Update from Budapest

Our time in Budapest is going quickly.  Both Merrill and I thought that being here for 2 months sounded like a good amount of time for getting reacquainted with the city and finding out just how well we can manage living here.  We feel like we have been blessed with beautiful fall weather, friends who were new to the city and work that we feel called to do.  This photo demonstrates just one of the beautiful views that we enjoy daily!  This was taken one evening after a boat cruise that we were treated to on the Danube by our friends, Don and Raquel Major.  One morning last week, I went early to the library and saw this view in early morning sunlight.  I had to pinch myself to realize that I was not dreaming! 

Castle Hill

The work that I have been doing in the library has been dual fold.  We are getting ready to have a book sale on the Friday and Saturday after Christmas.  The library shelves are very full and to make room for some books that may be more highly desired, we are removing duplicate books and books that may not work as well in a library setting, ie, things such as one year daily devotionals.  I love spending time looking over the bookshelves and reading the titles.  Some books are fond memories of past reading and others spark an interest that could be future reading.  It is amazing how large the library has grown in the past 2 and one half years.  The room in the flat that was our bedroom/office is now filled with children's books and a great loft area for the kids to go up to for reading.  All the books that were in the kitchen are now incorporated into the regular library shelves and there is very little shelf space available.  It makes it more challenging to re shelve books because books must be moved to make room for the books coming back.

The other project I have been working on is eliminating paper.  Since the library began in 2004, there have been a lot of records printed off and put in folders in the file cabinet.  Many of those papers are no longer needed and so I have been looking at them and determining what to keep and what to throw away.  Storage space is at a premium, so a little housecleaning is in order.

Parliament

Merrill has been out on his own to see how well he can get around in Budapest.  He is pleased that he can ride public transportation here and get around in the areas that he is familiar with from our previous stay.  He also has been making arrangements for warehousing of books here that have already been collected in the U.S.  These books will then be distributed to individuals who are interested in having Christian books in the outlying areas of Hungary and other Eastern European countries.  We have a few contacts, but are praying for God's leading in this endeavor.

One other exciting note is a Hungarian friend who feels our contacting her was an answer to prayer.  I know I felt like finding her was an answer to one of my prayers!  As we work here, networking with other individuals is one of our key roles.  We don't know their needs and they don't know how we might be able to help them, but with God's leading, those two ideas can come together.