Tivadar 2009

Five folk from Aberdeen - John and Elizabeth, Fiona, Tom and I (Aaron) - were joined by ‘southerners' Davy and Andrew (and Philip for a few days) to make a Scottish team of seven (or eight) in Tivadar this year. Under Davy's able leadership and with much support from the Hungarian team, all went well.

We had around 40 or so campers this year, ranging in age from 10 to 23. English classes seemed to go smoothly; the beginners had sufficiently mastered their colours and learned to distinguish their ‘hands' from their ‘feet' and their ‘lefts' from their ‘rights' to enjoy a game of Twister by the end of the week, while the advanced students debated (entirely in English!) the right of 13 year old Hannah Jones to refuse a life-saving heart transplant.

The Bible studies and evening worship services were also a treat. Tom's clarinet and Fiona's voice much aided the efforts of Zoli and myself on guitar, and the campers were generally keen to sing both in English and Magyar. And, of course, the choice of Christ's ‘I am' sayings as the theme for Bible lessons/studies this year lent itself to a real focus on the person and saving work of Jesus. I'm sure I can speak for the whole team in saying that our own faith was greatly strengthened-through preparations for studies as well as hearing team members speak-by the clear emphasis on Christ. More importantly, feedback from the Hungarian leaders suggests that God's Spirit was at work in the hearts of the campers, pointing them towards the beauty and sufficiency of Christ's work for sinners.

There was plenty of time in Tivadar for the normal camp tomfoolery. Elizabeth's talent for charades is especially worth noting; she managed, with much spirited effort, to have her team correctly guess ‘gypsy dancing'. Other activities included archery, crafts, and-of course-lots of ultimate frisbee (which can in fact be played in a kilt, as Tom demonstrated).

I should mention, finally, the joy we experienced sharing Christian fellowship with the Hungarian team. The times of prayer and conversation with our brothers and sisters in Christ were a genuine foretaste of eternity, where people from every tribe, nation and tongue will gather around God's throne to praise him.

Aaron Denlinger   Tivadar 2009