Signs of Life from Hungary Volume XI No. 89
Monthly prayer update on the ministry of the
Protestant Institute for Mission Studies
by Anne-Marie Kool
Budapest, 7 May 2004.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Eph. 3, 20-21
Dear Friends,
In the seventeen years that I have been in Hungary, it has never before been the case that you did not receive a Signs of Life from me for five months. A lot has happened. It has been a time of personal difficulties and struggles, and also of problems with my health. Meanwhile there were the challenges of teaching - never before did I teach five new courses in one term - and the financial concerns for the Missions Institute, which are still pressing, although we were able to close the year with less of a shortfall than had originally been anticipated. Looking back, it was like a journey through the desert: I longed for water, was tired and sometimes even felt despondent.
An oasis time
And then, unexpectedly there was an oasis. At the invitation of the Reformed Church in America, at the end of March and the beginning of April, in a three weeks period, I visited more than ten Churches in seven different States, and I stayed in twelve different places. Everywhere I received a warm welcome and met with great interest for the work of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies. What struck me is that mission is really considered a matter for the whole Church. At the Sunday worship service, I was usually asked to talk for ten to fifteen minutes about the work of the Missions Institute. People listened attentively, and in particular there was much prayer. Mission is not something for a missionary evening with a small group of missionary supporters, but rather it is for young and old, for the whole Church. I also noticed much concern for those on the fringes of the Church and the un-churched. Much is being done to take down barriers and remove the doorsteps. In most places, more than 10% of the budget is being dedicated to missionary projects.
During the trip, I also spoke at a conference for Christian businesswomen, with fellow leaders of theological institutes in Colombia, the Philippines, South Africa and China. It is impossible to express in words what it meant at the end of the conference to receive a Bible with the signatures of more than thirty people, who said they were willing to pray for me regularly. I will try to keep you update on our prayer concerns!
After three busy weeks, I came home spiritually refreshed, ready to continue the journey through the desert.
Praise God for the willingness of many people and a number of Churches to regularly pray and support the ministry of the Missions Institute?
An historical time
In the past years, I experienced many historical moments in connection with 'the changes' of 1989. The joining of the EU last week was another such moment. But for many, it was accompanied by mixed feelings:
'So many new regulations are being imposed on us "from above" in Brussels that we are loosing the unity of our Hungarian culture.” Old "mechanisms" are coming into action again, from the time when "from above" was in Moscow…
A new time
In the meantime, the PMTI programs continue. In March, we started the 'World Christian', a six-month distance learning course for Church members interested in missions and evangelism, with one teaching day a month in Budapest, under the excellent leadership of my colleague Siba-Rohn Hilda. The sixteen participants are from different Church backgrounds and represent a wide range of professions. The aim is to teach them to live their Christian life with a worldwide perspective, and to take their responsibility as Christians in the world seriously. Zoltán comes from the Hungarian speaking part of Serbia. He came to faith a year ago after a godless life in which he was a law unto himself. Now he has the desire to share his newfound faith with others, and especially to start a youth ministry in the area in which he lives. He travels all night to be able to attend the course on Saturdays, as does Ferenc, who comes from the Hungarian speaking part of Romania. Besides some elders from a Church in Budapest, there is also a surgeon, who used to be an alcoholic and who was converted four years ago. He too has a desire to be an instrument in the service of God. Without exception, they faithfully do their assignments, write papers and prepare for the practical placements this summer.
Please pray for these students, that they may be an instrument of renewal in their Churches, and especially for the scholarship fund, so that they can complete their studies. Their own contribution to the course only covers twenty percent of the actual costs. For every student, about 225 USD is still required.
Travelling Romany study seminar
Next week, students of the Masters program course are taking part in a study trip of a week throughout Hungary to visit all sorts of projects related to missions to the Romany (gypsies). In recent years, we have become increasingly aware of what an important missionary challenge the Romany form. In the whole of Eastern Europe, there are about six million of them, of whom about 600,000 to a million are in Hungary. It increasingly strikes me that the work of the Churches is very fragemented. The workers are often very lonely, have received hardly any training, and actually have nowhere they can go to share their struggles, not to mention the lack of reflection on the how and what of work among the Romany.
Please pray for growing cooperation, including internationally, and for a more compassionate, forgiving and reconciliatory attitude in the Churches. Pray that we may find the funds to pay for this trip. We trust that the Lord can supply the 2500 USD needed.
At last
After a period of waiting for half a year for approval regarding fire regulations, three weeks ago for the first time my Hungarian home church, the Gazdagret Church was allowed to hold the regular Sunday service in the new church building. A month earlier, the situation still seemed hopeless, but suddenly there was a change. Prayers were answered. In one of the first services, we were encouraged to look to Him 'who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us'. The official opening will take place on 19th September next.
Yours in Christ, our Lord and Saviour,
Anne- Marie Kool
This is the monthly prayer update of Anne-Marie Kool for friends of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies. She has been seconded by the Reformed Missionary League (RML) in the United Protestant Church in the Netherlands in 1993 to the Reformed Church in Hungary. Since 1995 she has served as the director of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies in Budapest. In 1998 she was appointed as Professor in Missiology at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Papa.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
If you would like to support the ministry of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies (ProTIMS), you may send your tax-deductible gifts to:
1. Overseas Council International - P.O. Box 17368, Indianapolis, IN 46217-0368 (Yes, this is a new address!).
or to:
2. I.D.E.A Ministries, 4595 Broadmoor—Suite 237, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, USA.
In both cases please indicate that this donation is for ProTIMS, otherwise we will not receive your contribution. Please also add the designation of your donation.
3. You could also send your donation directly to our Hungarian Bank:
You can also send a donation directly to Hungary:
Account No: USD account number: HU36105600000772300102010108
EUR account number: HU28105600000772300122010100
Name of account: Protestáns Missziói Tanulmányi Intézet Alapítvány
Name of bank: General Banking and Trust Co.Ltd, H-1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 42-44.
Swift code: AEBBHUHB
Bank swift code: AEBBHUHB
We greatly appreciate your kind generosity in helping us equip future church leaders for Central and Eastern Europe! The doors are still open!
The Protestant Institute for Mission Studies, Kalvin ter 7.II, P.O. Box 150, 1461 Budapest, Hungary. Tel/fax + 36 1 216 20 54. E-mail: kool@pmti.edu.hu or amkool@axelero.hu.
PLEASE NOTE THAT MY COMPUSERVE ADDRESS HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED!!
If you want to unsubscribe from this list, or would like one of your friends to receive the Signs of Life from Hungary, send an e-mail to dick@vdweerd.org with the text: (un)subscribe PMTI -news.
Friday, May 7, 2004
Friday, December 5, 2003
Signs of Life from Hungary -- 87 and 88
Signs of Life from Hungary Volume XI No. 87+88
Monthly prayer update on the ministry of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies
by Anne-Marie Kool
Budapest, 5th December 2003.
“My soul praises the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant”. Lk. 1: 46-48a
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field”. Mt. 9, 37-38.
Dear Friends,
Lately both verses have been very much on my mind. In the Magnificat Maria sings out her praises to God for the great things He does. The Saviour will be born! Maria feels herself very small in comparison to the great God, but in His compassion He has turned to her. Her son will be God’s Son, the Son of God Almighty! That’s the Good News! The Light of the world has come for ordinary people like you and me.
In rough times it is good to sing praises to God with Maria, to sing yourself out of the darkness into God’s light. In moments of feeling overwhelmed by the harvest it is good to be reminded that we are not called to “fix” it ourselves, the Lord of the harvest is with us! We are not alone!
Regularly people visit the Mission Institute who would like to be involved in communicating the Good News with others. They ask us for help to be better equipped for that task.
What about just sharing an “ordinary” week with you - if there ever is such thing – to give you better insight in what’s on!
Monday
Usually I teach in Papa on this day, but today I return from a brief visit to The Netherlands, where I attended the retirement celebration of my supervisor of Utrecht University Dr. Jan A.B. Jongeneel. It was very good to meet many colleagues and friends I had not met for ages. One of them made quite a shocking remark: “You have turned rather grey…’”, but then he complimented: “it fits you well!”. His next question was: my daughter, a third year theology student would like to come to study with you for a year, would that be possible?” I realized that years had gone by…
Tuesday
Back in the office. In the corridor I ran into our librarian Katalin: “I am on my way to Papa to take the first load of duplicates to the library”. Lately we received another load of books from retired missiologists. Even my office has turned into a storing place. We send these duplicates to libraries of partner institutions.
When I enter my office I turn on my computer. To my great disappointment our six-year-old network is down again, a weekly returning problem. Obviously computers retire earlier than professors! To make the best of the situation Zsofi, my secretary, suggests that we take some extra time together. She is a master in managing me and my time. Since September she is back on her post after one and a half year maternity leave due to the adoption of a Roma little girl Gyöngyi.
The telephone rings. Kornél Papp of the synod office: “Some minor revisions are still needed in the proposal of the postgraduate program in missions for presentation to the synod of the Reformed Church on Thursday.” To my surprise it will not only be accepted as a program of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies, but as the general requirements of the synod for any such program. After a short break Zsofi and myself continue, but not for long.
Someone is knocking on my door. A former member of our board, Rev. Olivér Czövek, comes in. “I have come to pick up the goods of the Dutch delegation, whose minibus broke down last week, to take them to the Ukraine. I just wanted to greet you.” We talk a few moments. His daughter and son-in-law work with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Romania to translate the Bible into a gypsy language. Kati, our business manager and several others help him carry. With Hilda, our program coordinator, we do the final check on the document for the synod. I am glad that the computer network is “up” again, often it takes much longer. Without any problems we can send it to the synod office.
Lunchtime is near. Hilda and Enikő, an American researcher from Romanian-Hungarian background take Dr. Jongeneel out to lunch.
Also in the afternoon I have no time to feel bored. Kati presents me with the financial statements of last month. We discuss the deficit we face in our ministry costs of 50.000 USD. Recently it increased, because pledged funds did not arrive. Unless the situation changes we have six more weeks to pay salaries.
Half an hour I reflect with Enikő, involved in a PhD program at an American university, on her research proposal on a theme related to mission history in Romania.Then I sit down with Hilda to discuss a new distance-learning program The Worldchristian, on taking the Gospel from culture to culture. The publication has met with serious delays. The program will be presented to a number of mission societies to discuss the possibility of cooperation in training young people in cross cultural missions. I am impressed with the quality of her proposal.
Just after five Prof. Jan Jongeneel and myself leave the institute. On my way home I quickly plan a simple meal. For such occasions it is good to have a filled freezer! In less than an hour supper is ready. My Doktorvater asks some penetrating questions: “What about regularly studying mission literature? What major topics are you planning to focus on in your research?
The phone rings. “I call you to pick up the minibus that broke down a few weeks ago.” A representative of the Dutch AA (Automobile Association). Is speaking. It takes a while to explain that ten days ago I only served as an intermediate in arranging the troubles of a Dutch delegation on their way to the Ukraine, who brought more than 400 kg of mission literature for the library.
Wednesday
Every second Wednesday our Management team meets. Veronika greets me with some bank statements: a donation of 2 USD by lady of 90 years old, an alumnus of PMTI sends 75 USD and 400 USD comes from a Hungarian diocese.
Zita reports on two national women conferences, attended by 56 and 68 people. The enthusiasm for small group bible study has grown so much, that the participants even asked to include another study in one of the evening programs. Passive church members turn into more active ones! Also the publishing of this training material suffers a great delay. Sometimes we need an extra load of patience! Then Hilda shares some of the responses from the students in the MTh program. Monika: “This program is beyond my expectations. It is indeed a thrilling spiritual and intellectual journey. It is a refreshing, green pasture… It gives new insights to the problems and struggles of Christianity in my country,… for instance on… the need for transformation of the ghetto mentality…This program is… a wonderful means in God’s hand for preparing me for His mission (in the way of Jesus) in the midst of my culture and society.” According to Reformed pastor László the program has challenged him to read the New Testament from a new, missiological perspective, which affects his preaching and his congregational work. He testifies that his life has changed by the international, and interdenominational contacts with his fellow students.
After a quick lunch the Missiological Research Fellowship starts with 15-20 participants. Students working on their doctoral dissertation at universities in Hungary and the Netherlands (Utrecht) present their research. In his lecture “My pilgrimage in Mission” Prof. Jan Jongeneel touches on the very sensitive issue of ethnic tensions in the Indonesian situation. A fascinating discussion arises on similar issues in church and mission in Central and Eastern Europe. When I want to go home I realize that my keys and coat are locked into my office. I have to call one of my colleagues. Jongeneel and myself decide to go for a supper in one of the little restaurants in the Raday street.
Thursday
Although I had planned to lead the 2nd day of the Missiological Research Fellowship, I spent most of my time at the synod of the Reformed Church of Hungary (with 1.6 million members), where the proposal of the postgraduate program in missions will be discussed. Presenter is Dr. Attila Kalman, former minister of education, head of the committee for education: “The proposal is scheduled for around 3 o’clock.” A “little” delay of three hours gives me plenty of time to observe the synod meeting and to have many useful “break” discussions with synod members.” In his presentation Dr. Kalman emphasizes the importance of the program for missionary calling of the church. The dean of one of the theological institutions stresses that this program will be of crucial important for the continuous education of the 1200+ pastors, a topic just discussed. All of the synod members voted in favour. I felt it was a historic moment in the history of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies.
I hurry back to the Mission institute. At 7 o’clock an evening class starts on faith and culture led by Dóra Bernhardt. Jongeneel will lecture on Newbigin. A fascinating group of 10 students and young graduates have gathered. They feel a strong need to be better equipped to witness in today’s society. I am impressed by the level of the discussion, with an interesting dynamic between (future) pastors and the so called “lay” people.
Friday
At 8.30 a.m. I arrive at the Mission Institute. I notice that one of the lights in our offices is on. “I’m sure someone forgot to shut them off”. When I open the door,I realize I have interrupted Eszter Dani teaching her course on Gypsy Mission!
Zsofi, my secretary has good news. Finally an appointment could be arranged with Prof. Dr. David Németh, dean of the theological Faculty of the Gaspar Karoli Reformed university, for a brief lunch meeting with Jongeneel.
At 9 o’clock the Missiological Research Fellowship meeting resumes. I am not surprised to hear that despite (or because?) of my absence the previous day, the discussions had been excellent. It is a sign that gradually responsibilities can be handed over to young Hungarian scholars. Jongeneel even remarked that the discussions have reached the same level as in Utrecht!
During the lunch meeting the dean showed a keen interested in the role of missiology in the theological curriculum and also in strengthening the historic links with Utrecht University. The rest of the day Jongeneel and myself have “consulting hours” with “our students”. The topics they are studying seem to inspire and motivate them for their ministry in the church. Each one of them brings significant sacrifices with their families in order to finish their research into crucial missiological questions, important for the future of church’s local and global mission.
They eagerly look forward to the opening of the expanded library which will provide them with adequate study carrels. Some even plead that we organize “dissertation writing weeks” – intensive weeks of research and writing in the library starting with morning devotions.
Finally
One week in the Mission Institute. I hope it gave you a bit of a feel of our every day life, as we seek to train young people to be well equipped workers in His harvest.
I would like to wish you many blessings for the advent and Christmas season.
Yours in Christ.
Anne-Marie Kool
Praise and Prayer
1. Praise:
Acceptance by the synod of the Reformed Church in Hungary of the proposal for the postgraduate program in missions, church development, and cross cultural ministry
Eagerness of Hungarian women to study the Word of God
Evening classes led by Dóra Bernhardt. Students are pressing her to continue during the next semester
2. Prayer:
For a miracle of 50.000 USD to meet deficit of 2003.
For publication of trainings material for bible study groups
For the start of distance learning course The World Christian and course book to be published in time.
More personal time to read and study!
This is the monthly prayer update of Anne-Marie Kool for friends of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies. She has been commissioned by the Reformed Missionary League (RML) in the Netherlands Reformed Church in Driebergen, the Netherlands in 1993, seconded to the Reformed Church in Hungary. Since 1995 she has served as the director of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies in Budapest. In 1998 she was appointed as Professor in Missiology at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Papa.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
If you would like to support the ministry of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies (ProTIMS), you may send your tax-deductible gifts to:
1. Overseas Council International - P.O. Box 17368, Indianapolis, IN 46217-0368 (Yes, this is a new address!).
or to:
2. I.D.E.A Ministries, 4595 Broadmoor—Suite 237, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, USA.
In both cases please indicate that this donation is for ProTIMS, otherwise we will not receive your contribution. Please also add the designation of your donation.
3. You could also send your donation directly to our Hungarian Bank:
You can also send a donation directly to Hungary:
Account No: USD account number: HU36105600000772300102010108
EUR account number: HU28105600000772300122010100
Name of account: Protestáns Missziói Tanulmányi Intézet Alapítvány
Name of bank: General Banking and Trust Co.Ltd, H-1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 42-44.
Swift code: AEBBHUHB
Bank swift code: AEBBHUHB
We greatly appreciate your kind generosity in helping us equip future church leaders for Central and Eastern Europe! The doors are still open!
The Protestant Institute for Mission Studies, Kalvin ter 7.II, P.O. Box 150, 1461 Budapest, Hungary. Tel/fax + 36 1 216 20 54. E-mail: kool@pmti.edu.hu or amkool@axelero.hu.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMPUSERVE ADDRESS HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED!!
If you want to unsubscribe from this list, or would like one of your friends to receive the Signs of Life from Hungary, send an e-mail to dick@vdweerd.org with the text: (un)subscribe PMTI -news.
Monthly prayer update on the ministry of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies
by Anne-Marie Kool
Budapest, 5th December 2003.
“My soul praises the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant”. Lk. 1: 46-48a
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field”. Mt. 9, 37-38.
Dear Friends,
Lately both verses have been very much on my mind. In the Magnificat Maria sings out her praises to God for the great things He does. The Saviour will be born! Maria feels herself very small in comparison to the great God, but in His compassion He has turned to her. Her son will be God’s Son, the Son of God Almighty! That’s the Good News! The Light of the world has come for ordinary people like you and me.
In rough times it is good to sing praises to God with Maria, to sing yourself out of the darkness into God’s light. In moments of feeling overwhelmed by the harvest it is good to be reminded that we are not called to “fix” it ourselves, the Lord of the harvest is with us! We are not alone!
Regularly people visit the Mission Institute who would like to be involved in communicating the Good News with others. They ask us for help to be better equipped for that task.
What about just sharing an “ordinary” week with you - if there ever is such thing – to give you better insight in what’s on!
Monday
Usually I teach in Papa on this day, but today I return from a brief visit to The Netherlands, where I attended the retirement celebration of my supervisor of Utrecht University Dr. Jan A.B. Jongeneel. It was very good to meet many colleagues and friends I had not met for ages. One of them made quite a shocking remark: “You have turned rather grey…’”, but then he complimented: “it fits you well!”. His next question was: my daughter, a third year theology student would like to come to study with you for a year, would that be possible?” I realized that years had gone by…
Tuesday
Back in the office. In the corridor I ran into our librarian Katalin: “I am on my way to Papa to take the first load of duplicates to the library”. Lately we received another load of books from retired missiologists. Even my office has turned into a storing place. We send these duplicates to libraries of partner institutions.
When I enter my office I turn on my computer. To my great disappointment our six-year-old network is down again, a weekly returning problem. Obviously computers retire earlier than professors! To make the best of the situation Zsofi, my secretary, suggests that we take some extra time together. She is a master in managing me and my time. Since September she is back on her post after one and a half year maternity leave due to the adoption of a Roma little girl Gyöngyi.
The telephone rings. Kornél Papp of the synod office: “Some minor revisions are still needed in the proposal of the postgraduate program in missions for presentation to the synod of the Reformed Church on Thursday.” To my surprise it will not only be accepted as a program of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies, but as the general requirements of the synod for any such program. After a short break Zsofi and myself continue, but not for long.
Someone is knocking on my door. A former member of our board, Rev. Olivér Czövek, comes in. “I have come to pick up the goods of the Dutch delegation, whose minibus broke down last week, to take them to the Ukraine. I just wanted to greet you.” We talk a few moments. His daughter and son-in-law work with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Romania to translate the Bible into a gypsy language. Kati, our business manager and several others help him carry. With Hilda, our program coordinator, we do the final check on the document for the synod. I am glad that the computer network is “up” again, often it takes much longer. Without any problems we can send it to the synod office.
Lunchtime is near. Hilda and Enikő, an American researcher from Romanian-Hungarian background take Dr. Jongeneel out to lunch.
Also in the afternoon I have no time to feel bored. Kati presents me with the financial statements of last month. We discuss the deficit we face in our ministry costs of 50.000 USD. Recently it increased, because pledged funds did not arrive. Unless the situation changes we have six more weeks to pay salaries.
Half an hour I reflect with Enikő, involved in a PhD program at an American university, on her research proposal on a theme related to mission history in Romania.Then I sit down with Hilda to discuss a new distance-learning program The Worldchristian, on taking the Gospel from culture to culture. The publication has met with serious delays. The program will be presented to a number of mission societies to discuss the possibility of cooperation in training young people in cross cultural missions. I am impressed with the quality of her proposal.
Just after five Prof. Jan Jongeneel and myself leave the institute. On my way home I quickly plan a simple meal. For such occasions it is good to have a filled freezer! In less than an hour supper is ready. My Doktorvater asks some penetrating questions: “What about regularly studying mission literature? What major topics are you planning to focus on in your research?
The phone rings. “I call you to pick up the minibus that broke down a few weeks ago.” A representative of the Dutch AA (Automobile Association). Is speaking. It takes a while to explain that ten days ago I only served as an intermediate in arranging the troubles of a Dutch delegation on their way to the Ukraine, who brought more than 400 kg of mission literature for the library.
Wednesday
Every second Wednesday our Management team meets. Veronika greets me with some bank statements: a donation of 2 USD by lady of 90 years old, an alumnus of PMTI sends 75 USD and 400 USD comes from a Hungarian diocese.
Zita reports on two national women conferences, attended by 56 and 68 people. The enthusiasm for small group bible study has grown so much, that the participants even asked to include another study in one of the evening programs. Passive church members turn into more active ones! Also the publishing of this training material suffers a great delay. Sometimes we need an extra load of patience! Then Hilda shares some of the responses from the students in the MTh program. Monika: “This program is beyond my expectations. It is indeed a thrilling spiritual and intellectual journey. It is a refreshing, green pasture… It gives new insights to the problems and struggles of Christianity in my country,… for instance on… the need for transformation of the ghetto mentality…This program is… a wonderful means in God’s hand for preparing me for His mission (in the way of Jesus) in the midst of my culture and society.” According to Reformed pastor László the program has challenged him to read the New Testament from a new, missiological perspective, which affects his preaching and his congregational work. He testifies that his life has changed by the international, and interdenominational contacts with his fellow students.
After a quick lunch the Missiological Research Fellowship starts with 15-20 participants. Students working on their doctoral dissertation at universities in Hungary and the Netherlands (Utrecht) present their research. In his lecture “My pilgrimage in Mission” Prof. Jan Jongeneel touches on the very sensitive issue of ethnic tensions in the Indonesian situation. A fascinating discussion arises on similar issues in church and mission in Central and Eastern Europe. When I want to go home I realize that my keys and coat are locked into my office. I have to call one of my colleagues. Jongeneel and myself decide to go for a supper in one of the little restaurants in the Raday street.
Thursday
Although I had planned to lead the 2nd day of the Missiological Research Fellowship, I spent most of my time at the synod of the Reformed Church of Hungary (with 1.6 million members), where the proposal of the postgraduate program in missions will be discussed. Presenter is Dr. Attila Kalman, former minister of education, head of the committee for education: “The proposal is scheduled for around 3 o’clock.” A “little” delay of three hours gives me plenty of time to observe the synod meeting and to have many useful “break” discussions with synod members.” In his presentation Dr. Kalman emphasizes the importance of the program for missionary calling of the church. The dean of one of the theological institutions stresses that this program will be of crucial important for the continuous education of the 1200+ pastors, a topic just discussed. All of the synod members voted in favour. I felt it was a historic moment in the history of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies.
I hurry back to the Mission institute. At 7 o’clock an evening class starts on faith and culture led by Dóra Bernhardt. Jongeneel will lecture on Newbigin. A fascinating group of 10 students and young graduates have gathered. They feel a strong need to be better equipped to witness in today’s society. I am impressed by the level of the discussion, with an interesting dynamic between (future) pastors and the so called “lay” people.
Friday
At 8.30 a.m. I arrive at the Mission Institute. I notice that one of the lights in our offices is on. “I’m sure someone forgot to shut them off”. When I open the door,I realize I have interrupted Eszter Dani teaching her course on Gypsy Mission!
Zsofi, my secretary has good news. Finally an appointment could be arranged with Prof. Dr. David Németh, dean of the theological Faculty of the Gaspar Karoli Reformed university, for a brief lunch meeting with Jongeneel.
At 9 o’clock the Missiological Research Fellowship meeting resumes. I am not surprised to hear that despite (or because?) of my absence the previous day, the discussions had been excellent. It is a sign that gradually responsibilities can be handed over to young Hungarian scholars. Jongeneel even remarked that the discussions have reached the same level as in Utrecht!
During the lunch meeting the dean showed a keen interested in the role of missiology in the theological curriculum and also in strengthening the historic links with Utrecht University. The rest of the day Jongeneel and myself have “consulting hours” with “our students”. The topics they are studying seem to inspire and motivate them for their ministry in the church. Each one of them brings significant sacrifices with their families in order to finish their research into crucial missiological questions, important for the future of church’s local and global mission.
They eagerly look forward to the opening of the expanded library which will provide them with adequate study carrels. Some even plead that we organize “dissertation writing weeks” – intensive weeks of research and writing in the library starting with morning devotions.
Finally
One week in the Mission Institute. I hope it gave you a bit of a feel of our every day life, as we seek to train young people to be well equipped workers in His harvest.
I would like to wish you many blessings for the advent and Christmas season.
Yours in Christ.
Anne-Marie Kool
Praise and Prayer
1. Praise:
Acceptance by the synod of the Reformed Church in Hungary of the proposal for the postgraduate program in missions, church development, and cross cultural ministry
Eagerness of Hungarian women to study the Word of God
Evening classes led by Dóra Bernhardt. Students are pressing her to continue during the next semester
2. Prayer:
For a miracle of 50.000 USD to meet deficit of 2003.
For publication of trainings material for bible study groups
For the start of distance learning course The World Christian and course book to be published in time.
More personal time to read and study!
This is the monthly prayer update of Anne-Marie Kool for friends of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies. She has been commissioned by the Reformed Missionary League (RML) in the Netherlands Reformed Church in Driebergen, the Netherlands in 1993, seconded to the Reformed Church in Hungary. Since 1995 she has served as the director of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies in Budapest. In 1998 she was appointed as Professor in Missiology at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Papa.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
If you would like to support the ministry of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies (ProTIMS), you may send your tax-deductible gifts to:
1. Overseas Council International - P.O. Box 17368, Indianapolis, IN 46217-0368 (Yes, this is a new address!).
or to:
2. I.D.E.A Ministries, 4595 Broadmoor—Suite 237, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, USA.
In both cases please indicate that this donation is for ProTIMS, otherwise we will not receive your contribution. Please also add the designation of your donation.
3. You could also send your donation directly to our Hungarian Bank:
You can also send a donation directly to Hungary:
Account No: USD account number: HU36105600000772300102010108
EUR account number: HU28105600000772300122010100
Name of account: Protestáns Missziói Tanulmányi Intézet Alapítvány
Name of bank: General Banking and Trust Co.Ltd, H-1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 42-44.
Swift code: AEBBHUHB
Bank swift code: AEBBHUHB
We greatly appreciate your kind generosity in helping us equip future church leaders for Central and Eastern Europe! The doors are still open!
The Protestant Institute for Mission Studies, Kalvin ter 7.II, P.O. Box 150, 1461 Budapest, Hungary. Tel/fax + 36 1 216 20 54. E-mail: kool@pmti.edu.hu or amkool@axelero.hu.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMPUSERVE ADDRESS HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED!!
If you want to unsubscribe from this list, or would like one of your friends to receive the Signs of Life from Hungary, send an e-mail to dick@vdweerd.org with the text: (un)subscribe PMTI -news.
Friday, September 26, 2003
Signs of Life from Hungary -- 86
Signs of Life from Hungary Volume XI No. 86
Monthly prayer update on the ministry of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies
by Anne-Marie Kool
Budapest, 26th September 2003
“Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, though Your footprints were not seen. You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”
Ps. 77:19-20
Dear Friends and Family,
On the 10th October, it will be exactly ten years ago that I was sent out by the Reformed congregations of Houten and Oud-Alblas to Hungary, on the invitation of the Reformed Church of Hungary, in cooperation with the Reformed Mission League in the Netherlands Reformed Church. It was the first official commission, although I had been working in Hungary since 1987. The text was chosen on the basis of the hymn 'God moves in a mysterious way', which was as you may remember also the title of my thesis. The translation of this English hymn by the poet William Cowper (1731-1800) played an important role in the Hungarian revival after the Second World War. I have often been inspired by the marvellous words: 'Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy, and shall break in blessings on your head.'
In the last ten years, too, this hymn has travelled with me on my pilgrim's way. I have often been a witness to the fact that God moves in a mysterious way. Sometimes His footsteps have been hidden, but often the light has suddenly broken through.
'His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.'
Remembering
Actually, I can now hardly imagine that for the first year and a half I was working from my little study in the Meredek Utca as a jack-of-all-trades. I did everything from conducting legal negotiations about the deed of foundation, to arranging the renovations, to making photocopies (on the corner of the street, ten minutes' walk away). In the meantime, our team has grown to ten persons, and the ten square metres of my study to a Missions Institute of almost two hundred square metres. What a highlight it was when I was asked to lead the first missiology study group in 1995! Two students enrolled. In the meantime, the number of students has grown to almost eighty a year, beside the more than twenty members of the Missiological Research Fellowship and the sixteen students linked with the postgraduate program. Fortunately there are now many more involved in the teaching. God moves in a mysterious way! I am almost overwhelmed when I think about the many training sessions we have held throughout the country for youth groups, women's unions, elders' meetings and pastors' conferences etc.
Sometimes I leaf through the guest book that is lying on my desk. This brings to mind all sorts of faces. Visitors from at home and abroad, sometimes with the most diverse questions, but always with a great interest in the work of missions and evangelism. Very often they have visited because of an interest in the ministry of the Missions Institute in the Hungarian Churches.
Partnership and Cooperation (1)
Many of you, readers of the Signs of Life, have visited to demonstrate that the work of the advancement of the gospel in Hungary was near to your heart. You were concerned about the highlights and the low points. You sent me numerous Christmas cards! What an encouragement it was to know that you prayed regularly for us, not to speak of your willingness to give! Looking over the donations of the last few months we were simply amazed! And the circle kept expanding. The Signs of Life - originally intended for the Church magazine of the Sion Reformed Church in Houten, the Netherlands - is now sent by e-mail to almost two hundred addresses in the Netherlands, and the English translation is sent to as many readers from South Africa to Brazil and North America. Many of you have contributed in this way to the equipping of the Hungarian Churches to become open, missionary communities, attracting those who seldom or never go to church. But there is still a long way to go, and it is my prayer and our prayer that this partnership and cooperation in the Missio Dei, the mission of the Lord God, will continue.
Partnership and Cooperation (2)
With thankfulness I also remember the staff of the Missions Institute, with whom I have been cooperating since 1995. These have really been pioneering years. We have learned a lot. Partnership and Cooperation is not a simple matter. Sometimes difficult decisions have had to be taken. Perhaps one of the most important lessons I have learned myself is to let the God move in His mysterious way. What it comes down to is following Him, and letting go of problems and situations. After all, it is His work, is it not? I am extremely grateful that there has been a significant growth in the sense of responsibility of all the members of staff, in taking the initiative, and especially in standing up for the Cause of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Challenges (1)
Two weeks ago I was talking to Boglarka. She has just begun the last year of her theology program, and is writing her final thesis about a subject from the history of missions in Hungary. Enthusiastically she told about her desire to go and study abroad for a year - she is very interested in going to a non-Western country - and then to work among gypsies. I also had a deep feeling of thankfulness when I spoke to Noemi. What I had tried to pass on to her in the missiology lectures had fallen 'in good soil', and was already bearing fruit. I was reminded of this when Annett and Emma came up to me after the first missiology lecture and offered to work as volunteers in the library of the Missions Institute. What a challenge to deal with young people and to motivate them not to keep the gospel of Jesus Christ to themselves!
A challenge of a different sort is posed by the tutorials with doctoral students. I really enjoy these. One of the students is the Rev. Sandor Gaal, who besides his work as a pastor is also a head of the department of missiology at the Reformed Theological Faculty in Debrecen and an active board member of the Missions Institute. Despite his many responsibilities, he has also made a lot of progress with his doctoral research. Pray that he will be able to finish off the research during his three months sabbatical!
Challenges (2)
Last weekend brought a challenge of a different sort. Together with Hilda Rohn, a member of staff at the Missions Institute, and Rev. László Szalkay, a student on the postgraduate program, I took part in a mission conference on the invitation of the Missionary Consultant of the Reformed Church of Poland, Rev. Semko Koroza. The Polish Hungarian Reformed Church has only 4,000 members and about ten pastors (among a population of forty-two million!) The Churches are very small and focus mainly on survival. But in recent years, the realisation has grown that missions and evangelism are of crucial importance. About fifteen to twenty Church members and pastors came, including the president of the synod. We were most warmly received, and despite language difficulties, some weighty discussions ensued. Following on from the lectures about the Biblical basis of missions, and missions and evangelism in the Hungarian context, many considered the most important question to be how to be a witness to Jesus Christ in their families, in the neighbourhood and at work. How can we bring up the question of God in a very natural way in our everyday conversations? For most people, it seemed to be an impossible task. 'We Polish don't do that!' We came to the conclusion that perhaps our fears of rejection by other people are greater than the reality. People expected from us more or less cut-and-dried solutions, a 'quick and easy answer' to the situation in Poland. As every situation is different, of course we were not able to give this. Our Christian way of life in itself is an instrument in missionary work. We can bear testimony through this, and we can 'stimulate' or even ‘provoke’ others to ask questions.
We noticed clearly that we were able to show our Polish brothers and sisters through our visit that they are not alone and are not facing the task on their own. We can learn a lot from one another, and we can help one another!
Challenges (3)
Besides the many challenges in the work of teaching and training, there is also the challenge of keeping the Missions Institute running. We are thankful that we have already received 15,000 USD more in gifts than last year, and that to a large extent this is due to an increase in Hungarian donations. There is also thankfulness that this year we have already been able to save 10% on the budget. Nevertheless, the shortfall in the running costs has grown to 12,000 USD. For the rest of this year, a further 33,000 USD is needed. The library in particular needs support. We have received several significant library collections of retired missiologists, but with the current staffing it will take several years to process the books. In the meantime the students are waiting to use these books!
Another challenge is the extension of the library. The first global plans for this were made three years ago. Then a global budget was set, with a large margin for the 'unforeseen'. In recent months, the global plans have been worked out in more detail, and all sorts of set backs are coming to light: new windows are needed, the electrical wiring has to been renewed, the floor must be reinforced etc. You wonder why this did not come up at an earlier stage. And in the meantime three years have passed, and the costs of the furniture have increased considerably. In order to be able to complete the library, we urgently need 22,500 USD.
The workshop room on the third floor is nearing completion, even though a considerable sum is still needed for the furnishings and for the air conditioning. We have not yet been able to buy any tables or chairs. This year, a further 22,000 USD is needed.
Dilemmas
In my Signs of Life, I have constantly tried to share with you the joys and sorrows. On the one hand, there are many open doors for missiological teaching and missionary training; on the other hand there are concerns about keeping the Missions Institute running. Last week I received a telephone call from Pranesh, who is from India, and who is the leader of the training work of an international missionary organisation in Hungary. 'I would like to ask your help in the training of our missionary workers.' This request was reinforced today by another mission organisation. Besides this, we regularly receive requests from pastors who want to spend study weeks with us.
We are bearing in mind the names of over 160 people who requested information about the postgraduate course, but who had insufficient language skills to participate in it. What courses can we offer them?
On our journey back from Poland, we visited a theological seminary in Wroclaw. 'Could you help us meeting our very strict accreditation requirements by becoming our visiting professor?'
We are in a constant dilemma about which priorities to set. For example, what priority do you give to fundraising? Is this subordinate to or more important than the teaching? Annually we submit over twenty-five projects to over twelve different Churches and organisations. Fortunately this is teamwork, but my contribution is still needed too. Another priority is to start a course for future teachers of missiology.
Please pray for continued wisdom in distinguishing between what is important and what is urgent.
Finally
At the end of August, I returned from holiday and went to Church again for the first time. On arrival I was greeted with: 'Do you know that Aunt Rozsa passed away this week?' In the last two years, Aunt Rozsa had become my Hungarian 'grandmother', my neighbour in church. We always sat together. She was very caring and prayed a lot for me and for our ministry. That Sunday, the place next to me was empty. Then I realised that I had lost somebody, a member of the family, to whom I had become very attached. I will miss her a great deal. Yesterday I heard from a member of our staff team, Veronika, that nothing more can be done to improve her eye problems. She only has at most 40% vision. This week, it is hoped, her husband will have the last of his chemotherapy. They too are both very close to me. Please pray for them.
With great thankfulness for your faithful partnership in the Gospel,
yours sincerely Christ,
Anne-Marie Kool
This is the monthly prayer update of Anne-Marie Kool for friends of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies. She has been commissioned by the Reformed Missionary League (RML) in the Netherlands Reformed Church in Driebergen, the Netherlands in 1993, seconded to the Reformed Church in Hungary. Since 1995 she has served as the director of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies in Budapest. In 1998 she was appointed as Professor in Missiology at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Papa.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
In case you would like to support the ministry of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies (ProTIMS), you may send your tax-deductible gifts to:
1. Overseas Council International - P.O. Box 17368, Indianapolis, IN 46217-0368 (Yes, this is a new address!)
or to:
2. I.D.E.A Ministries, 4595 Broadmoor—Suite 237, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, USA.
In both cases please indicate that this donation is for ProTIMS, otherwise we will not receive your contribution. Please also add the designation of your donation.
.
3. You could also send your donation directly to our Hungarian Bank:
You can also send a donation directly to Hungary:
Account No.
USD account number: HU36105600000772300102010108
EUR account number: HU28105600000772300122010100
Name of account: Protestáns Missziói Tanulmányi Intézet Alapítvány
Name of bank: General Banking and Trust Co.Ltd, H-1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 42-44.
Swift code: AEBBHUHB
Bank swift code: AEBBHUHB
We greatly appreciate your kind generosity in helping us equip future church leaders in Hungary! The doors are still open!
The Protestant Institute for Mission Studies, Kalvin ter 7.II, P.O. Box 150, 1461 Budapest, Hungary. Tel/fax + 36 1 216 20 54. E-mail: kool@pmti.edu.hu or amkool@axelero.hu. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMPUSERVE ADDRESS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED!!
If you want to unsubscribe from this list, or would like one of your friends to receive the Signs of Life from Hungary, send an e-mail to dick@vdweerd.org with the text: (un)subscribe PMTI -news.
Monthly prayer update on the ministry of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies
by Anne-Marie Kool
Budapest, 26th September 2003
“Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, though Your footprints were not seen. You led Your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”
Ps. 77:19-20
Dear Friends and Family,
On the 10th October, it will be exactly ten years ago that I was sent out by the Reformed congregations of Houten and Oud-Alblas to Hungary, on the invitation of the Reformed Church of Hungary, in cooperation with the Reformed Mission League in the Netherlands Reformed Church. It was the first official commission, although I had been working in Hungary since 1987. The text was chosen on the basis of the hymn 'God moves in a mysterious way', which was as you may remember also the title of my thesis. The translation of this English hymn by the poet William Cowper (1731-1800) played an important role in the Hungarian revival after the Second World War. I have often been inspired by the marvellous words: 'Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy, and shall break in blessings on your head.'
In the last ten years, too, this hymn has travelled with me on my pilgrim's way. I have often been a witness to the fact that God moves in a mysterious way. Sometimes His footsteps have been hidden, but often the light has suddenly broken through.
'His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.'
Remembering
Actually, I can now hardly imagine that for the first year and a half I was working from my little study in the Meredek Utca as a jack-of-all-trades. I did everything from conducting legal negotiations about the deed of foundation, to arranging the renovations, to making photocopies (on the corner of the street, ten minutes' walk away). In the meantime, our team has grown to ten persons, and the ten square metres of my study to a Missions Institute of almost two hundred square metres. What a highlight it was when I was asked to lead the first missiology study group in 1995! Two students enrolled. In the meantime, the number of students has grown to almost eighty a year, beside the more than twenty members of the Missiological Research Fellowship and the sixteen students linked with the postgraduate program. Fortunately there are now many more involved in the teaching. God moves in a mysterious way! I am almost overwhelmed when I think about the many training sessions we have held throughout the country for youth groups, women's unions, elders' meetings and pastors' conferences etc.
Sometimes I leaf through the guest book that is lying on my desk. This brings to mind all sorts of faces. Visitors from at home and abroad, sometimes with the most diverse questions, but always with a great interest in the work of missions and evangelism. Very often they have visited because of an interest in the ministry of the Missions Institute in the Hungarian Churches.
Partnership and Cooperation (1)
Many of you, readers of the Signs of Life, have visited to demonstrate that the work of the advancement of the gospel in Hungary was near to your heart. You were concerned about the highlights and the low points. You sent me numerous Christmas cards! What an encouragement it was to know that you prayed regularly for us, not to speak of your willingness to give! Looking over the donations of the last few months we were simply amazed! And the circle kept expanding. The Signs of Life - originally intended for the Church magazine of the Sion Reformed Church in Houten, the Netherlands - is now sent by e-mail to almost two hundred addresses in the Netherlands, and the English translation is sent to as many readers from South Africa to Brazil and North America. Many of you have contributed in this way to the equipping of the Hungarian Churches to become open, missionary communities, attracting those who seldom or never go to church. But there is still a long way to go, and it is my prayer and our prayer that this partnership and cooperation in the Missio Dei, the mission of the Lord God, will continue.
Partnership and Cooperation (2)
With thankfulness I also remember the staff of the Missions Institute, with whom I have been cooperating since 1995. These have really been pioneering years. We have learned a lot. Partnership and Cooperation is not a simple matter. Sometimes difficult decisions have had to be taken. Perhaps one of the most important lessons I have learned myself is to let the God move in His mysterious way. What it comes down to is following Him, and letting go of problems and situations. After all, it is His work, is it not? I am extremely grateful that there has been a significant growth in the sense of responsibility of all the members of staff, in taking the initiative, and especially in standing up for the Cause of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Challenges (1)
Two weeks ago I was talking to Boglarka. She has just begun the last year of her theology program, and is writing her final thesis about a subject from the history of missions in Hungary. Enthusiastically she told about her desire to go and study abroad for a year - she is very interested in going to a non-Western country - and then to work among gypsies. I also had a deep feeling of thankfulness when I spoke to Noemi. What I had tried to pass on to her in the missiology lectures had fallen 'in good soil', and was already bearing fruit. I was reminded of this when Annett and Emma came up to me after the first missiology lecture and offered to work as volunteers in the library of the Missions Institute. What a challenge to deal with young people and to motivate them not to keep the gospel of Jesus Christ to themselves!
A challenge of a different sort is posed by the tutorials with doctoral students. I really enjoy these. One of the students is the Rev. Sandor Gaal, who besides his work as a pastor is also a head of the department of missiology at the Reformed Theological Faculty in Debrecen and an active board member of the Missions Institute. Despite his many responsibilities, he has also made a lot of progress with his doctoral research. Pray that he will be able to finish off the research during his three months sabbatical!
Challenges (2)
Last weekend brought a challenge of a different sort. Together with Hilda Rohn, a member of staff at the Missions Institute, and Rev. László Szalkay, a student on the postgraduate program, I took part in a mission conference on the invitation of the Missionary Consultant of the Reformed Church of Poland, Rev. Semko Koroza. The Polish Hungarian Reformed Church has only 4,000 members and about ten pastors (among a population of forty-two million!) The Churches are very small and focus mainly on survival. But in recent years, the realisation has grown that missions and evangelism are of crucial importance. About fifteen to twenty Church members and pastors came, including the president of the synod. We were most warmly received, and despite language difficulties, some weighty discussions ensued. Following on from the lectures about the Biblical basis of missions, and missions and evangelism in the Hungarian context, many considered the most important question to be how to be a witness to Jesus Christ in their families, in the neighbourhood and at work. How can we bring up the question of God in a very natural way in our everyday conversations? For most people, it seemed to be an impossible task. 'We Polish don't do that!' We came to the conclusion that perhaps our fears of rejection by other people are greater than the reality. People expected from us more or less cut-and-dried solutions, a 'quick and easy answer' to the situation in Poland. As every situation is different, of course we were not able to give this. Our Christian way of life in itself is an instrument in missionary work. We can bear testimony through this, and we can 'stimulate' or even ‘provoke’ others to ask questions.
We noticed clearly that we were able to show our Polish brothers and sisters through our visit that they are not alone and are not facing the task on their own. We can learn a lot from one another, and we can help one another!
Challenges (3)
Besides the many challenges in the work of teaching and training, there is also the challenge of keeping the Missions Institute running. We are thankful that we have already received 15,000 USD more in gifts than last year, and that to a large extent this is due to an increase in Hungarian donations. There is also thankfulness that this year we have already been able to save 10% on the budget. Nevertheless, the shortfall in the running costs has grown to 12,000 USD. For the rest of this year, a further 33,000 USD is needed. The library in particular needs support. We have received several significant library collections of retired missiologists, but with the current staffing it will take several years to process the books. In the meantime the students are waiting to use these books!
Another challenge is the extension of the library. The first global plans for this were made three years ago. Then a global budget was set, with a large margin for the 'unforeseen'. In recent months, the global plans have been worked out in more detail, and all sorts of set backs are coming to light: new windows are needed, the electrical wiring has to been renewed, the floor must be reinforced etc. You wonder why this did not come up at an earlier stage. And in the meantime three years have passed, and the costs of the furniture have increased considerably. In order to be able to complete the library, we urgently need 22,500 USD.
The workshop room on the third floor is nearing completion, even though a considerable sum is still needed for the furnishings and for the air conditioning. We have not yet been able to buy any tables or chairs. This year, a further 22,000 USD is needed.
Dilemmas
In my Signs of Life, I have constantly tried to share with you the joys and sorrows. On the one hand, there are many open doors for missiological teaching and missionary training; on the other hand there are concerns about keeping the Missions Institute running. Last week I received a telephone call from Pranesh, who is from India, and who is the leader of the training work of an international missionary organisation in Hungary. 'I would like to ask your help in the training of our missionary workers.' This request was reinforced today by another mission organisation. Besides this, we regularly receive requests from pastors who want to spend study weeks with us.
We are bearing in mind the names of over 160 people who requested information about the postgraduate course, but who had insufficient language skills to participate in it. What courses can we offer them?
On our journey back from Poland, we visited a theological seminary in Wroclaw. 'Could you help us meeting our very strict accreditation requirements by becoming our visiting professor?'
We are in a constant dilemma about which priorities to set. For example, what priority do you give to fundraising? Is this subordinate to or more important than the teaching? Annually we submit over twenty-five projects to over twelve different Churches and organisations. Fortunately this is teamwork, but my contribution is still needed too. Another priority is to start a course for future teachers of missiology.
Please pray for continued wisdom in distinguishing between what is important and what is urgent.
Finally
At the end of August, I returned from holiday and went to Church again for the first time. On arrival I was greeted with: 'Do you know that Aunt Rozsa passed away this week?' In the last two years, Aunt Rozsa had become my Hungarian 'grandmother', my neighbour in church. We always sat together. She was very caring and prayed a lot for me and for our ministry. That Sunday, the place next to me was empty. Then I realised that I had lost somebody, a member of the family, to whom I had become very attached. I will miss her a great deal. Yesterday I heard from a member of our staff team, Veronika, that nothing more can be done to improve her eye problems. She only has at most 40% vision. This week, it is hoped, her husband will have the last of his chemotherapy. They too are both very close to me. Please pray for them.
With great thankfulness for your faithful partnership in the Gospel,
yours sincerely Christ,
Anne-Marie Kool
This is the monthly prayer update of Anne-Marie Kool for friends of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies. She has been commissioned by the Reformed Missionary League (RML) in the Netherlands Reformed Church in Driebergen, the Netherlands in 1993, seconded to the Reformed Church in Hungary. Since 1995 she has served as the director of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies in Budapest. In 1998 she was appointed as Professor in Missiology at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Papa.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
In case you would like to support the ministry of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies (ProTIMS), you may send your tax-deductible gifts to:
1. Overseas Council International - P.O. Box 17368, Indianapolis, IN 46217-0368 (Yes, this is a new address!)
or to:
2. I.D.E.A Ministries, 4595 Broadmoor—Suite 237, Grand Rapids, MI 49512, USA.
In both cases please indicate that this donation is for ProTIMS, otherwise we will not receive your contribution. Please also add the designation of your donation.
.
3. You could also send your donation directly to our Hungarian Bank:
You can also send a donation directly to Hungary:
Account No.
USD account number: HU36105600000772300102010108
EUR account number: HU28105600000772300122010100
Name of account: Protestáns Missziói Tanulmányi Intézet Alapítvány
Name of bank: General Banking and Trust Co.Ltd, H-1092 Budapest, Ráday u. 42-44.
Swift code: AEBBHUHB
Bank swift code: AEBBHUHB
We greatly appreciate your kind generosity in helping us equip future church leaders in Hungary! The doors are still open!
The Protestant Institute for Mission Studies, Kalvin ter 7.II, P.O. Box 150, 1461 Budapest, Hungary. Tel/fax + 36 1 216 20 54. E-mail: kool@pmti.edu.hu or amkool@axelero.hu. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMPUSERVE ADDRESS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED!!
If you want to unsubscribe from this list, or would like one of your friends to receive the Signs of Life from Hungary, send an e-mail to dick@vdweerd.org with the text: (un)subscribe PMTI -news.
Saturday, August 30, 2003
Signs of Life from Hungary -- 85
Budapest, 30th August 2003.The ins and outs of the Missions Institute
Ready for the off
Long-term plans
“VIP” visitor
Thankfulness
Finally
“He leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name sake.” Ps 23:2-3.
Dear Friends and Family,
Sitting on the terrace of an old castle with a view over the characteristic hills of Tuscany, I felt myself recovering just like that. Enjoying a good book, visiting beautiful cities like Florence and Sienna, a delicious meal in one of the numerous little restaurants, playing the exciting game “The settlers of Catan” with my nephew Alexander (who always won), catching up on all the news and the occasional dip in the swimming pool to cool off. That was needed because temperatures went up to 42 degrees Celsius! These were the ingredients of a fantastic weeks' holiday in Italy with my sister Corien and brother-in-law Marc and their children. The previous week, I had already had a great time with my other sister Willemien and her husband Jan and my four-month-old nephew Mattias, who came to Hungary on holiday. I was able to practice my skills as an aunt again. It really was a time to recover from a very busy period, and to recharge my batteries. 'He leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.'
I realised that after two really busy years without a proper holiday, I really needed one. You will no doubt know exactly what I mean.
Please pray that in the future I will be able to use my time wisely and will be able to distinguish between what is important and what is urgent.
The ins and outs of the Missions Institute
In the meantime, a lot of work has been done at the Missions Institute to work out the plans to extend the library. Every week Kati, the head of administration and finances, and Kati, our librarian, sat around the table with Veronika and the architect and his team. There is a great deal involved before everything has been discussed in detail.
Zita was invited to speak at a women's conference with several hundred participants in the Hungarian-speaking part of Romania. An ever-recurring theme in her talks is how women can study the Bible together in their congregations, and how these Bible study groups can be instrumental in the work of evangelism. Hilda led a seminar at a conference for Christian students about how the gospel can be communicated in a comprehensible way to the unchurched and those on the fringes of the Church.
Ready for the off
The summer period was also used to prepare for the coming academic year. For the first time, a sixth year group will be started at the Reformed Theological Academy in Papa. As the chairs in Practical Theology and Missiology are responsible for this year with a special focus on placements, there is a lot to do to get this up and running for the first time. The students have a period of practical work of ten weeks in a local congregation, followed by a week's placement in a deaconal (social care) organisation. It is unique that there is also the opportunity for a week's field work in a cross cultural setting. Between the placements, intensive study weeks are held, in which, besides an evaluation of the placements, there is also room for teaching in the subjects of missionary church development, evangelisation, diakonia etc. The aim of this year is to help the students take the step from theory to practice, so that they are able to clearly proclaim the Word of God, and to help their churches to take on the challenge of missions, evangelism and social work (diakonia), and to also equip their Church members to be witnesses in today's world. All together, it will be an exciting year, not only for them but also for us as teachers.
At the Theological Faculty of the Karoli Gaspar University and the Lutheran Theological Faculty, a course about missions to gypsies will be given by Eszter Dani, who has personally worked for years among gypsies (Romanies) in the Lower Carpathians. Please pray that many students will enrol.
A new initiative is the evening class in Gospel and Culture, which will be led by Dora Bernhardt for interested Church members and students. The credit system, which has recently been introduced in the universities, requires that all students obtain 10% of their credits in another subject. This provides a great opportunity for the Missions Institute to provide courses about missiological subjects for students from other faculties.
And of course, we are also continuing the postdoc course in Missiology. These students, too, will also have to do field work. We hope that it will be possible to find practical placements outside Hungary as well, so that the students can be exposed to the challenges of missions in another culture. If you know of any opportunities please let us know!
Long-term plans
In June, we started making long-term strategy plans. The first step was to evaluate our ministry of the last few years. What was successful, what are we good at, and what less good?
Please pray for wisdom in this respect and that we are able to spend sufficient time on the process of evaluation. There is always a great danger of being too busy putting out fires, so that there is little time left to quietly consider long-term policy.
“VIP” visitor
Last week, I received a pastoral visit from the president of the Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church, Rev. Arie W. van der Plas. The purpose of his visit was to strengthen the ties with one of the members of his national 'flock'. His years of experience in Eastern Europe before the 'changes' made it particularly interesting to talk about the blessings and concerns of today and the challenges linked with the new situation, as many countries of the former Eastern block will be joining the European Union on 1st May 2004. What will be the consequences for the Churches? It was also good for me to catch up on the Church situation in the Netherlands, the deep concerns regarding the unification process of the three main protestant churches, but also to talk about the challenges of the future, how the new unified Church could fulfil its missionary calling in the secularised Netherlands. It was very encouraging to note that the work that I am able to do on behalf of the Dutch Reformed Church in Hungary is also prayerfully supported by the 'higher echelons' of the Church.
Thankfulness
With great thankfulness, we recently heard that one of the board members of the Missions Institute, Rev. Peter Gancs, has been elected the new bishop of one of the three Church districts of the Lutheran Church in Hungary. His grandfather played an important role last century in the Hungarian revival in the twenties and thirties (see my dissertation). His mother-in-law Veronika has been working at the Missions Institute for many years, and Peter too has made a considerable contribution in the almost ten years that he has been on the board.
Pray for him as he is granted this office, for wisdom to lead the flock entrusted to him.
Finally
At the end of June, I received my professors degree. It was good that family and friends from the Netherlands were represented on this happy occasion. We celebrated with a garden party with famous Hungarian goulash soup, cooked in an iron pot over a wood fire. Members of my Hungarian 'home Church' took care of this. There were lots of people present. It was really heart-warming!
It is my prayer that you too may experience the truth of ps. 23 in your personal lives. Thank you for your faithful support and prayers.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Anne-Marie Kool
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