Hello Special Friends,

So many of our friends and people that partner with us know us from the e-letters, or newsletters or maybe heard us speak in a church at one time or another..

We both are very much relationship people. We love sitting down in peoples homes or at a coffee shop and just getting to know people. So many times this is where the greatest ministry is done. Getting to know people beyond the surface and hearing about their families, their histories, their challenges and all that life brings all of us.

I, Jim, love to travel over here and visit pastors and Christian leaders and just spend time with them. In the coming days I will be in northern Poland and Slovenia visiting and planning with long time fiends that are reaching their nations with the gospel. I love to do this.

Brenda sometimes travels with me and loves it when she does. But sometimes her greatest relationships are with the people she meets at random times here in Budapest.

This past week one of her long-time friends passed away. She was a 96 year old Jewish lady she met in a park here in Budapest. She met her so many years ago and became friends. The lady called Brenda her “Amerikai Barátom”, Hungarian for “My American Friend.”

When Brenda got to know her, she found out she was a survivor of the Auschwitz Death Camp from WWll. She had an amazing story. Everyone does when we get to know them.

Sometimes I wish we could get to know so many of our friends and partners that have helped us for all these year. We would love to hear your stories too.

You may enjoy getting to know more about us below.

Brenda

She grew up in Lakeland, Florida and went to the Southern Baptist Church. Her grand-father was a southern Baptist minister for over 60 years and she is very close to her family.

• She was born in Lakeland, Florida.

• She reads or listens to the Bible Everyday, Everyday, Everyday.

• She ALWAYS has a positive attitude (Well, Almost Always).

• She meets new people all the time here in Budapest.. All the time…

• She told the Lord as a small child that she would serve Him anywhere in the WORLD, as long as the place did not have COLD weather. (It gets cold in Budapest sometimes)

• She doesn’t like to shop.

• She was a bit rebellious in Jr High School.

• We have four children and four grandchildren.

• She loves and needs relationships with people.

Jim

• Jim grew up Catholic on a dairy farm near Wausau, Wisconsin till he was 11. Then moved to Colorado. (Still loves the smell of a farm and cows)

• Was arrested and spent three hours in Jail in Thornton, (Denver) Colorado in High School for theft and drugs (Two years probation). Record cleared.

• Then received Christ through an organization called YOUNG LIFE as a Senior in High School in Lafayette, Colorado.

• Left Colorado to go to Bible School in Oklahoma because a girl from church was going there, then met Brenda a few months later at the same Bible School.

• Likes Romance Movies and Spy Movies. Loves most HALLMARK Movies.

• Reads books…Lots of books on Amazon Kindle, downloaded from Libraries. Historical Fiction, Spy Novels, Biography’s.

• He’s got four brothers and three sisters. They live in Colorado, Oregon, California, South Dakota and Alaska. But we still all get together every two years in Colorado.

• Loves to watch NFL Football and Major League Baseball and sometimes Tennis.

• He never even thought of being a missionary until the end of the one year Bible School he attended in 1980. One and a half years later he and Brenda moved overseas.

• Hasn’t watch NEWS on TV in many years. Still follows some news on the Internet. But never TV News. (It used to make me angry watching it, I had to stop.)

Serving and Amazing God,

Brenda and Jim

Hello Friends,

We are so excited to be able to come to America again this summer. On June 22 we will fly to Florida and it will be wonderful  to see our kids and grandkids and so much of our family and friends.

These times are so special to us and we are sure it’s one of the reasons we are now missionaries for over 40 years, with 25 years here in Budapest.

We always make sure we take time to rest and relax and just enjoy America. We will see the beaches of Florida and mountains of Colorado and the hills of Nashville.

There will also be a time for Brenda’s family to Celebrate the Life of her Mom, who went to be with Jesus in April.

Then in early July we will be in Colorado with my family (Jim) and be part of our family reunion there. I (Jim), am one of 8 children and all of us will be together plus my Mom, who is 92.

Along the way we will also take a relaxing vacation just the two of us, and enjoy America. We are thinking of driving up the East Coast of Georgia and the Carolina’s with visits to Savanah and Charleston.

Then in Mid-August we will fly back to our home here in Hungary to start our 26th year serving in Eastern Europe.

In Awe of His Faithfulness,

Jim and Brenda

Dear Friends,

This year 2022, is not at all like we thought it would be for us.

We thought that with the pandemic issues mainly over in this part of the world we could get back to being focused on helping pastors and leaders to help start more churches in the so many cities and towns that still don’t a church that shares the gospel.

But then the war in Ukraine started on February 24. Since that time we have worked with pastors in Poland and Bulgaria and here in Hungary to coordinate AID to some of the the millions of refugees that have fled Ukraine. We are doing just a small part.

We feel like it’s so important for us to be here at this time.

In the midst of this, we hope to still see at least 10 churches started this year.

Special Family Updates;   Brenda’s Mom is Now in Heaven

From Brenda.   “On Thursday April 14 My Sweet, Beautiful Mama went to be with Jesus! We are missing her so much! But we are praising God that she is with Him”!

I flew to Florida (Brenda) on Wednesday April 13 and my Mom passed the next morning.

I was so thankful I was there with my family and we shared so many special memories of her. It was a really precious time.

God is so good! Just a few days before my Mom went to be with Jesus, He sent us our new grand-son, Miles Atlas, who was born to Nathan and Lori in Orlando on April 7.

My time with our newest grand-baby was such a gift from God. It was so wonderful to see his little toes and tiny fingers.

Seeing our son Nathan and Lori and our grand-daughter Lenora, was so so sweet. We now have four grand-kids. It is so nice being a grandmother.

So in the midst of losing my mother it was such a gift to see this new little life coming into our family.

We are more excited than ever about what God has called us to do in this part of the world. Thank you for helping us do it.

In Awe of His Faithfulness,

Jim and Brenda 

Hello Special Friends,

It was just two weeks ago we sent our last update about what is happening here in Eastern Europe and the war in Ukraine and all the refugees.

Our hearts continue to break as we see not only the news on TV and online but also seeing the refugees in person as they arrive here in Hungary, fleeing the war in the neighboring country, Ukraine.

However you see it on the TV in the US, it’s much more intense over here as it’s right next to all these countries. Some people are nervous that the war will spread.

There is a lot of Aid that has arrived here in all the countries around Ukraine to help the refugees. So many from America, and Hungary and around the world have given so much to help.

With us living here we are able to do “targeting aid”. That is giving to people we have contact with to directly help them with their immediate needs, like food, and places to stay and so many of the basic needs they have.

Most are grandmothers and the elderly and mothers with children.

You may want to watch this short Video by clicking here or the image for an update on what we are doing.

There are over 2 million refugees already. Most have gone to Poland but hundreds of thousands of others have gone to Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria. But the second most have come here to Hungary with over 200,000.

As soon as they cross the border from Ukraine, Hungary provides free Humanitarian trains so they can come to Budapest.. The border towns are not equipped to handle the refugees.

Budapest is well equipped to help them and many of the refugees go on from Budapest to different places throughout Europe to stay with friends or family until they can return home to Ukraine. But many stay in Hungary.

This week I was at one of the train stations where the refugees arrive. I was there with one of my Hungarian Pastor friends to provide Aid.. Just seeing the faces of the mothers with their children with just a small suitcase with all their belongings, it breaks your heart.

We have been able to help coordinate the funding and distribution of Aid in Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria through some of the Pastor Friends we have in those countries. So many have given Aid from America to help these people. Thank you!

We don’t know what the future holds with the war or how long it will last. But one thing we know for sure is so many peoples lives are changed forever and are devastated.

We are glad we are here, to help some of them. What we are doing is small compared to so many other Aid Organizations. But to the people receiving it. it means so much.

Trusting God in Challenging Times,

Jim and Brenda

Dear Friends,

2022…  Wow… We feel this is going to be another amazing year for us as we serve here in Budapest and all of Eastern Europe.

It was FOURTY YEARS AGO this month in January 1982 that we first left the USA to become foreign missionaries.  Now 40 years later we still absolutely love doing what we get to do, reaching the nations with the Gospel.   Photo from 1980’s and 2022.

Since the year 2000, we have seen over 300 new churches started.  Sometimes they are the only church in the town.

Thank you for helping us do what we do.

Every year in January as we make plans for the year we look to see how we can be most effective in making an impact on the nations we work in here in Eastern Europe.  Since the year 2000, 20 years ago we have worked with key pastors in these countries to help them start churches.

So this year we are looking to see at least SEVEN new churches.  They will be started in Albania, Poland, Bulgaria and I’m sure others.  We are already working with pastors and making plans.

We will continue to invest $4000.00 in each of these new churches to help them get started. We have the finances for two of them alrea

 

dy.

When we look back to January 1982 when we left the USA to begin as missionaries, we are amazed at all the places we have been able to serve, like Costa Rica and Russia.  Now we are in our 23rd year here in Hungary and we are more in AWE then ever.  Thank you for helping us do this.

So we are EXPECTING great things in 2022.

 

In Awe of His Faithfulness,

 

Jim and Brenda

Dear James,

We always so love this time of the year. For us it’s a time to slow down and just enjoy the whole Christmas Season. We try not to get pushed into all the “busyness” that can so easily take over our lives. We do all we can to “Remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season.”

You may enjoy the TWO MINUTE video Christmas update by clicking the video below.

For us here in Budapest we decorate our house to make it feel like the Christmas’s that have so many memories. We have some of the special decorations we have had for years and years.

So as we celebrate our 25th Christmas here in Hungary this year, our two daughters will be with us. Our son’s and their families will be in Orlando and Nashville. We will miss being with them.

We will watch Christmas Movies and many Hallmark Movies and the wonderful smells of Christmas will be in our house with all the baking.

This year has been another wonderful year of serving and reaching this part of the world with the Gospel. Thank you for helping us do this!

So from our house to yours, “Merry Christmas” from Budapest,

Brenda and Jim

Dear Special Friends,

On November 8th we celebrated 41 years of being married.  Back when we said “I DO” in Gainesville, Florida we never dreamed of where “life” and God would take us.  It’s been an amazing and wonderful time. Anniversaries in America, Costa Rica, Russia and Hungary.  41 years!!!

Now here in Hungary we celebrated by taking the day to visit one of the historical Hungarian Castles/Palaces (Gödöll?),  just outside of Budapest. It was wonderful as we talked, walked, and just enjoyed the day and the memories of the last 41 years. So nice it was….

We love the Fall Season and the coming Holidays so much.  We have had so many Thanksgivings and Christmass here and we have always loved them.  Of course we miss our families during these times, but we have always been so thankful we get to do what we do as missionaries.

Special Ministry Update . . .  This past month and a half I have been in Slovenia, Bulgaria, Poland, Croatia and Bulgaria. Even though we have been working with pastors to start so many churches all these years, we are always humbled when we get to talk and hear the stories of the people we work with and how committed they are to reaching their countries with the Gospel.

Some of the of the names of the people I met with are Zoran, Marek, Anton, Stoyko, Klara, Milena and Hervin.  Names that are not common in English, but amazing people in our eyes. If you would meet them, we are sure you would agree and feel the same way.

This has been another amazing year of ministry, with almost two months to go.  We are expecting great things.  Plus looking to see at least SIX churches started next year. We are already planning….  We continue to focus on cities and towns with no or sometimes few churches.   We continue to invest $4000 in each of these new works.  Thank you For helping us change the cities and towns of Eastern Europe….One city and town at a time…

In Awe of His Faithfulness,

Jim and Brenda

 

P.S. We would ask you to prayerfully give a SPECIAL CHRISTMAS OFFERING… You can do it by TEXTING “cmiworld” to 77977 or by sending an offering to our office in Jacksonville.

 

Dear Special Friends,

We are already having an amazing start to the Fall Season here in Hungary.  We are so excited about these last few months of 2021.

Like many people in the world, these last 18 months have been different for us and our ministry over here.  For us it’s not been able to travel to countries like Bulgaria, Macedonia and Poland like we have done for the last 20 years.  Normally we would be visiting so many of the churches and leaders we work with on almost a weekly basis.

But we have had to adjust like so many people, families, churches, etc.

We remain so encouraged about the future.

Even yesterday I spoke to one of our key leaders we work with in Albania.  This Albanian Pastor right away talked to me about more churches he wants to start there.  We are excited with him as, of course we will help him do it.

So we go forward looking forward to what God is going to do the rest not only of this year, but plans for 2022.

One of the countries we have been able to travel to easily is the nation of Croatia, which is just to the south of Hungary.  Its been wonderful to see a new church started there just earlier this month that we were able to help them with.

We stay excited. We stay focused on what we feel has called us to do.  We stay in FAITH!  We expect Great Things.

Thank you for standing with us in all we do here in Hungary and the Nations of Eastern Europe.

In Awe of His Faithfulness,

Jim and Brenda