We are currently a few days past the halfway mark of our two month stay here in Tapolca! We’ve been so busy that time has seemed to just fly by. God has been doing so many awesome things here that it’s difficult to explain them all. So to make it easier for you, I’ve created a list of the top five Tapolca happenings:

1. SUPER ENCOURAGING BIBLE STUDY. This past Thursday, the Lord brought four students to our third bible study. We spent some quality time discussing the topic of SIN (from The Orchard’s four part gospel series of LORD, SIN, SAVIOR, FAITH) while we munched on pizza at a local restaurant in town. The students all listened intently and asked genuine questions throughout the discussion. We has an especially good conversation for about an hour at the end of the study between just the Hungarian girls and us American girls. It was super encouraging to see them digest everything we were saying and apply it to their own lives. At the end of that day I could, without a doubt, see God working through us and in the lives of those kids. It was an extremely impactful evening for both the students and us.
2. FIRST WEEK OF KIDS CAMP COMPLETE. Friday marked the end of the first week of Kids’ English Camp held in Hegyesd! The Canadian team running the camp has been doing an amazing job organizing exciting games, crafts, and other activities that keep the kids intrigued and wanting to come back each day. We have been going everyday to help out wherever we are needed, lead a few crafts, and to bond with the little campers.
3. ENCOURAGING MEETINGS WITH STUDENTS. Throughout the past week we have continued to meet with our student friends. We had an extremely fruitful discussion with one friend about why we came to Tapolca and what they think about the gospel. They were even intent on meeting again this week to continue our conversation later. We are praying that the Lord continues to work in their heart!
4. SUNDAY SCHOOL. We ran Sunday School again this week with a (record setting) total of 9 kids! After multiple rounds of playing a Go-Fish card game, we went through the story of the “The Parable of the Sower” from Matthew 13 with everyone. We discussed the four different types of soils, and how those symbolize the different ways people receive God’s word.
5. FOCUS ON SERVANTHOOD. We recently listened to Pastor Tom Olson’s message from last week titled “Serving as Jesus Served” and have decided to make the passage of Mark 10:42-45 (written below) a focus for us over the last few weeks of our trip. We are working on remembering how Jesus served us, finding humility in serving others, practicing gratefulness and forgiveness, and putting those we are serving (like the Hungarian students, Shaun and Sondi, the Canadian team, etc.) above ourselves. By meditating on this passage, it’s been easier for us to keep our focus on serving the Lord in everything we do.

And there you have it folks, the Tapolca Top 5! This week we will continue everything we did last week: meetings with students, bible study on Wednesday, and kids camp until Friday. Please continue to pray for our Hungarian friends; that they would continue to be interested in hearing about the word, and that eventually accept Jesus as their Savior (whether it be while we’re still here or in the future). 🙂

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45