Greetings from Eger!

Today the team has traveled by train to a town near Budapest to work with a church reaching out to their community (How exciting to see the students travel by train today. For many, this was their first time to do so!) We met church members there in the town square, which is like a large plaza. As we were taking in this typical European town, we were amazed by the beauty of this place as we traveled from the train station to the plaza.

As we approached, we began to hear music playing and as we turned the corner we saw a large crowd listening to a live orchestra! This opportunity was given by the Lord and as we arrived the program had finished. We invited the crowd to stay to see a very special drama. We have enjoyed our day in Eger and the decisions made today were spectacular as people came to know Jesus today. One of our students talked to a young man who has been thinking of giving his life to Christ and through today, this brother now has a relationship with Christ! Not only does this young man have a relationship with Jesus, but as a team, we celebrated this decision with him with great encouragement! We are so thankful that the Lord has all authority and that people came to the plaza today to meet Jesus.

One of the elders of the church, Robert, spent his day with us as we were in Eger. Robert's ministry has been growing and we were blessed to work with his fellowship today as we shared Jesus. Even as we traveled to another part of this town, the team was invited to the music festival to perform the drama. As we started, a manager told us they had another program that was about to begin, but God made a way for us to finish ministry in this place. God is so amazing!

Please pray for Robert and his ministry as he and their church continue to be faithful in growing their church family in Eger. As we return to Budapest tonight, please join us in prayer for the mighty things the Lord has in store for those we come in contact with! We are thankful for your Team Hungary students! Hearing them share their testimonies and working together to share the Gospel, they have only continued walking in unity.

Thankful for you all! 
In Him, 
Walker Moore and Becky Robinson

"And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, "How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!" -Romans 10:15

God is so good!

​Walking the streets of Hungary today, we have seen the power of God move! As we traveled today to a plaza where we have shared the Gospel before, the team decided to go further down the street. As the team began ministry at this site, we were approached to show our permit to perform in this place. As we were talking to this man, he went from saying we needed to move away from this area to changing his mind as he allowed us to stay. As he left, he said, “You can finish, just make sure it is in ten minutes.” The Lord is faithful as he took 10 minutes and multiplied our time by 30 minutes to not only finish the drama, but also go and speak with the people around us. We saw people come to know Jesus through this! We are reminded that God is in control and has the authority as His Word does not return void!
 
Tomorrow, the team is looking forward to traveling to Eger in Jesus’ Name and Authority to be the light in the darkness! Please join us in prayer for the people of Eger and the opportunities we will have to share with them.
 
Also, thank you for the comments and encouragements from so many of you! We love hearing from you and we cherish your prayers and encouragements! Thank you for joining us this summer with Team Hungary! 

In Him,
Walker Moore and Becky Robinson

​What an amazing day!
 
We were greeted today by our translator, Elissa Bella (Isabella) carrying two boxes of zucchini bread which she had baked the evening before. Even those who don’t like zucchini bread thought it was the best they had ever had.  One of the translators today was Dori; she had worked with Awe Star when it first came to Hungary. What a joy it was to see Walker and Dori working side by side after all of these years.
 
Even though witnessing in this culture is difficult, we saw a young man come to the Lord at our second presentation of the gospel today. We rejoice that God is using this team! This afternoon we met with three men who do street evangelism. Lory was a high ranking officer in the military who taught soldiers the art of killing. At 44 years old, he came to a saving knowledge of Christ, and is now preaching and reaching people on the streets of Hungary, Another man - Adam - was a church planter, and then there was the “Wildman Terry!” Born in the slums of Nottingham, raised fighting on the street, and covered in tattoos, Terry spent time in prison for stabbing more than one person. Terry found Christ late in life, and carrying a banjo, the man now proclaims what Christ has done for him, the top of his voice. He was excited to dance with your students the “Cupid Shuffle.” And to top it off, he is 77 years old. Again, we saw more people come to Christ.
 
During the day we felt the Lord leading us to a fagy stop, where we got to experience some of the most unusual flavors of ice cream…Chocolate Lavender, Raspberry Mint, Strawberry Ginger, Earl Gray, and Green tea. The students are doing well as they are excited about doing Jesus’ Ministry and can’t wait for tomorrow to come. Continue to pray for us as we stand on a street corner proclaiming that Jesus is the way.
 
In Him,
Your Country Coordinators
Becky Robinson and Walker Moore

After a hearty homemade breakfast of bacon and eggs prepared by Executive Chef Becky and Sous Chief Walker, our team was ready to take on the day…
 
One of the things that students have learned very quickly is sharing the gospel with the Hungarian people takes time. They are raised to question everything. The people who engage with are into the arts, history and philosophy. They will ask questions the quest like “is Jesus the way to self-enlightenment?” or “which classical composer do you prefer and why?” Museum and art abounds in this part of the world. Today the students went out to engage in the Hungarian culture visiting museums, churches, going along with making a climb up to the Castle District. They walked across the Danube on the “Chain Link bridge.” Many have explored the Hungarian cuisine, engaging in traditional Hungarian foods (and most likely, a different sampling of Fagy!). 

Everywhere you look, you discover another area of these wonderful people. We are praying the more we learn about them, the better witness we become. Tomorrow morning, we will take to the streets again in reaching the people of Hungary in Budapest. 

Thank you for praying! 
In Him, 
Walker Moore and Becky Robinson

Today, the team has been going strong in making Jesus known to so many people. The students have been growing in engaging the people around them by growing in enthusiasm, drawing nearer to them. Our team is thankful to be gracious and speaking truth to those around us. This afternoon, the students began to pray as their hearts are yearning for the people of Hungary to know Jesus and His great love. Even asking a group of students to come and see the drama today brought excitement to the team as they not only practiced their language skills, but also shared the truth of Christ by inviting them to come see the drama. The Holy Spirit would not let us leave this area today, as we were scheduled to go other places, but the team stayed and performed the drama three more times in this same place! We came across this man (pictured above) kneeling and praying as we arrived to the drama site and were able to pray with him and encourage him as he heard about Jesus today.

​Today was a wonderful reminder that we do the drama for an audience of One. God answers prayers as the students began to see people stop and watch the drama to give them opportunities to speak with them. Divine encounters happened today and we give praise to the Lord for "today is the day unto salvation" (1 Corinthians 6:2). 

Tomorrow, the students will enjoy a day of rest as they continue to explore the city and possibly enjoy some more "Fagy," Hungarian Ice Cream. Please continue to pray for the people of Hungary as we continue to listen to the Holy Spirit leading us to the places we need to be. Thank you for your prayers and we cherish you joining us this summer in Hungary! 

In Him, 
Walker Moore and Becky Robinson

What amazing opportunities we had for Team Hungary! Tonight we are back at Lonyay Residence Hall, our lodging accommodations here in Budapest, where we have been learning about the Orphan Heart. This teaching helps us to see our identity in Christ as He gives us purpose and direction. 

Traveling through different subway lines today and seeing the people of Budapest as God sees them has brought our team to a new level of Jesus' Ministry - Compassion. You would be proud seeing these students reaching out to the people around them. Today one of the students spoke with three children about Jesus and His love for them, and the children came to know Christ! What blessings we have seen today and we rejoice with them! At another place, the students were able to meet a man who came halfway through the drama, recording the story displayed in front of him. He was thankful for God's love being shared, and he was putting the Gospel on Facebook live for others to see! Hearing him admit he has been far from God, our students encouraged him in coming back to the Lord and seeking Christ. He then asked "Why Hungary?" This question has been answered by these students being obedient to the call God has chosen for them to take this summer. You are part of these stories here as you have prayed over these students, prepared them to go, and helped them get here financially! 

We cherish your prayers and love seeing these students working hard for Jesus to be glorified in Hungary! We know His authority goes out before us! Please join us in prayer for the continued opportunities we will have tomorrow to make Jesus known to the people of Hungary! Thank you for joining us in this journey! 

In Him, 
Walker Moore and Becky Robinson

Retracing the Past

Twenty-five years ago, I was working with the European Baptist Convention to assist with their youth camp in Grindelwald, Switzerland. Students gathered from all over Europe to attend this camp. One year, we had a few Hungarian students attending; they had spent their lives growing up under the communist regime. The Berlin Wall had fallen, and communism was quickly losing its grip on their country. The last Russian troops had left, and the people had found their freedom once again.

I became interested in these Hungarian students. While under the communist regime, many of them refused to learn the Russian language. At night, up in their attics, parents secretly taught their children history, philosophy, the arts and mathematics. These young people stepped out of the oppression highly educated and with the skills to build a new Hungary.

After the camp ended, a friend and I rented a car in Brussels, Belgium, from a fellow mission organization, Operation Mobilization. The ancient Fiat was about the size of an extra-large watermelon, and the floorboard on the passenger side had rotted out. As we drove on the Autobahn, we heard the high-pitched squeal of the small engine struggling to keep up as the highway went by only inches beneath our feet. We spent most of the drive praying that nothing would fall through the hole in the floorboard.

Fifteen hours later, we pulled into Budapest, Hungary. I knew no one and had no plan. We stopped at a subway station and asked about a cheap place to stay. They pointed across the street and said, “Knock on that door.” We knocked, and a woman opened the door. We made the universal sign for sleep, and she beckoned us into her living room.

There in the corner was a small metal spiral staircase; she pointed up. We climbed up to find two mattresses laid out on the floor. As I lay down, I took in the lights of the city. I remembered Psalm 2:8, “Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.” I asked God to give me Hungary.  

Suddenly, I remembered it was in attics like this where the Hungarian children had gathered while their parents taught them. Now, I was asking my heavenly Father to teach me how to reach a nation.

Months later, I returned with a group of students and took to the streets and marketplaces just like Jesus. We talked to anyone who would listen. Early on, I met a student named Kalman Kovacs. I was riding in the front of a bus, and he was standing in the back, wearing a cap imprinted with the letters “J.C.”

I wondered if he was a believer. In a city of 2 million people, only 2 percent of had a relationship with Christ.  Threading my way through the packed bus, I tapped him on the shoulder and yelled, “Do you speak E-N-G-L-I-S-H?!”
“Very well,” he responded.
“Good! Then I don’t have to shout at you anymore!”

As we talked, he told me he had just graduated from high school a few days before. The previous summer, he had accepted Jesus at an English as a Second Language camp. “I feel called to the ministry, but I don’t know how to find Jesus’ employment office,” he said. 

I invited him and a friend to come and work with us. For years, Kalman traveled, interpreted and served alongside us in the harvest.

It was slow at first; many of the people we talked to had spent most of their lives devoid of any contact with the Bible or a knowledge of who Jesus was. We just continued day after day, traveling from city to city and marketplace to marketplace. We connected with the Hungarian Baptist Convention and became a part of their mission strategy. Traveling with their mobile VBS Bus, we joined with their church planters and assisted them.
​
It all seems so long ago. Twenty-five years later, I am returning to Hungary, serving those who served me. I am retracing my steps, but this time, the country isn’t spiritually barren. God is at work in this nation; seeds that were planted 25 years ago have been watered, and the harvest is taking place.

 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters are anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.  For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building´ (1 Cor. 3:6-9).
 
Today our team went to church and the incredible message we heard this morning was brought to us by “JC” and Kalman Kovach. Pray for Kalman and his family as they are on the cutting edge of Jesus’ ministry in Hungary.

In Him, 
Walker Moore

PS-The Hungary Team has officially had Fagylalt! Hungarian ice cream! 
 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." -John 1:1

Jó estét! (Good Evening!)
Today was our first full day of Jesus Ministry in the streets of Hungary as we traveled together learning what it means to love one another. The students have enjoyed being able to discover the city in terms of the public transportation. So far, they have been navigating the city though multiple metro lines, bus, and train/tram/trolley stations. The students have been learning Hungarian, but the language barrier cannot stop Jesus Ministry. As the students walked down the streets of Deak Ter, the students began to see the wonderful power of prayer walking. Though we traveled to several locations today, the students were able to return to this street and plant the seeds of the Gospel in many lives today! So encouraging to see these students engage with the people they began to pray for and see the Lord's faithfulness! One student began to share with a couple about the Good News and as they were intrigued by the drama and the story it tells, the student helped this couple see the story with their heart in accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior! The team rejoiced with this couple as they now know the One Great Hope and One Great Love who is Faithful! Praise! 

Please join us in prayer as we continue ministry tomorrow and for boldness as we declare the Good News to those around us! Thank you for joining us in prayer as we continue in this incredible journey in Budapest! We cherish your prayers as these teams serve and bring people to knowing Christ in Hungary, Peru, The Gambia, and Panama. 

In Him, 
Walker Moore and Becky Robinson
Country Coordinators 

To receive updates from Team Hungary, send @hungary18 to 81010 or follow us on www.awestar.org/hungary-blog to keep in the know! 
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"God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us."
-1 John 4:9-12

We are here in Budapest, Hungary! This trip is significant for this team as Awe Star began in Hungary 25 years ago and here we are today to continue proclaiming Jesus to the people of Hungary. As Walker Moore, one of our country coordinators has said, "It is like going home to family." This year, our focus is Awe Star Family, reaching the globe. This summer, we have been reminded and united to love one another as Christ loves us. People will remember how well you treat them, more than what you teach them, and Team Hungary is committed to this purpose this summer!

You would be proud of these students as they effortlessly moved through the airports, getting to the gates even early (because we at Awe Star are not just on time, but we strive to be early!). Even on the planes, some of your students began to engage with people around them, building opportunities to be willing witnesses, sharing the Gospel to the ears of those who would listen. Students will be be given the opportunity to call home and check in as we continue this journey in love together! Looking forward to keeping you updated and we cherish your prayers! Please join us in prayer as we settle in and begin ministry together in this beautiful country!

Körsönöm! (Thank you!)
In Him,
Walker Moore and Becky Robinson

Also-the time here in Budapest is 7 hours ahead of Central Time Zone!

Watching these students continue to serve one another has been incredible! Not only have they been able to complete drama training, but Team Hungary has been able to grow in sharing their testimonies as a team. After a full day of drama training yesterday, the team has been equipped for every opportunity to go share the Good News. The blessing was ours to see the students pray for one another as they commissioned each other last night to go and be obedient to the place they have been called to. 

Last night, the teams along with the Awe Star Staff and Country Coordinators celebrated with Walker and Cathy Moore in their 25 years of Awe Star Ministry. They have faithfully sent students to the mission field every season. Together, they took turns to give encouragement, prayers, and washed their feet in thankfulness for their service.

Awe Star University may be coming to a close, but the journey still continues in Jesus Ministry!Hungary, here we come! The team spent this morning packing and cleaning and sending off the teams for Peru, The Gambia, and Panama. Please join us in prayer for all of our teams travels today and the opportunities to be willing witnesses to seeking souls as we travel.

We will update once we are in country, but follow us on the remind app for travel updates! 
To receive updates for Hungary on Remind - Text @hungary18 to 81010

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28:19-20

In Him, 
Walker Moore and Becky Robinson
Country Coordinators