The team arrived safely in Budapest just before lunchtime today on Thursday and have been enjoying an afternoon of sightseeing and rest before our departure tomorrow morning. This trip has seemed especially jam packed for everyone and we would not have it any other way. We have witnessed some amazing things both in the lives of people we’ve met and in our own lives as well. I am personally thankful to have gotten to know many of the individuals on this team better and am sure that the Lord is going to continue to grow these relationships.

As we’ve prayed for each individual on this team during our morning prayer times I have been incredibly blest by the diversity of gifts, personalities, experiences and callings represented on this team. As we look toward returning home I am excited to see how each one of these individuals will continue to grow.

Please pray for smooth travel connections tomorrow, rest and energy for the team, and for the Lord to begin revealing the deep truths and lessons that He wants us to latch onto from our time together.

Well, we have had quite a week… with no time to update you before now.  Tomorrow we head back to Budapest on a 5am train … yikes!  It’s now midnight, and seems little poin in going to bed to get up in a few hours to leave so here I am!

When I last wrote we were on our way to Homok Gypsey village, and what an experience that was!  We drove up a loose stone road, with tiny little gypsey houses on either side… outside almost every house was a group of children waving at us.  We arrived at the church to find Pastor Joseph there to greet us.  Some of his worship team were practicing, and it was the most amazing sound!  The church is one that Grace built for them, and really is a lighthouse in this village.  Everywhere we looked were little children, covered in dirt, wearing dirty clothing that didn’t fit properly and reaching up to us for hugs, some as young as 2 years.  Parents nowhere to be seen.  Dogs wandered free and along the road we saw the skeleton of a dog that had obviously been there awhile, and I watched as one little boy picked it up and threw it across the field.

The whole team immediately began to interract with the children using our translators (although this was even hard as Ukrainian gypseys speak Hungarian!)  We picked them up and held them, played with them and took pictures of them that they could see.  They were so fascinated with our cameras!  One little boy, barely 2 years, was crying… big tears rolling down his cheeks… I tried to pick him up and hold him, but he wriggled away and wandered off to find his sister who was about 3.  The team really had so much fun with these children, and after a time we gathered them outside the church with some of the adults and parents, and danced outside so that more people might come and see and hear.  Pastor Joseph praised God as we danced, and we could hear him translating Storyteller for the group, praising God as he watched the story unfold.  When we were done dancing, Sean shared a little with them, and we asked if we could pray for any of them… one old man came forward and had a back problem, so we laid hands on him and prayed…by the time we were done most of our team were once again covered in kids!!!!  We had a hard time separating them so that we could walk to get our taxis… we walked all through the village as the taxi drivers won’t come into it.  Most of the group agreed this had been one of their favorite experiences so far.

The following morning we went to Dumboki orphanage.  We were greeted by Looba who I had the pleasure of entertaining at my home when she visited the US last year.  It was great to see all the kids again, some that we remembered and many new faces.  We danced for them in their gymnasium, and the basketball team did some drills and games and got the kids involved.  They totally loved that!!!  We were then treated to a show by the kids of break dancing tricks that they can do, and I think they put us all to shame!   Sean shared and told them who we were and why we came, and once again they were all so fascinated by our cameras - particularly my video camera!  After we were done they had to go back to class, so we ate cake with Looba before we left and were on our way again.

Tuesday afternoon we visited Pavlava children’s home.  This is run by a couple who live there and watch over the kids.  This is for older girls who have graduated from the orphanage and would be out on the street.  They work by farming the land, and providing food for themselves.  The house was donated to them for this purpose, and it really is beautiful.  As there were not many girls there, we didn’t dance for them although Ala (who we know from past visits) wanted us to, so we shared some ‘moves’ with her during our time.  We saw Vica, also known from past visits, and it was so good to see these girls looking so happy and healthy.

Volodya introduced me to the director, Maria (she and her husband run the home).  She began pouring her heart out to me through Oxana who translated.  After a time I asked to pray with her… this was a divine appointment - we spent quite a time in prayer as all the others left the room and allowed us to minister to this amazing lady.  She told me that many come to visit the children, but she is so hungry for God’s word and just to feel filled with Him.  I was able to share with her from some of the things the Lord had given us during our prayer time… it was one experience that will stand out to me, and I was so humbled by it.

We left on the bus to go to teach another dance workshop, this time to the team who ministered at the concert with us this evening.  This was a truly exhausting experience, as they were a team that practiced very often and very hard, and  needed no breaks and no water to drink!!!  After I taught them a couple of dances, we shared dinner together, and I learned that one girl there had travelled 27 hours on the train to come to the workshop and the concert  (I asked her several times if she really said 27!!!!)

Meanwhile the basketball team went to visit with Josef’s kids, where I know they had an amazing time of fellowship and basketball.  The kids that Josef houses are off the street, and he recently took in an 8 year old who had neither mother or father.  The basketball team has left basketballs and frisbys at almost every stop to bless the children.  I got to see Josef again after the concert this evening, he had brought some of the kids to the show, and I was thrilled to find out he has learned English since I last came (my Ukrainian is a bit rusty!!)

This morning the basketball team had a big tournament planned at a local gym.  We all went along as we were to dance a couple of hip hop pieces for half time in the hope of encouraging some of them to come to the concert tonight.  Our team did great, and some of the dance girls made up cheers for them as they played.

We left early to come and practice our 11 dances that we were doing for the show.  Volodya has been advertising this particularly to unbelievers, and we were using the theatre in the city center.  The place was packed out, and after some initial nerves we began to really enjoy ourselves.  Before we knew it we were done, and many girls I had met at the workshops that week came backstage to greet us.  One I formed a particular friendship with and will continue to pray for and communicate with.  The boys came back with roses in their teeth for us!!!  Crazy boys!  We gave the flowers to Mariana and Volodya’s wife Oxana as we can’t take them on the train.

I think I speak for us all when I say that this trip has far exceeded any expectations we could have had.  God has been so good and so faithful in so many ways.  Each and every team member has contributed so much and we are all so sad that it’s over so quickly (well, my sore body isn’t so sad right now!) James has been such a tonic for the team… he continuelly lifts our spirits and makes each and every one of us feel so special.  It was truly a blessing that he became our 3rd chaperone.  This team has had so much fun in the midst of so much ministry.  They have been busy every minute of every day practically… all with great joy.

Ok, I wrote a novel… sorry!  I’ll finish now.  We will be in Budapest tomorrow for one night, and then back to Boston Friday… just in time for Sean’s birthday on Saturday!  Happy Birthday Sean!!

Thanks to Content and Vicki for the comments, and we’ll see you all soon.

Blessings from us all  .. ps. we tried to upload pictures (we have 1000s) but this is an OLD RUSSIAN computer! need I say more!)

Greetings all!

Well, we really have a dream team of students… through all our adventures so far they have remained such an amazingly joyful group, and as previously mentioned, even in our delays we had opportunity to show Jesus through our attitudes, and had several other passengers comment to that effect.  Each parent reading this should be so proud of your son/daughter… what great kids!  Their love for God is evident in all they do and say, and the saying ‘blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken’ has really held true!!

Sunday was a wonderful day, starting with a prayer time for our team together with Volodya and his wife Oxana.  It was Easter Sunday, and as our schedule didn’t permit us to attend a morning church service, we gathered together to share in communion.  We left in the afternoon to Mucachevo Ukrainian church where we presented Storyteller to a very enthusiastic group of both Christians and non-Christians.  It was an outreach event for Easter.  From there we went to the Mucachevo gypsey church, where I was delighted to see Pastor Micha and his wife Vera, along with our dear friends Ruslan and Carlos.  The worship was truly awesome.  We had several translations going on as there were people there from Holland, as well as Hungarian speaking and Russian speaking.   We presented Storyteller on a very small stage, but it went very well and the basketball team did some testimonies following.  We all commented on how true and wholehearted their worship was, in this tiny little place that was so packed that when you stood up in the front row you were shoulder to shoulder with the speaker!!!

Today the dance team headed out to teach a workshop to local teens.  The leader of this team was Christian, but she uses the team to outreach, so most of the girls were non-Christian.  We taught them ‘Shackles’ and had opportunity to share with them.  Meanwhile the basketball team headed downtown to hand out flyers to local youth for our outreach concert on Wednesday.  They just returned, so I’m sure Sean will share more about what else they did.

God has been so faithful, and during our morning prayer time we have had some powerful words and themes for the week.  Using our gifts, but also recognising that even in our weaknesses we can be used by the Lord.  Mainly to understand that God is working in all things that we do, even if we don’t see the whole picture.

In half an hour we are going to another Gypsey village to share and perform ‘Storyteller’.  We will write more about that tomorrow, assuming we have time

Blessings to you all

we arrived!!! after what seemed like a week in itself of travel, by planes, trains & automobiles; the team has arrived. everyone has been great! very thankful to the Lord for protecting us along the way as well as for the opportunities we have already had to share with people.

please pray for our schedule here in Ukraine. some things have shifted around due to our late arrival. trying to maximize our time on the ground. the basketball team had a clinic get canceled and the dance team had a performance rescheduled. everyone has been flexible and we know God has great things in store for this week and are trusting His purposes will be accomplished.

we are headed to domboki orphanage and mucachevo gypsy village today to do some performances & sharing. thanks so much for your prayers. God is good!

We have an adventure from the start! The team left Boston right on time and had an uneventful flight to New York. Unfortunately, then it became eventful. After sitting on the plane ‘forever’ in New York waiting to re-fuel, the decision was made to return to Boston to re-fuel. Don’t even ask! Lots of time sitting on the tarmac again, w-a-i-t-i-n-g. Finally fueled up, and - a problem with the plane. So at 10 last night the team deplaned and headed for a hotel overnight. Returned to Logan this morning and are confirmed for today’s 4:00 flight out.

The kids have been great, and a wonderful prayer time was had this morning! Yesterday was a long day though, so please pray that everyone will get some real rest in flight and on the train. Expected arrival will be one day late. Many thanks to Peter in Budapest and Volodya in Uzhgorod for juggling the various reservations and arrangements there smoothly!

This year’s trip to the Ukraine co-lead by Sean VonRoen and Janine Myers will be traveling during spring break. The team consists of Amanda Sweeny, Emily Myers, Emily Holecy, Becky Mason, Anna Rohrer, Jeremiah Robinson, Chris Maloney, Tom Christ, Dan Earl, and Mike Standish.

The team will host a parent meeting on Wednesday evening April 2nd at 6:30pm in Bonhoeffers cafe. This will be an informational meeting, and this is also the day that the first half of their trip cost is due. The second half will be due by Monday April 21st. We will keep parents posted on receipt of donations prior to these two deadlines. We will also be sending home a tentative itinerary today. Any questions arising from that will be discussed at the meeting on the 2nd.

The team members kept looking at each other marveling that we were in South America! Everything around us made that obvious - the weather, the people, the language, and those glorious mountain vistas! The twelve NCA students traveling to Ecuador led hours of activities for the 90-100 children at Compassion International in downtown Cuenca, comforted and played with abused and abandoned children at Remar House outside the town, and reached out through gifts, games and conversation to the children at a rural public elementary school. Mr. Kerwin and I were greatly blessed by the enthusiastic service and the open and willing hearts of this team!

Whether evangelizing someone on the street in faltering Spanish and gestures, or sharing our personal faith with clerks and tour guides, the Ecuador team seemed always aware we were in Cuenca to seek the Lord and His kingdom. That may sound just too noble- we were certainly a typical NCA group - but it’s true nevertheless. Even moments waiting or just walking to the next thing seemed fruitful. We continue in prayer for those we witnessed to in Cuenca, and will be processing the effects on ourselves over the next few weeks. Thank you for your prayers!

The kids will be presenting a special chapel for next week to share their experiences. Please join us if you are able, on Thursday, March 13th at 2:00.

It is a bright and sunny 75 degree morning in Guayaquil Ecuador today. It was typically 20 degrees cooler in Cuenca every day the team was there.

The flight out of Guayaquil Ecuador was delayed a bit last night. The team arrived at 7:38am this morning in Atlanta. They are boarding flight 4874 leaving Atlanta at 9:38 now. It should arrive at 12:03pm this afternoon, depending on the weather.

Our time here has been jam packed. After a day in Guayaquil, we made it here to Cuenca on Sunday evening. The Hotel Inca Real is absolutely marvelous! I have a suite with a living room area. The only downside is a bed as hard as a concrete floor - literally!

Monday was long and busy! We walked around town a bit and took a double decker bus tour in the morning. Then we went to Compassion for the afternoon. where the kids played hard. Dan Kerwin was exhausted and sweaty after 2 hours of soccer in the sun, and I was exhausted and going down fast.

On Tuesday we cut back a bit on our schedule and decided on just 2 hours outside at Compassion. Then we spent time inside at Verbo Christian School all morning. We had a lovely dinner at the hotel, (This team is the most adventurous regarding food. They order crepes, salmon, trout, portobella mushrooms, etc.) and then we sent the kids to crash briefly before going out to home groups, which were great!

Wednesday we had a lovely historic and cultural tour. We changed that from a 3 hour walking tour to a 3 hour bus tour with stops. The guide was a nice young man with excellent English.

Tonight the kids have gone to a big soccer game with several youth leaders from Verbo and Dan Kerwin and I beat it to the internet cafe. He’s on the phone with his wife and kids.

This is such a beautiful place and we are having lots of fun with the kids. We’ll see you all soon.

-Chris Urban

Hey Everyone! This is just a quick update on how things are going. Right now we are in Guayaquil at Howard Johnson´s. We made the flight yesterday and now are awaiting our connection to Cuenca which is at 6:30 this evening.

Wow, well what to say. Even though we didn´t make our original flight, God has really been with us the whole way through. We had a great time in serious prayer and assessing what our priorities are for this mission yesterday. One verse that really stood out for me is Prov. 16:9. We can plan all we want to in advance, but God is the decider of all that happens. I think this has been a good lesson at least for me in trusting God in every area of my life, especially in travel. He has an amazing way of showing us what we need to give over to Him.

Thank you everyone for your prayers! They are felt!

Blessings, Catey