Tuesday, April 9
Hello everyone.

We continue to do very well here. Our hosts are very kind, our lodging is magnificent and we have an AMAZING experience to tell you about.

Yesterday, we traveled to a town called Papa. It appears to be a fairly large city. Our concert was held in the oldest Reform Church in Hungary. Upon arrival, we were shown the parochial school attached to the church. It is the school directed by Lazló Kontos, who was part of the delegation which originally visited Minneapolis from Hungary, and invited the CL7 on this tour. The school tour was nice. We saw a theological library which was quite impressive. The school also possesses an Egyptian mummy, donated by a graduate who made his fortune in Egypt. Jim had an opportunity to visit with Lazlo for a short period, but he had to go off to another appointment.

After a stroll around the downtown area, which was interesting in that the buildings are so very old (the place has the appearance of a third-world Country in some respects because of the absence of consumer goods), we returned to the Church for a sound check and a bit of practice. The Church was darkly cavernous and very cold. We were feeling a bit depressed by the surroundings, we sounded horrible and generally had a premonition of a long night. The concert was scheduled for 6pm...at least that's what we were told. We were also told that a Youth choir would sing before us. At 6:10pm, the place was as still as ....well, as a churchyard on a dark night. We continued to hang around and shiver wondering just what was to happen. Then at about 6:30pm an amazing metamorphosis took place.

The front doors came open, and the place was suddenly flooded with teenagers...about 300 of them by rough count. They were all students from the school, and their dinner had run late. The lights were turned on, heaters come alive and the place was suddenly full of energy. As it turned out, we were to follow a church service. A young man named Norby played the trumpet...and very well. The service was what we have come to expect...with a few hymns with which we tried to sing along. We were then introduced, and we could tell that the kids didn't really know what to expect. We were told later that their teachers had told them to keep still and be polite, just like they are to do when in Church.

But these are kids like kids every where...and they were ready to rock. After our first numbers..Angels Watching Over Me, I'm Troubled, and How I Got Over, we swung into Mary Don't You Weep. We had really struggled with this during sound check, the guitar was way off and the guys were a bit off tune...but in concert apparently we did every thing right. The kids went nuts!!!! They started clapping and screaming. We don't really know what it was...but it was very cool. Greg is now the idol of central Hungary (we were being televised)...and your aging guitarist feels a bit like Eric Clapton. At 53, it's not bad to have a fan club. We moved into "Thank You Jesus" and the place nearly went out of control. It was like a rock concert. They wouldn't stop clapping. Greg had to reprise both tunes, and finally had to tell the crowd that we had other songs to perform. Our hard working translator, Andras managed to slow them down enough for us to finish the set...but with the last song...Where He Leads me, they were back on their feet making an incredible noise....and this came from a three-tiered auditorium. We had to reprise that song as well. God must have been with us, because we couldn't have sung another note without divine help.

Our hosts were most gracious, waiting while we shook hands, hugged and kissed and took pictures with the kids. Then, apparently pressed for time, insisted that we move along to the school cafeteria for dinner. On the way out Chaz indulged his dormant wish to be a rock 'n roller declaimed "the CL7 have left the building". A nice dinner was marked by a request for autographs, and a visit from the school's music director and church organist...a very nice woman named named Martha....which is where all of this started...Oh Martha Don't You Moan. We unwound with the trumpet player and his friend at a local pub, then headed back to Balaton.

We took a cruise boat ride on the lake this morning which was very nice...but cold...it's still pretty brisk here. We're heading back for lunch now and then off to our next concert...apparently tonight's crowd will more closely resemble the older set that we are used to. A good thing as our hearts probably can't take any more excitement.

Our love to all. We feel your support and good wishes here the many, many miles from home.