Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Everyone knows that a new house brings about new responsibilities... grass to cut, walls to paint, and neighbors to meet. But the biggest responsibility of all is, of course, decorating! I have been doing my best to use my time wisely, inbetween studying and language school, to add a woman's touch to our little home. Pictured to the side are some of the pillows I sewed recently. I love to sew, so any excuse I get to whip out the machine is gladly welcomed! Total cost for eight brand new pillows, $10! Of course, it helps when you have old pillows you can rip apart and steal the stuffing from, and old placemats and tablecloths to use as fabric. Honestly, I really am that cheap!

Also pictured is a little skirt I sewed to cover up our microwave. Two large drawers were originally positioned in this nook, but I found them very difficult to pull in and out. They were more of a headache than a space saver, so I decided to yank them out completely and create extra counter space by hiding the microwave within the cabinets. I hope to sew some window treatments later this month to match the fabric.

Amongst other projects, Paul is busy painting the sunroom, hanging pictures, and changing light switches. He's become quite the handy man! I'm so proud of him.

Camp is in full swing at Word of Life Hungary. About 100 kids and teenagers have attended camp every week since it began back in June. Each night, the campers hear the Word of God and his amazing love for them. This is no small thing; many of these young people have never heard from the Bible at all, much less the Gospel. Paul and I have attended the "salvation meeting" every Tuesday night since camp began. It is SO exciting to see kids from all over Hungary make a decision for Christ and to be devoted to Him. Praise God for his amazing gift of salvation and the opportunity to share it daily! Pictured below are enthusiastic campers singing the "Word of Life Theme Song."

Esther Dixon Siebenmark

February 3, 1915 - July 1st 2009

Finally, I wanted to pay tribute to my wonderful grandmother who passed away just a few weeks ago. Esther Siebenmark was a remarkable woman, who dearly loved her family and the Lord. I can remember spending many afternoons at Grandma's house, playing the back yard or in the basement. She didn't have many toys, but somehow we always found something to do. Whether it was painting ceramics, learning to sew, or just watching Disney Channel, we always had a good time at Grandma's house. And she always had chocolate chip cookies and Mt. Dew...with a straw, of course!

Grandma was the most patient person I have ever known. She truly had a heart of gold. I will never forget her telling me, "Never say you 'hate' anyone. It is okay to dislike a person, but we should never hate anyone." Her wisdom and purity will forever be imbedded in my heart. She was so very generous. Grandma would do anything for you, and help you in anyway she could. I feel so lucky to have had such a godly and special woman as my grandmother. The Lord truly blessed me with her love. And although I could not leave Hungary to attend her funeral, I am at peace knowing that she is finally in the arms of her loving savior.

Here is the link if you would like to read Grandma's obituary http://www.knappjohnson.com/

New House + New Teacher = Busy Weavers!

Sziasztok mindenkinek! It has been about 3 months since my last post! No...we haven't fallen off the face of the earth. We have just been incredibly busy - which really isn't anything new, but it's my only excuse:) That, and our camera broke, so I couldn't post any pictures. But now we have a used camera, so I am forced to keep blogging away!

A LOT has happened since March (my last post). The most exciting news is that I graduated from Bible School! That's right, I am an official 2nd year graduate of Word of Life Hungary Bible Institute. But please don't get into a theological debate with me; that's why I married Paul! I am so excited to be done with Bible School and to begin serving the Lord full time! I am not 100% certain which department of the ministry I will be serving in next year, but I am sure, whatever it is, the Lord will use it for His glory!

Paul was of course nervous and excited to lead his first graduation ceremony as Director of the Bible Institute. The program went off without a hitch as many proud parents watched their sons and daughters receive recognition for two years studying God's Word. If you would like to watch the graduation ceremony for yourself on video, you can view it by clicking on this link:
www.weaverwebpage.org/Videos2.html

Only five days after graduation, Paul and I moved to our new home (pictured above). Talk about a busy time! Looking back now, I literally don't know how we survived graduation, packing up the house, and moving, all within one week. I think I am getting old :(

The previous owners of our new home are no other than Dave and Karen James, former Director of the Bible Institute. You can read about their new and exciting ministry in one of my previous blogs. Paul and I had no plans to move from our cute, one bedroom, Hungarian cottage, but the Lord masterfully worked all the details together for us to be able to own a home after only one year living in Hungary. Guess we are here for good! Not to mention, it was a huge load off the James' back as well. Since then, we have painted the walls laid some new tile, and added the Weaver touch to the house. Pictured to the left is Paul painting the front of our house. There is still lots to do, but we are punching out the projects one by one. I am determined to be super organized in the house, no matter what. (you can tell I don't have kids, right?) I've spent hours organizing tools, office supplies, cleaning stuff, clothes, etc. into clear containers, and next week I plan to use my nifty label maker to mark each one. My prized label maker was a gift from Paul for our 2nd anniversary. He knows me too well!

Other than working on the house this summer, a seemingly endless project, Paul and I are continuing to go to language school 9 hours a week. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we drive into Budapest to meet with our private tutor, Virág (her and I are pictured above). We met Virág last summer during our group studies in the university. She is very professional and qualified. We are continuously encouraged after each lesson. It seems like the flood gates have finally opened up and Hungarian is beginning to make some sense. Just today I listened to the whole sermon at church in Hungarian and understood about 70%. God is really using this summer and this teacher to push us towards our goal of fluency. We want to serve the Lord with all our hearts here in Hungary, and part of that is learning the language of the natives. Though it may seem impossible and overwhelming, God and his grace is showing us that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. One day I will be able to write to you and tell you that Paul has preached his first sermon in Hungarian and I am having Bible study with the neighbors. Thank you Lord!

And just because I couldn't resist, I posted a picture of half of my new garden at the new house. I tried to keep it small this year because of the little time we have available. We have three kinds of tomatoes, green pepper plants, squash, and eggplant. Earlier in the season we had lettuce and peas, and yesterday I planted green beans! Stop on by anytime and pick yourself some!

Faithful Servants of the Lord

The past few weeks have been full of excitement and encouragement here at Word of Life Hungary. We were recently blessed to have the great Jimmy DeYoung come and teach the books of Ezekiel and Daniel to our students. Wow! What a great couple of weeks that was! Dr. DeYoung is an amazing teacher who is passionate about Eschatology. I can definately say that he truly encouraged us in the Lord as we wait for the second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As Dr. DeYoung led us through the prophecies and promises of these two books, he helped us realize that the return of the Lord is sooner than we think. Our understanding of biblical prophecy and End Times should spark our desire to tell everyone the Gospel. Christ died for our sins and will return again! Thanks be to God!

Paul and I had Dr. DeYoung and his lovely wife, Judy, for dinner one night last week. The men enjoyed talking theology while I got to learn a little more from Judy about their experiences in the ministry. The DeYoung's have traveled all over the world, sharing the Good News and teaching the prophetic literature of the Bible. They have met with several historical and political figures. They moved to Jerusalem in 1991 as "journalists," a.k.a. undercover missionaries. During their 12 year stay in Israel, Dr. DeYoung started a Bible preaching church in Jerusalem, named the Assembly at Jerusalem. The church has grown ever since and is a tremendous witness to the Jewish people. Actually, two members from his church have attended our school here in Hungary!

Today the DeYoungs live in Jerusalem three months out of the year. The rest of their time is spent at their home in Chatanooga, Tennessee, or traveling around the world, sharing the message of Jesus Christ. One thing is for sure, the Lord has gifted Dr. DeYoung with a passion to tell everyone about the soon return of Christ!

Here is the link to Dr. DeYoung's ministry for more information: http://jimmydeyoung.com/

Not only did we get the pleasure of learning from Dr. DeYoung last week, but this week, Dr. Tom Constable from Dallas Theological Seminary is here! Dr. Constable is the Department Chair and Senior Professor of the Bible Exposition Department at the Seminary. Over their many years of service, Dr. Constable and his wife, Mary, have planted a church in Plano, Texas, ministered in 36 countries, and written and contributed to many books. Dr. Constable has also written a commentary on every single book of the Bible! But of course he is most well known for having mentored Paul through his internship process at Dallas :). This amazing man has accomplished so much, yet he is so humble. In fact, I don't think I have ever met a more humble and gracious servant of the Lord. What an amazing testimony!

The Constables brought along two other couples from their home church in Texas. During this week they will be doing so much needed work on the grounds as well as some other odd jobs. Yesterday Paul and I took the whole gang into Budapest to do some sightseeing. Above is a picture of us with Tom and Mary Constable at Hero's Square. It was a fun day of fellowship and adventure, and of course, shopping! There were four ladies around, what did you expect?!

God has truly blessed us here at Word of Life Hungary with many amazing men of faith. These teachers have devoted themselves to to the study of His Word and the proclomation of His promises. At the end of two years, our students will be able to return to their home countries to teach and preach the Lord Jesus Christ, where perhaps there are little to no Believers. Because of these faithful teachers and servants of the Lord, the Gospel is being spread to the uttermost parts of the Earth. To God be the glory!

Shalom and Our New Home!

Hey everybody! You gotta check out this video of our new house. As mentioned in my last post, Paul and I bought the James' home when they left. Right now, one of the married couples who attend our Bible School is staying in the home with their three children. As you can imagine, they need it a lot more than we do! Once they graduate at the end of May, Paul and I will move into our very first home, at least one that we own :)

We were there last Saturday, testing out paint colors and making sure the married couple was all moved in and settled. If you're curious, you can click on the arrow below and see a virtual tour of our new place!

Well, yesterday marked a milestone for us. The Weaver team has been in Hungary officially for one whole year! That's right, on February 17, 2008, Paul and Jill Weaver stepped off their tiny airplane and stepped into the Promise Land! All joking aside, it has been one incredible year. We have seen God's blessings again and again, and we feel like we're just beginning. The time has gone incredibly fast, and it's so exciting to think about what the Lord will do in the future. To God be the glory!

Last Monday, all 28 second year students of the Bible Institute (along with some staff and, of course, us) loaded up on a huge tour bus and headed towards Budapest. Our destination: the Jewish Synagogue. Paul is teaching a course entitled World Religions right now in class, so this field trip was meant to personalize and bring to life the true essense of the Jewish faith. The Great Synagogue of Dohany Street in Budapest is particularly interesting. With a seating capacity of 2, 964 seats, it is the second largest in the world, next to New York City. It is modeled after the Byzantine style, with some elements of Gothic. When completed in 1859, the style was quite controversal, as some Jewish people felt the synagogue looked too Catholic and even Islamic. During WWI, the synagogue was an internment camp for the Jews. Over 2,000 Jewish bodies are buried in the courtyard, all with the death date of 1944 or 1945.

Our tour guide was an ethnic Jewish Hungarian. He said there are around 100,000 Jewish people presently living in Hungary; most live in Budapest. He said in a good service, 50 people attend that huge synagogue. Just 50! What struck me the most was the fact that when we asked our guide questions about the Messiah, or the Old Testament, he became very uncomfortable. He did not want to talk about the Bible. In fact, at one point, he actually said, "I am not so religious. I go to the synagogue on the high holidays." I couldn't help but think that he is so lost. He knows all of the Jewish history. He works for the synagogue. One would think he would have his life figured out, but even he is not convinced in "religion." When you think of it, please pray for this man. Maybe some of our questions fueled his thinking that there is more than rituals to God.


Things are cold and snowy here in Hungary. In fact, I just took this picture of the castle yesterday morning. I hope you are all staying warm and have visions of spring in your spirit! Until then, enjoy some Starbucks for me! Thanks for reading :)

Missions Conference 2009!

Praise the Lord for the start of a great New Year in Hungary! Us Weaver folk are looking towards 2009 as an exciting 365 days, full of changes, challenges, and blessing. We are waiting in anticipation for the extraordinary things God has in store for our marriage, life, and ministry this coming year.

This past weekend was the annual missions conference here at Word of Life Hungary. Every year, one ministry is chosen from places all over the world. The entire weekend is then devoted to promoting the ministry, encouraging the leadership, and exciting people about missions! It is not uncommon to see many of our past graduates attend the weekend's festivities along with many other guests, who come to hear the Word and be encouraged. The missions conference is always such an exciting time.

This year, the ministry chosen was from our home country of Hungary! Menedek Alapitvany (Refuge Center) has been active since 1986 and is a ministry devoted to helping the poor, homeless, and needy (Menedek's choir is pictured above). They are a refuge center for those who have no other place to go. Mothers who have abusive husbands, chidren who are kicked out of their homes, and men who want to have victory over alcoholism; these are just a few of the amazing testimonies we heard this past weekend. Menedek has taken in hundreds of downtrotten Hungarians and has shown them the true love of Christ. By giving these people a roof over their heads and food to eat, Menedek has been able to share the Gospel with hundreds! So many have come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior through this wonderful ministry. It is so true when the Bible describes true religion in James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Over the weekend, we were challenged to not only encourage Menedek as a ministry, but to renew our own hearts in our walk with the Lord. Probably the most precious key I took away from the conference was the need for me have a heart that is sensitive to the Holy Spirit. As a Christian, I already have the Holy Spirit living inside of me, but how often do I actually listen to Him? How often do I just do my own thing and ignore the many people I pass everyday who need Jesus? Even to just say a word of encouragement to someone who needs a boost - this is what Jesus did. He spent his 33 years on earth living to save people, not to please himself. Boy, I have such a long ways to go.

At the end of the missions conference we all took a "Faith Promise" - promising to give a certain amount of money to Menedek by the end of the school year. The goal was set high, $10,000 to be exact. I was actually a little nervous that our group would be able to do it. Anticipating rose as our President read the final "Faith Promise" amount. Our little missions conference of no more than 150 people promised to give over $10,300 to Menedek! Praise the Lord!

Below is the link to Menedek Alapitvany if you are interestedin their ministry. I noticed they have an English option on the website :) http://www.menedekalapitvany.hu/index.php

Here's a couple pictures of my sweetie, Paul, teaching his seminar at the conference, entitled "Choosing a Mission Board." He challenged future missionaries to take a good look at a ministry before deciding to jump in. It is SO important to know a ministry's doctrinal statement, its leadership, and its main focus before anyone decides to commit to fulltime Christian work. He did a great job, of course!

Well, our dear friends and fearless leaders, Dave and Karen James, will be leaving Hungary for good next week, on February 2nd. They will be starting a new ministry back in the States, called Alliance for Biblical Integrity (for more information, check out my previous post or go to http://www.biblicalintegrity.org/). Our prayers are definately with them as they make this gigantic transition. They are most definately following God's will, but I am sure they are going to miss their friends and home in Hungary!

And here's some more big news...We are buying the James' home! This is SUCH a huge responsibility! It's like we're adults or something! Anyway... we won't actually be moving into the house until the first of June because another family who attends the Bible School needs a place to stay. So we will continue to rent our little Hungarian cottage, and move into our own real, genuine home in the summer. Life just keeps getting busier and busier, but God just keeps bringing the blessings! Stay tuned to future blogs for pictures and "before & afters."

And, for my closing paragraph, I need some advice... I try and I try to be a good little missionary, but the worldly side of me just can't seem to die. I have to admit that I am a faithful viewer of the Rachael Ray and Martha Stewart Living shows online. It is SO awesome! I can jump online anytime I want and watch clips of my favorite shows at the click of a button. It is definately my guilty pleasure ( how pathetic, huh). Anyway, this is my deal; Rachael Ray is having a contest called "So You Think You Can Cook?" Basically, I would need to enter a video, showing Rachael why I think I can cook and why she should have me on her show. Six people are then chosen, and we would all compete to be the last chef standing. I think I'd win a trip to Italy and some cooking supplies or something. My main reason for doing it is the glory, of course! We have an intern here this year whose specialty is video editing and I think we could do a really great job. I have a poll set up on the margin of my blog where you can let me know if you think this is a good idea or a waste of my time. Don't worry, I won't get my feelings hurt!

Thanks for reading and God bless!

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!