May 2007

Dear Friends,

Central Europe this year had the warmest winter in recorded history. All the media here are now speculating about climate change. I know I need to prevent too much air travel whenever possible. So I’m lucky that my area, Central Eastern Europe, is small enough to do most of my traveling by train.

My latest trip was to Hungary and Carpath-Ukraine in mid February. I was traveling with Gary Payton, PC(USA)’s liaison for Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Poland, and Dick Otterness, a Reformed Church of America mission worker in Budapest.

Young adult volunteers in Roma communities

It was good to connect with our young adult volunteers in the Roma Program: Rachel Norton serving in Nagydobrony, Carpath-Ukraine, and Melissa Carter serving in Alsoszentmartin, Hungary. When we arrived, these two volunteers had been in Budapest for some days to attend a seminar. We were impressed with their work, and we learned later that their hosts and local partners also hold them in high regard. It made us proud when we kept hearing: PC(USA) young adult volunteers are the strongest among all the volunteers in their maturity, in their faith grounding, and in their community approach.

Roma self-housing project near Debrecen

From Budapest, we went by train to Debrecen in the east of Hungary. We attended a meeting with the Roma community, Domokos Marton Kert, near Debrecen.  I told you about the challenges to this Roma community in my May 2006 mission letter.

While their real housing situation has not improved at all, their support group has widened a great deal. This meeting included, among others, representatives of the Great Church in Debrecen, faculty of the public health program of the University of Debrecen, the Roma minority government of Debrecen, the North Plain Regional Centre of Labor Affairs, Héra Family Assistance Service, architects, and others. Talks with the city government on acquiring land are now pending. 

With this growing support in a society where prejudice is still very high we see momentum. The Roma community has formally organized under the name, “Opre Roma” (“Stand up, Roma!”).  First meetings with the local government in Debrecen have taken place and Habitat for Humanity might offer a partnership. A vital element seems to be landownership, and for this the PC(USA)’s Self Development of People (SDOP) program has pledged a grant. However, more funds are needed. To foster the fundraising process, another group, which includes PC(USA) missionaries, has gathered in Budapest. Emphasis is on appropriate community development and self-leadership. 

Roma mission in Carpath-Ukraine

From Debrecen, we went on to Carpath-Ukraine by train. In the Roma mission center in Csonkapapi (near the Hungarian border), we met with Attila and Livia Tomes, mission workers of the Reformed Church in Carpath-Ukraine, and with the newly elected bishop, Sandor Zan. We found him to be open to a holistic outreach to the Roma, and he has asked Attila to prepare a long-term plan.

Our greatest joy was to see improvements in the Roma community in Komoroz. Though the farm project for which they received an SDOP grant was not very successful due to a drought in the summer of 2006, another dream did come true last fall—the Roma school. When we arrived, we were greeted by the class of children and adults learning how to read and write side by side in the little self-made community building. What progress compared with earlier visits! The class has a young teacher, the young adult daughter of the congregation’s pastor. The multipurpose room (used also for worship and community meetings) is well lighted and warm. So we sat with the adult group long after school was out to talk about the needs for improving the farm project. Even though our language skills were limited, we knew we are brothers and sisters of a bigger community and we felt the need to pray together.

One of the farm products we struggled to find the right translation for turned out after much wrong guessing to be a sunflower. We laughed hard when someone drew a picture on the blackboard and we figured it out. What a symbol! A sunflower on the new school blackboard!

The Lord brings us joy and laughter in the midst of struggling to improve daily life.

Peace and blessings to you all,