We've had a number of letters and e-mails from people who stayed with us in the past since we posted our request for prayer. Recently a young woman who came to us quite a few years ago wrote and shared her experience. Here is what she had to say...
Stephanie Kautz April 1 at 8:03am
Hi Carol, I don't know if you remember me, but I had the great pleasure of coming to visit you in Debrecen about 7 years ago. It was during a deep, painful depression that I was going through, and when I came to your mission house, I found a postcard on my pillow from you saying that you hoped this could be my "hiding place". I just looked at the pictures of the house that you have on facebook, of that bedroom, and all the memories flooded back, along with the deepest gratitude i can express, because all i can say is that the Lord was with me in that house, and He helped me grieve in my own way over the sadness that had clouded my life. I still have the postcard, and I still remember you, with all your deep sweetness. Thank you thank you for believing in me during that time. I am praying for you now, I know that the Lord will provide and carry all your burdens. Bless you...Love, Stephanie Kautzp.s. i gave you a friend request, if you look at my picture, maybe you will recall me, but if not, i understand because i know i was just one of many young women that you have helped.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Update April 1, 2010
Prayer Request/ Missions Opportunity
Mission House/Guest House Ministry
Debrecen, Hungary
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I am writing to request your prayers and as our Lord leads, invite your involvement in a ministry that has blessed us immeasurably for more than a decade.
My name is Robert Greathouse and my wife and I have served our Lord in Debrecen, Hungary through the gifts of hospitality and compassion in a guesthouse ministry that has provided a place of respite for countless of pastors, orphans, and missionaries. Last year I was diagnosed with terminal cancer, requiring us to sell our ministry assets and return to the states, a lengthy process we have yet to conclude.
Our story began in 1996 when my wife Carol was invited to take part in a mission trip to Hungary and Romania. The people of this region captured her heart in a way that only God, Himself, can orchestrate. She felt compelled to return in 1997 and 1998. At that time, she assisted with an evangelistic music ministry, again visiting orphanages, cultural houses, and small village churches with the music team.
During those trips Carol became involved in a ministry whose focus was to reach out to the Roma (Gypsy) population in both countries. Living in mud huts heated only by archaic wood burning stoves, Carol came face to face with true poverty. Yet even among the stench of unwashed bodies and disease and filth, these people beamed with life – God’s life. And as the big-eyed, ragtag children took hold of her hand, God knitted her soul to theirs and she knew she never again would be the same.
In late 1998, we learned of the level of fatigue and burnout ministers in this region suffer. The ministers of the gospel desperately needed a place of respite. The call burned in my heart in a way I could not ignore. So when the Gypsy Mission Foundation as well as our local church in Debrecen (Calvary Chapel) asked us to pray about becoming full-time missionaries based in Hungary, taking part in outreaches in both Hungary and Romania, we did just that. And God brought us confirmation after confirmation.
In May of 1999, we moved into full-time ministry based in Debrecen, Hungary. At first we rented a small house but it soon became apparent the needs of the ministry far outweighed our ability to provide in the limited space of our little home. This was in 2001, and after long and heart-felt prayer, we believed the Lord was asking us to invest our savings in His Kingdom.
This was a difficult decision for Carol who felt more “secure” with our savings safely invested in the States. Finally, there came a time when she realized that if she said “no” one more time, she would be saying no to her Lord. That decision made, we began looking for property. In June of 2002, the mission house and attached guesthouse was completed.
In the years that followed, a myriad of guests from a host of countries filtered through our little ministry. They say we were a blessing to them. But we too have experienced the blessing of the Lord in immeasurable ways.
In February of 2009 God began to bring our time of ministry to close when I was diagnosed with terminal metastatic squamous cell head and neck cancer. I have undergone surgery to remove the tumor and radiation treatment. The doctors told me after these treatments there are no other treatments available for this type of cancer and at most I may live up to two years.
Since the treatment, we have been working to “close up shop” in Hungary. The biggest part of that is selling the ministry house. It has now been one year since the diagnosis and our prayer is that the Lord will help us sell the mission house/guest house complex before I am unable to travel back to America to live out my life.
It is our most earnest prayer that the house could continue to be used for ministry purposes. We would ask that you would pray for us about this and spread the word to ministries and individuals who might be interested in full-time mission work in this part of the world.
We are asking $300,000 for the property and will consider leaving a large part of the furniture for a mission organization or church willing to continue the ministry here. With the increased cost of land and construction, our builder has said it would cost over $500,000 to build today.
The mission house consists of a large kitchen/dining area, a large living room/meeting room, two bedrooms, a large laundry room/pantry, and two bathrooms. In addition, the guesthouse is a fully self-contained house with two bedrooms, bathroom, and kitchen/dining/living room area.
Debrecen is a University City with a population of approximately 300,000. It is just 30 minutes from the border with Romania and about 1 hour from the border with Ukraine. One of the major refugee camps for people seeking refuge in Europe is only about a ten-minute drive from the house. It is 2.5 hours from Budapest and 1-1.5 hours from Slovakia. Since there is a large population of English speakers within the Debrecen church, our need for translators has always been met. The possibilities for all kinds of ministry are endless.
We have put together photos and have posted them on Facebook. If you or someone you know has an interest in this ministry, you can access the photos at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033107&id=1471608264&l=a8f5871915 Please feel free to pass this information along to others.
Above all, we ask for your prayers for my wife and I. Pray that God would allow us to continue believing that He is in control of everything, the timing of the sale, who will take over the ministry, and those who come to serve Him and be blessed through their time here. It is truly a stressful time for us now, but even so, we would not trade the blessing of being involved in God’s work here in Hungary over the past decade for anything.
Interested parties may contact us at this e-mail address: hungarianmissionhouse4sale@yahoo.com
In His grip,
Rob and Carol Greathouse
Debrecen, Hungary
Mission House/Guest House Ministry
Debrecen, Hungary
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I am writing to request your prayers and as our Lord leads, invite your involvement in a ministry that has blessed us immeasurably for more than a decade.
My name is Robert Greathouse and my wife and I have served our Lord in Debrecen, Hungary through the gifts of hospitality and compassion in a guesthouse ministry that has provided a place of respite for countless of pastors, orphans, and missionaries. Last year I was diagnosed with terminal cancer, requiring us to sell our ministry assets and return to the states, a lengthy process we have yet to conclude.
Our story began in 1996 when my wife Carol was invited to take part in a mission trip to Hungary and Romania. The people of this region captured her heart in a way that only God, Himself, can orchestrate. She felt compelled to return in 1997 and 1998. At that time, she assisted with an evangelistic music ministry, again visiting orphanages, cultural houses, and small village churches with the music team.
During those trips Carol became involved in a ministry whose focus was to reach out to the Roma (Gypsy) population in both countries. Living in mud huts heated only by archaic wood burning stoves, Carol came face to face with true poverty. Yet even among the stench of unwashed bodies and disease and filth, these people beamed with life – God’s life. And as the big-eyed, ragtag children took hold of her hand, God knitted her soul to theirs and she knew she never again would be the same.
In late 1998, we learned of the level of fatigue and burnout ministers in this region suffer. The ministers of the gospel desperately needed a place of respite. The call burned in my heart in a way I could not ignore. So when the Gypsy Mission Foundation as well as our local church in Debrecen (Calvary Chapel) asked us to pray about becoming full-time missionaries based in Hungary, taking part in outreaches in both Hungary and Romania, we did just that. And God brought us confirmation after confirmation.
In May of 1999, we moved into full-time ministry based in Debrecen, Hungary. At first we rented a small house but it soon became apparent the needs of the ministry far outweighed our ability to provide in the limited space of our little home. This was in 2001, and after long and heart-felt prayer, we believed the Lord was asking us to invest our savings in His Kingdom.
This was a difficult decision for Carol who felt more “secure” with our savings safely invested in the States. Finally, there came a time when she realized that if she said “no” one more time, she would be saying no to her Lord. That decision made, we began looking for property. In June of 2002, the mission house and attached guesthouse was completed.
In the years that followed, a myriad of guests from a host of countries filtered through our little ministry. They say we were a blessing to them. But we too have experienced the blessing of the Lord in immeasurable ways.
In February of 2009 God began to bring our time of ministry to close when I was diagnosed with terminal metastatic squamous cell head and neck cancer. I have undergone surgery to remove the tumor and radiation treatment. The doctors told me after these treatments there are no other treatments available for this type of cancer and at most I may live up to two years.
Since the treatment, we have been working to “close up shop” in Hungary. The biggest part of that is selling the ministry house. It has now been one year since the diagnosis and our prayer is that the Lord will help us sell the mission house/guest house complex before I am unable to travel back to America to live out my life.
It is our most earnest prayer that the house could continue to be used for ministry purposes. We would ask that you would pray for us about this and spread the word to ministries and individuals who might be interested in full-time mission work in this part of the world.
We are asking $300,000 for the property and will consider leaving a large part of the furniture for a mission organization or church willing to continue the ministry here. With the increased cost of land and construction, our builder has said it would cost over $500,000 to build today.
The mission house consists of a large kitchen/dining area, a large living room/meeting room, two bedrooms, a large laundry room/pantry, and two bathrooms. In addition, the guesthouse is a fully self-contained house with two bedrooms, bathroom, and kitchen/dining/living room area.
Debrecen is a University City with a population of approximately 300,000. It is just 30 minutes from the border with Romania and about 1 hour from the border with Ukraine. One of the major refugee camps for people seeking refuge in Europe is only about a ten-minute drive from the house. It is 2.5 hours from Budapest and 1-1.5 hours from Slovakia. Since there is a large population of English speakers within the Debrecen church, our need for translators has always been met. The possibilities for all kinds of ministry are endless.
We have put together photos and have posted them on Facebook. If you or someone you know has an interest in this ministry, you can access the photos at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033107&id=1471608264&l=a8f5871915 Please feel free to pass this information along to others.
Above all, we ask for your prayers for my wife and I. Pray that God would allow us to continue believing that He is in control of everything, the timing of the sale, who will take over the ministry, and those who come to serve Him and be blessed through their time here. It is truly a stressful time for us now, but even so, we would not trade the blessing of being involved in God’s work here in Hungary over the past decade for anything.
Interested parties may contact us at this e-mail address: hungarianmissionhouse4sale@yahoo.com
In His grip,
Rob and Carol Greathouse
Debrecen, Hungary
Monday, October 5, 2009
October Update
Dear ones,
We are finally coming up for air and since we've received many requests, it's time to update you on what is happening here in Hungary.
Rob and I traveled to Debrecen in early August and literally hit the floor running. So many things to do that it was hard to decide what to do first!
Taking stock of what was needed and how to accomplish it, we first needed to paint the inside of both the mission and guest houses. God blessed us hugely when an unexpected new supporter came forward with a 6 month commitment which enabled us to hire the painting done rather than doing it ourselves. In hindsight, we both know it would have been an impossible task and would have taken us much longer to accomplish. Thank you dear unexpected supporter. (You know who you are.)
For nearly 3 weeks, we and our guests found ourselves moving furniture and sleeping accomodations from one room to the next. It was a real interesting experience cooking when nearly everything was covered with sheets of plastic!
After the painting was completed the big job of cleaning up began. Thank God for Dani and Andi who are our "temporary" residents in the guest house. Interesting thing about the construction here in Hungary; the walls are all concrete so that when they are being painted, they first have to sand them. Of course all this dust gets into and on everything, necessitating a thorough cleaning of every surface when it's done. We spent more than a week washing down and polishing windows, floors, and furniture.
Never knowing when to quit, both Rob and I ended up with back problems. Too much bending and lifting which then led to heat packs, ice packs, and lots of Ibuphrofen. Gosh, it's tough getting older!
So, the house was back in order and the next item on our "to do" list were the yards. Our Hungarian church made an announcement and the following Saturday, we had 14 hardy souls show up and between them, the yards were whipped into shape and all the old building materials were sent to the recycle center in a huge dumpster. Interesting thing here in Hungary; you may not even need a dumpster because before we knew it, we had people stopping by to ask if they could take the old bath tub, toilet, and wood scraps. That allowed us to dispose of more than we thought possible.
Once all the cleaning up was done, Tibi from our Hungarian church stopped by and took lots of photos inside and outside the house in preparation for creating a webpage to list the property for sale. That has now been done and you can go to the webpage by clicking the link below to see the listing. Please feel free to pass it along to anyone/church that might have an interest in basing their ministry here in Hungary. http://www.toplak.hu/elado-kiado-ingatlan/Haz/Csaladi-haz/Hajdu-Bihar/Debrecen/hirdetes-76855724.html
Our beautiful city of Debrecen is close to several borders so it makes it a perfect "jumping off point" to minister into Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Plus, we have all these young Hungarians who are becoming fluent in English and serve as translators.
Rob's health is holding up so far. Other than a slight change in his voice and less energy than what was normal, he is keeping busy. We had hoped a ministry would consider purchasing the property and our plan was to include as much furniture as possible. But since that doesn't seem to be in the cards at this time, we aren't sure how much to pack up to bring back with us once we finally move.
The waiting is the hardest part. Funny thing about the spiritual life, it is so easy at times to say all the right words but to live it out is a whole other experience. The "Refiners Fire" is a difficult place to be, whether it is yourself or a loved one going through it.
Rob's hope, and one could say his dream, is that once he is back in America, he would like to take a road trip to visit our many friends and family around the States. We are praying for a quick sale and smooth transition back to life in America as soon as possible. Understanding that might not be God's plan , we pray for patience to wait upon His perfect plan.
Thank you one and all for your faithfulness in lifting us in prayer. May you and yours be blessed in the days ahead.
We are finally coming up for air and since we've received many requests, it's time to update you on what is happening here in Hungary.
Rob and I traveled to Debrecen in early August and literally hit the floor running. So many things to do that it was hard to decide what to do first!
Taking stock of what was needed and how to accomplish it, we first needed to paint the inside of both the mission and guest houses. God blessed us hugely when an unexpected new supporter came forward with a 6 month commitment which enabled us to hire the painting done rather than doing it ourselves. In hindsight, we both know it would have been an impossible task and would have taken us much longer to accomplish. Thank you dear unexpected supporter. (You know who you are.)
For nearly 3 weeks, we and our guests found ourselves moving furniture and sleeping accomodations from one room to the next. It was a real interesting experience cooking when nearly everything was covered with sheets of plastic!
After the painting was completed the big job of cleaning up began. Thank God for Dani and Andi who are our "temporary" residents in the guest house. Interesting thing about the construction here in Hungary; the walls are all concrete so that when they are being painted, they first have to sand them. Of course all this dust gets into and on everything, necessitating a thorough cleaning of every surface when it's done. We spent more than a week washing down and polishing windows, floors, and furniture.
Never knowing when to quit, both Rob and I ended up with back problems. Too much bending and lifting which then led to heat packs, ice packs, and lots of Ibuphrofen. Gosh, it's tough getting older!
So, the house was back in order and the next item on our "to do" list were the yards. Our Hungarian church made an announcement and the following Saturday, we had 14 hardy souls show up and between them, the yards were whipped into shape and all the old building materials were sent to the recycle center in a huge dumpster. Interesting thing here in Hungary; you may not even need a dumpster because before we knew it, we had people stopping by to ask if they could take the old bath tub, toilet, and wood scraps. That allowed us to dispose of more than we thought possible.
Once all the cleaning up was done, Tibi from our Hungarian church stopped by and took lots of photos inside and outside the house in preparation for creating a webpage to list the property for sale. That has now been done and you can go to the webpage by clicking the link below to see the listing. Please feel free to pass it along to anyone/church that might have an interest in basing their ministry here in Hungary. http://www.toplak.hu/elado-kiado-ingatlan/Haz/Csaladi-haz/Hajdu-Bihar/Debrecen/hirdetes-76855724.html
Our beautiful city of Debrecen is close to several borders so it makes it a perfect "jumping off point" to minister into Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Plus, we have all these young Hungarians who are becoming fluent in English and serve as translators.
Rob's health is holding up so far. Other than a slight change in his voice and less energy than what was normal, he is keeping busy. We had hoped a ministry would consider purchasing the property and our plan was to include as much furniture as possible. But since that doesn't seem to be in the cards at this time, we aren't sure how much to pack up to bring back with us once we finally move.
The waiting is the hardest part. Funny thing about the spiritual life, it is so easy at times to say all the right words but to live it out is a whole other experience. The "Refiners Fire" is a difficult place to be, whether it is yourself or a loved one going through it.
Rob's hope, and one could say his dream, is that once he is back in America, he would like to take a road trip to visit our many friends and family around the States. We are praying for a quick sale and smooth transition back to life in America as soon as possible. Understanding that might not be God's plan , we pray for patience to wait upon His perfect plan.
Thank you one and all for your faithfulness in lifting us in prayer. May you and yours be blessed in the days ahead.
In praise and gratitude for our Savior Jesus Christ.
Rob and Carol Greathouse
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Going Home - To Hungary
Rob is finished with his 32 radiation treatments and it's time to organize our trip back to Hungary. We will leave California on August 6th and arrive in Hungary on August 7th, hooray!!!
Rob likes to keep busy and while here he has helped Janine (our hostess) with a number of projects including organizing her garage, putting in a new kitchen sink and tile, and sanding and staining her outdoor furniture.
Your prayers have bathed us in love, encouragement, and peace as we've walked through this desert trek. Rob has healed from the radiation burns, is gaining strength daily, and oh so ready to go home and tackle the next phase in this journey...getting the mission house property ready to sell, on the Internet if necessary.
Our Hungarian church family has offered to help us with the painting inside both houses and we are so grateful for them, even if they didn't help, it's so nice to be a part of such a loving and supportive family of God.
Rob's prognosis is uncertain. The doctors have said with the radiation treatments they hoped he would have at least two more years. Our hope is that we can sell the property and get moved back to California before the cancer makes another appearance. The doctors are not too happy about his decision to return to Hungary but Rob is adamant that he wants to help me tie up all the loose ends before our move back to the States.
To all our brothers and sisters, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing with us in these uncertain times.
May God bless you one and all.
Carol and Rob
Friday, June 26, 2009
Prayer Warriors Unite
Cancer...the dreaded words conger up all kinds of emotion. Fear strikes first, then disbelief, followed by the questions, why me, why now, what will the future look like.
Then, the peace of God fills us with the realization that everything, even this, is in the hands of our Creator, who loves His children with a never ending supply of grace and mercy.
As you know, Rob is going through his own battle with Metastatic Squamous Cell Neck Cancer. Thursday, June 25th marks a milestone of sorts because that is the day he had his last radiation treatment, 32 in all.
In the past two months the cancer gene in his family as claimed the life of Rob's beloved Uncle Bob, and just this week, we received the news that his very beloved Aunt Nadyne has been diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in it's last stage.
So much heartache, so much sadness at the thought of what lies ahead (on this earth) for those close to us as they walk through yet another fight with the enemy, Cancer. Yet we are comforted by the knowledge that we will see one another again when we have a great reunion in heaven.
Please dear ones, pray for our family members who have been devastated by this disease, who are coming alongside to provide care and comfort to those affected. We have been bathed in the love of God and wish the same loving kindness for them as well.
Rob decided he wanted you to see for yourselves the almost "Star Trek" mask he has worn for his radiation treatments. We've also taken a photo of his neck so you will know what is happening. Your prayers and encouragement in these past months have meant the world to us and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the love you've poured out upon us.
May God bless you each and every day.
Rob and Carol
Monday, June 1, 2009
Health Update
Dear ones,
It's been a while since we've updated you so here's the latest scoop.
Rob has completed 13 of the 32 scheduled radiation treatments and so far, he is being a real trooper as the effects of treatment make their appearance.
He now has a burning sensation and some blistering in the treated area. There is some pain just under his chin and swelling in his throat. His voice is also changing again, much like it was post surgery.
Rob had a clean shirt on when we left the house for church on Sunday but when we walked out of church, the front of his shirt was covered in beard hairs. He reached up and as he rubbed his neck, clumps of beard began falling. So the next phase has begun, no beard where he is being radiated. He's not too sad to see it go but wishes it was the whole neck area so he wouldn't have to shave at all!
One of the most noticeable things is the increasing fatigue. The doctor says this will increase throughout the treatment but will progressively improve once treatment is completed.
All in all, Rob is being a real trooper and wants you all to know how much he appreciates all your prayers.
We are praying Rob will regain enough strength to be able to return to Debrecen in early August to make some changes and possibly paint the inside of the houses. We will also have to decide what to pack up to bring back to the States once the property is sold. So far, there is no buyer in sight. Please keep this in your prayers. It is difficult to straddle two continents, not knowing what steps to take next.
Thank you all for your words of encouragement and love. We are being bathed in God's love and grace each day. Included are some photos of Rob taken in the last two weeks.
Blessings in Christ,
Carol and Rob
Friday, May 22, 2009
What's Happening Now
Busy days and more to come. Rob has completed 8 radiation treatments so far and is really a trooper!
So far, he is beginning to experience a burning feeling to the treated area and also more tiredness. He is taking more naps throughout the day and just conserving his energy for what lays ahead. His doctor said he would begin to experience the full effects of the radiation in the weeks ahead.
This past weekend we had the opportunity to go camping with our daughter and grandkids. They have an RV and a boat so we were able to have a great time on the water. Rob's fishing was limited to the evening hours so I don't have photos of him sitting on the back of the docked boat with his line in the water.
I did get a few photos of our grandkids wakeboarding and tubing plus me just hanging out on the boat which I've posted above.
Thank you one and all for all your loving encouragement and prayers. God is good, giving us a quiet place to hang our hat, rest when needed, and also be a blessing to our hostess Janine, who has turned her home over to us. She even gave up her master bedroom so we could have more space to be comfortable. Sitting on her patio with the beautiful waterfall has become an oasis for us, allowing us to feel God's love all around us. Blessings upon blessings just keep pouring out on us and we are so very grateful.
Wanting to do something to thank her, we found out Janine wanted to change her kitchen sink to a stainless one so we took her shopping for a new sink and faucet which Rob and Janine's Dad will install next week.
We are still praying for a buyer for the Mission House in Debrecen and try to remember the timing for this is also in God's hands.
Blessings to all,
Carol and Rob
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