Cultural Differences...

Maybe it’s because I’m on staff with a multicultural ministry, or maybe it’s just because some things are so obvious that they hit you in the face, I’m not sure which it is. But the longer I’m here in Hungary, the more I notice the cultural differences between Budapest and places in the U.S.

Here are just a few things I’ve noticed in the 7 days we’ve been in Hungary:

• Mass transit is in abundance here in Budapest. You do not have to own a car to get where you want to go. There are buses, taxis, street cars (trolleys) and subway trains that will take you anywhere you want to go in the entire city of Budapest (and even out into the countryside). Not so in the U.S. (Especially not around Atlanta, where we live.)
  
  
• The grocery stores here are not like our grocery stores at home. Unless you find a larger chain store, most grocery stores here carry only a few choices for a particular item. For example, usually you can only find two or three types of cereal to choose from (as opposed to the U.S. where most stores offer 50 different choices!).
  
  
• From our apartment here in Budapest, we can walk one block down and find a nice restaurant, two blocks down and find a decent grocery store, a block down in a different direction to find a nice butcher shop. From our house in the U.S. I can only walk to a grocery store, and that’s actually 1 mile from my house (up a very large hill)…so I wouldn’t normally walk to it. But walking around Budapest is very easy and safe to do. I rather like it!

• Many people walk their dogs on a leash here, but many do not. Their dogs seem to be well-trained and walk by their masters without any problem. Apparently there are no “leash laws” here like there are in the States. Our dog, Max, would love it here! ; )
  
  
• The people here (especially those over the age of 40) seem to look very sad. I’m sure it’s because they grew up under a communist dictatorship. But they have been free for so long now, you would think they would look happier. They are not very friendly either. Most of the older people around where we live are extremely friendly, and almost always wave at you when you walk or drive by.
  
  
• Although there are a few very old and very large churches/cathedrals here in Budapest, there are very few real Bible believing churches in this city. And the country of Hungary is not well-reached with the Gospel. Unlike the Southern U.S. where there are churches on every corner and Bible believing churches in abundance. (Somehow I think that this particular issue may have something to do with the issue I just mentioned above…about the people who do not look happy. It’s obvious they feel as if they have no hope, and it’s because they don’t know the One Who can give hope…Jesus Christ.)
  

Before we left the States our pastor called us up to the front of the church and prayed for us. One of the things he asked of the Lord was for Him to help us see ourselves as missionaries to the people in Hungary while we’re here. Of course our focus right now is on our son and getting to know him. But we don’t want to lose sight of the people God is putting in our path at any given time. Please pray for us as we do our best to share the love of Christ with the many people we come in contact with. If we could share His hope with just one person while we’re here, there would be one less sad face walking around the streets of Budapest when we leave.