LCMS World Mission Blog

This update was shared by GEO missionary Sarah Berta-Somogyi, who serves in Hungary and is pictured above.

“Although this month was full of many wonderful happenings, the one that sticks out in my mind the most was having to say goodbye to my 12th graders. In Hungary, the seniors take their final written exams and graduate, then have to come back for their oral exams in June. I’d been teaching almost all of the students I had to say goodbye to for four years, and some I’d even known for six years, because we first met at an English/Bible camp. I’d met privately with a few of them to study for language exams, and I’d had random chats with many about life.

“Whenever I have to bid farewell to students, I always want to leave them with some nugget of wisdom — something that will serve them well in the future. Of course, this doesn’t have anything to do with grammar or sentence structure, but rather, it has everything to do with Jesus. My classes this year really hung onto one song that we’d been singing for four years about being the light of the world.

“Therefore, the last lesson, I gave them little lights, which we lit and then talked about how Jesus is the light of the world. And we too can be little lights to shine the truth of Jesus wherever we go — to Budapest, to Vienna, around the world or even just here at home. Many of my students are facing the reality that they may not see their friends and family as much in the future. They will have to learn how to live in a new place with new people (and for some going abroad, with a new language). However, the one thing that will not change is that Jesus is with them and they can have a relationship with Him. After discussing, we sang ‘Light of the World’ together. There were many smiles and tears, and I pray that my students will cling to this truth of Jesus wherever they go.”

• Learn more about LCMS witness and mercy work in Hungary.
• Learn more about how you can pray for and support GEO missionary Sarah Berta-Somogyi and her ministry in Hungary.