An Inside/Outside View

Last Thursday I was honored to be able to sit in on the Synod meeting of the Reformed Church in Hungary. The Synod is the most important policy-making body of the RCH. Yet again I found myself in an interesting position (I'm beginning to notice a trend). On one hand, I have been preparing for this Synod essentially since I arrived. I knew the proposal documents and schedule, inside and out, because I worked with my teammates to translate them into English. I suppose it's as easy as that, I am a member of the Ecumenical Office team. The RCH is my employer, my home away from home, yet foreign to me at the same time. And that's the flip-side, I had an inside view of everything but I was also experiencing it for the first time - as an outsider.

Yes, I see the irony.

It's a nerve-racking position, I won't lie. Everything was new. I saw everything with fresh eyes and was in awe of the tradition and meaning that went into the Synod meeting. However, I had to keep all of this to myself because in the eyes of our international delegates, I belonged there and it was all business as usual. Or perhaps it was just me that felt that way...

Either way, the Synod was a wonderful experience. Myself and the other members of the Ecumenical Office were hosts and tour guides, of sorts, for the international delegates from partner churches of the RCH. I was extremely lucky to meet 11 representatives from all over the world. I took notes at the final delegate meeting, which was focused on their reflection of the Synod, and I felt so blessed to simply listen to the conversation. The caring and compassion they showed, the interest, the honesty, are testaments to the community of Christ's church. I was hanging on to every story or experience. The partners showed a passion for the work being done in Hungary, a connection for the shared struggles and a genuine interest to work together.

Sightseeing with the delegates plus Kriszti and Dóri

Of course I am taking the photo...

It's not an easy thing to be the outsider, especially in a circumstance steeped in such substance and significance. It's an even stranger experience to be an internal outsider. However, I can honestly say that I took pride in the Synod, even though I only participated in a small part of it. This fall meeting of the Synod followed a theme of reflection and revision. There were several proposals concerning the role of the church in an ever-changing Hungary, and ever-changing Europe and an ever-changing world. The questions and challenges of the Reformed Church in Hungary are the same ones churches are facing in the United States and around the world - global issues for a global church. How do you attract today's youth? How do you involve them in the congregation, so that they have ownership and accountability in their community? In a world where people move at the drop of a hat, how do we sustain healthy congregations? The list is seemingly endless. The Church Revision Committee of the RCH is creating a dialogue between Reformed congregations about these issues. It is examining, through sociological research, the structures and traditions of the church and questioning their aim, purpose and relevance. And while I think it will be a long journey for the RCH, I believe it is a strong step forward. The world is a wonderfully diverse place, a moving target of experience, belief and faith, and today's church must be introspective to determine if it is growing too, or remaining still and stagnant.

Kobus Gerber, the General Secretary of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, told me something while he was in Budapest that may very well be the best advice I have every received. He said, "Let the water flow." I think this is a powerful image that applies to many circumstances, and I believe it is apt advice for the church as well. The church is defined by its parishioners,  its people. It is much more difficult to remain still and struggle to hold the water at bay, than it is to release it. The church must let the water flow and allow itself to flow along with it as equal parts. Only then will we know true community and true communion together.

Below My Feet

Where am I?

Cyberspace.

You know what's great about the Internet? Interconnectivity. I am truly thankful that I can log on to my email and receive messages from my friends and family back home. I am beyond excited that I can stay up to date on those Fighting Tigers of LSU, with scores and recaps of each game. I love sharing my culture with coworkers - showing Youtube videos of classic American music, funny pranks or new music I can't get out of my head. I love being able to connect with new friends in Hungary via Facebook. I love that I have this blog, and I can attempt to express the myriad of emotions I am trying to handle.

I love it, but...

I love it, but I wonder if it keeps me from fully embracing my new life in Budapest. Does this blessing of communication continue to trap me in a comfort zone I established for myself thousands of miles away? It is so easy to remain entrenched in American entertainment, American issues and the American lifestyle. Am I unwittingly forcing my culture onto those around me when I should be doing everything in my power to absorb theirs? I've moved away physically, but have I moved away emotionally?

Is the Internet a blessing or a curse?

I honestly don't know. There are pros and cons to every issue. To tell you the truth, I think it has been a blessing and a curse since it's inception. The real question lies within me, the user. How am I using the Internet? Is it a detriment to my time here in Hungary, an electronic buffer zone keeping others at bay, or  a means to share, learn and communicate?

I know one thing, it's going to be a challenge. It's so easy for me, a member of the technologically savvy generation, to open up my laptop and get lost in cyberspace. What will it take to keep me grounded?

What a great question. It's one that does not have an easy answer, and I take great comfort in knowing that my fellow humans struggle with the same issue. The advent of a virtual community and virtual world has only made our self-centered natures more public, and somehow more encouraged.

Recently, I have been listening to the new album by Mumford and Sons. By far, my favorite song is "Below My Feet." The lyrics to the chorus are:

Keep the earth below my feet

For all my sweat, my blood runs weak

Let me learn from where I have been

Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn

Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn

This imagery really spoke to me as I wrote this post. Now, I promise I had full intentions of writing a well formed and entertaining entry without mentioning Mumford and Sons, but I couldn't decide how to properly end it. The conclusion I had written was empty - an open question where definition was necessary. So, I left the post to fester as a draft. I've come back to it several times and each time I came back to an illformed and lackluster ending. But today, something changed and this chorus jumped to mind.

Don't forget where you are or where you come from. Remember you were put on this earth to learn and to serve, and that your definition of the two may be backward. It is a blessing that we are able to learn from one another and teach each other at the same time. Keep the earth below your feet and you'll always be grounded.

Becoming a Student Again

I feel like I have been so busy. Like I've done everything and nothing all at the same time. I really am starting to get into a groove over here. School - work - homework. It's been a strange thing going back to school. My mind has been groomed for the past 16 years on how to be a student. I've slipped back into this role as if I had never left. And I really am enjoying learning this language, even though I'm still embarrassed to try it outside of the classroom!

Strangely enough, I feel like a student at work as well. I have been reading a lot. I am not only learning about what the Reformed Church in Hungary (RCH) is doing at this time but also trying to discover more about the belief foundation that shaped the Reformed Church of today. And I want to challenge all of you to learn more about it too! Become a student again. The RCH has recently launched its English website (www.reformatus.hu/english/), and we have put up several new articles from leaders of the Reformed Church in Hungary. Please, take some time to learn about the folks I will be sharing my time with for the next year! You might be surprised at what you find.

Ministry is something to be shared, not hidden away. The difficulties churches face in the U.S. are the same struggles in Hungary. The joys of community, love and understanding must be global goals. After all, who are we really without our brothers and sisters in Christ? The journey to relationship starts with connection.

Ephesians 2: 19-22
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

Budapesten Vagyok!

Hello from Budapest! I finally arrived safely in the city last Thursday, October 11. I can't believe that I've only been here a week! It seems like I have been running from the start! I haven't even taken the first picture yet! For those of you who know me, just breathe. Yes you read that correctly, I haven't taken any photos. No, my body has not been taken over by aliens (or so they'd have you think....). I promise, they will come  - the photos, that is, not the aliens.

Seriously though, my trip could not have started better. There were no issues with my flights, and no problem getting through customs or finding my welcoming party at the airport. THANK YOU, for all of your prayers for safe travel! Your kind words were just the pick-me-up I needed after a few very long flights.

Last weekend, I was able to do a little sightseeing with a coworker who has graciously taken me under her wing and volunteered to be my main means of communication while I get started in Budapest. I honestly wish everyone could visit this city. It is truly breathtaking! My pictures, when they come, will assuredly do Budapest an injustice. However, I will try my best to represent it to you!

I am beginning to understand the city a little better, and have finally grasped the metro routes I need to get home, to work and to my language school! I am here to state for the record, that public transportation is wonderful. Louisiana, you don't know what you're missing. My longest commute takes about 25 minutes, which in the scheme of things is not so bad. Plus, I've sat on 1-12, countless times, for an hour without moving more than 10 mph - I consider a 25 minute tram/bus ride a piece of cake.

Monday was the beginning of my Hungarian language course. I am taking a four week, intensive class that meets every weekday from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. It is a small group, with only four students in my class. We cover a chapter a day and attempt to retain the details of this very complex language.

After class, I head to work. I am quite lucky because I get to cross the Danube River every day during my commute from school to the Reformed Church of Hungary's Synod Office! Thus far, as far as work is concerned, I have only done a little proofreading of English text translated from the original Hungarian. At first, proofreading a few documents did not seem like a big deal, but now I am seeing things differently. My coworker, Dóra, was so excited after I finished my edit of a Synod Office brochure, she kept saying, "Yes, yes, yes! This is so good! It is so good to have you here!" And I realized, I was really helping. Hungarian is a difficult language, and English is terribly complicated as well. This combination can mean disaster for translation. However, now we have each other, and the problem is suddenly manageable!

It's been refreshing to take a back seat in things. I'm no longer out in front leading. Instead, I am sitting patiently in the back listening. Being unable to communicate effectively has forced me to close my mouth and listen to the wisdom, faith and strength of other people. It has given me a chance to listen, so that I may hear God in each person. Last night, I attended a prayer meeting for the Roma (gypsy) ministry of the Reformed Church in Hungary. I spent nearly two hours at a table with six people that spoke in a language I did not understand. Yet at the same time, I heard and understood every word. I could see the joy, humor and dedication that each person brought to that group. I heard the effect God had on their lives as we concluded the meeting with prayer. I knew them and respected them through Christ.

Before I left Louisiana, I was given a daily devotional, written by Sarah Young, by the members of my home church in Baton Rouge. The devotion for today, October 17, struck me.

"Remember to listen, as well as to speak, making your thoughts a dialogue with Me."

Let us all remember that in our busy, hectic lives, it is easy to drown out that dialogue with God. Take some time to hear someone. Maybe, you'll hear God in them too.

Perspective

I find myself, yet again, sitting in the Indianapolis airport. The last time I was here, I had just been accepted as a Global Mission Intern (GMI) to Hungary. The excitement was palpable and bursting forth. I could not wait to tell everyone! That was May...Now, it is the end of September and the excitement has morphed into anxiety. Planning and logistics have overtaken my emotions.

I came to Indianapolis a week ago for a global mission conference and training. In my mind, I thought of this conference as the last step before my departure. It is almost comical how emotionally unprepared I was for this week. And in a way, I think everyone else who participated in this conference was just as unprepared for the faith and community that came from our week together. The group consisted of missionaries from around the world, both new and old, continuing, beginning and concluding. We literally spent four FULL days together. The Global Ministry staff brought in speakers from all over the country to discuss sensitive and important issues that missionaries must face - cultural awareness, race and racism, health, security...

But most importantly, we created a community; a community of faith where experiences as well as fears were shared without rebuke. The people I met and the conversations we shared, helped me begin to shape a new perspective on "mission." My purpose in Budapest is so much more than "doing."It is a time to create a shared path in faith with my partner in Hungary. Above all the cultural differences that exist between us, is the only thing that really matters - our equality around the table as members of the body of Christ.

Until next time, I'll leave you with a prayer from Thomas Merton that was shared with us by our Area Executive to Africa, Sandra Gourdet.

God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that f I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Amen.