Gyuri & Aniko Varga – Erd, Hungary

VARGA NEWS – EASTER 2021
 
PANDEMIC – Schools and kindergartens were closed on March 8 in our country because of COVID-19. They remain like that until April 19. Our church has been operating online since March last year. Summer time we met outside couple times. The health situation is very bad right now. This time last year we had 10 deaths/day. Yesterday we had over 300. It is like you had over 10000 deaths /day in the USA. As far as we can know numbers, we lead the world in deaths/day. Gyuri got his 1st shot, Anikó and the kids are on the waiting list. Last Friday the wife of the other Baptist pastor in Érd died in Covid. She was a healthy 50 years old woman. Our mission director’s wife has been in intensive care for 2 weeks. (Anikó’s age) Her condition is developing very slowly. Nobody can visit their relative, they can get information on phone every day between 3-4 pm. Young people and pregnant women die also. This British mutant is very aggressive. It is frightening. Anybody can be the next person. Of course, we know our days are numbered by God the Almighty and He prepares a place for us in Heaven. 
 
TIME TO THINK – We can’t do church as we used to. For some it is very difficult, we use this time to think through the basics. What is our purpose in serving God? What is our main goal? What is a church? What if we can’t come together anymore?  Many pastors are fearing the time we can open churches half of the congregation will not show up anymore. This process has become very beneficial for us. We have a clearer picture of what we would like to see in and around us as the outcome of the Spirit’s work.
 
SMALL GROUPS on Zoom – Last week we launched a Bible Study group for 3 ladies who would like to be baptized. Plus 2 small groups for closer spiritual fellowship (cell groups). All went very well. We had 25 persons involved. 
 
PASTORS – Gyuri had a difficult year with the pastors’ program online. They started late and could not finish. They had a difficult time dedicating their time online. It was much easier and effective when they were able to go away for 5 days. Not this year. Though we are very thankful to God for the opportunity to spend 4 days together with 6 pastor couples in August. We still get very nice feedbacks from them. There are 2 pastors (our age) who are in personal crises. Gyuri tries to help them somehow. Last week he had a 4 hours talk with one. Next month they continue.
 
VERITAS – Abigel’s new school brings new opportunities for Gyuri to minister. The principle asked him to spend an hour every other Thursday with the kids to talk about faith. They had 2 classes together so far. Abi said they like Gyuri. 6 of 9 kids are not believers. Gyuri was invited to take part of the teachers’ meetings also, so he’d have a chance to influence the teachers too (half of them are not Christians). 
 
HOUSE – Our house project is still going on. Since early December we do it ourselves. We dedicate Saturdays and Mondays for this purpose. Last week we finished the wood covering on the outside. Aniko paints all the rough walls that used to be outside, Gyuri puts down the laminated floor in the built-in terrace. That is where we’ll have people for counselling. When we finish that, we’ll begin to build the wooden deck in front of the house. We are not bored.
 
PRAYER REQUESTS:
-protection from Covid
-good spiritual experiences in small groups
-pastors in crises
-good health of our daughter-in-law and her baby girl (due July 2)
-kids and teachers would be interested in knowing Jesus in Abi’s school
 
 
Thanks for your prayers and financial support that enables us to serve our wonderful God in Hungary.
 
“… the Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” Luke 24,7
 
We wish you a meaningful and joyful celebration of the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ! Happy Easter!!!
 
Gyuri, Anikó
Áron and Abigél
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