Monthly Archives: May 2007

Permission Forms are being e-mailed to families!

Please have the permission form filled out and PLEASE BE SURE IT GETS NOTARIZED!!!!!

TEAM GATHERING IS BEING PLANNED!!!! PLEASE BE AVAILABLE!!!!

TEAM COVENANT IS BEING EMAILED, please read sign and give to RevTom at TEAM GATHERING!

passport picture needed!!!

God is so faithful.

To date we have raised 80% of our minimum need to travel and do ministry.

To include the trip to Krakow will cost us more. If we add that to the total trip cost we have received 72% of our trip need.

Please pray for the Lord to meet our needs by the time we leave next Friday.

A step that we are taking is to buy monthly passes for transportation in Budapest. EACH TEAM MEMBER should bring an EXTRA passport photo.

last night there was this show on PBS about the news guys who brought Americans the news of WW2 in the midst of the blitz… …it made me think of the UK’s PM, Nevile Chamberlain… and this phrase comes to mind… “peace at any cost” … we are in an unpopular war… I don’t believe in ‘peace at any cost’… but I also don’t believe in ‘any cost to be right’ either… this applies to our national foreign policy as well as our being right about our theology and practice… WHAT? Foley are you nuts? we must be right about Theology!!!!! well, yes, there are some hills to die for… but that is SO RARELY what fights are about… fights are usually about practice, not theology… or at least theology that really matters… when are we going to learn that if we focus on serving one another, peace results? the only guys i know who argue about the other guy going first were the chipmunks… how ’bout this phrase… I should be interested in ‘serving at any price’… speaking of serving at any cost… what about these guys who climbed Everest to clean up the trash of other climbers??? heard about it??? click here

1. Bring no expectations
2. Remember, it’s not better, it’s not worse, it’s just different.
3. Follow the leader
4. No hard or semi hard case bag can be larger than 16″x11″x25.” Further, this bag can not weigh more than 50 pounds.
5. Acquire and sign your passporta. pack a copy of it away from your personb. give a copy to your leaderc. have a copy where a responsible person can fax it to youd. Fill out the contact page of your passport in pencil
6. Eat yogurt daily
7. Learn about the culture that you are traveling to
8. Take three extra passport photos
9. Keep those things which are valuable to you in your carry on, if you can’t do without it, don’t check it… this is true for equipment as well as sentimental stuff
10. Never lose track of your passport and plane ticket
11. Keep prescription medicines in their original container
12. Never cut it close time-wise at the airport13. Wear comfortable shoes that support your feet
14. Pack a clean shirt and undergarments and toiletries in your carry on so that you are prepared when they lose your luggage
15. Never leave behind a clean napkin, you never know when it might be helpful16. When you find a clean rest room, use it, you can’t be sure when you will see another one and tell your team mates where it is.
17. A packet of hand wipes or a container of anti-bacterial hand cleaner is prudent.
18. American noisiness and abrupt behavior is annoying to Europeans, keep your voice and laughter as quiet and civil as possible
19. NEVER USE TRAVELLERS CHECKS, take an atm card and be very careful with it, don’t be careless at the atm machine (which are called “banc-o-mats”).
20. Learning some simple phrases and striving to learn more from your friends abroad will do much to win their hearts
21. Bring earplugs… because of living in a city, you may not be used to all the sounds of busses, trolleys, people and such at 4:30 in the morning!
22. Always be ready to try food that your host offers, remember rule number one
23. Frequently review rules one and two
24. Leaders – use plastic whenever possible to lessen trips to ATMS for cash.

Memorial Day is a day to remember those who died in military service. Read the national proclamation.

Being in DC for the weekend, we had lunch near the Pentagon and while we sat outside enjoying our food an army sergeant walked by with an arm full of hash marks. I believe each hash mark represents four years of service. Many ribbons decorated his coat. A soldier who had given many years of service. I hope he and those who serve with him feel appreciated.

I served in the Air Force for four years in the mid seventies. I remember the way the guys who were leaving Viet Nam felt as they came home. I hope we will, no matter what we think of the current war, appreciate those who have served.

On Saturday, as I drove up to DC, I was passed by many ‘bikes’ on their way to Rolling Thunder. Read about the 20th anniversary.

I often pass Arlington Cemetery on the way to Becca’s house and the sight never fails to touch me… The News Hour has a segment tonight about it, click here for the News Hour website.

May we remember with honor, so many who have laid down the ultimate price for our country.

Our plans continue to be modified to meet our financial resources.

June 8th – depart IAD on British Air at 1000 PM (thats 2200 – at night) via London (4 hour layover)

9th – arrive Budapest at 535 pm , girls move in to the Newell family home and guys move in to the office in Budapest (Bp), climb castle hill and see the lights of Pest?

10th – worship in Bp (church t.b.d. Calvary Chapel???) begin training, brief tour of spots missed last year, training will include a conversation with the Newells about ministry to young people here.

11th – 12th (13th?) train back and forth to Vac, serving with Coppages: school, with youth of church, prayer walking, further training…

14th – some more training in Bp, [Krakow trip is a “funds-permitting” trip] PM train to Krakow (sleeper car)

15th – arrive at 0530, coffee & pastries, walk around Krakow, bus trip to Auschwitz, hanging out in Krakow until the overnight train (sleeping car) takes us back to Bp.
[Krakow trip is a “funds-permitting trip]

16th – train to Szeged, settle in Szeged, training, team worship…

17th – have an orientation tour of Szeged, travel out to Deak, final training, worship at Zion church in afternoon, team worship at Dosza flat!

18th – – 22nd English camp at DFG, hanging out with students,

23rd take trains to Vukovar via Serbia.

24th Worship at Agape Church in Vukovar.

25 – 28th English camp to support Agape Evangelical Church in Vukovar, Croatia.

29th back to Bp via Serbia and Szeged

30th – team flies home on British air leaving Bp at 1235 (via London 3 hr. layover) and lands at Dulles at 810pm