What's Up with the Winckles?

 

What's Up with the Winckles?

JFM's Global Outreach team hosted Larry and Katie Winckles, Free Methodist missionaries to Hungary, back on June 26th.  Larry and Katie are visiting back home to Michigan this summer. JFM was fortunate to be one of the many touches the Winckles are making during the home visit this summer!

28 JFMer's welcomed the Winckles and shared time together

Katie and Larry highlighting some of the collaboration in Europe

While fellowship was developed and food shared, The Winckles educated and engaged the supporters with  incredible Kingdom impacts in Hungary. From the Set Free to the war in Ukraine, here is some touch points from the Winckles:

• Erin Kinglsey, a graduate of Spring Arbor University, has been in transition in her new role. Erin is helping with the children's foster care programs and the Set Free Movement in Hungary. She is absorbing the culture and language and getting settled in! Erin has been a tremendous help with the team as Zsuzsa is still enjoying maternity leave. 
  
  
  
• Pastor Peter has been full steam ahead with leading their church weekly in worship, weekly classes with mothers and children at the Salvation Army, MOPS programs and creative day camps in Budapest.
• VBS and Creative Camps in Gyor have been conducted and led by Gerri and Kati McNamara in June and throughout the upcoming July.
• Katie has had wonderful students in her community English classes. The online prayer groups established during the pandemic are still meeting, and has even grown new members. Hallelujah!

Pastor Peter teaching the kids about Jesus through music

• The Ukraine War has truly split the time with ministries in Hungary. Larry shared that roughly 12,000 refugees are coming into bordering countries daily. As the war continues, so does the need to help.
• Gerry has a team that has been going into Ukraine to deliver food, toiletries, and bibles--even bringing people back to Hungary.
• The Set Free Movement pamphlet on modern day slavery created by ZsuZsa has been extremely helpful to the refugees. 

Gerry at at Ukrainian speaking church sharing the pamphlets on 

warnings of modern day slavery in Hungary

Gerry, along with volunteers before going 

on a supply run into Ukraine this past June

• Collaboration between the European Freedom Network, Bread of Life and the Set Free Movement created stand up billboards on the dangers of human trafficking. This stand up billboards are now at major check points and train stations, throughout Europe!

The Winckles pose for a quick smile at Tri-Con, hosted at Spring Arbor University. The billboards next to them, printed in a handful of languages are now utilized throughout Europe.

Larry and Katie have asked for prayers of endurance and mental strength has the realities of war are not ceasing. Continue to pray for the ministry partners for their outreach with mothers and children, the foster care centers throughout Hungary and for engagement of their local church. The growth of their acceptance into children's foster care homes around Hungary is answered prayers as now they have visits in Budapest, Gyor and Pecs. 

While the Winkles are back in Michigan, they plan on spending some quality time with their children and grandchildren. 

The Global Outreach team encourages notes of love and support. You can find more updates on social media through Larry's personal Facebook page: @larrywinckles. A handwritten hello always warms the heart too. Any letters can be sealed, dropped off at the church and the Global Outreach Team will take care of the mailings!