Chrysalis Ministries

Can we ever catch up?

  Life keeps going on and on and on . . . and we learn to prioritize what is important to life today.  But get further and further behind in some areas of life.  This is so true in learning to keep up with a blog.  No apologies for this, just disappointment in not being able to share with you more frequently what God has and is doing in our lives.
  The May trip to Hungary, Romania and Serbia was a very good one from our perspective, and seemingly so from those with whom we met and shared and taught.  As always, we greatly enjoyed being with our young friends, leaders all, and are so grateful that we are accepted and cared for by so many throughout Europe and Asia.
   In late April before we left for Europe, Samuil from Serbia was with us for a week.  Back home again we had a young Serbia woman with us for another week.  So for six weeks we were pretty much focused on the needs and challenges for Christians in the Balkans. 
   A few days after our Serbian friend left for home, we had our Semi-Annual Chrysalis Ministries Board of Directors’ meeting.  This is a challenging time for us.  Chrysalis is not exempt from the economic woes that face so many in this difficult time.  But we are confident that if we are to continue God will bless us with His goodness and we will continue in this unique opportunity to serve younger leaders as they grow and develop.
   Thanks for reading – and I’ll keep trying to “keep up”, not be constantly “catching up”!

Carol

Changes

Changes, and more changes

Change is inevitable.  We see this each time we return to a city and hotel where we’ve stayed before, this time in Budapest for 15 years.  We’ve seen the name of the hotel change, General Managers come and go, and hotel staff members start out in entry level positions and move up to places of leadership.  This time is no exception: three young men who began as waiters and bellmen, have been promoted several levels up in leadership within the hotel.  Over the years, as we’ve gotten to know these young men, we have observed their leadership qualities and thankfully, so have their superiors.

Much like the leadership development we see in this hotel is the overview of Christian younger leaders with whom we’ve ministered for now 16 years. 

Change:  We’ve seen leaders begin haltingly and develop into more confident and able leaders. 

We’ve also seen leaders be mishandled by their superiors and leave ministries in defeat and discouragement.  This has happened recently with one of the young leaders with whom we were to minister on this trip.  Now it is our opportunity and desire to encourage and stand beside this leader and his wife, and see what we can do to offer love and support for them.

More Change:  In the meantime, a long-time friend is now located here in Budapest with a new mission and we look forward to seeing and having fellowship with her. At the same time, a young couple with whom we have ministered for 15 years, has now relocated to the US.

Changes – life’s ebbs and flows are ever with us.  We constantly must flex with these tides of change!  And be open to change and what God will do in our lives and through us!

A special personal prayer request for you: 
A group of missionaries were injured last week in a small plane crash in Southern Sudan.  Check it out at Sim.org or at the following blog:   Congdons In Doro (Dr. R Congdon and his wife, Nancy.  Rob is currently the medical director for this project and others in Sudan.) Http://rnkijabe.blogspot.com/2006/11/congdon-news.html     We are particularly interested in this ministry because two of Carol’s aunts and uncles (both doctors)  have served there as medical missionaries in past years. One aunt and uncle, Dr. Bob and Claire Grieve, are buried there in Doro. Their commitment and dedication to serve the Lord have strongly influenced my life since I was a child.  Oh, if they could see the changes now!

Blessings,  Carol

Changes, and more changes

from Budapest, Hungary . . .

Change is inevitable.  We see this each time we return to a city and hotel where we’ve stayed before, this time in Budapest for the past 15 years.  We’ve seen the name and ownership of this hotel change, General Managers come and go, and hotel staff members start our in entry level positions and move up to places of leadership.  This visit here is no exception: three young men who began as waiters and bellmen, have been promoted several levels up in leadership within the hotel.  Over the years, as we’ve gotten to know these young men, we have observed their leadership qualities and thankfully, so have their superiors.

Much like the leadership development we see in this hotel, we observe the lives of many younger Christian leaders with whom we’ve ministered these past 16 years. 

Change:  We’ve seen leaders begin haltingly and develop into more confident and able leaders. 
We’ve also seen leaders be mishandled by their superiors and leave ministries in defeat and discouragement.  This has happened recently with one of the young leaders with whom we were to minister on this trip.  Now it is our opportunity and desire to encourage and this leader and his wife, and see what we can do to offer love and support for them.

More Change:  In the meantime, a long-time friend has recently relocated here with a new mission and we look forward to seeing and having fellowship with her. At the same time, a young couple with whom we have ministered here in Budapest and western Romania for 15 years, has now relocated to the US.

Changes – life’s ebbs and flows are ever with us.  We constantly must flex with these tides of change!  And be open to change and what God will do in our lives and through us!

A special personal prayer request for you: 
Last week a group of missionaries were injured in a small plane crash in Southern Sudan in the village of Doro.  Thanksfully, none are hurt seriously, but are sidelined with broken bones and other results of the crash.  Check this story out at Sim.org or at the following blog:  "Congdons In Doro" (Dr. R Congdon and his wife, Nancy.  Rob is currently the medical director for this and other projects in Sudan.) Http://rnkijabe.blogspot.com/2006/11/congdon-news.html    We are particularly interested in this ministry because two of Carol’s aunts and uncles (both doctors)  have served there as medical missionaries in past years. One of these, Carol's aunt and uncle, Dr. Bob and Claire Grieve, are buried in Doro, Sudan.

Blessings,  and thanks for reading and for your prayers for us as we travel and minister.

Carol