The Roma Mission of the Transtibiscan Reformed Church District and the Drop of Help Foundation for Underprivileged People participated in Family Day, a civil conference and workshop.
The Foundation was established in 2007, to promote equal opportunities for disadvantaged children and their families. The foundation places a special emphasis on physically, mentally, and spiritually supporting and including children from ethnic minority families.
The efficiency of the organization’s service is aided by personality development workshops based on the Bible. The organizers, Rev. Irén Búzás Greguss a Roma-mission pastor and László Greguss the project manager, believe that every positive change begins with the renewal of the inner person. The Damascus Road Project, which will involve fifty events by 2020, was organized in this spirit as well.
“Among the Roma brothers and sisters there are those who had lived a life, before their conversion, that moved them away from majority society. Therefore, we try to put them on a path that helps them to better integrate into their communities.” said László Greguss.
On Family Day, families came from Bagamér, Esztár, Konyár, and Debrecen, in all there were over 80 participants. At the beginning of the program, pastor and mission co-worker of RCH, Rev. Seon Koo Kim, greeted guests on behalf of the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea. Then, while children participated in Sunday School, Dr. Károly Fekete, Bishop of the Transcibiscan Church District, gave a sermon to the adults on the conversion of the Apostle Paul.
“Yesterday in Esztár, I visited the home of one of our Roma brothers and sisters, he has a very nice house with a beautiful garden full of flowers. I felt that the Roma Mission is like this as well. The small garden has begun to flourish, and different flowers are starting to grow. I see a hopeful future in this project, my great dream is that one day Roma and non-Roma brothers and sisters will worship together.” said Rev. Irén Búzás Greguss, Mission Pastor for the Transtibiscan Reformed Church District.
It is very important to the Transtibiscan Church District that the mission continues to follow the framework of such a project.
“By 2020, there will be a solid background and a fleshed-out program that can be systematically approached by the whole family of God. This program will be varied, so that it can reach every member of the family and it places a special importance on being an intergenerational program. Through this program a community will be born whose atmosphere and environment will make the brothers and sisters love going there. The road to Damascus is the road of conversion. It is the turn when we realize that Jesus Christ came into our life and it wasn’t a coincidence, it wasn’t a failed plan or a blocked path, and at that point we realize there is nothing to be lost and life to be gained. The turnaround in the life of Paul, when Jesus Christ flipped Saul’s life upside-down and made him Paul, is our example in this,” said Bishop Károly Fekete.
Additionally, a lecture was given by Reformed Pastor Rev. Márta Gál-Győri, and her husband Gál Álmos. At the end of the Family Day event, there was singing was led by the worship band of the Reformed Roma Mission in Esztár.
Written by the Transcibiscan Reformed Church District
Translated by Györgyi Csiba
Edited by Bastian Bouman
Photos by János Barcza