After years of faithfulness in Hungary, we now see the Lord’s blessing. For many years, the Free Methodist Church (FMC) in Hungary has faithfully served congregations in both Budapest and Győr. The church has also been instrumental in bringing awareness of the dangers of human trafficking to the Hungarian public. Now we see the Lord blessing the work of missionaries (past and present) and our national leaders. Two new church plants, one in the city of Veszprém (near Lake Balaton) and the potential for a new group in Szigetvár (in the south of Hungary), are part of this blessing from God.

In Veszprém, a group of international students (mainly African) were searching for a group to join in worship. I (Gerry McNamara, an international missionary) learned of their need and began a conversation with a local evangelical church. After months of communication, the church kindly offered the free use of its building. This new group, composed of students, met together in worship for the first time in October. In November, the group gathered again for prayer, and then for lunch and Christmas worship in December.

These students from various backgrounds and countries are lonely and need the love of Christ. Some recently experienced the loss of family members; others struggle with living in a different culture and with a language they do not understand. For others, there exists the stress of coursework and exams. Now they have an opportunity to come together in a safe space and worship the Lord. We even have students of Muslim background hearing the gospel of peace for the first time. The Free Methodist Church provides these students with the opportunity to worship God and draw closer to Him even though they are far from family.

We thank the Lord for the connectedness of the body of Christ. Because of our connection and the space we are using in another local evangelical church, the students are welcomed into their services, and translation is provided. The hospitality of this church means the students have the opportunity to worship with the FMC on Saturday afternoons and a local church on Sundays. They are beginning to meet more local believers, start friendships and become more accepted in their new community. We praise God for allowing us to share His love and blessing in Hungary!