Come to the Edge

We attended a Zone Training a few weeks ago where Elder Patrick Kearon spoke and challenged the missionaries to do 3 things:

1. Attack the Day
2. Be the Message
3. Come to the Edge

Zone conferences are directed to the young missionaries and helping them learn to be more effective in sharing the gospel.  Each time we go, we try to think of ways to apply the messages taught to our specific type of missionary work.  Sometimes it is a little challenging.  But this time, we were inspired to "come to the edge."  

This past week has been one of seeking and finding -- coming to the edge.  We have tried emailing several potential partners with no luck so we have been praying for help in finding new NGOs to partner with. This quote inspired us to jump off the edge and visit NGOs in person.  You have to understand that since we don't speak or understand Hungarian, this was not an easy decision to make.  It is very intimidating to walk into a building just hoping and praying that there will be someone that speaks English.  Yes, we could have taken a translator with us, but we decided to be brave and try it alone.

It takes this young man 2 days to make

one of these rugs because his arms and

legs do not cooperate for him like

ours do.  It is humbling to watch their

dedication and how hard it is for them

to function.  

Our first visit was to a home for Autistic young adults.  Much to our dismay, no one spoke English.  But through google translate and hand signals, I think we got our message across.  The good news though, our friend and translator, Edina, had a meeting with them a few days later and was able to secure an appointment for us and then attend the meeting with us to translate.

The students attend classroom learning sessions.  There were five boys in this classroom.  One was asleep in the back and two walked back and forth in the room.  It takes a very special teacher to work with these students.  

Proudly showing off his finished basket.

After a few more prayers, we ventured on to our next stop.  We were searching for a homeless shelter sponsored by the Order of Malta, a Catholic Service Organization.  Instead, we happened upon the headquarters of the Order of Malta right next door to the shelter.  We asked if anyone spoke English there and much to our delight, the man who is in charge of fund raising was summoned.  He took us into his office and spent 45 minutes talking to us about their various programs. We set up an appointment to return a few days later.  Coincidence -- no! -- an answer to our prayers!

On our return appointment, we were taken to 3 project sites.

• A playground for low income families.  

• An apartment building in the Avas (a community of 10 story apartment complexes built during communist rule - literal translation means rancid) where low income families live and receive counseling.

 

• A former vacation area that has been taken over by the Roma people where many live without water or electricity.  

Play area in the community center

If you look closely, you will see a boy standing in the doorway.

Laundry Day

Dogs like this are a very common site in Hungary.

Families come here to get water.  We saw a little boy getting a bath from one of these pumps.

Notice the nice door.  Probably taken from a nearby vacation house that had been abandoned by
the owners when the Roma people took over this hillside village

During our tour, we learned that Karoly Toth-Simon, the man taking us on this tour, speaks to the Elders every Sunday morning as they ride the bus to their respective churches.  Small world!

We spent the next couple days researching NGOs headquartered in Budapest.  Our search led us to appointments with the following organizations.

• National Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted
• The Tom Lantos Institute
• The Red Cross
• Hungarian Interchurch Aid

There were two others that we contacted, but have not heard back from them yet. We were thrilled to have a 4 out of 6 success rate.  We visited the first 3 on the list last Thursday/Friday and are waiting to hear back from them about how we can help.  We have an appointment with the fourth next week.

We were particularly interested in the Blind Federation and will most likely help with a project that teaches the visually impaired to use technology (ipads and tablets) to make their lives easier and to help them read.  (Sound familiar - I think we might name this project The Maurine Moser Project)

Last week was one of much success in finding new projects.  Trials and prayers produce humility, faith and results.  We have gone to the edge; we pushed each other and we flew.  It's a good feeling.