First official tourist outing

The Lord blessed me with a precious friendship with the Jantz family four years ago in Montgomery, AL. We began attending the same church within a few weeks of each other, connected at a Labor Day church potluck, realized we had mutual friends, and have kept up ever since. They moved to Europe (I thought it was going to be to Brussels...so did they, actually) a few years ago.
Last summer, I was able to have coffee with the director of ICSB and his wife while they were visiting friends in Montgomery. We sat in Cafe Louisa's in Old Cloverdale and talked for over an hour. As we finished, David said, "You know, about this time last year, we sat in this same coffee shop at this same table talking with the Jantz's." My mouth dropped open. "How do you know the Jantz's?!" I exclaimed. He asked me the same thing! Instead of Brussels, their job had shifted and they were sent to Budapest. I was so excited to know that I would not only know the director and his wife once I arrived, but also this wonderful family!
Becky had been messaging me and encouraging me over the last few weeks in the US, and had mentioned wanting to take me to dinner once I arrived. We coordinated and settled on Saturday night, Aug. 12.
I didn't realize how exhausting that day would be when we planned it (physically and emotionally), but what a blessing it was to spend the evening touring Budapest and catching up with Becky and her daughter, Deborah.
Let me just tell you about the magic of this city! The history, architecture, stories, and views are stunning and completely fascinating! I don't remember all the facts and names, but I will share some of the pictures I took from that evening.

 

21 Hungarian Kitchen in the Castle District is where we ate dinner

 Started the meal off with malna lemonade (mahl-na lee-moh-nah-deh) - which was tart and refreshing. Then I had the chicken paprikash, which is one of the most traditional and famous meals here! It was also delicious! We finished off the meal with a cappuccino and excellent conversation!

I've been enchanted with this building since I saw pictures of it while researching Budapest. This is the Parliament building on the banks of the Danube River! It is absolutely as breathtaking in real life!

There are too many things to say to describe it all, but I'll just leave these pictures here.

The gorgeous Parliament building on the banks of the Danube!!!!!

The beginning of a journey

This is where the journey begin - August 9 - Atlanta Airport

I left from the International Terminal. We were anticipating being able to have dinner and visit for a while, but the airport apparently doesn't want anyone lingering around. So they made no areas for visiting and no restaurants for eating until after security. Bummer.

Saying good-bye to the ones I love the most was hard. I made it short and sweet so that I wouldn't cry and then walked into security - God's strength and your prayers helped. One last look and a wave good-bye and then there was no going back!

I flew over New York at night with a full moon above and it was lovely. This is the best picture I was able to get.

Slept fitfully - seriously, I thought I would sleep better, but I don't think the seats could possibly have been more uncomfortable! Thankfully, I did get some sleep.

 Left: sunset over America                                                      Right: sunrise over the Atlantic

Arrived in Amsterdam about 10:30 their time. It was green and very flat (picture below, left). And yes, I did see some windmills, but I wasn't able to get a good picture of any of them. The picture below on the right is from inside the airport. My horticulture heart jumped for joy when I saw this shop full of bulbs and flowers! So cool!

Staggered through the Amsterdam airport, surrounded by Dutch, German, and a bunch of other languages I didn't recognize. I was hungry and super sleepy, and a little lost. Once I made it to the gate, I met up with Laura Lee, my roommate, who was returning from a visit to the States to see family. We both tried very hard to stay awake while we sat at the gate. I managed to sleep on the plane ride to Budapest, which was a blessing!

 Both of the above pictures show the Danube River (ahhhhhhhhhhhhh so exciting) running through the middle of Budapest. In the left picture, you can see a bit of the Parliament building outlined against the river. The right pictures shows (I later learned) the Margaret Island (Margitsziget). It is kind of like Budapest's "Central Park".

I was so thankful for Laura Lee. She helped me navigate through the very scary-because-I-don't-speak-your-language airport, get my bags (they all made it), and get out to the....heat????? Y'all.

It. Was. So. Hot.

Apparently, Budapest has about 16 really hot days of summer. This was a good one. 96 degrees. But, thankfully there was a little breeze and not as much humidity as Alabama!! We got loaded into the car and headed to our apartment.

Upon arrival, we unloaded and carried in luggage, opened up windows to try and cool things off, and then Laura Lee showed me around my new home. We ate some dinner that one of the families had brought for us, and then hit the hay. 

I slept well and woke up with the sun. This is the view from my window.

 

And then from the other to girls' rooms, there is a balcony with a view of the school (below). ICSB is the highest roof line you can see. The left section is the elementary school, the lower middle section is the gym, and the far right section is the high school.

We have had several adventures so far. First trip to the grocery store at mid-day on Friday. I felt a little more comfortable once I had some food in my sections of the pantry and fridge. That evening our short-term roommate (who had my room in the apartment last year) arrived back from the US. We had dinner and then walked down the block for milkshakes. Yummy!

The temperature plummeted overnight and it was absolutely delicious!!! Woke up Saturday morning to an incredibly windy and cool day!

It was an unbelievably windy - my hair was out of control and our shopping carts tried to sail off at one point! However, the coolness of the day was a nice respite from the heat the day before.
Saturday proved to be an even busier, taxing day. We made a trip to IKEA (over-stimulation at it's finest) and then Tesco (which is the Hungarian version of Wal-mart) to buy household things for me and two other new teachers. We ate at the food court in Tesco, where I ordered my food by pointing and nodding, and paid for it in Hungarian forint...all by myself. It was a seemingly tiny, yet huge victory! And yes, it was a slice of pizza with corn and pineapple on it!
We made one more stop at the grocery store, searching for a few specific things that we hadn't found yet, before returning - exhausted - home.

 Later that evening (like, really late...we are all night owls), my fantastic roommates offered to help assemble my furniture pieces. I gladly accepted, and then followed an hour of piecing together things based on pictures. "Together we are smarter than the average bear."

Once I can organize more of my things and create some order in the chaos that is my room, I will post pictures of it!

Our happy little front door!

our gate

our building

 

Hungarian fact: these (above) are called "Commi Condos" (short for communist condos) because they were built during the communist occupation of Hungary during the cold war. The used to all be a dark, sad gray color, but in recent years the country has been repainting them.

 This is the school!

My banner will be clear

My Banner Is Clear

Years ago, I heard this read in a sermon. My heart leapt within in me at the wording, the truth, the faith, the confidence, and I have been captivated by it ever since. Oh, how I wish I knew the story behind it...

The inspiring commitment of a young African
pastor from Zimbabwe

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power, my die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of Jesus. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor by power.
My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, preached up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me - my banner will be clear.

May this be my battle cry. 

Yesterday, our youth group had a "back to school" fellowship and then a worship service at our cabin (in the woods), commissioning them into their mission field of the school world. That morning, the pastor preached from Acts 7 about the life of Stephen. I couldn't help but ponder the incredible faith and courage of Stephen. He lived a life so honoring to God that others commented and scripture records that he was known as a man "full of faith". He was so passionate about the gospel and so full of faith that when he was placed in front of the council, everyone "saw his face as it had been the face of an angel." The pastor challenged us to live a life where we constantly share the gospel with others. He said something most striking: if every believer could get a 5 second glimpse into hell to see what torment, anguish, and pain exists there for all eternity, we would not be able to keep silent. If you knew, for a fact, what was waiting for someone after death (and you knew just how terrible it was), could you pass them by without saying something? 
And......yet we do. Daily. (And I'm preaching to myself here, too).

As I begin this new chapter of my life in Hungary, I know I will have the chance to impact people that other believers might not. Your oikos ("home" or "circle of influence") is different then mine. 
Make the most of it. Don't let up. Make sure that your banner will be clear.

  

All the way my Savior leads me;
  What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
  Who through life has been my Guide?
Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,
  Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me,
  Jesus doeth all things well,
For I know, whate’er befall me,
  Jesus doeth all things well.

All the way my Savior leads me,
  Cheers each winding path I tread,
Gives me grace for every trial,
  Feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
  And my soul athirst may be,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
  Lo! a spring of joy I see,
Gushing from the Rock before me,
  Lo! a spring of joy I see.

All the way my Savior leads me;
  Oh, the fullness of His grace!
Perfect rest to me is promised
  In my Father’s blest embrace.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
  Wings its flight to realms of day,
This my song through endless ages:
  Jesus led me all the way,
This my song through endless ages:
  Jesus led me all the way. 

Written by Fanny J. Crosby (see link for story) - blinded at the age of 6 weeks because of a human mistake - lived a life lead by the Father and full of faith 

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore."

Psalm 121

"I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." 
Psalm 18:1-2

Salzburg Fortress - when I (eventually) travel to Salzburg, Austria, I will definitely be visiting this!

Buda Castle in the Caste District of Budapest is also (very much so) on my list! Note: I will never have a picture this good!