This will unfortunately be our last update from Budapest for a while, but most certainly not our last one ever. Read on to find out more.

European Leadership Forum

During the first week of March, the Central European office helped organize a forum for YWAM Europe leaders. We were pleased that more than 100 leaders participated in this event, which was held on a “Boatel” (Boat Hotel) on the Danube River. The leaders came to network, discuss and inspire around the themes of pioneering and partnership.

We heard many stories from some current pioneering works in countries such as Ireland, Czech Republic and Norway. Leaders were exhorted through the story of Caleb and Joshua from the Old Testament. Are they prepared to take on the “giants” around them in order to step into God’s promises and experience multiplication in ministries?

This forum gave leaders the opportunity to get in contact again (or for the first time) with other YWAM leaders from all over Europe, to share vision and pray with each other… working together on a strategic plan for the future of YWAM Europe.

New encounters and challenges!

During this forum, Jolanda got the opportunity to meet together with other colleagues who, like her, are working in Member Care. This meeting was very informative (as well as a blessing), to be able to hear from each other and brainstorm together about how better to fulfill their role of taking care of our own YWAM staff here in Europe. In this meeting, there were ten colleagues from Finland, Albania, Romania, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, England and Hungary.

All ten of them work each on their own base, caring for their base staff, but as a joint team they would like to focus on Member Care for all of Europe. There are plenty of small, pioneering YWAM teams in Europe who do not get pastoral help and care but who may be in need of it. As a joint team they want to bless YWAM staff in Europe with their expertise and experience.

Central European Member Care

Jolanda and Carmelita at the office

At the beginning of our stay here in Budapest, Jolanda had several conversations with Carmelita, leader of the Central European Region, about the need for Member Care for staff in the 15 countries within this region. Carmelita is looking for someone with the knowledge and experience in this area to oversee Member Care and Jolanda has started taking on the task of Member Care (pastoral care) for this region.

YWAM Central Europe

For example, she is involved at this moment with a YWAM team in Kosovo who are just forming and working through the ins-and-outs of forming a team. Together with Carmelita, she is in contact with this team via email and Skype. YWAM Kosovo doesn’t have a base or even a national structure yet, so they still fall directly under the Central European office in Budapest.

She and Carmelita also process new staff applications that are coming in from people who want to join YWAM in this region. This is a lot of responsibility, but it’s rewarding to be involved with the work of YWAM and with the workers on the ground in countries such as Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Czech Republic and so on! Most of all, though, it is good to help build God’s Kingdom in Central Europe!

Back to Heidebeek

Unfortunately our “trial period” here in Budapest has come to an end. We have to return to Holland since Lisa and Sarah are required to be back in school there on May 9th. We have mixed feelings about returning to Heidebeek, especially now that we have gotten used to the pace of work and life here.

This trial period has been very good and we feel that God is calling us to return to Budapest to work here with YWAM Central Europe. Before we can realize this, though, many practical things have to be arranged. This makes it difficult to pinpoint an exact time when we will be returning since we want to arrange everything as well as we humanly can.

For now, though, we will return to Heidebeek and pick up our work and lives there. Jolanda will move back into her pastoral role of staff (and student) care and development and is looking forward to once again being part of the training and mentoring of staff and students there. She will also still be available via Skype for the missionaries/teams on the field here in Central Europe. Rodney will continue his work for EuroCom and Central Europe like he did before.

Lisa and Sarah are also experiencing this adventure with missed feelings. Their time has come to say goodbye to kindergarten, dance classes, Sunday School and home schooling. Lisa misses the children at Heidebeek and school in The Netherlands and is looking forward to seeing them again. Sarah misses Opa and her little stroller and baby doll the most. And yet, we’re sure there are things they will miss here: newly-made friends, the shopping malls, the large house, etc. We are blessed with two girls who have adapted well to this new culture, language and environment …. They have done superbly here in Hungary.

We were also blessed to have two teachers with us during our time here. We have already written about the first teacher, Janneke, and now a little about “Miss Jedidja”. She was with us for six weeks and did a fantastic job in providing daily education to our girls. Last week, Jolanda started teaching them, but they keep telling her that “Miss Janneke” and “Miss Jedidja” did it “much better”.

Sunday evening, May 1st we will arrive back at Heidebeek!

Furlough in Arizona

This coming summer we will be going on furlough for four weeks in Arizona. As soon as Sarah and Lisa’s summer vacation begins in July, we fly off to Phoenix. This is something that the four of us, and especially Grandpa and Grandma are really looking forward to.

We want to take this time to re-connect with our “partners” (supporters), family and friends. This summer will mark 2-1/2 years since we were there in Arizona. One of the main reasons, though for going this summer is because Rodney’s parents will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in July and that’s an event that just can’t be missed. We fly out on July 2nd and return on August 2nd so the girls will be well over jet-lag before they have to start back to school on August 15th.

We are thankful to God that we were able to book the tickets and if you would be interested in giving specifically for that, we would be grateful.

Thank you once again for partnering with us and reading our update. As always, if you enjoyed it, hit the “reply” button and let us know.

Isten aldja! God bless!

This post is also available in: Dutch