Psalm 68:6

tells us that God sets the lonely in families. Boy, does He.

I was really worried, quite honestly, when I got the invitation to spend a few days with this family. That's a long time to spend with people you don't know! Plus I was really sad about missing my own family at the lake this week. But wow. This was an incredible vacation.

First of all, the Balaton and Kerr Lake experiences aren't all that different. Sure, there were no ridiculously long UNO tournaments -- but I taught them how to play Spades! And no, there was no putt-putt course, but there was a boardwalk with airhockey! And while I did see an old man strip completely naked right next to me, the level of trauma caused by Barry's shorts falling down as he was skiing was pretty similar. :)

Really, though, the highlight of the trip was the family. I knew Peter from the ELL class, but I had never met the others -- his son, sister, and parents. The house where I stayed (for free!) belonged to Papi and Mami. They were such sweet people. They fed me so much that I didn't eat any of the snack stuff I had stashed in case I didn't like the food! Papi is in his 70s, but he is trying to learn English, so we practiced quite a bit. My favorite Papi-ism was when I left and he said very proudly, "You are good guest. Come you Balaton, have you room!" Mami was equally sweet. She spoke no English at all, but she reminded me so much of Grandmama it was almost eerie. Sadly, she is beginning to suffer from Alzheimer's, and the whole family is really struggling with it. She is in denial and gets very upset when they tell her something she has forgotten. It was heartwrenching to talk to them about her and see them all with tears in their eyes.

And yet they are so strong in their faith. They all truly love the Lord and trust Him in spite of their difficult circumstances. I found myself very encouraged by them.

They also really immersed me in their culture in exchange for my help with their English. They wanted to teach me all about their foods and customs and history -- which of course I love. I felt as if I really experienced Hungary, and not as a tourist. It was a great experience, and if I couldn't have been at the lake with my own family, this was by far the best possible alternative.

I'm so independent -- it is really difficult for me to accept things from others. I often feel as if I'm taking advantage of other people's kindness. However, I'm beginning to see that there's no shame in accepting hospitality. This summer has been humbling for me in many ways. I've lived in three different places purely through the generosity of others. And yet I have met so many people and have had such great experiences! It has truly been a blessing.

and I'm almost ready for another blessing -- because I move into my house today!
It's a good day.