Housing Arrangements I think that I have finally found a place to stay. I have been here a month and it seems that I will be here for a while. I do not have any plans to leave here. It is in a good location and enough room for me. So I think that I will keep this apartment as long as everything continues as it is.

Note about Last Month's Problems Just to let you know that I have not had any of the same diabetic problems that I had last month. Everything is back to normal and I am glad and praise God for that. Thank you to all your concern about the problems. 

The Church in Hungary As I have already mentioned, the churches throughout Hungary are quite busy this month. In Debrecen, we are working on increasing the attendance at activities. In the last few weeks, we have had a drop in attendance but we are working to raise back to where we were and hopefully higher with God's help. Something else that is going on within the churches is that the three missionaries in Szolnok are going on furlough in December. One of the Christians there will be taking over the preaching with us from Debrecen filling in on occasion. Also, Nandor is working on a home page for the church here so that people on the Internet will know that we are here. It is going to be on the "Church-of-Christ.org" site. If you get a chance, look for it in the upcoming month. 

Culture Corner This month, I want to tell you a little about the holiday season as I see it here in Hungary. There are many similarities but also many differences between the holiday season here and those in the U.S. On the 6th of December, Santa Claus (Mikulás) comes and brings candy to all the good boys and girls. The children are supposed to clean their boots and place them by the window. Then, if they have been good, Mikulás leaves them candy and nuts. If they are bad, a devil (named ördög), and his helpers, the krampusz, leave gold or silver painted sticks (virgács). Also, Santa visits the primary schools, and the teacher tells him if the kids have been good or bad. Then he gives them either candy or virgács. The main Christmas celebration goes on December 24. It is mostly a family event. Families decorate a tree and in the evening presents are given. However, Santa does not bring the presents. Baby Jesus or a little angel does. The next day is a day of resting and eating with your extended family. Also, people in villages go door to door presenting Nativity plays, and the actors receive gifts from each house. The New Years Eve celebration here is very similar to the U.S. Parties are held to celebrate the New Year, and fireworks are lit at midnight. As in the U.S., many different superstitions accompany the New Year. In February, there is a holiday similar to Halloween called Farsang. It originated as a several week-long celebrations of balls (like in Cinderella). People dress up in masks and costumes. Those dressed up are supposed to go around looking for the balls. Now most people just go to costume parties. Easter has some similarities to the U.S. traditions such as Easter egg hunts and the Easter Bunny. One difference is the tradition of sprinkling perfume on the girls or women that you know on Easter Monday. The tradition started with boys pouring water on the girls, but has changed to sprinkling perfume. The women then give out either money or painted eggs. They also have food for people that sprinkle them. The boys usually have poems that they read to the girls, like: I was in the green forest. I have seen a blue violet. It is withering. Can I water it? (Flowers represent the girls who need "watering.") When the boys used to pour water, the girls would pour buckets of water on the boys for revenge the next day. On May 1, there is a holiday called, Majális. In the villages, the holiday begins with the guys going to the houses of the girl they love at night, putting sticks with ribbons tied to them on the fence, and serenade them. Most people celebrate this day with picnics. The picnics take place in the forests under trees with ribbons in them. The other name for this day is Labor (work) Day. Many of the holidays originated long ago. However, with the communistic influence many of them were changed, especially the religious holidays. However, they are returning now to the older traditions.

Prayer Request The Churches in Hungary (Debrecen, Budapest, Szolnok, and Miskolc)

Tim and Anessa Westbrook, and Billie Brooks (the missionaries from Szolnok who will be on furlough)