I think you already know the answer :)

Friday was our last day of Hungarian class until next month. The school shuts down for three weeks in the summer to give the teachers some vacation time. I am definitely thankful to have some down time, but three weeks off also scares me a bit. I hope I don't forget everything and go back to square one! Over the three weeks I hope to go over every single thing we have learned and cement it in my head. This break couldn't have come at a better time. Information overload was just about to set in!

Paul will be very busy during the break. This coming fall, he will be teaching a brand new course at the Bible Institute entitled Biblical Theology. The course will take each book of the Bible, starting in Genesis and ending in Revelation, and look at the different theological issues that are revealed. For example, in Genesis God reveals His purpose in the creation of Man. Man was created by God to exercise His authority by ruling in God's place "as the image of God." This is evidenced in the command by God for man to rule and subdue the earth. Paul will teach this course starting the second week of Bible School, so he is working hard this summer to get it completed in time for Fall! On top of all that, he will be preaching the next three Sundays at the Toalmas Church. Plus, studying hard for Hungarian, of course!

I have several projects I hope to complete over our break as well. I want to basically wash the whole outside of the house, if that's possible! The whole thing needs to be scrubbed down and freed of cobwebs and dirt. I want to wash all the shutters and windows inside and out so our humble home will look like new. I also want to get our yard in order by doing some major weed pickn' and tilling the ground to get it ready for planting bulbs this Fall. You should see our village in the Spring. I am not exaggerating when I say that 75% of the houses have daffodils and tulips popping out of the ground! It is so beautiful! It looks like something from the movies! So, in order to be a good Hungarian, I too need to have some bulbs ready for Spring bloom too. When in Rome... It's a little hard for me, because we don't own this home, so I don't want to invest too much money or time into something that's just a rental. But at the same time, we could be here for several years (aka, until we have a baby) so it's important to take pride in our landscape. I have real problems, huh? Poor me!

I spent this afternoon expanding the garden for next spring! It used to be about 15' x 25'. Now it has increased to 25' x 25'! Plus, I'm starting a compost pile! I've been reading up on it on Better Homes and Garden's website. Sooooo cool! I didn't know it was so easy. I guess I always thought compost piles took a lot of work, but it looks like it's basically a pile of organic food waste and yard stuff all mixed together. Of course, it's a little more complicated than that, but hopefully, in time, I will have some rich compost to add to the garden. That is, if I can get Paul to build me a 3'x3' box to contain it all. Decomposing rocks my socks!

For all those who are interested, here's a few photos of the garden. Still no ripe tomatoes yet, but they are definitely getting there. I think the most exciting thing was the tiny green pepper I discovered when we got home on Friday! Gardening has totally

given me a new appreciation for God and

His creation. It is amazing! Come on over

sometime and I'll make you a salad!

Az Iskolaban... (In the School...)

Well, it's been two whole weeks now since I've last written and a lot has happened! We're nowhere near fluent in the Hungarian language, but we have definitely improved. In class this past week, we learned several new verbs. Now I can tell you that I am shopping, eating, drinking, sleeping, sitting, golfing, cooking, speaking, swimming, and most importantly, doing the Salsa! Guess I could go out on the town and be alright!

In all honesty, language school has been tough, but so rewarding. It is soooooo exciting to finally be able to understand, at least a little, about all that's is going on around me. It's like the country of Hungary is filled with all these brand new opportunities, now that I can somewhat communicate!

Pictured above is a snapshot of our little Hungarian class, a picture of my hubby hard at work, and a picture of the view
from outside our classroom. In the beginning, there were six students, including Paul and I. Two decided to end their studies and one is away in Germany for the week. It is nice to have a small class, because there can be more one- on- one interaction and concentration. Our teacher's name is Dora. She is a young, energetic, Hungarian woman. She has taught at the school for four years now, and typically only teaches the lower levels. We will most likely have a different teacher for the last three weeks of class (guess that means we won't be beginners!).

Probably the neatest news over the past two weeks happened last weekend. Paul and I invited the three German students in our class out to our house in Toalmas last Saturday for a tour of the Word of Life castle and a cookout. I was actually surprised they came; it was an hour and a half car drive, but I think they had a lot of fun. Right away we walked over to the school campus and gave the group a tour of the grounds and the castle. We were able to share with them the story of how Word of Life Hungary came into existence and the cool ways God worked out the details. We also shared about the Bible School and the summer camp programs. I think they were very intrigued. They had no idea how missions worked or why we would want to come to Hungary as missionaries. It was exciting to be able to share our passion for the Lord.

After the tour we played volleyball on campus for an hour or so. Then we headed back to our place and had a cookout. Paul fired up the barbi with hamburgers and dogs. I had made some stuffed cheese and mushroom tomatoes, corn on the cob, and a special dip for the chips. Plus we had peach cobbler for dessert. Mmmmm. They had a real American meal! After dinner, we sat around the fire and talked about life in Germany. Paul asked several questions about the government and economy. Somehow, the conversation got swayed into talking about the Catholic church. We started talking about Martin Luther and the Reformation. To make a long story short, Paul was able to share the Gospel right then and there to these young people. It was such a blessing because the Lord prepared an open door through our conversation, so it didn't have to be awkward or pushed. No one accepted the Lord, but you could really tell that they were listening. It is so obvious that all of them are searching for something. We are praying with all our hearts that the Holy Spirit used Paul's words to impress their need for Jesus in their lives. If you think about it, please pray for Michael, Bettina, and Kata as well. The Lord has a started a great work in their hearts that needs to be filled.

And of course, I assume you are all wondering how the grand garden is doing! I finally have tiny little green tomatoes ripening away! How exciting! In fact, the tomato plants have gotten so big now that they completely toppled over, or even broke, the wooden stakes that I had secured them to, just three weeks ago! Today I had to clip them free of the stakes. I think I will just let them vine on the ground. From what I've read, it doesn't harm the plants, because it is more natural, but they will probably yield a smaller crop. My eggplant is looking rather healthy as well. I am very excited to see those babies spring up. It's not my very favorite vegetable, but I think eggplant is so cool looking. It is a very pretty specimen! Besides that, I've got some green beans coming along, a few celery plants, and about six yellow pepper plants. I think peppers can be tricky. They look okay, but could use some improvement. The problem is, I'm not really sure what to do!
It's been a busy two weeks here in Hungary. There has been lots of fellowship and lots of studying. And the Lord has been so good. I hope you've enjoyed reading the update for this week. Maybe next week I can write it in Hungarian! Sziasztok!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5,6

Happy Sunday!

Ahhh, another lazy Sunday afternoon. Hah! Seems like there aren't many of those anymore! I am finally sitting down for the first time today. I have had one full day of studying, cleaning, weeding, and grocery shopping. After I update ya'll on this blog, I will make dinner and study some more!

Actually, language school is not as intense as I thought it would be. We go for a little over three hours every weekday, and homework takes a couple more hours after that. BUT... I really really really want to know this language. It's not just another "class" to complete for my degree. This is my life. Therefore, I am forcing myself to study as much as possible. I'm trying to learn fifty new words a day. If I see a word I don't know on a sign, I'll write it down. If I want to know how to say "washing machine," I'll look it up. I've heard that the Hungarian vocabulary is not as large as most languages, so that is definitely a plus. There are only so many words they have to use as a description, verb, or noun. In fact, many times when an English speaker is being translated into Hungarian, the Hungarian phrasing will be much longer than the English because it takes a lot more explanation due to their limited vocabulary. Pretty interesting!

After this week, Paul and I will have completed the first section of language school. They are split into three-week semesters. We are taking two more after this one. Hopefully all of our classmates will continue as well, but I am not so sure. I think a couple are getting pretty overwhelmed. Please pray for us, that we are good examples to them as we try to live Christ-like lives in a secular world. Sometimes it is easy to forget that the world is going to hell, when you spend most of your time on a Christian campus. Being in the city this summer has reminded me of the importance to reach our own

communities for Christ.

Hope you have a great week! Thanks for checking in!

Magyarul Tanulok! (I am learning Hungarian)

Phew! What a week! Sorry it has been so long since my last post, but it seems like I have had ZERO free time this whole week! Paul and I finally started language school this past Monday. What an experience! I cannot believe how much we have learned in just five days of school! Already I feel like my eyes and ears have been opened to the Hungarian language. I understand a lot more about what is going on around me. It is truly any encouragement. Praise the Lord!

During the week, Paul and I are staying in Budapest, about thirty minutes from our language school. Of course, it is only thirty minutes by car, but when you factor in morning traffic and the crazy Hungarian drivers, it is more like and hour and a half. So, we decided to take the public transportation route, which gets us there a little faster and is less expensive than paying for gas. After a couple days of experimentation, and a lot of walking, we discovered the best route is to 1) drive by car to a nearby grocery store 2) hop on the #3 bus, which takes us to the tram 3) walk from the bus stop to the tram and hop on 4) walk from the tram stop to another bus stop and hop on 5) walk from the last bus stop to our school. All in all, the trip is about an hour and ten minutes, but it allows for some quality study time!

Our teacher is young, cute, and perky. She has taught at the school for four years now. We have a total of six people in our class, three Germans and three Americans, including us. Everyone is very nice and eager to learn Hungarian. However, Paul and I are the only ones who are intending on staying in Hungary indefinitely. The rest are students in Budapest for the next 2-3 years or they are here temporarily on a job assignment. We definitely have major motivation! In fact, Paul is expected to teach in Hungarian by September of 2009! I'm glad I am only expected to do the grocery shopping and talk to the neighbors!

This past week in school, we learned different ways of describing ourselves and other people, familiar sayings we may need (like "I only speak a little Hungarian"), and how to say where we are from. Just yesterday we started learning vocabulary for different foods and occupations.

We are currently back in Toalmas for the weekend. It is so nice to be in our home and to sleep in our own bed. Being gone for a whole week has made me realize how much God has blessed us - not only with a beautiful home and village, but with friends and colleagues who are supportive and such an encouragement.

We would greatly appreciate your prayers as we learn, grow, and study like crazy these next nine weeks. Pray that Paul and I learn as much as possible this summer and that we grow even closer to each other through this experience. Hopefully, next week I will have some pictures to show you of our home in Budapest and our school. That is, of course, if we survive another week of Nyelv Iskola!

"No more pencils, no more books..."

Well, it was another beautiful and busy week here in Toalmas. Last week was officially the final week of Bible School, so naturally, Paul was busy as a bee, rushing to grade final papers, calculate GPA's, and teach the remainder of New Testament Survey. There were a couple of late nights for him as he read student papers on the topic of "Who is Melchizedek?"(I think he is a manifestation of Christ. What say you? P.S. My paper received an "A"). By the end of the week Paul was one pooped puppy, but he was still able to stand proud on stage at graduation as students received their diplomas. The Bible School now has a one-year program as well as a two-year program, so there were many more students graduating than in previous years. It was a wonderful ceremony, filled with much encouragement and praise for the Lord's blessing. Bellow are a few pictures taken from this past Saturday's Word of Life Hungary Bible School graduation 2008.

Around the House

I know in the last blog I said that I was through with cherry pickin', but the baking machine inside of me took over, and I decided that it would be fun to make a cherry pie from scratch. I have never really been a fan of canned cherry pie filling and I am not sure that I have ever had a real cherry pie before. So, on Monday I went out once again and picked more cherries to bake a pie, but I ended up picking another bucket full. This led me to the realization that we need a freezer. Our current refrigerator has a small freezer at the bottom that is the size of two crisper drawers. One entire drawer is now filled with bags of cherries and the other drawer has everything else. Unfortunately, freezers cost money, and all I have is cherries. So... if you are interested in buying some authentic Hungarian cherries, I think I can give you a deal :) All proceeds will go to the "Jill Weaver Needs a Bigger Freezer Fund." Seriously, I don't know what I'm going to do when all these veggies in the garden come up. Hopefully, by that time, canning supplies will be available in the stores so I can at least preserve the tomatoes!

I had my first harvest of peas this week. Sooooooo exciting! Normally I don't even like peas, but these were really sweet and tasty. This gardening thing is paying off!

Today Paul is working hard on writing our current newsletter and updating our website (http://www.weaverwebpage.org/). I have been working away on sewing drapes for our bedroom. Our home is fashioned in such a way that the shutters over the windows must be opened from the outside. So unless you are willing to open and shut every shutter every morning and evening, you have no privacy. Now that I have these drapes sewn, we can permanently leave the shutters open and just close the drapes at night. I will be sure to post a picture once I'm done.

Looking Ahead

Next Monday will be the very first day of language school! Part of me is so ready and the other part of me is terrified. It is supposed to be pretty intense and overwhelming. We will attend a school in Budapest for about four hours every morning, five days a week. Supposedly they give about four hours of homework as well. To save time and money, Paul and I are going to live in the city for the summer and come back home to Toalmas on the weekends. God has been so good. He supplied us with a home from a missionary couple who are going on furlow this summer. We will be house sitting for them, while experiencing city life! I think it will be a fun summer, but definitely a challenging one. Please pray for us as we experience this adventure together.

What a Week!

JILL'S LIFE

My sanity has officially been consumed by cherries! I am one obsessed chick, and I really do think I have a few issues. Somehow, I got it in my head that "this is free food = get as much of it as you can." So every morning since last Friday, I have been outside with my big mop bucket and step ladder, picking the ripest specimens of the day. I do have to say that the hour or so that I have spent in the mornings picking away, has been a very nice time to meditate and pray; just me, God, and my cherries.

Pitting those cherries is another story! My wall above the kitchen sink is completely stained with splattered cherry juice! Phew, I am sooo sick of pits. It is totally the pits! I have officially picked, washed, de-stemmed, pitted, and stored four buckets of cherries, which is equal to about 100 cups of cherries! With these I made 27 jars of cherry jam (Canning was a first time experience for me. Thank you so much to Karen James for all her help and advice. P.S. I'm blaming you for any cases of Botulism). I also filled two quart size ZipLock bags with dried cherries, for baking purposes. And I froze 16 bags of pitted cherries for later use. I may pick a few more to give to students, but after this, I am done! And I don't feel guilty!

MARRIED LIFE

It is the last week of school here at Word of Life Hungary Bible Institute. My poor husband has been running around, trying to wrap up teaching, grade quizzes and homework, record grades, and hand back papers. Not to mention, he has to deal with all the sorry students who are coming to him in dismay about their grades and questions on graduation. Please pray for Paul if you think about it. He's going to need some major energy in the next few days. Maybe some cherry pie will help!

Saturday will be graduation, so all the students are bustling around about getting packed to go home, tying up loose ends, and taking pictures of friends. It's a sad, but also happy time. Tomorrow night we will go to the Al and Pam Konya's home (director of WOL Hungary) to have a mini good-bye party with the second year students and staff. It should be fun!

Paul and I will officially be starting language school after graduation, June 9th to be exact. I am so ready! I think!

FAMILY LIFE

Big congratulations to my brother, Jeff Prebeck, for graduating from the Coast Guard Academy this past weekend. Jeff, I am sooooo proud of you! You have turned out to be one extraordinary young man and I am so excited to see the way God is going to direct your exciting future!

The graduation was held on campus in New London, Connecticut. Mom, Dad, my sister Jane, and her husband all went out to see the big event, plus my aunt, Carol. It was a total bummer that we couldn't be there with them to celebrate this huge accomplishment, but, fortunately, through the wonder of technology, we were able to watch the ceremony live online! Vice President Dick Chaney was the key note speaker, and the director of National Defense was present as well. Pretty cool!

From what I hear, the whole weekend was pretty amazing. There were a bunch of events leading up to the graduation, such as a ball/dance, dinner cruise, and various award ceremonies. Jeff won the "Coaches Award" for basketball (I think he's their favorite). He had an awesome year, beating the school record for rebounds and most points scored. Way to go bro!

Gardening Adventures

Oh my goodness! The cherries on our tree are almost ripe! I just realized this morning that there's only a few days until pickin' time! I'm feeling excited and overwhelmed by this at the same time, because 1) I'm going to have to get on a very large ladder to get all these cherries down 2) I need to learn how to can since our freezer is very small 3) There are going to be a lot of pits to remove! Of course, this all needs to happen within five days or so because ripe cherries only last so long. I want to preserve as many as I can because they are so delicious and, hey, this is free food!

My peas are coming in too! So exciting! This is my very first go-around at gardening, besides the one tomato plant we had on our balcony last summer. So far so good. I started tomato, pepper, and egg plant from seed indoors back in March. They were transplanted into the garden a couple weeks ago, and for the most part, they seem to be adjusting just fine. Of course, I did have some casualties along the way. Besides the seedlings, I also planted peas, onion, and green beans. God and His creation is so cool!

Becoming Hungarian

Hi Everybody!

Here is my very first post for my new blog site. Hope I am doing this right! I thought I would let you know what it is like to live as a Hungarian.

Living in Toalmas, Hungary is somewhat like taking a step back in time. Life is slower and more simple, but at the same time, it can be harder and more complicated!

Hungarian people live at a slower pace, especially in the village. A majority take time to have a garden, talk with neighbors, and cook a full meal for lunch. In a world where fast food, cell phones, and instant gratification seem to rule, village life is refreshing. However, adjusting to a new culture, language, and way of life has not been without its difficulties. I have learned to be the ultimate house wife, the old fashioned way. I now use the line for the wash, instead of a clothes dryer. Most of our meals are cooked from scratch, no cream of mushroom soup or instant pancake mix! Plus, the nearest Wal-Mart type store is thirty minutes away. We have no television, and our heater is run on a wood burner (although we have radiators too). Actually, even though some tasks can be difficult, I think old fashioned living is the way to go! I fully enjoy working with my hands, whether it be cleaning, cooking, or landscaping. It only gets frustrating when time constraints are an issue. Everyday living here just seems to take longer!

All things aside, I fully believe that God has given me a very blessed life. I know the Lord has brought Paul and I to Hungary with big plans in mind, and I am so excited to see them all unfold. At the end of the day, when I lay my head down on my pillow, and think of all the blessings God has given us, I can only be filled with thanksgiving for His provision and perfect will.