The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Hello everyone!

Hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and autumn!  We have been enjoying some cooler weather here in San Diego!  Yesterday night we were looking at the temperature and it was 7 degrees cooler in San Diego than in Bellingham!  We are looking forward to a white Christmas this year in Washington though, and I am pretty sure San Diego won't have that!

Brandon has been working at Wyndham and I have been working a seasonal job at Pier 1 Imports.  We are both enjoying our jobs, but I am still looking for a full-time position somewhere.  At this point I'm really open to whatever God has for me!

We are finishing up a life-calling study called Life Compass that we have been doing with my parents' community in San Diego.  It has been a 10 week study, and tonight is our final night, where we will be sharing our vision statements with the group.  Brandon and I would covet your prayers as we continue to hone in on what our life calling is and where God is leading us.

We look forward to seeing you all this holiday!  Many blessings!!

Love Brandon and Melissa

Life with Boys

Living with 4 boys is an interesting experience.  I never really know what each day will bring.  I still laugh when I think about the scene I came home to the other day:
I walked into the house, and all of the boys were there.  One of them was in his room studying, the other was in his room on the computer, and one of them was sitting watching TV having soup straight from the pan it was cooked in.  The kitchen looked like a hurricane hit it (let's be honest though, it looks like that every day).  There was food all over the floor, dirty dishes and wrappers all over the living room, mail strewn across the room, an overflowing trashcan dropping items onto the floor, and two day old food sitting on the stove still.  Some days when I come home to this I feel like crying, some days I feel like throwing something at someone (it would be easy to find something to throw considering there is trash everywhere), and some days it just makes me want to laugh.

I always wonder if they notice the mess or if they just don't care about it.  Maybe it's both.  But when I am coming home at night and feeling blah, sometimes it just takes looking at them all gathered around the couch watching The Office and laughing to make me feel a little more at ease.  Ok, so the house is a disaster, I'm pretty sure there is salmonella crawling around the kitchen counters, and I will never feel 100% comfortable there, but at least they make me laugh.

For You

"If you were the only person on earth, the earth would look exactly the same.  The Himalayas would still have their drama and the Caribbean would still have its charm.  The sun would still nestle behind the Rockies in the evenings and spray light on the desert in the mornings.  If you were the sole pilgrim on this globe, God would not diminish its beauty one degree.

Because he did it all for you."

Prayer Requests

Hi everyone!!

We are entering my favorite season: fall!  We have a lot to be thankful for and are grateful for how the Lord has provided for us so far.  But we also enter this season with a lot of burdens on our backs and we could use all the prayer that we can get!!  Here are some ways that you can be praying for us the next couple of months:

1. That Melissa would find a job - whether it's just temporary or a more permanent one.  She just needs any job right now!
2. That the hiring process would go quickly for Brandon so that he can begin working ASAP.
3. That God would provide the money we need to pay our bills the next couple of months while we go paycheck-less.
4. That God would provide a good home for us come November.
5. That we would continue to seek God's will for our lives and know where he is calling us to go and what he is calling us to do.

We are so grateful for all of your prayers and support!  Let us know how we can be praying for you too! Love you all!

Melissa and Brandon

Update

Brandon passed his real estate exam!!  Yay!  That means that he has to apply for his real estate license now, but as soon as he gets that, he can start working at Wyndham again!  That is an answer to prayer!!

I am still looking...praying that God shows me where He wants me to be, because I really don't know!

Just a quick update for everyone!!  Hope all is well!

Finding "Home"

It's been a while since we have written on here....I'm not even sure who all still checks this blog!  But for those of you who do, I still want to share random thoughts and life stories along the way!

We are doing well....Brandon is planning on working at Wyndham again next month once he gets his real estate license and I've had a few interviews for a student financial advisor position at Point Loma Nazarene University.  We are continuing to ask God to lead us where He wants us!

We have been on the journey to get "settled" these last few months.  Since we landed in America back in June, we have been going from one place to another, never really staying in one place long enough to unpack and feel "normal".  That has been a hard thing for me.  It is a strange feeling to feel displaced - like you aren't really sure what or where home is.  You know sometimes you have those days where you just feel like, "I want to go home!!"?  Well, I feel like that often, but then I stop and think, I don't really have a "home" to go to.  Not that I don't love getting to stay with my family and spend time with them, but their house doesn't feel like my home (and we are kind of crowding it! :) ).

I was telling one of my girlfriends, who also recently uprooted all of life as she knows it, this and she shared with me something that I found really helpful.  She said she was struggling with all of the change and not having anything stable in her life, and she felt like God was saying to her, "I am your stability."  When everything feels in limbo, suitcases are your "closets", you are seeing someone different every day, and you feel like you don't have a place to make your home, God is the one stable thing amidst all of it.  He knows everything that I feel and think, and He is always there, always the same.

A good thing to remember I think....

Love you all!

Melissa

Living Out of a Suitcase

Sorry that its been so long since we have sent out an update!  Life has been crazy since we got back on U.S. soil.  We landed in LA, went to San Diego for 3 days, flew up to WA for 10 days, then started a road trip home in Brandon's truck, making stops in Portland and Chico before finally arriving back home on Tuesday.  All of our trips were full of visiting friends and family!  It has been so great to see everyone!

Both Brandon and I have agreed that we haven't had a lot of time to process returning home and how we feel about it yet.  We love being home and seeing everyone, but we also miss a lot of life over in Diosd.  It's crazy changing so much about life in such a short time.  We are trying to get back in a routine now while we search for jobs and a place to live....while we search for a new start to life here.

Thank you for your prayers and support over the last year!  We will keep you updated on what is going on in life!!!

Home

We made it home on Tuesday night with not too many complications!!  It has been great to see family and friends, but we are still a little tired and adjusting!

Today we are flying up to WA to see Brandon's family and friends!  Hopefully we will be able to catch up with lots of you up there! 

Thank you for your prayers as we get adjusted to life here again and look for jobs.  And thank you for your continued support! You are so appreciated!

Away We Go!

So tomorrow is our last full day in Hungary and we fly out on Tuesday at 1 pm our time.  It is with bittersweet feelings that we say goodbye to our life here and embrace what God has for us next.  Thank you all for walking along this journey with us.  We both feel like we have grown in so many areas of life while we have been here.

I will update the blog when we get back with some end of the year/graduation pictures that I haven't had a chance to get up yet.

Looking forward to seeing you all this summer hopefully!  We appreciate your continuing support through August as we make the transition back to the states and search for jobs!

God Bless!

Brandon and Melissa

Carrying the flags of each nationality represented in the graduating class of 2010 - Hungarian flag

One of the middle school students I mentored this year....yes we all matched....

End of the Year Fun

The way that ICSB says "farewell" to its teachers....a pie in the face!  Kids got the chance to come up and pick a teacher that they wanted to pie.

Covered market in Budapest...it's one of the biggest covered markets in Europe

At the last middle school chapel of the year, a middle school student came up for each of the teachers that are leaving and said some words about them and why they would be missed.  8th grader, Reed, talked about Brandon.

Allie, the girl on the left, talked about me at chapel.  Both of these are girls that I mentored this year.  I will miss them!!!

Then all of the middle schoolers came up and prayed for us.  It was so sweet to listen to what they had to say!

Girls' night in the city....I will miss them!!!!!!!


We are down to two weeks until we leave!!  We are excited about seeing family and friends, but everything is bittersweet...having to leave this beautiful city that has become our home this year.  We will miss all the people and kids so much!

Family Field Day

ICSB has an annual Family Field Day where all the students and staff and families come and play games and hang out. It's a mandatory "school day" so everyone comes.  We had a great time hanging out with everyone!

                The Blue Team working on our cheer

     Brandon getting pulled in the sled pull

Cage Ball - seemed like a dangerous game to me!!

Angela and I were the blue team leaders

Better than a Hallelujah

I think it can be hard for people to present themselves as anything other than perfect sometimes.  We try so hard to look good on the outside, whether it be how we dress, how we act, or how we talk.  Sometimes people feel like they have to be that way with God too.  Always singing songs of joy, songs of praise, songs of hallelujah.  What I'm learning is that our cries of misery, our tears in the nights, our pleas for life or death, are all music to God too.  They may be a different melody, but they are still songs to God.  And they are real.  

As we are nearing the end of this year, I find myself exhausted, physically, emotionally, and mentally.  I have had to walk through some hard things with struggling children.  I don't always feel like singing "hallelujah", but that's okay.  Sometimes the silence when words won't come or the tears over what's happened are better than a hallelujah.  Because for the time being, they are real, they are honest.  God hears them.  And he sees the beautiful mess that we are.  

-Melissa

*Inspired by Amy Grant's song

Lately....

This past Saturday our school hosted their annual rummage sale.  School staff members pay for a table in our school garage and then they sell their stuff and people from all over Diosd (our town) come to buy!  It's like a garage sale on steroids!  Our good friends are moving back to the states next year and needed help selling for the morning, so my friend Angela and I joined in.  It was exhausting, but a fun experience to be a part of...and I got much better at my Hungarian numbers!

Brandon spent the weekend in Krakow, Poland where the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps are.  He had a good time and felt like it was a great experience (even though it's not something fun to see). 

Last Wednesday he also got the chance to perform at school - he played guitar and sang with our friend Austin.  They played 11 songs and did a great job!  We are hoping to have the video up on youtube soon!

School is winding down...well time-wise, but it has been busier than ever this month!!  There are four more weeks of school left and they are going to be very full!  We are looking forward to seeing everyone in one short month!!

Thanks to those of you who have donated money towards our goal!  We appreciate it more than you can know!  We are still a little short, so we continue to appreciate your sacrifices!! 

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Melissa

Weekend Retreat

Brandon and I spent last weekend in a small town about 45 minutes from Hungary called Rackeve (pronounced something like rotskuvay).  The missions group, Pioneers, had their annual central European conference/retreat and they asked Brandon and I to come along as youth workers for the weekend.  We drove down on Friday afternoon after school and were there until Sunday afternoon.  The retreat was at a wellness center with pools and saunas and hot tubs (well, to Hungarians a "hot tub" is water that is lukewarm, never actually hot!).  Our main job was to hang out with the youth (12-18 year olds) and keep them entertained, but we also led a Bible study one of the mornings we were there. 

It was great to get to spend time with the 10 kids and get to know them.  For some of the families, they are living in more remote parts of central Europe with no other Americans or missionaries around, so it was fun for them to be able to connect with other English speakers and just relax.  We were supposed to be the "fun factor"...I still stand by the fact that Brandon is the fun factor and I am the "ohh, don't do that", "oh, be careful", "don't throw so hard.." kind of person. :)  I guess somebody has to do it!

We have felt really blessed to be able to pour into the lives of different youth this year, in all different venues and settings.  This weekend I will be helping the senior girls get ready for their end-of-the-year Junior/Senior Banquet again!  And Brandon will be performing at the downtown coffee house again on Friday night!  Last month he played there, he played two songs.  I think this time they are going to play 8 or 9 songs!  He does a great job and it's so much fun to watch!!

Thinking of you all and hoping you have a blessed week!

- Melissa

The End Goal

Please help us to reach our goal of a set amount of money that we need to raise between now and August!

Our goal is to raise $1,000 in the next 4 months (on top of the monthly support that we graciously receive each month) to help us make it through our time here in Budapest and transitioning back to America while looking for jobs and a place to live.  Any gift would be greatly appreciated at this time!  Thank you for helping us to minister to these children day in and day out.  You are making a world of difference here!

April

It's that time of the year (especially for teachers and school staff) when everyone is tired.  There are 2 more months of school to go, and the last 7 months are weighing heavy on you.  I have felt that the last two weeks.  We had a nice spring break and it was great to have some time just to rest and do nothing, but it went by fast, and now school is back in full swing.  There are lots of days where I find myself exhausted, just wanting to crawl into bed for a few hours, even when I haven't done a lot in that day.  Lately, I find myself feeling guilty that I haven't done more this year.  I think back on the last few months and think, I could have done more.  I could have mentored more girls. I could have started a Bible study.  I could have taught English this semester. And the list goes on and on.

But the other night I had an encouraging talk with a friend.  I was telling her how it's easy to feel like I failed in my one year here and that I could have done more in the time I had.  She told me that when we are really working for God, when we are striving to do His will and what he has called us to do, then He is happy.  Then we have done enough.  Yes, God challenges us to do more and be more sometimes, but He also knows us and He knows when we are giving as much as we can right now.  The truth is, I could always do more.  There is always more work to be done.  But I can't do it all.  No one can.  So I have to be faithful with what I have been given and make the most of it.  God doesn't want me to be miserable; He wants me to give my all to the things that I am doing.  So that is what I must choose to focus on in these last two months.  I will work hard and be faithful to what He has called me to do because that is why I'm here.  Not to do it all.

Future Plans

Hello all!

We hope that you had a wonderful Easter and felt all the blessings of the special day!  We enjoyed a great day with good friends and lots of good food! :)

I figured it was time for a little update on what is going on here and what our plans are for the future.  Back in January we had to make the decision of whether or not we were going to return to ICSB for another year (or more).  When we first got here in August, we were only planning on staying for one school year, so the possibility of staying longer was a new one for us.  We prayed about it a lot and talked to different people, but Brandon and I both came to the conclusion that it was time for us to go home.  We feel like we came and did what God had for us, but that He is asking us to move on now.  It was a hard decision to come to, but we feel a peace about it.  We both still love what we are doing here and have enjoyed ministering to all the kids here.  It couldn't have been a better year for us.  And we still have two more months to do it! It will be hard to say goodbye to everyone in June!

With that said, Brandon and I would like to continue to ask for your support.  As we wrap up our school year here, we would covet your prayers for our ministry in these last two months.  Prayer that we would continue to get the most out of this experience and give our best each and every day.  Prayer for the transition, as we prepare to say goodbye and start over again.

We would also greatly appreciate any financial support that you are able to give.  Thanks to God's provision through all of you, we have been able to live off of support since we have been here.  As our time comes to a close, we are still very short of where we need to be, however.  We would be very thankful if those of you who are supporting us, would continue to support us through August, as we transition back to America and have to find new jobs and a place to live, etc.  Thank you for all that you have done for us!

We cannot wait to see everyone again!  Thank you for being there for us through this whole amazing experience....and it's not over yet!!

- Melissa (and Brandon)

Spring Break to Lake Bled and Venice

 

All of us at the castle on top of Lake Bled






                                                                                                  










                                                                                          Standing in St. Marco's Square in Venice
                                                                                     










Brandon and I on the Rialto Bridge in Venice



                                                                                          

View in Venice












                                                                                                   Boys skiing in the Slovenian Alps



Standing in front of the boat that took us out to the island on Lake Bled
  

Visitors!

On this Thursday my parents will finally be arriving in Budapest!! I am so excited for them to get here and get to experience this city with them as an adult, versus a little kid.  We are going to visit our old apartments that we used to live in, take them into the city and let them go places they used to go, visit a beautiful house out in the country that my dad bought with his missions team years and years ago.  Since they aren't newcomers to Budapest, I am going to just let them tell me where they want to go.  It will be like experiencing the city in a different way again.  It will include memories, stories, new places.  They will only be here for about 6 days, so we are going to have to fit a lot in!  But it will be worth it!!!

 - Melissa

P.S. Take a look at our school's new website!! 
http://www.icsbudapest.org/ - There is a picture of Brandon and I under "Student Services" and then under "Counseling".  It's a GREAT place to work if any of you have any desire to work in an international school!

Rezkigyo Coffee House

Every Friday night in downtown Budapest, in an underground cellar-type room, there is live music, coffee, and fellowship.  The Rezkigyo Coffee House is a ministry that YWAM does here in Budapest. The coffee house is set up as an evangelistic place for Hungarian youth.  It is low key and fun.  People sit at tables playing games, talking, listening to music, and enjoying the atmosphere. 

Brandon and I went for the first time this past Friday night.  Our good friends Angela and Austin were singing so we thought we would check it out!  It was a really cool place and there were about 60 people there that night!

It was a great experience and we hope to be able to go back again!  We work with mainly American youth, so it was cool to be somewhere that is geared towards Hungarian youth and bringing people into a comfortable atmosphere to ask questions and learn more about faith.

ICSB Basketball Tournament

Hello all!

A couple of weekends ago ICSB hosted their annual basketball tournament where schools from all over come and play in a 3-day tournament here.  It is a huge event for ICSB and one that always draws big crowds!  Brandon is going to write more about it later, but here is a link to a youtube video of the boys' team. Enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C27Ye6R7OEE&feature=autofb

And the celebration...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzSVoI3kHxY&feature=related

 - Melissa

Valentine's Weekend

We hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day weekend!  It was a busy one for us!  Friday night was the middle school Valentine's party and I was recently recruited as part of the middle school student council, so I was on the decorating committee.  We turned the cafeteria into a coffee house of sorts and all the money that we raised was donated to one of the school families whose father is battling cancer.  There was karaoke, contests, games, and lots of food!  Watching middle schoolers do karaoke is quite entertaining!  Brandon joined the party at the end, after returning from another victorious basketball game!              

Saturday was the high school Valentine's banquet.  Brandon and I were planning on going as chaperones but we ended up not being able to go, so I spent all day Saturday helping some of the senior girls get dolled up for the banquet.  We also attended the freshman/sophomore after party and helped coordinate games and such.

We ended our weekend with a nice Valentine's dinner with friends at a restaurant on the Danube River downtown.  It was beautiful and a perfect ending to a wonderful weekend.

This week is "Spirit Week" at our school as ICSB hosts a huge basketball tournament this weekend with teams from all over Europe.  It's a 3 day tournament and is one of the biggest events for ICSB every year.

We ask for continued prayer for our support, as we are still struggling to reach where we need to be.  Thank you for all of your generous donations to what we are doing over here.  We really appreciate it!
Hope you all have a wonderful week!!

-Melissa
(Picture on top is of me and my 5th grade math class)

Hey everybody!

So picture this...A crazy 6'5'' ref jersey wearing redneck, with billy bob teeth, and a real trailer trash accent.  Comes bounding into a room full of elementary kids with way to much energy, and a terrible case of ADD.  Yes you guessed it.  All of last week I had multiple personalities, myself, and that of Crazy Coach Carl.  Carl is was a recurring character during our spiritual emphasis week which is a really powerful week full of special chapels and spiritual enrichment nights of worship and prayer.  It was a really awesome experience where we were able to connect with God as well as the kids at a level deeper than most ordinary weeks.  Our great friend Andy Slaughter was the elementary speaker and did an incredible job last week.  Through his efforts and those of the rest of the staff at least two children accepted Christ for the first time and many others took home the good word and had a lot of questions about faith which led to awesome discussions!  It was an incredible week and I wish you could have all been here to participate!  Below is a link to a quick video of Crazy Coach Carl and there are more that will be uploaded soon.  


Link to a video of me as "Crazy Coach Carl"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5q5EGPVE3Q

Talk to you all again soon!

Brandon

Recent Happenings

Hello all!

It has been a while since we have sent you and update on what is actually happening here in Diosd, Hungary.  Here are some highlights:

I (Melissa) have been teaching 5th grade math this semester.  I have really enjoyed it, though I have to admit that the kids have stumped me on a few problems...Sometimes I have to ask them how they arrived at the answer they did (I mean the teacher's book has the answers, but not always how to get it!).  Right now we are learning fractions!

Brandon has been busy helping to coach the basketball team. So far they have won all of their 6 games.  Next weekend they have a tournament in Vienna, so they will be making their way there.

Brandon has also inherited a new PE class.  This semester, ICSB started their first Pre-1st grade class.  They meet 5 days a week for half of a day.  And at the insistence of a couple of the kids, they were granted one PE class with Mr. Wilcox a week!  They are so little, but they have such a great time in there with him!

The high school has a Valentine's banquet coming up that Brandon and I are going to chaperone and we are excited about that!  Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and your prayers as we maneuver through this semester. 

Hope you are all doing wonderfully!!

Melissa 

Something I am Learning...

I am reading through a new book right now, and there are several things in it that have really challenged me.  One of my favorite verses has always been Psalm 16:5: "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure."  I love the way that this author, Linda Dillow, explains this:

"God fills our cup with our portion, what he determines best.  Our portion is our physical and emotional being, our abilities, circumstances, roles, and relationships.  Sometimes we don't like what's been poured into our cup.  [But] we either choose to grasp it by the handle and lift it to Him, saying, 'I accept my portion; I accept this cup,' or we choose to smash our cup to pieces, saying, 'God, I refuse my portion.  This cup is not the right size for me and I don't like what You've put in it.  I'll control my life myself.'"

How many times do we, consciously or unconsciously, let God know that we will be taking over from here?  We don't think he has done a good enough job or he hasn't given us what we wanted, so we assume that we can do better.  And yet, most of us know that God really does know better than us.  He can see everything, and he knows what is best.  We just have to let go and say, "I accept this cup.  You have made my lot secure!"

And then we learn to live by focusing on the stars instead of the mud...

-Melissa

New Videos

There are some videos from December on our youtube account!

Here are the titles of the latest ones:

First Snow
Real Snow
Elementary Caroling
Elementary Caroling 2

(link to our youtube account is on left hand panel)

For Him

Well school is back in session after a great break, and along with school comes morning devotionals.  Three days a week the staff gathers together in the morning before school to spend some time together praying and growing in our relationships with each other and God.  On Tuesdays, the men and the women split up to do a more personal and direct bible study.  I know this isn't the usual blog etiquette, but as we grow closer with our friends here, we would also love to grow closer in Christ with each and everyone of you as well.  Everyone needs prayer no matter where you are and what you're doing, so my challenge to you all is to comment on this blog or email either Melissa or I with your specific prayer requests.  We would love to be praying for all of you in specific ways, and would love the same in return.  Let me get us started with a couple specific things you could be praying for us for.
  1. We are praying and weighing the option of coming back as missionaries for another year and would love prayer that we make the right decision and go do what God wants us to do.  and
  2. That we influence and leave a mark on these kids that will change their lives whether we are here next year or not.

Thank you all for the prayers and support.  We look forward to hearing from you!  Now GO BE CHAMPIONS FOR GOD!! 

-Brandon

New Beginnings

Happy New Year!!  Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and made the most of friendship and food!!! :)  School started again for us today and we are getting back into the swing of things! 

It's nice to be back in a routine, and I feel like things have started with a bang.  A lot seems to be going on.  One of the alumni students (graduated ICSB 3 years ago) was killed in a car accident about a week ago.  This has been a traumatic time for many of the students and staff who knew him and his family well.  His sister was on my volleyball team, and one of the girls that I have gotten to know.  She will be returning to school next week and we are all praying for her.  In light of this, I am going to be speaking to the senior class (her class) about helping her deal with her grief in a helpful way.  I am a little nervous for this, as it's a hard thing to talk about, so we would appreciate your prayers for that and for the family!

I will also be back in the elementary classrooms this month for my monthly talk....AND I will be teaching 5th grade math all semester!  I am NOT a math person, so I have had to review a lot, but so far, so good. I think we will have fun learning together! :)

Brandon is back at work coaching the varsity basketball team and they will begin having games this month.  He is excited to be working with them and traveling around where their games take them!  And of course, the elementary kids could not be happier that he is back.

Last month was a hard month for me, being homesick and not being home for Christmas, but I know that we are here for a reason and that it will get better. 

We have a few prayer requests that we would like to put out there for you:
1. Our health...we have both been sick a few times and we are praying for health!
2. The family who lost their son/brother
3. Our jobs here at school...and the children/adolescents that we interact with each day

Thank you for all of your support!  We appreciate it more than you know!

Melissa (and Brandon)

P.S. We just posted some new videos from December on our Youtube account!