Canada trip

We are back from Canada! What a great trip we had!

We took off last Friday, in the morning. It wouldn`t be our family if the car didn`t give us some trouble last minute. The gas pipe started dripping. Scott quick patched it up, it wasn`t really serious.
Our ride was pretty smooth. We got the the border, the lady was curiously checking out my Hungarian passport. It is probably not something that she sees every day.
When we got over to Canada, we decided to take a half hour break in Sarnia and let Benjamin run around  a little bit in Walmart.

                                        
 Then we drove to Woodbridge, Ontario, which is basically on the outskirt of Toronto.
We stayed with the Pusok family. Daniel, Adina, Salome and Deborah. What a nice family, they fed us and hosted us all weekend.
We had a nice Hungarian dinner on Friday night. Next day, Pastor Daniel took us sightseeing in Toronto.
It was really great, we walked on the streets, saw the skyscrapers, went up to the CN Tower, ate hotdog from the street vendor.... it was all really great.

With Pastor Pusok and his family

Benjamin with the two little girls, Salome and Debike

Nice Hungarian style breakfast

at the CN Tower, Toronto, Canada

with a Canadian moose

Benjamin has no fear looking down

Coming to the city

Walking in Toronto

At the CN Tower

Great view from the tower

Say "kimchi"

Waiting for our hotdogs

Yumm it was good

Benjamin devouring his hotdog

On Saturday night we had a Marrieds get together at somebody`s house. It was so nice to meet Hungarians finally and speak in Hungarian. They asked us to share our story, how we met with Scott and how the Lord worked in our marriage. It was good to share and to hear others share too. 

Food. Always. 

Marrieds. 

Next day, Sunday we spent the day in church. We  were guests at the First Hungarian Baptist Church of Toronto. We had a morning service at 11. Scott and I both shared our testimonies and how the Lord led us to missions. 

After the service we had lunch. Everybody brought their own lunch and sat together as a family. We sat and ate with the Pastors family. But we got invited to several tables, and because I initially thought that we would all eat together, I willingly said yes to all the invitations. Then I had to explain why I changed my mind. :)

After lunch we had the afternoon service at 3PM. The service was very typical Hungarian. Usually many people participates with sings, testimonies, poems, music, choir and other things. Like a program. 

Then we had the message from the Scripture. Scott was teaching and Pastor Pusok interpreted. Most people speak both Hungarian and English in the church but there are a few people who just arrived to Canada recently and their English is not great yet. 

We also talked about New Tribes Mission and about tribal missions in general. I think it was a great challenge to many of them as they came up to us afterwards to thank us for coming and sharing about our ministry. 

I also met several people whom I actually met in the past. What a small world!! 

For example: 20 years ago we had a girl, Ibolya, from Transylvania spend 2 weeks with our family back in Hungary through an exchange program in our churches. Her family then came to visit us, then we went to visit them in their tiny little village in Romania. 

It turns out her 2 sisters moved to Canada and they were members of the church. And we actually remembered each other!! Out of all places we meet again in Canada after 20 years! :) That was amazing! 

Thank you God for preparing that reunion! What a joy!!!

I also met a Hungarian girl there, whose grandfather was a pastor and he baptized my mom back in 1969!

Or another lady, who turned out to be the daughter of our former pastor in the church where I grew up, and he actually dedicated me in the church when I was born. Pretty cool, eh?

with Pastor Pusok and his family

us

Sharing my testimony 

Scott teaching with an interpreter at the afternoon service

Hanging out with people

 at the church

lunch

youth group singing 

waiting for our food

On Monday morning Adina (Pastor`s wife) took us to the Hungarian shop. It is in Toronto, not very far from their house. I was absolutely thrilled to be there and shop for some goodies from Hungary. 

Among other things I got elder syrup, rosehip tea, different paprika products (would be hard to explain to an American :), black cherry soda, candies, soup noodles and smoked sausage.

salamis and sausages

horseradish paste and garlic paste

Then Scott graciously agreed to take me to IKEA. IKEA is only my favourite shop on Earth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next stop: DURHAM, Ontario. We visited the Canadian New Tribes Missionary Training Center and a lot of friends. We stayed at a guest room which was very nice and comfortable. Jeremy and Melody Penner fed us while we were there. Great friends! :)

on Tuesday night Scott spoke at Chapel. It was a great encouragement about God`s faithfulness! 

Scott speaking at Chapel

Scott chatting with the guys

Our trip was still not over. Now we were heading to Guelph, Ontario, where we met up our good friend, Barney Cserepka and his family. We had a great meal together (Thanks Barney for the amazing LecsoGulyasChili!!! :) 

Ruben, Benjamin and I

Jessie, Scott and I

The man himself. Barney. Son of a blessed Hungarian missionary couple who served in Bolivia.

We left Guelph at around 8PM. After about 30 seconds on the road Benjamin announced that he needed to go potty. Okay, Scott pulled in the first gas station only to realize that the gas pipe was dripping again. He got under the car and patched it up again. We prayed that God would take us home safely. 

And He did! Praise Him!!! There was no more troubles all the way home. 

I have to mention a couple of funny stories here. 

We got to the border, we were soooo tired... it was after midnight. Scott accidentally pulled in to the lane reserved for trucks. So we had to pull off the road, get out of the car, go inside and wait while they processed our paperwork for about half an hour. 

When we were released, we could finally cross the border. Back in the United States again! :)

We needed gas so we pulled in to a gas station. We also got some fries and chocolate shake at McD so we could stay awake. As we were just about to get back on the highway, a police car shows up behind us and puts on his siren. Of course we pull over, it is 1:30 in the morning WHAT NOW? The officer comes over and asks Scott if he had anything to drink tonight because he was driving a little wavy on the road. Scott hesitantly raised his chocolate shake. The officer just smiled and told us to drive more intentionally. 

It was funny, because years ago his dad was ALSO pulled over once by the police when he was drinking a chocolate shake in the car and swerved a little.  

We got home after 3AM totally exhausted. 

Thank you all who prayed for this trip!!! God truly blessed our time in Canada. It was an encouragement for us and hopefully for many more.