Home At Last

I made it home!

The flight back was great. I sat with Mary Grace and Mattson, and we talked, napped, watched movies, etc. for the whole 8.5 hour flight. Then Mary Grace ended up being on my flight to Charlotte! We had a great time just talking about how excited we were to see our families, going over memories from the trip, and thinking about future plans at Furman! We parted ways in Charlotte, which was sad, but we were both exhausted and ready to be home. My whole family met me at the airport! It was so good to hug everyone. I joked around with Roecker while waiting on my bags, which was fun.

One of my bags didn't come in, and I saw an airline worker across the way. I stood there for a few minutes thinking, Ok, how do I ask about my bag in French? and formulating a question. Then I remembered I was in Alabama! (And thankfully my bag made it the next day!)

It has been so wonderful to be home. I love spending time with my family and enjoying the Christmas season!

This is the end of my Brussels blog! Its crazy to look back on all the memories made. I am so thankful for my time in Brussels, for the dear friends I made, for the places I got to see. There are so many wonderful experiences that I know I will never forget!

I will be picking back up my "regular" blog from this point on. 

So long, farewell, Brussels!

Last Day

What a week! This last week in Brussels has flown by. I cannot believe that tomorrow morning I get on a plane and fly home! I am so excited to see my family, but it is kind of sad too.

Besides exams, we have done a lot of fun things. Our whole group has really tried to spend a lot of time together. Its so bittersweet to leave, but all the "family dinners," as we call them, and hang out times have been full of memories, laughter, and good times for all.

Some of the best parts of the week have been Grand Place, last waffle, last frites today, last kebab tonight, our family dinner last night, and lots of time with friends!

So Long, Parliament!

I finished up work last week. It was so weird to go to work knowing it was my last few days! It went by very quickly. On my last day, I was able to do the normal things, including lunch at my favorite sandwich shop! Seriously, I love this place. Sandwiches are only 2 euros, and they are delicious!

Last sandwich!

I also attended the meeting on Belarus and Moscow that I wrote about before. The rest of the day I just spent in the office, doing the usual things. When it was time for me to leave, the MEP said goodbye and very kindly wished me well. Then I said goodbye to Kasparas, and I walked out of Parliament as an intern for the last time!

My desk :)

It was not my last time in Parliament, however. On Thursday night to celebrate her hard work, Cameron's office invited us to their office for a little party! It was so fun to meet her supervisors and just spend fun time together in the EP.

Last time going to work

This weekend, I am mostly going to be studying for my final exams, but we are already planning some fun in order to make the most of our last days in Brussels. And this time next Saturday, I will be on a place going home!

Amsterdam

Last weekend, I went to Amsterdam! I was really excited about this trip for a number of reasons. There were only four of us going, which waas nice. It was jut a quick trip, and we were taking a train, so it was less stressful. And, most importantly, Amsterdam was home to two very special people - Anne Frank and Corrie Ten Boom. I was really excited to be able to see both of their "hiding places".

The city of canals!

When we arrived in Amsterdam, we settled our stuff in the hostel and then wandered around town for a while. We had a recommendation for lunch from our friends Leah and Sey. We found our way to Singel 404, and boy, I am so glad we did! It is a really popular place, so we had to wait a little while for a table, buti t was worth it. I had a really good goat cheese, pine nut, and honey sandwich. It was really rich, but so good!

So excited to be with Cameron, Mary Grace, and Allie!

Then we made our way up the canal to the Anne Frank Museum. There was a short line, so we didn't have to wait long. The museum is so well done. Quotes from Anne Frank's diary are engraved along the walls. There is place where you can learn a little more about the Holocaust and the Frank family. Then I made my way up through the various offices, reading more about the people who hid the eight people in the Secret Annex. After that, I climbed the steep stairs, walked through the bookshelf, and went into the Secret Annex. Otto Frank requested that there not be furniture displayed in the Annex, so it is empty. I was surprised by how big it was. It certainly wasn't huge, and it would definitely get crowded with eight people in there all the time, never being able to leave. But still, it was bigger than I expected. Anyway, it was amazing to walk through these rooms and see traces of the families left behind. After leaving the Secret Annex, I walked into a room that explained what happened to everyone who lived in the Annex. There was also a video of one of Anne's friends who survived the war but was able to see Anne just before she died. In the next room, there was an interview with Otto Frank being played that was really moving. The whole museum is excellent. If you are ever in Amsterdam, please go.

Love the canals!

After leaving the museum, we walked down the canal, stopping for some window shopping, and meandered to Leidesplein, where there was a cute Christmas market. After taking a few pictures, we headed to the Van Gogh museum. I have never been a huge Van Gogh fan - I know, I know - but I loved this museum. It houses pictures from people who influenced his style, and it shows his change in style over time. It was incredible. I loved his earlier pieces, in particular.

Christmas market with Allie

After we left the museum, we grabbed some soup and apple tart for dinner and then made our way back to the hostel.

First thing in the morning, we grabbed breakfast and then jumped on a train to Haarlem! After a short train/bus ride, we walked into town. We couldn't tour the Corrie Ten Boom house for an hour, so we just walked around and shopped. Finally it was time for our tour. The lady led us up to the sitting room, and we all sat down. She told the story of the Ten Boom family in such a nice way, almost as if she knew them. The whole thing was very intimate and friendly. Then a man guide led us up to Corrie Ten Boom's room where the hiding place was. Essentially, they bricked in a false wall with an entrance through a cabinet in the room. Now there is a hole in the wall to show what the inside of the hiding place looks like. It was really amazing to stand there looking at the hiding place and hearing the story of what went on there. The rest of the house holds pictures of Corrie's life. It was really amazing. My favorite part was how the guide emphasized Corrie's message to people after the war - forgiveness. One man touring with us said, "Its hard to think that someone could hate a people group." The guide immediately said, "That is true, but Corrie made it a point to share with everyone the importance of forgiveness." He then shared the story that Corrie told in one of her books. After speaking in Germany, a former guard at Ravensbrook came up to her and told her that he had recently become a Believer. He said, "I know the Lord has forgiven me, but I want to ask your forgiveness also." Corrie recognized the man from her time in the concentration camp, and she froze. She did not want to forgive him for the things he had done. She prayed, "Lord, You are going to have to do this for me." And slowly, he hand raised to meet his. As they shook hands, Corrie was filled with joy. This was her message to people after seeing her sister die, her father die, and being imprisoned in a terrible concentration camp. She really was an amazing woman. Again, if you haven't read The Hiding Place, go get it right now and read it!

Inside the Hiding Place

After leaving Corrie's house, we stopped for lunch at a great place with the nicest waiter ever. (He gave us water even though he is only supposed to give that to us if we had ordered wine or something. We had all ordered hot drinks, but still, it was so nice!) We just talked and laughed and imagined our futures (haha!). Finally, it was time to make our way back to Amsterdam center. We meandered to the hostel, grabbed our bags, and stopped at a cute bakery for a snack. Then we walked along  a canal to the train station. We boarded our train and talked during the entire three hour train ride back to Brussels!

Loving Haarlem with Cameron and Allie!

It was such a fun weekend, and a fabulous last trip in Europe! I cannot believe that in just a few days I will be home!

Return to Diosd!

I have no idea how to write about Thanksgiving without rambling on about how wonderful it was.  Since I couldn't go home, I went to my "non-USA home"! That's right, I went to Diosd, Hungary.

My dear friend Bea!

I got in really late Wednesday night. Andras, the pastor and planter of Paulus, was kind enough to pick me up from the airport. Esther came too, which was wonderful! We did the whole squeal-hug-jump-up-and-down thing when we saw each other. (Sidenote: I have never been as cold as I was waiting for the Kazars. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long - I was actually in the wrong place, but Esther found me - but still, it was FREEZING!) Anyway, it was very nice of them to come pick me up. When we got to their house, Sarah was up, and Hannah had even waited up for me! We talked for a while, ate some of Esther's Blotkake (school project), and then we all headed up to our respective beds.

Sweet Dori

On Thursday, Sarah and I ran to the grocery store and got most of our supplies. They didn't have sweet potatoes, and Sarah said she hadn't been able to find them anywhere. We decided to check one more place. We said a prayer in the car, got to the store, didn't see them, and decided to ask just to be sure. The lady smiled, started walking, and showed us a smile pile of sweet potatoes from Israel! These miracle sweet potatoes were sent to us from God! We returned home and started cooking for the Thanksgiving celebration that would occur on Friday (They invite Hungarians, and since they have to work on Thursday and Friday, a Friday night gathering makes more sense).

Love this girl!

That evening, I went to the Kiss' house! It was so good to be with my Hungarian family. Beni and Lilla have both grown, they have a beautiful new bathroom, and we ate soup and palacsinta (my favorite)! It was so fun to spend time with them again.

With Ildi, my "anya" and friend

On Friday, we got the house ready and finished cooking. Esther and I decided to wear matching outfits, which was fun. People started arriving around 5, and it was so fun to see so many of my dear friends like the Ancsan family, Dori and Fanni, Alexa, Regi, Eni, the Bodis, and so many others. We ate and ate and ate - best stuffing of my life! It was so good. And we all just sat around and talked. It was so nice!

Adult Table

Youth Group Table

On Satuday, I went and helped some of the women decorate at ICSB for the women's craft event taking place the next day. The room looked BEAUTIFUL, and it was so fun to hang Christmas decorations. I went to dinner at Sanyesz and Esy's apartment that night. Zoe and Joachim were as adorable as ever, and it was fun to talk and catch up. When I got back to the Kazars' house, Alexa and Regi were spending the night because it was her birthday! We got to laugh and sing and be silly.

We are so silly, but we have so much fun!

We all got up on Sunday and headed to church. That afternoon, I went to the women's event for a while. There was a good turn-out, and I saw a women and her daughter who had been in my group for English camp this summer! I couldn't stay for the whole time, so I said goodbye and headed to the Paulus house to help set up for the youth group Thanksgiving that night. Helping with that was just like being there this summer. I wanted to stay so badly! But I had to leave to catch my flight.

Women's Craft Event

I loved being in Hungary for Thanksgiving. It was so good to see my dear friends and catch up with people. I love Diosd, and I was so thankful that I could spend time there. Catching up on life and the ministry was such goodness for my soul.

Prayer Requests: Belarus and Moscow's Children

I am sitting at work, and I need to post the blogs I have written about my last two weekends, but I just got back from a meeting. It was a human Rights Focus meeting that played a few documentaries about post-Soviet society. First, they spoke about Belarus, as Irina Bogdanova, the sister of a candidate in the last Belarusian presidential election, and Marina Adamovich, the wife of a candidate in the previous elections, were present. These women shared their stories as well as details about December 19, 2010. A photographer was there with his exhibit on the families of those arrested as a result of the elections. Then we watched a movie about December 19. It was very powerful to see people who were speaking out for a fair government, who were raising their voices, be arrested, leaving their families with literally no word as to their whereabouts. Men and women stood outside prison gates just for that moment when the gate would open for a car and they could try to get a glimpse and see if their loved one was there. Ms. Bogdanova told a story about how thirteen teenagers were on the street, going to buy bread or milk or something, and they were randomly arrested and beaten. They were given no reason why, they themselves had no reason why. It was just another example of the persecution of the government. Hearing these stories was heartbreaking.

Even more heartbreaking than those, I think, was the documentary they showed about children in Moscow. Since the end of the Soviet regime, somewhere around 4 million children fill the streets of Moscow, homeless. The video showed them sleeping on metros, living in dumpsters, etc. A number of these children said their papers had been stolen from them, so they had no where to go, no way to escape the life they found themselves in. A number of them talked about how they missed their mothers. These kids look for any way to escape the realities of their life. They have no money, but they have found ways to get high (that was the most horrifying, terrible scene, I thought). They drink themselves to oblivion. They attack other people, trying to get food or money or something. They steal from homeless adults, taking their clothes. The depravity of this lifestyle I cannot explain. I sat watching with that yucky feeling in my stomach, wanting to throw up, to hide my eyes, to get their faces out of my head. It is so void of hope. Honestly, this is going to sound extreme, but I felt Satan's hand all over their lives.

So I sat there, crying, and I prayed for them. And I ask you to pray for them, even right now as you read this. Who will tell these children the Good News? Who will offer them hope? Pray that God's light would shine on them, that He would speak to their hearts, that He would send someone to tell them about His love for them and His salvation and His plan and His dreams for them.

Pray, too, for places like Belarus. So many are fighting against injustice. Please pray for the families of those who are imprisoned. Please pray that God would work in the hearts of Belarusians at this time, that they would seek His face and His peace and His hope. Please pray that here, too, God would send workers to spread His name and the freedom that comes from knowing him.

I know I probably sound very dramatic about these things. But having just watched those movies and heard personal testimonies and seen photographs and read letters written from prison, my heart is heavy for these people. And I serve God, whose heart is even heavier for His people, who is not content to leave them forsaken, but who has SAVED them, and who longs for them to know His love. And I also know that the power of prayer is great, and that no matter what else I could do, praying will do more.

Carried

My mom's boss and one of the men I most respect and admire in the world wrote on my Facebook wall today. The first phrase that he wrote has been sticking in my mind all day: "May the Hand of God carry you all the day long."

What rest. What peace. To me, that phrase sounds like the epitome of what it means to be cherished, to be loved. And right now, that sounds so good it brings tears to my eyes.

I have allowed myself to be busy, to rush, to worry. I have placed things in my own hands instead of leaving them in God's. I have hurried from moment to moment, planning and fretting and figuring. I have lived and lived and worked and worked and rushed and worried. Thankfully, God has hushed me to remind me of the truth.

I learned this summer that I want God's will more than I want anything else in my life. And that still holds true. But a lot of times in the hustle and bustle of every day living, I jump ahead of where God has called me now, in this moment, to the problems I foresee in the future - problems that, when I get to them, may not even exist any more. This way of living is just exhausting. In the last few weeks, I have been able to slow down a little (work was calmer, I wasn't traveling), and God has been reminding me of some things.

First of all, I am His. Above every other "title" that the world has given me (or perhaps that I have given to myself), that one, of belonging to Him, is the most important one, and really the only one that counts.

Secondly, I run myself ragged trying to be responsible and do what I think needs to be done, and God stands there with His hand outstretched, shaking His head, perhaps smiling a little at my foolishness. But He always snatches me back, stops me in my tracks. I am Martha, so often, trying to fix everything before it can go wrong, trying to be God for various people and circumstances and occasions. And God constantly has to say to me what He said to her - "Sara Beth, Sara Beth, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one." Then He continues, "Come, choose what is better. Give Me these foolish things that burden you, and I will give you rest. I am the potter, and you are the clay."

What abundant life! What joy and rest and peace and freedom! I can rest and let my Father do His will.

So may the hand of God carry you all the day long.