As usual there's just the two of us here to see in the New Year. The temperatures outside would discourage anyone from going to open-air celebrations! There have already been quite a few fireworks in the locality, but we're expecting enough at midnight to justify going outside for a couple of minutes.
Yesterday we finished the turkey, apart from a gallon of soup in the freezer, also the (very small) Christmas cake. To finish both before the New Year must be a record.
This is no holiday. Long meetings on Monday, counselling all Tuesday, e-mails and publicity today, more administration tomorrow. I also wrote the first chapter of a selective autobiography, more for the benefit of our family and social historians than anyone else, but it does give an insight into early childhood just after the war. I'm quite pleased with it.
31 December 2008
29 December 2008
A better kind of meeting!
Today we had our Regional Nations Centre planning meeting - not in the office, but in Coffee Heaven at Arena Plaza in Budapest, where they have free wi-fi and comfortable seats. We finished the meeting over a fast-food lunch at the food court. Wonderful.
The Regional Nations Directors (Roger and Chris) and Assistant Directors (Jim and Tanya) live out at opposite sides of Budapest, so a meeting in the centre of town, at a comfortable venue with free parking, seemed very logical!
The Regional Nations Directors (Roger and Chris) and Assistant Directors (Jim and Tanya) live out at opposite sides of Budapest, so a meeting in the centre of town, at a comfortable venue with free parking, seemed very logical!
28 December 2008
Sunday Evening
Ebenezer preached on Pride at ICB today. Very good! Also excellent worship led by Erin. This afternoon, we watched "Horton Hears a Who", a Christmas present from Jeannie. I made supper, turkey risotto (what else), and Chris settled down to some serious facebooking. Her farm is close to making her a millionaire, and she has achieved Legend status in the mousehole game. Now I'm listening to Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" - only the first part! Part 2 is definitely not nice.
Now you know what missionaries do on a Sunday off.
Now you know what missionaries do on a Sunday off.
27 December 2008
Relaxing a bit...
This was a real day off, so I was able to do some work... Working on the Bucharest conference in January and on the Mission School in April.
26 December 2008
Boxing Day!
Christmas Day was great, with an international guest-list crammed into our little house. We made them read out the jokes from the crackers and wear the paper hats all through the meal. After all, tradition is tradition. To make it complete, we all watched the Queen's Speech afterwards. Interesting questions from our American guest (first time in Europe for about 45 years) - "Why are they all princes? Why isn't one of them king?" And, of course, Why is tomorrow "Boxing Day"?
So today, known to Hungarians just as the Second Day of Christmas (which it is), we will be going to visit more friends on the other side of Budapest. That's a good tradition too. The weather is sunny and quite cold, with a light sprinkling of snow still left from Christmas Eve.
So today, known to Hungarians just as the Second Day of Christmas (which it is), we will be going to visit more friends on the other side of Budapest. That's a good tradition too. The weather is sunny and quite cold, with a light sprinkling of snow still left from Christmas Eve.
24 December 2008
Christmas Eve!
We're just about ready for Christmas. My last job was to find some fresh sprouts, not an easy job in Hungary, but I got them! Also got some fresh bread from our local bakery where the queue was out of the door. But ... sad news. We forgot to look for cranberry sauce on the "international" shelves at Tesco. We're thinking of using some of our freezer-full of frozen plums to make a substitute...
It's also a bit sad that in a country of copious and conspicuous alcohol consumption, they haven't even heard of sherry. There's nothing like a drop of Croft's while waiting for the turkey to brown. The duty-free in Bulgaria didn't have any either.
We're using our huge tiled stove as much as possible for heating, thanks to a free supply of logs which should last for another month or so. Anything that saves on gas is good!
It's also a bit sad that in a country of copious and conspicuous alcohol consumption, they haven't even heard of sherry. There's nothing like a drop of Croft's while waiting for the turkey to brown. The duty-free in Bulgaria didn't have any either.
We're using our huge tiled stove as much as possible for heating, thanks to a free supply of logs which should last for another month or so. Anything that saves on gas is good!
22 December 2008
Plovdiv memories
Well, we're back home from Plovdiv and now gearing up for Christmas. Plovdiv was great. Our 40 students were hungry for the teaching and willingly took part in all the practical exercises, even though it was all very new for some of them.
While we were away, our car was serviced. We thought it would cost £170 but the garage found some more things wrong and it ended up costing £350. Ouch!
Stop press news! We are just back from our local Tesco in the town of Gödöllő just down the road, where they had a huge range of oven-ready turkeys. How things have changed. Thirteen years ago a shopping-trolley was virtually unknown in Hungary and everybody trudged off to their local "elelmiszer" with bags and baskets. The turkey was £4 a kilo. I wonder how this compares with UK prices.
21 December 2008
Plovdiv 6
We're home again in Hungary after a smooth journey back from Plovdiv. Roger preached in the morning at "Life Through Christ" church, our host church for ACC.It's always a relief to see a friendly Malev plane arrive at a distant airport to take us home. This is Sofia. Interesting thought - if I'd taken a photo like this in Moscow, I'd have been arrested!
Plovdiv 5
Philip of Macedon keeps guard over the centre of Plovdiv. This unpopular monument at first had to be guarded day and night by police. After all, he's a foreign invader.
Contrasts - an ancient Turkish bath, an "Italian" restaurant, and a modern hotel.
Keeping the central park tidy.
19 December 2008
Plovdiv 4
Here is Chris teaching ACC in Plovdiv. We are now running behind our usual timetable thanks to the reduced programme each evening, but we still have faith that we will catch up on Saturday!
Everybody is asking us when we can come back again - they are thirsty for more. We have been doing PMAs each afternoon; they saved the worst cases specially for us, but God is good!
17 December 2008
Plovdiv 3
We think we can fit in the whole ACC course on a reduced timetable. These are good students. We had to explain to the pastor that a "full day" on Saturday does NOT mean starting at 1.00 p.m. so that people can have lunch first! We'll start at 10.00 a.m. and go on until we finish, with breaks for lunch and maybe even supper.
16 December 2008
Plovdiv 2
Today was good. We taught Spiritual Laws (complete with being hit over the head with a giant inflatable hammer) and Spiritual Tools, which was followed by a great demonstration ministry. Then a teaching on the Holy Spirit and more prophetic ministry. Wonderful. Praise God!
Plovdiv 1
Here we are in Plovdiv, teaching ACC - Answering Christ's Call. We thought that we would have six full days, 36 hours, but yesterday it turned out that "nobody can come before 6 p.m." Then last night at 5.45 we learned that "people have been told that it will start at 6.30.pm". Hmmm. We must be in Eastern Europe...
But it was good last night! We are loved, and we are well received. The teaching went well. There are about 40 people in the class. The translator was good. God was good!
But it was good last night! We are loved, and we are well received. The teaching went well. There are about 40 people in the class. The translator was good. God was good!
13 December 2008
A diary?
Meet Johnny Jones, a superman,
Who kept a diary right through Jan,
And even filled up part of Feb
Before his strength began to ebb.
I think I'll use this blog as a diary. That way, I'll be able to remember what happened. You're welcome to look. Maybe I'll put some photos on as well.
We taught a one-day course Dealing with Stress, Anxiety and Burnout for Ellel Hungary today. About 20 people came, which is not bad for a weekend just before Christmas. Now we're packing for our trip to Plovdiv, Bulgaria, to teach ACC. They tell us there will be about 40 pastors and leaders there.
Who kept a diary right through Jan,
And even filled up part of Feb
Before his strength began to ebb.
I think I'll use this blog as a diary. That way, I'll be able to remember what happened. You're welcome to look. Maybe I'll put some photos on as well.
We taught a one-day course Dealing with Stress, Anxiety and Burnout for Ellel Hungary today. About 20 people came, which is not bad for a weekend just before Christmas. Now we're packing for our trip to Plovdiv, Bulgaria, to teach ACC. They tell us there will be about 40 pastors and leaders there.
20 November 2008
Nobody ever reads this...
Nobody ever reads this, so I can say what I like! Hooray! These are the comments which would probably get me arrested if I said them out loud in England...
Will somebody please tell me what are the benefits of a multicultural society? Actually, what is a muticultural society?
There is no such thing as a single parent. All of us have two parents.
"Baby P"'s natural father is understandably devastated at the appalling way his small son's life ended. However the hardest question of all is, why wasn't he there to protect his son?
I have no rights, and neither do you, but we all have responsibilities. Why does nobody want to talk about responsibilities any more?
Will somebody please tell me what are the benefits of a multicultural society? Actually, what is a muticultural society?
There is no such thing as a single parent. All of us have two parents.
"Baby P"'s natural father is understandably devastated at the appalling way his small son's life ended. However the hardest question of all is, why wasn't he there to protect his son?
I have no rights, and neither do you, but we all have responsibilities. Why does nobody want to talk about responsibilities any more?
27 May 2008
God Save the Queen!
A Message from John Cleese, British comedian, to the citizens of the United States of America:
In light of your failure in recent years to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy). Your new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. You should look up 'revocation' in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up aluminium and nuclear, and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing them.
2. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'colour', 'favour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix '-ize' will be replaced by the suffix '-ise'. Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (Look up 'vocabulary').
3. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as 'like' and 'you know' is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as US English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of -ize.
4. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.
5. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.
6. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
7. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
8. The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) - roughly $6/US gallon. Get used to it.
9. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.
10. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. South African beer is also acceptable as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of British Commonwealth - see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.
11. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.
12. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full Kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies). In the meantime don't try rugby - the South Africans and Kiwis will thrash you, like they regularly thrash us.
13. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game that is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of their deliveries.
14. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.
15. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).
16. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes, plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!
In light of your failure in recent years to nominate competent candidates for President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective immediately. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and territories (except Kansas, which she does not fancy). Your new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, will appoint a Governor for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded. A questionnaire may be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:
1. You should look up 'revocation' in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up aluminium and nuclear, and check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing them.
2. The letter 'U' will be reinstated in words such as 'colour', 'favour' and 'neighbour.' Likewise, you will learn to spell 'doughnut' without skipping half the letters, and the suffix '-ize' will be replaced by the suffix '-ise'. Generally, you will be expected to raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. (Look up 'vocabulary').
3. Using the same twenty-seven words interspersed with filler noises such as 'like' and 'you know' is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. There is no such thing as US English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter 'u' and the elimination of -ize.
4. July 4th will no longer be celebrated as a holiday.
5. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you're not adult enough to be independent. Guns should only be handled by adults. If you're not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist then you're not grown up enough to handle a gun.
6. Therefore, you will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous than a vegetable peeler. A permit will be required if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.
7. All intersections will be replaced with roundabouts, and you will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Both roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.
8. The Former USA will adopt UK prices on petrol (which you have been calling gasoline) - roughly $6/US gallon. Get used to it.
9. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips, and those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut, fried in animal fat and dressed not with catsup but with vinegar.
10. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all. Henceforth, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. South African beer is also acceptable as they are pound for pound the greatest sporting nation on earth and it can only be due to the beer. They are also part of British Commonwealth - see what it did for them. American brands will be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat's Urine, so that all can be sold without risk of further confusion.
11. Hollywood will be required occasionally to cast English actors as good guys. Hollywood will also be required to cast English actors to play English characters. Watching Andie Macdowell attempt English dialogue in Four Weddings and a Funeral was an experience akin to having one's ears removed with a cheese grater.
12. You will cease playing American football. There is only one kind of proper football; you call it soccer. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which has some similarities to American football, but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full Kevlar body armour like a bunch of nancies). In the meantime don't try rugby - the South Africans and Kiwis will thrash you, like they regularly thrash us.
13. Further, you will stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game that is not played outside of America. Since only 2.1% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. You will learn cricket, and we will let you face the South Africans first to take the sting out of their deliveries.
14. You must tell us who killed JFK. It's been driving us mad.
15. An internal revenue agent (i.e. tax collector) from Her Majesty's Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all monies due (backdated to 1776).
16. Daily Tea Time begins promptly at 4 p.m. with proper cups, with saucers, and never mugs, with high quality biscuits (cookies) and cakes, plus strawberries (with cream) when in season.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!
14 April 2008
Playing with deadly words
This is an amazing statement by Hillary Clinton, as quoted by the BBC news site this morning:
Both Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama are courting the religious vote, which holds considerable clout in US politics.
The two were asked if they thought life began at conception.
"I believe that the potential for life begins at conception," said Mrs Clinton.
"But for me, it is not only about the potential life, but the other lives involved."
So, Mrs Clinton, just when does the "potential for life" end? She's playing with words the way she also wants people to play with life itself.
Both Mrs Clinton and Mr Obama are courting the religious vote, which holds considerable clout in US politics.
The two were asked if they thought life began at conception.
"I believe that the potential for life begins at conception," said Mrs Clinton.
"But for me, it is not only about the potential life, but the other lives involved."
So, Mrs Clinton, just when does the "potential for life" end? She's playing with words the way she also wants people to play with life itself.
25 February 2008
Some fun... You don't need to know French...
I think you'll like this. It's the linguist in me coming out... it's a little better if you know some French, but you'll get the gist! It's what happens when competitive Dads get together with their babies!
News from Timisoara
Roger's jacket and tie got their annual outing when he preached last Sunday evening at Agape Church in Timisoara. Looks quite presentable, doesn't he?
This is the distribution office of Alfa Omega TV in Timisoara, Romania. On the right is Tudor Petan, the director. Alfa Omega TV are putting the Ellel "Truth and Freedom" series onto cable and internet.
Obviously, the series needs to be subtitled. This is a long and tricky process, but Alfa Omega are doing it all after we have had the programmes scripted in English and then translated. Check the website alfaomega.tv for transmission times (always on a Friday).The photos STILL get onto the page in reverse order. Help!
Help me with my photos!
Help! Anyone there? I've tried many times to publish photos of our recent week in Romania, but each photo always gets added to the TOP of the page instead of where I am on the page. I've tried every combination of formatting that I can, and it's always the same. The Blogger Help pages are not at all helpful. Any suggestions?
Above is our class of 74 from Timisoara churches during a practical session - praying for each other after seeing a demonstration ministry
22 February 2008
Provocation?
OK, here are a few thoughts to start things off.
1. "Ethnicity"
I AM NOT WHITE
YOU ARE NOT BLACK
WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS
2. Center Parcs.
Two simple words, and they can't spell either of them.
3. In 1950...
It was considered safe for 6-year-old Roger to walk alone through woods to the bus-stop and wait for the bus to school. Coming home in Winter after 4.00 p.m. it was already getting dark, and he was still considered to be safe. Is England better or worse now? And why?
1. "Ethnicity"
I AM NOT WHITE
YOU ARE NOT BLACK
WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS
2. Center Parcs.
Two simple words, and they can't spell either of them.
3. In 1950...
It was considered safe for 6-year-old Roger to walk alone through woods to the bus-stop and wait for the bus to school. Coming home in Winter after 4.00 p.m. it was already getting dark, and he was still considered to be safe. Is England better or worse now? And why?
Hello Everybody!
It seems that everyone ought to have a weblog, so I've joined the crowd. I wonder why people have blogs. It might be a feeling of power: "The world needs to know that I exist!" Or it might be so that they can get things off their chest: "I'll feel better when I've said this." Maybe they're desperately looking for friends. That's a bit sad really. For myself, I think that I just want to share thoughts and ideas with people - feel free to comment! At the moment, this blog is open to anybody...
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