February 18, 2021
“Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow,...
February 3, 2021
This blog is in conversation with a post from the blog A Life Overseas written by Craig Thompson on Jan....
January 26, 2021
Early last spring, I came across a super cute idea for an advent calendar and told my daughter that we...
January 21, 2021
Flexibility, adaptability, resilience. Call it what you will, possessing some combination of these traits is essentially non-negotiable in cross-cultural missions....
January 8, 2021
As we begin 2021, many of us carry a great deal of hope for change after a hard year, or...
December 17, 2020
This holiday season found us unexpectedly in the United States. We hadn’t planned to spend the end of 2020 in...
December 1, 2020
One of the reasons I wanted to come to the USA (for more on that, read my previous blog here)...
November 20, 2020
God’s work can be straightforward and simple sometimes. Other times, it is mysterious and confusing. It is always awe-inspiring and...
November 11, 2020
The first inkling of my calling to Hungary came with the idea of some kind of bakery business that would...
November 5, 2020
Retreat: Verb – move back or withdraw; withdraw to a quiet or secluded place Noun – an act of moving back...
October 15, 2020
Recently in our discipleship groups here on the field, we read through Psalm 119. I was struck as I read...
October 1, 2020
About eight and a half years ago, I sat in the corner of a small room at Riley Children’s Hospital...
September 24, 2020
Earlier this year, I had trip scheduled to go to the US, spend some time with my family, visit some...
September 17, 2020
Summer is over, the kids are back in school, and my family has completed our first year of missionary service...
September 3, 2020
When I first started with OMS in Hungary, I knew I would be on the field for at least two...
August 25, 2020
You’re scrolling through Facebook, looking at photos from a friend’s wedding, bookmarking a new cookie recipe, and commenting, “Congrats!” on...
August 6, 2020
About 11 years ago, my family moved to Hungary (see cover photo for the throwback). Arriving on the field was...
July 30, 2020
In an alternate reality—the one where everything goes to plan—last week would have been our third English camp of the...
July 24, 2020
I am a planner. I like to know the facts and what to do before I start something. In order...
July 9, 2020
Over the last few years, our discipleship team has undergone some perspective changes that have led to a different view...
July 2, 2020
Thank you so much for following our blog and praying for what God is doing in Hungary. We wanted to...
June 18, 2020
I’m a planner by nature. I live by my calendar and my to-do list, and I much prefer routine to...
June 4, 2020
Social entrepreneurship, sometimes referred to as “business as missions,” invests in creative ideas and empowers Christian business people to be...
May 28, 2020
The hardest thing about quarantine for me so far has been the grieving. It feels like everyone is losing something:...
May 21, 2020
Many places in the world are starting to open back up after weeks of isolation, at least partially. In Hungary, Budapest is being opened...
May 14, 2020
When I was a little girl, part of my homework was to write in a journal each day. I hated...
May 7, 2020
Some time ago, I spent a few hours in a dusty field watching a local school have their sports day....
April 30, 2020
Based off of what I have seen on social media and the internet, there are many people who are not...
April 23, 2020
At the end of 2019, a friend shared with me a booklet to reflect both on the year behind and...
April 14, 2020
For Julia’s birthday at the beginning of March, we went on a little trip to the medicinal baths of Bükfürdő....
April 9, 2020
You know what’s a crazy thing? Resurrection from the dead. And also the fact that every year we celebrate that...
March 26, 2020
As in much of the world, things here in Hungary have been out of the normal lately. Schools are closed...
March 20, 2020
Driving is something that I didn’t know I missed until I returned to Pennsylvania. On the days that I need...
March 5, 2020
Over the past few months, God seems to have chosen a single theme and He has been repeating it to...
February 20, 2020
Over the last year, our team has been working through the values that we created together a few years ago...
February 13, 2020
I have always been fascinated by language. This is probably because I had an aunt who was a kindergarten teacher...
February 4, 2020
“Welcome home!” “Aren’t you so happy to be back?” “I’m sure it is a relief to be back to what...
January 30, 2020
“Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,...
January 23, 2020
God does amazing things. There is no question about it. If you are like me, though, you don’t always see...
January 17, 2020
Today, we continue our discussion on Sabbath as several of our team members share the ways they have encountered God...
January 8, 2020
The first and greatest commandment is that we love the Lord God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and...
December 16, 2019
There are lights on the trees, the Christmas tram is running, I’ve hung snow flakes in my living room, hot...
December 9, 2019
When I was 10 years old, my family made the move from Salem, Oregon to Billings, Montana. Moving to a...
December 5, 2019
You may have seen some pictures floating around on our Facebook page recently that promote our 2020 SEC giving catalog....
November 18, 2019
I think it would be easy in moving across the ocean to begin to feel invisible to the community you...
November 13, 2019
One of the questions I am asked the most as a missionary living overseas is, “How can I help?” While...
November 7, 2019
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea; that you receive her in...
October 31, 2019
How do you become a missionary? It’s simple. Find a perfect Christian organization. Apply with said perfect organization. Raise all...
October 24, 2019
“The actions you take simply serve as the tangible evidence of what you believe.” – Simon Sinek A few years...
October 17, 2019
A few weeks ago, a team of returning volunteers (and one new one) came to Hungary to continue the work...
October 10, 2019
Growing up, my mother practiced hospitality often. There is a plaque in our dining room that proudly declares, “Do not...
October 3, 2019
Corinne and Jonathan Long first came to Hungary 10 years ago. They were here for a while before returning to...
September 26, 2019
Transitions are a part of life and often a time of stress and anxiety, but ultimately we choose to change...
September 19, 2019
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son...
September 12, 2019
This blog was originally shared on our future teammates Glynn and Naomi Johnston’s blog. When we decided we wanted to...
September 5, 2019
When people ask me what my job is, I usually reply with “I’m a teacher.” This is an easy answer...
August 29, 2019
Camp director—well, assistant camp director. That was a new title for me this summer. Even though I have helped direct...
August 22, 2019
While I was preparing to leave for Hungary this spring, one of the most frequent questions I received from friends...
August 8, 2019
First Short-term Mission Trip Seven months ago, God placed a calling in my heart to go on a mission trip....
July 2, 2019
As I spent a week in Hungary this summer, I got to experience a change I have never seen before...
June 27, 2019
I’m not one to disregard recommendations, especially not strong recommendations. But in grad school I was so convinced that I...
June 11, 2019
This is part two of a two-part blog. For part one, click here. (LINK) Chuck later explained how he and...
June 11, 2019
One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of...
June 6, 2019
The camp season is coming! Next week, the season kicks off with the first of several teams and volunteers arriving...
May 30, 2019
I was lying on an ultrasound exam table when the mood in the room noticeably shifted. The older doctor smearing...
May 23, 2019
We are excited that the work is continuing in Szentmargitfalva once again. Some volunteers from last year have returned to...
May 15, 2019
Have you ever been skydiving or bungee jumping before? I’ve been skydiving. In fact, that’s where I met my husband—but...
May 9, 2019
OMS’ beliefs have been heavily influenced by the Anglican Priest and founder of Methodism, John Wesley. Wesley had a distinct...
May 2, 2019
On Friday, March 29th, I was hit by a car. I was waiting at a crosswalk near the ministry center...
April 25, 2019
My whole life, I’ve never really known what I want to do or what I want to be when I...
April 9, 2019
Lately, I have been really enjoying Facebook’s “On This Day” feature. For those of you who aren’t familiar, this little...
April 4, 2019
The “Community Impact” team, formerly known as the “Transformational Ministries” team has been going through a development process over the...
March 28, 2019
1 Corinthians, chapter 12 talks about the many talents and abilities of Christians in the Church. Obviously, the Church needs...
March 21, 2019
Jesus and His disciples had been through a lot by the time they found themselves together on the hilltop in...
March 7, 2019
Sadie Sprankle was born and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. After she graduated university in 2016, she moved to Kyiv, Ukraine,...
February 28, 2019
Madison Atkinson grew up in Southern Indiana and was always highly involved in the United Methodist Church. After graduating college...
February 21, 2019
Josh Woeckener was born in California, but most recently lived in Niceville, FL. He first came to Hungary in 2017...
February 14, 2019
Born and raised in a small town in central Georgia, with a graduating senior class of 45 students in 2002, Rhoda Woeckener had...
February 7, 2019
Anna is the newest OMS missionary-kid-turned-missionary on the field. She was born in Lexington, Kentucky but grew up in Hong...
January 30, 2019
Distance can be a difficult thing. They say it makes the heart grow fonder, but at some point it just...
January 24, 2019
Over the years I have lived in many places—four different states, and now Budapest. And I have held many different...
January 17, 2019
I knew that the vast majority of my work in Budapest would be English related. English Clubs. English Camps. Building...
January 10, 2019
When I first graduated with my masters in communication sciences and disorders, I distinctly remember praying that God would help...
January 3, 2019
Well, it’s here—2019 that is. The countdowns have occurred across the world. The sheet music for Auld Lang Syne has...
December 27, 2018
When I sat down to write this blog, a post-game press conference was playing in the background. The coach of...
December 20, 2018
There is a common misunderstanding of me as a person, namely that I want to get rid of all traditions....
December 13, 2018
Christmas 2018 will be our 14th Christmas in Hungary. When we arrived to Hungary the first time, Hannah was almost...
December 5, 2018
I absolutely love Christmastime. I am one of those people that gets super excited in October when stores put out...
November 21, 2018
“There is no one like our God!” was sung out, a harmonious refrain that filled my heart with joy. Over...
November 21, 2018
Thank you! That’s what you are supposed to say on this day, right? Well, yes. But do we actually mean...
November 15, 2018
City to City Europe recently hosted their latest conference in Kraków, Poland. City to City Europe focuses on church planting, with the aim...
November 6, 2018
In today’s world, it is very difficult to manage one’s personal life and work life. It is even more challenging...
November 1, 2018
Did you ever have the feeling that you wanted to be a part of something bigger than yourself …that you...
October 25, 2018
God seems to love paradoxes. Lose your life to gain it. Serve Christ to find true freedom. A mission trip...
October 18, 2018
An introduction: A group of Americans from Crosspoint Church in Florida traveled to Budapest to put on a missionary care...
October 11, 2018
Why did you want to go to Cuba? I had felt for a while that I wanted to serve God’s...
October 4, 2018
We went to build a chapel, but God built so much more. We were four guys from the forgotten Middle...
September 25, 2018
Being a calm and quiet type of guy, few things ring my bell. But when I witness “new life,” I...
September 19, 2018
What do you do when God changes your direction? What should you do when you are putting all your efforts...
September 13, 2018
Last weekend, a new work team arrived to continue the work on the chapel in Szentmargitfalva that was begun this spring....
September 6, 2018
When I was in fifth grade, I had my first chance to play American football on the playground with my...
August 29, 2018
This week, as the kids head back to school here in Budapest and the weather finally starts to dip below...
August 22, 2018
One of the most difficult things about living in a foreign country is the language. When you do not understand...
August 12, 2018
This is just a small glimpse of our time at Summer English Camp this year. Each day was filled with...
August 9, 2018
I hate English. I couldn’t stand it in high school and, truth be told, I have virtually no interest in...
August 2, 2018
One day I will remove the foot from my mouth. When I arrived about a year ago, I got to...
July 26, 2018
My name is Maddie Hillard and I am twenty-one years old. This summer I was fortunate enough to lead a...
July 5, 2018
I have never felt more out of my depth. My husband Glyn and I were nearing the end of our...
June 27, 2018
One of our goals on the OMS Hungary field, what we like to call “Strategic Focus Areas,” is to mobilize...
June 14, 2018
In 2 Peter 1:5-7, Peter lists seven things that we are told to add to our faith. Each one of...
June 7, 2018
There is something both exciting and daunting about uprooting your life and moving halfway across the world. As a grown...
May 31, 2018
For much of my life, I lacked a passion to see people believe in Christ. I believed in him, sure,...
May 24, 2018
As I sat in the chapel in Szentmargitfalva last weekend during the building dedication, I realized that one question seemed...
May 17, 2018
Why spend time in Hungary? This is a question that has been asked of me often in the past several...
May 10, 2018
This past week, work began on the roofing structure of the chapel, and gravel was spread to level out the...
May 3, 2018
In 1993, my family arrived in Budapest, Hungary. In some ways, not much has changed since then, but in other...
April 26, 2018
The village of Szentmargitfalva is a small group of houses tucked away in the southern hills of Zala county, Hungary, but...
April 19, 2018
This week, some of our team has been hard at work down in Szentmargitfalva, building the chapel we talked about...
April 12, 2018
For part one of this story, click here. In 2009, a local Methodist pastor named Laci, from Zsolnok Hungary, decided...
April 5, 2018
What does a small Hungarian border town, an oil boom, and an old Peugeot 106 have in common? Nestled in...
March 29, 2018
It’s been a week since I arrived back in the States from my trip to Budapest, Hungary, and I have...
March 21, 2018
Over spring break, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Budapest, Hungary with two other girls from Asbury University....
March 15, 2018
The door swung open at the Landerer’s Printing House in Budapest and a chilly March wind blew into the room....
March 8, 2018
Julia was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but raised in Asheboro, a small town in central North Carolina, where her...
March 1, 2018
Will was born in Boston and grew up in Massachusetts. He has lived in Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Upstate New...
February 15, 2018
Clarissa grew up in central Indiana. After graduating from college, she did a short-term internship with the OMS Hungary team...
February 8, 2018
Tricia is originally from Rochester, New York. Her story is much the same as her husband’s, posted last week on...
February 1, 2018
John Fraser was born and raised in British Columbia, Canada. He went to Bible college in Saskatchewan, and then to...
January 25, 2018
Daniel Buck is from Indianapolis, Indiana. He has lived on both the north and the south sides of the city....
January 18, 2018
Corinne was born in Ohio, but lived in the Indianapolis, Indiana area from second grade on. She first visited Hungary...
January 11, 2018
As a missionary kid, Jonathan Long has called many places his home. He was born in Lexington, Kentucky, but lived...
December 28, 2017
Of all the times of year, Christmas can be one of the most bittersweet holidays for a missionary. The joy...
December 19, 2017
In this series of posts, we began with the prophecy of Daniel, which predicted the destruction of the second Jewish...
December 8, 2017
In the last post we looked at the prophecy in Daniel 9 which predicted both the destruction of Jerusalem and...
December 7, 2017
If you’ve ever cracked open a Chinese fortune cookie, you might have read something like this: “Your golden opportunity is...
November 28, 2017
“I think God has called me to be a missionary!” That’s what I, a punk middle school kid, said to...
November 23, 2017
This coming spring, Jonathan and I will have served with OMS for nine years. Over the years, there have been...
November 11, 2017
We live and work abroad as “missionaries.” Sometimes when we are visiting folks back in the USA, people talk about...
November 8, 2017
God and I had a deal…at least I thought we did. The deal was that I would follow him, as...
November 2, 2017
Some years back, Corinne and I were enjoying lunch after sharing at a church in Montana, when a gentleman from...
October 26, 2017
Zoli was laughing pretty hard, and I saw genuine amusement flash in his eyes. I forget now what I said,...
October 19, 2017
When I arrived in Hungary seven months ago, I knew that I wanted to learn the language. After studying communications...
October 12, 2017
In my experience of more than 10 years of missions work, it seems like we’re often beginning again. On the...
October 5, 2017
On my more than 10-hour flight back home from Budapest recently, I had a lot of time to think. I...
September 29, 2017
This past week was “big trash day” here in Budapest. This day varies in different parts of the city, but...
September 21, 2017
“Can we be friends?” Most of us recognize that hopeful question from younger years on plastic swing sets or outside...
September 7, 2017
This is part two of Nick’s story, read the first part here. My first major step of faith was my...
August 30, 2017
Greetings from Florida, USA! Recently, I returned from my second year of Summer English Camp (SEC) in Vác, Hungary. I...
August 28, 2017
I recently went on a mission trip with my church through One Mission Society to Hungary. A few members of...
August 3, 2017
When I found out I would be serving at Summer English Camp 2017, I honestly wasn’t too sure what to...
July 27, 2017
It’s been a week since I came back from my first mission trip. I had the pleasure of being a...
June 14, 2017
One of the things I am so proud of in life is that I had the opportunity to grow up...
May 31, 2017
After graduating from university in 2015, I lacked clear direction on where my life was going. I ended up doing...
January 26, 2017
This is the final part of a six part series written by Melissa Shaefer who interned with OMS Hungary doing...
January 6, 2017
This is part five of a six part series written by Melissa Shaefer who interned with OMS Hungary doing refugee...
December 8, 2016
This is part four of a six part series written by Melissa Shaefer who interned with OMS Hungary doing refugee...
December 2, 2016
This is part three of a six part series written by Melissa Shaefer who interned with OMS Hungary doing refugee...
November 16, 2016
This is part two of a six part series written by Melissa Shaefer who interned with OMS Hungary doing refugee...
November 10, 2016
This is part one of a six part series written by Melissa Shaefer who interned with OMS Hungary doing refugee...
August 14, 2016
When my church’s Missions Pastor, Tyler Fuller, asked if I was interested in heading up a worship band to Budapest...
July 27, 2016
The camper and I made awkward eye contact. Immediately, we glanced away, pretending we weren’t trying to figure each other...
July 23, 2016
I am in the country of my ancestors, Hungary with my husband John and our adult children Sarah (22) and...
June 9, 2016
Did you ever wonder what the world was like before Babel? Imagine, just for a second, a world with free...
May 31, 2016
“Have you thought about what you want to do?” I stared at my friend Lauren Pupillo as we sat in...
May 20, 2016
I recently visited the Hungary field. I woke up at 4 a.m. for my flight and was picked up in...
May 12, 2016
One Mission Society Hungary is all about transforming lives. They want to be agents of the Lord, creating positive change...
May 5, 2016
As a missionary, it is easy to forget that your soul matters. Your relationship with the Lord is primary, and...
April 26, 2016
The final habit that Peter urges believers to add to their lives is what the apostle Paul called the highest...
March 25, 2016
When Peter speaks of adding brotherly kindness as the next habit, he uses the Greek word philadelphia. This of course...
March 23, 2016
Growing up, I never saw artistic abilities as a relational gift. I have always been a rather detail-oriented person, and...
March 18, 2016
So far we have looked at the habits from 1 Pet. 1:5-7 that deal with character, namely virtue, knowledge, self-control,...
March 11, 2016
A certain athletic apparel manufacturer has a commercial featuring a song with the words, “everybody gets knocked down; how quick...
March 4, 2016
It’s no secret that we live in an age where advertising is geared towards appealing to our every desire and...
February 26, 2016
The motto of the high school I attended (many years ago now!) was “knowledge is power.” Many people see the...
February 20, 2016
When I read the seven habits that Peter lists in 2 Pet. 1:5-7, I see the first four (virtue, knowledge,...
February 10, 2016
In the previous post we saw a list of seven things that we are to add to our faith. Before...
February 4, 2016
Everyone wants to be successful – or at least I have yet to meet a person who said they dreamed...
January 29, 2016
In about a week, one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, the Super Bowl, will be played. A...
January 27, 2016
When I was first introduced to One Mission Society as a youth in 1996 at a Summer English Camp in...
January 26, 2016
Dervock Presbyterian Church is a community of God’s people on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland. So, why do we...
January 15, 2016
Back in 1989, Hungary was a part of the movement that helped set in motion a series of dominoes that...
January 8, 2016
A few weeks ago, our church (located in the panhandle of Florida) sent a team of 8 men to Budapest,...
January 6, 2016
Moses struck a rock in the desert, and it produced lifesaving water. David put a rock in his sling and...
November 22, 2015
Fences are incredibly common in Hungary. Nearly every house has a fence with a well secured gate around it. Here fences...
September 30, 2015
Over the last couple of weeks, I have thought about a class that my wife, Kristen, and I took together...
September 25, 2015
I’ve heard it said that the job of a missionary is one of the most unpredictable jobs. The truth is...
September 15, 2015
We drove through cornfields and Hungarian countryside for barely a kilometer before we started seeing the clusters of people walking...
September 10, 2015
I saw her through the open flap of the tent. A young mom (the photo above is of another young mother...