Julcsi's exams

Dear Friends,

I'd ask you to join us in prayer.
My sweetheart, Julcsi is having her end of the year exams (fourth year in law school) and they are extremely difficult. As of now, she is studying a minimal of 12-14 hours a day. It is very exhausting. Please pray the she would have the energy, focus and understanding to study and remember what she learns. She will have an exam on the 6th, 9th, 21st and 27th of June.

Thank you friends!

Kalman & Julcsi

Taking Story of the Soul to a new level

Ever since Story of the Soul (SOTS) was designed by Area Campus Coordinator, Dave Robinson and piloted in Hungary, it has been introduced to the Campus ministry of Russia and Ukraine extremely effectively. Recently, Campus ministries of other Eastern, even Western European countries started to show interest as well.

Dave approached my team about a month ago and asked us to design an interactive training tool for SOTS. This would serve to fulfill the great demand for training the what, why and how of SOTS in Eastern and Western Europe. Dave believes that the future of SOTS lies in student leadership. Thus, this tool will need to be translated easily into other languages as well as be user-friendly enough to have a student walk himself through it.

After much discussion and thinking we decided to create a CD with lots of video training material. We shot much footage of SOTS events, interviewed staff and students, took many pictures and gathered several used SOTS materials from Hungary and Russia. We compiled these into a step-by-step training. The result is a CD that walks you through the creative process from the vision to the making of SOTS, using videos, pictures, documents, tables and much more, from the original SOTS logos through elements for printing posters to slide presentations. Really, it is more than training.

The most wonderful part: last Friday, we were able to hand out about 50 copies of this CD to Campus Ministry workers from about 12 Eastern European countries!

It is only a beta version and we’ll have much refining to do, still, it is good to get it out there. Not to mention how exciting it is to be part of taking this wonderful outreach to a new level!

Please pray
- that we would be able to refine this tool to easily train many for the glory of God!
- that God would continue to use SOTS mightily
- that God would take this tool all over the world

I was made for this...

"The power and use of short films in the ministry of Campus Crusade in Eastern Europe and Russia…even the whole World."

There is an initiative I’ve been involved in with my team for a few months now. The reason I have not yet mentioned this to you is simple: It was more an idea than anything. Well, sort of. Let me explain. (Still, I wish I’d told you about this back then…)

About seven or eight months ago, leaders of the Area Campus Ministry approached us with an idea and asked for our help. They have purchased licenses to several short films from private filmmakers. These short films were made for the DAMAH Film Festival – www.damah.com. These films have spiritual messages and they relate to today’s post modern culture. They ask spiritual question, most College student do not even think about.

The campus ministry believed that these films could be used as discussion starters and guiders to the Gospel. So after being tested in few countries like Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, the effect seemed to be huge! Most people love films, especially films that will make them think. It seemed that God uses these short films to get students – who were not thinking on a spiritual level before – to start thinking and talking about spiritual things, ultimately making it fairly easy to lead them to a Gospel presentation.

So the Area Campus Ministry asked us to help them in creating a tool, packaging these films onto a DVD that will not only contain films, but the interactive material that will prompt and guide discussion. We hope to make this to be working in large or small group settings as well as a student watching it one-on-one with another student or staff.

Quoting a colleague, Jim Southard: “The discussion of these films' spiritual content will open new avenues and relationships and will make sharing Christ a greater possibility in this very post modern culture.”

About six months ago we started praying, writing scripts for intros and endings for three short films as well as shooting demo footage based on the first scripts. We all knew they need much refining.

Three weeks ago the project took a turn, resulting in what we called the Pan European Short Film Workshop.

Our team invited about 20 missionaries who have either created short films or have an interest in their use to Budapest. We spent the week together, considering the demo material we made; discussing what changes would be needed.

After the first day of the workshop we divided into three teams. The team I was on was working on writing scripts; another was scouting for locations and shooting and the third was filming and interviewing all of us as we worked for a “making of” material.

A big question was how the discussion material--the questions and the way they are presented--would be received by the average college-aged adult. Since the filmmaker himself represents someone who already has credibility without having to establish it, we decided that the original idea of an “MC” would not be the best way to go. Even if the viewer does not like the filmmaker's work, at least it is his honest and personal expression.

Fortunately, we had the honor of having Daniel Roemer--director of one of the short films planned to be on the DVD called, "The Select Fit"--at our workshop. "The Select Fit" is the story of a drug user who is confronted by two very impatient angels who force him into making a decision about his life's meaning. Dan not only directed the short film--he played the lead role.

The team scheduled for finding locations and filming an interview with Dan about his film, spent the last two days doing that. The filming was exhausting, but went well as I heard. Our team helped them out during their last day of shooting.

My team had a wonderful time brainstorming over many great ideas and discussion prompting questions. Our main task was to come up with an idea for a much more direct evangelistic short film that will create discussion like the others, doesn’t contain the whole of, but unquestionably points to the Gospel message.

The second day, as I was talking to another staff from Slovakia an idea came to my mind that we started chiseling. It seemed like a good idea. I presented the idea to my team that day and everybody seemed to like it and got excited about it. We got to work and continued to hammer out the idea.

It was SO MUCH FUN! I always loved teamwork and thought that I would work most effectively when I constantly get feedback from other creative people. Their ideas bring me more ideas and vice-versa. Still, I could not have imagined how much I would like working with other creative people as we did. Someone asked me during the workshop whether I like it or not. My answer was: “I was made for this!”

We were very productive. Couple of days later I found myself writing the script for a short film on a borrowed laptop – I don’t yet have one of my own. As of now, few of us are working on refining the script more and more via email.

We have a lot of work to do, but seeing this tool evolve is remarkable and is extremely motivating.

Please pray
- that we would see the guiding hand of God as we progress this project
- that we would have suffucient creativity, time and funding
- that we could be done in time
- that it would be even more effective than we could imagine

Fulfilling a need

Remember how my blog address is at the end of my email signature?

No? It's Ok. I got this reply from a missionary friend. This is a good example of how even the littlest things in the ministry I am entrusted to do fulfils needs on the field, unbeknownst to me!

"Well Kalman, you officially changed my life today without knowing it. I was curious what the link was after your signature and found your blog page. I loved it! I hadn’t seen one before that had pictures included with the text. I set one up for myself and think I may use this instead of email updates. Yea! I’ve been looking for a better solution to stay in touch with supporters. Thanks so much!"

First ones together

Dear Friends, here are a couple of nice pictures taken at Julcsi's 23rd (surprise) birthday party. The first picture of the two of us together. I wanted to share them with you. What do you think? ;)

Julcsi

If you’ve been eager to find out what the other “reason why I am also extremely thankful for...” the Story of the Soul outreach, you need not wait longer. Just keep reading...

„Julcsi”...I find myself saying that word quite often nowadays. It is short for Julianna in Hungarian. I met Julcsi at the Student Survival Kit (SSK) distribution at the Law School in Budapest beginning of September, 2004. She was helping Campus Staff in SSK distribution and organization. Given that she is in her 4^th year of law school, she knew her way around the campus, which is why she volunteered to come with me when I needed to get permission from the school to take pictures (See: “Survival Kits” Nov. 2004).

That was the first time I saw her, and that moment a thought hit me unexpectedly: I absolutely had to try to get to know her. I had never seen her before in my life, but afterwards I could not get her out of my head.

I asked her out in October after - much prayer on my part and - getting to know one another a bit at Story of the Soul. We grew fond of each other quickly and realized that we are quite different, and yet have so many things in common. In December, her exam time started and we decided to take a break so she could focus on studying and that we could both have a time of prayer to see where God would lead us with our relationship. We also agreed that we would have minimal communication: only one phone call per week. We believed that it would be a huge blessing to both of us if we faithfully persevered.

It was a difficult time, but was worth all the waiting. I first saw her this year on the 4^th of February, the last day of exams. Ever since then, we’ve spent as much time together as our schedules permitted. There was much to catch up with, to talk about. We both feel at peace about our relationship and are very confident about God and one another. We are natural around each other and enjoy one another’s company very much.

I’ve found in her a leader with lots of love, respect and desire for serving God, a living and growing faith, passion for evangelism and to my joy, an honest heart and a wonderful friend I can trust.

You may wonder why I’ve waited so long to tell you about her. Because it wasn’t time yet. I needed to find peace about us. I did.

I am thankful to God, that I can have a friend like Julcsi. Please pray for us that He would guide us as we seek His face for our future.

Area Staff Conference 2005

Campus Crusade for Christ is represented by about 1,200 full time staff (plus about 300+ children) in 18 countries of Eastern Europe and Russia. Campus Crusade Eastern European Headquarters has been putting on an Area wide staff conference every 2-3 years for the past 20 or so years so that staff could come away to get refreshed in the Word and to have fellowship with other staff from 18 nations. Middle of this January, 2005, we gathered together again after 3 years in Tihany by lake Balaton in Hungary to reconnect and Focus. Focus, because that was the theme of the conference.

We invited Dr. Joe Stowell, President of Moody Bible Institute and Dr. Bill Lawrence, Professor of Pastoral Ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary to be the guest speakers. Their messages have been truly transforming. It was also wonderful to see what our great God is doing in other countries through the different Country Spotlight videos.

As a member of a conference team of about 15 people, I was responsible for the program computers and all the media elements of the conference. I also had a team of 3 people I coordinated. I had the privilage of serving God by making sure multimedia serves us and does not become a distraction. Just like I do at the Story of the Soul meetings. We had many hours of preparation months before the conference started and had a lot more at the staff conference. It was exhausting, but very satisfying.

Afterwards, we heard many positive comments about how the conference went. Praise God! I am only privilaged to have been able to be close enough to participate. After all, that's what my life is all about...doing my best to be close enough to witness Him work.

Time to Meet

Hungarian Campus Director, Mark Sanders received this email from law school student, Attila after making phone contact with him as part of the Student Survival Kit project.

Hi Mr. Sanders!

I'm also glad to meet you soon. I'll surely have time to discuss the

themes mentioned by you next week on tuesday in the afternoon, anytime.

I must confess that I'd like to talk about Christianity because I did

not have a "close relationship" with Jesus before, and I'm afraid, I

neither have now. But I want Him to be closer to me. I want to believe

in all what He said and did. I hope all this did not deter you from meeting me.

As to leadership, I think I can tell more about it than Christianity,

provided it is about "leadership" in political or/and legal sense. I'm

also interested in how a leader is expected to be not only a "yes-man"

but only a strong personality being able to realize what he promised.

I wish you the best,

Attila Béla Rugán

What Attila did not realize, was that Jesus was so much more eager to meet him and to change his life forever...meeting with Mark, Attila did give his life to Christ.

Story of the Soul

What is the Story of the Soul? What does the Soul of Man truly long even cry out for?

These were the questions behind Hungarian Campus Ministry's weekly outreach that began the previous semester as a result of the Student Survival Kit distribution I wrote to you about earlier! It has been going on for about 6 months every week with a special monthly meeting. Story of the Soul (SotS) takes a topical and artistic approach in helping people to start thinking about God and the meaning of life using poems, paintings, popular songs, movie clips, stories and of course Bible stories and messages as the highlight of the meetings. Attendance is about 25 students average. At the SotS, 5-10 people have given their lives to Christ and are being discipled as a result since September 2004.

I personally have been involved in SotS ever since the beginning and continue to get involved more and more. Given my area of expertise in multimedia I provide technical assistance in running the sound, video and presentations so the program is as seamless as possible. In other words, my job is to make sure all the technical stuff remains a blessing and does not become a distraction to the real focus of the SotS. Of course it also involves a lot of research and preparation I also help with, like finding and preparing film clips, images and songs as well as getting slide presentations ready. I really enjoy doing this kind of ministry and I also get the occasional chance of talking to students about Jesus. I have made some friends and overall it has been wonderful seeing God work amazingly!

OH, Yes, before I forget...there is one more VERY important thing about Story of the Soul...a reason why I am also extremely thankful for this outreach...well, I am sorry, but you are just going to have to read on to find that one out...;)

Survival Kits

My collegue and I stepped in the lobby area of the Law Faculty of Eötvös Lóránd University with the intentions of taking pictures and shoot video of an event that happens every year in the life of the Hungarian ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, Timóteus Társaság (Timothy Society - TT). Long hours of envisioning, planning, prayer and preparation of dedicated staff and students, goes into making this a life changing event every year. It is an outreach that reflects the heart of CCC's passion in ministry: Reaching College and University students with the message of truth.
I have never been to one of these, so called, "Survival Kit" distributions before, but I have heard that God uses these events to "fuel" a year - or more - of ministry for TT. It is a time when many christian students emerge from various universities and denominations to help out with the distribution to reach their peers for Christ. It is a time when first year students meet TT and get a chance to get in contact with christians, get involved in weekly meetings, Bible studies, even meet staff in personal appointments.
It is when Campus Ministry goes fishing with the largest of fishnets!

Despite my greatest intensions, the guard walked up to me and my american collegue Jim and said "You cannot come in here with cameras. You are not allowed to take pictures! For that you need permission. Do you have permission?" We did not. I asked him where we could get them from and he was kind enough to tell me. With one of the law school student's help we had permission to take all the pictures and video we wanted in a matter of 5 minutes. I was a bit surprised by the fact that we still needed to get permission to document our own event, but praised God we were able to minister to TT with pictures and video. Please pray for the TT staff and students for wisdom and strength in reaching out as well as the many lost students, who are interested in hearing more about God.

Some statistics:
About 8,000 Survival Kits were handed out with about 1,350 positive responses from students who are interested about God.

You can see some of the photos I took on The Forge picture site.

Let's talk Projects 2

My main area in our Media effort is Print, though am also the "virtual" Internet guy as well at the moment. The reason why I say that, is because one of the largest projects I am currently working on is developing a multi lingual Staff Resource website for our whole area. I have to admit, I have a lot to learn for I have never developed a site before. I do have a good understanding of how the web works and thank God I am a fast learner. :)
The purpose of this site is to create an online "home" for our staff to come to for anything we can make available on the Internet so that their life and ministry as smooth as possible. It is also called to make communication faster and more accurate between the staff of all the different countries. To give you an example, It will include elements like: message board, forum, address and phone database, tips from evangelisation to support raising, as well as a multitude of downloadable materials (written, audio, etc). Staff will also be able to upload images and stories and share other files. As you can tell, it will have many functions, and will take quite a while to get it up and fully running. Although most of the site content will be for internal purposes, thus protected by authentication, there will be public pages as well. The webaddress is: www.eeccc.org. If you visit it, you will not see much yet, because only the ineternal part is being developed at this point. Hopefully you will be able enjoy the public part of the site soon.

Let's talk Projects 1 - The Idea

Well here we go. I will try to give you a brief summary of the big picture of why I do what I do. It is far from exhaustive, but gets the point through. I work with a Media Team in Hungary that is called to serve 18 countries in our area: Eastern Europe and Russia.
We use and try to master Audio/Video, Print and the Internet.
Our long term goal is to start up Multimedia Centers in each of our countries so that they would be able to serve their own ministries' multimedia needs to further the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.
We believe that communication is vital to evangelization, teaching, decipleship and recruiting. No need to explain that, right? :) Well, communication has different elements, and we see visual communication (I'll just call it VC from now on) as one of the most important ways, conduits of communication. As a matter of fact I see our generation clearly becoming more responsive to VC than any other way of communication. It is becoming more effective than any other. Thus, we have to (learn to) communicate visually the most important message in the world worth communicating - the Gospel - in a way that they will understand and be able to respond to it. From raising spiritual awareness through film through printed Bible study/teaching materials to online downloadable sermons, we want to be creative and effective for God's glory!

In other words, we want to MAKE HIM LOOK GOOD!

Time?

I bet many of you have been wondering what I actually do on a day to day basis. Well, that is a great question I've been dying to answer for some time, but it seems time always runs ahead of me and I try to catch up. Once, many years ago I read a great little devotion. I want to share with you what I remember from it. God keeps bringing it back to my mind, when I get annoyed with time. I mean, honestly, we never seem to get used to time and are most of the time frustrated by it. Precisely, how little time we seem to have, how fast time always goes, and how much we enjoy the seemingly timless moments, when we can just rest and not "do" much. Why is that? Why do we take great joy and pleasure when we have some "free" time to sit down and spend time with our loved ones, read our favourite book or magazine, listen to some music, engage in our hobby, or watch a movie we like? We never seem to get used to time, but feel so much at home in its seeming absence (or its abundance?). Well, all of this may not be an evidence, but may be a strong suggestion that we were not created for time, but for the timeless, meaning eternal. It is good for me to remember that as I go about my days...

Wanna see some pictures?

Well, I spent some of today setting up this Blog and a personal photo site at www.flickr.com.
Please check out some of my pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/theforge.
Oh, and if you want to, tell me what you think about them.

„What...life could be like with Him”

Zsolt and I walked out of the castle to the garden. It was dark and the air was dry, but the weather was cool. He just approached me 5 minutes before. He wanted to talk to me. This was Zsolt’s fifth IM camp. This Evangelistic English Language camp is a yearly partnership with my E-free church and a ministry I used to work with, International Messengers. I met Zsolt when he was 15 and I’d known him for 4 years. I had shared the Gospel with him many times over the past years. „I have not been ready and I see that now” were his words as we sat down on a wooden bench under a lamppost. „I have been living without God, but I don’t want to live without Him anymore. I tried to change myself, but the more I tried, the more I failed. I asked Him to change me, to show me what my life could be like with Him. He did. He made me capable of things I had never been capable of. Like loving those I did not and becoming inexplicably selfless with anyone. He did all I asked for. I have no more excuses or questions left. I am ready to ask Him to come into my life.” I sat there and witnessed the Lord bringing a lost sheep home before my eyes. That is the greatest miracle of all and it was all His work. It always is. I am just privileged to be close enough to witness it.

In the Forge (Article)

Getting back from the US, I was excited to get started working with the forming Media Team at Campus Crusade's Eastern European Headquarters. I have had the privilage of working part time with Jim Southard - media pioneer - for the past 2 years and I knew we make a great team, but the thought of having Grant Olson and his family come and join this effort of God, made me even more excited and was a huge answer to prayer! I had just spent close to a month and a half with them raising support in Bloomington, Indiana and quickly grew as close to them as it could only be explained by God's special grace. While I was gone many meetings and prayer went into forming a Media Canopy, that is, a vision and model to reach Eastern Europe and Russia with the creative and relevant use of all areas of media. When I got home I was ready to start in my new ministry role.

Angels on the way home... (Article)

Flying back from Indiana I had to stop for almost two days in Zurich, Switzerland. It is a city built by a bay and is extremely beautiful, for no wars of the past 80 years have torn its grounds. Spent about a day walking around, sitting, reading, writing...God was so awesome to me. Following a lady’s instructions I got on the train when it was time to go back to the airport, only to find out that I got on the wrong one. I immediately asked another person sitting close to me wether it goes to the airport or not. She said, it does not and I need to get off at the next stop and turn back. I got up and walked out to the door of the train to wait. I prayed, that God would allow me to get to the airport in time to catch my plane. 10 seconds later a man came after me and told me to get off 2 stops from now and in about 6 minutes a train will come that will go straight to the airport. I got off, but did not have the coins to get a ticket. A lady helped me out by giving me enough coins for a ticket. She said "Don't worry about it, I know how it is. Just take it." WOW! Needless to say, I made it in time, perfectly. God answered my prayer in an amazing way.

Intro

Well, finally. I turned to blogging as a means of communicating with my friends and supporters as up-to-date news and information as possible. We'll see if it works or not. :)
Welcome to my blog, please read, comment and enjoy the mighty works of the Lord Jesus in Eastern Europe.
I will by posting information as often as possible, so please come back any visit anytime.