Martha

Martha’s News Letter: May 19, 2006

Dear Family, Friends and Partners:

We have just returned from a ministry trip to Hungary. We had free air mile tickets and an offering designated for this particular trip so we would not use up our Africa funds. The Lord is so good!

We arrived in Hungary Monday April 17^th and by Wednesday April 19^th we were praying the salvation prayer with Barnabas – Desi’s brother that has had a stroke and is living in a nursing home. He was the brother that found Desi in Austria in 1957 and they both came to Canada together.

In Abbotsford, Desi was put in a Hungarian foster home. He heard the gospel at a children’s mission across from his school and accepted the Lord as his Savior within 2 years. Barnabas was the brother that became angry with him for being a Christian when Desi was in his teens. To make a long story short Barnabas moved back to Hungary in 1996 and 5 years later had a crippling stroke. We praise the Lord for answering prayer. Also, the same day we were able to pray the salvation prayer with 2 other people. One lady actually called us from her room to come and pray with her, praise the Lord!

We also thank the Lord that as we have been specifically praying at home here for certain things, He was showing us that He hears us and our prayers are valuable. One thing we prayed for is that the Lord would place Christian people in the path of the family members we were praying for. He has done just that. The head nurse in the nursing home is a Christian. Also a widow who used to reside in the USA and came back to live in Hungary in 1992, loves to visit the old people in the home. She is born again and also goes and visits Barney (Desi’s brother). We gave her Christian material to read to Barney. Another thing we pray for here at home is that the family would watch the Christian program on TV coming out of Budapest. Apparently Barney is doing just that and so are other family members.

As we traveled to eastern Hungary the second week to visit other family members, we had open doors to give out Hungarian tracts and pray for people. We prayed with Joseph and Monika, another one of Desi’s older brothers. Monica was so glad to receive the tracts that tears just welled up in her eyes and she just hugged and kissed us. When we left she said to us perhaps when we meet again, it would be on the other side. You have to understand, these were Desi’s drinking, carousing brother. They are now in there 70s.

We were also able to pray with other relatives and cousins and they also gladly received the gospel tracts we were able to leave with them. We want to thank Operation Mobilization in Erd, Hungary and Jill Hitchcock and the staff there for supplying us with the gospel tracts, and for the good time of fellowship we had with them even though it was short – only one day! Keep up the good work!

I also want to thank Gyula and Ibolya Darabos and family (Rozsa and Balazs), for their wonderful hospitality and for the wonderful tour Gyula was able to take us on in Budapest, when we stayed with them. We met Gyula and Ibolya in Toronto when we lived there, and they have truly been a blessing to me personally and also to my wife. To all these people we owe them a BIG THANK YOU! May God continue to bless you all - both the Darabos family and the OM base and staff in Erd, for all your love and kindness! Nagyon - Koszonom Szepen!

Desi’s oldest brother Louis was a communist as early as the 1950s, while the other brothers helped people escape the country in 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution. This brother has severe asthma and has to stay at home because he can’t be far away from his oxygen tank. He didn’t want us to talk about the Lord but he loved it when we visited him. We know the Lord is at work in his life because he is taking an interest in prophetic things. As the Lord has answered prayers, concerning the other family members, He is also working on this one. We are greatly encouraged because God is showing us He is hearing and answering prayer.

Marika (Desi’s sister who prayed the salvation prayer and was healed when Desi prayed with her over the phone in 2004) does watch the Christian program when she can. There is no fellowship that we know to even connect family members to – that is what we are praying for now: Growth in the Christian life and fellowship with other believers. Outside of Budapest it is very hard to find an evangelical fellowship. I know there is some, but not sure where? God knows and it will be a matter of prayer on our part.

We were able to show family members and other friends our video coverage of ministry in Mozambique. It seemed to touch their lives to see people in abject poverty, happy and dancing before the Lord. As I (Martha) had not been to Hungary for 11 years, I was amazed at the sudden changes. Apparently the last few years they have been working hard to catch up with the E.U. countries, as they are part of it now. Certain standards have to be in place and in 4 years they will have the Euro as their currency. In the meantime, many now have 2 car families, cell phones, microwaves and all the gadgets we have here. When it comes to Real Estate, they are reaching unrealistic prices. We are praying for the relatives as they are now enjoying all the material things of this life, that in the end it does not bring joy and they will realize this.

There are so many things to share but I would have to write a book. Thank you for your support and prayers. We are tentatively planning a trip to Mozambique and Malawi, but are waiting on the Lord for more funds. We want to thank everyone who have been standing with us and are supporting us with prayers and finances.

God bless you all! Love in Jesus – Desi and Martha.