February 2009
Dear friends,
OK, I locked my door, turned off my phone and closed my Outlook to be able to focus on sending you another letter from a far away land.
Olga, Rebecca and I are doing well yet staying very busy with various ministry responsibilities we have here at the Eastern European headquarters. We thought we were pretty involved in Moldova, but once your ministry scope grows to 19 countries, you start going 100 mph before you know it. It seems like we only got here yesterday and as I look at my calendar I realize that it has been 8 months already!
Winter in Hungary is rather mild, or so I thought until we got our first snow this week and 15 inches of it too, I must add! So, getting to the office today was only possible after I spent good bit of time shoveling snow trying to “dig out” my car. This reminded me again my best winter experience, 2 weeks in San Antonio in January where I was able to wear short sleeve shirts and even shorts during the day.
My time in San Antonio was very intense, but the Lord really blessed the trip. Again, my whole focus there was to be a support coach for Radu, a fellow staff member, helping him to raise his support. I worked hard (and made sure he did too:). He is returning back to Europe next week having raised 10 times more than he did on a similar trip last year. Being away from the family was not easy, but Olga and I decided it was worth it. We are thankful to be able to help our brother.
After coming back to Budapest we switched into high gear again preparing for an important training. We invited about 30 Eastern European national staff who demonstrated the best results in their support raising efforts both inside and outside their countries to come together and address the problem which, if remains ignored, could easily torpedo our ministry. Eastern Europe has a lot of staff and we take pride in this fact. Something we have been sweeping under the carpet, though, was the fact that most of them are struggling with their support. Self-funding is one of the core values for Campus Crusade, as you know, so we really need to do something to turn the corner there.
So, we spent several days together, everyone speaking his or her second language trying to identify the problem and then come up with some solutions. Our focus was to move away from the practice of giving people fish, but rather to teach them how to fish (not raise support for them, but come alongside as coaches and help them do their own work). I know we are long ways away from solving everyone’s problems, but at least we are moving in the right direction. Olga and I are privileged to be able to chip in.
Olga and I never forget that these and all the other great things we are involved in here in Budapest are only possible with your help. Thank you again for being on our team! We really appreciate you!
From Hungary with love,
Yuri, Olga, Rebecca
February 2009
New Life Moldova
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