On 11 January 2018, a student group from Columbia Theological Seminary visited the Synod Office. The group was introduced to the various ministries of the Reformed Church in Hungary.
On 11 January 2018, the visit of the a student group from Columbia Theological Seminary also includied Kalunba Social Services Ltd., the refugee integration ministry, Temegén, the Roma after-school ministry, and Adna Café run by Reformed Thrown Youth Rescue Mission (KIMM), the drug rehabilitation ministry for teenage boys and men.
The Columbia Theological Seminary (CTS) student group began their two week journey in Prague, Czech Republic. One week into their exploration in the Czech Republic, they took a train to Budapest, Hungary. Their first stop in Budapest was at the Reformed Church in Hungary (RCH) Synod Office, where they met with Rev. Balázs Ódor, the RCH Ecumenical Officer, Rev. Balázs Siba, a senior lecturer at Károli Gáspár University of the RCH, and Rev. Eszter Dani, the head of the RCH Mission Department for an introduction the RCH and the ministries involved.
Then they made their way to Kalunba Social Services Ltd., to meet with Kanizsai-Nagy Dóra of the RCH Diaconal Office, head of the Refugee Integration Department, and co-founder of Kalunba, to learn of the work of Kalunba in helping refugees during the current political and social climate in Hungary. Rev. Lakó István, the local pastor and head of the Temegén community and Roma Mission after-school program, introduced the group to the Eighth district and the community of Roma children at Temegén. And finally, they visited Adna Café, a café run by the RCH Drug Rehabilitation Ministry and met with a colleague of the ministry, Ms. Kiss Tímea.
The group shared their questions and interests on the various ministries of the RCH with enthusiasm and so much was learned and discussed in the interaction with the students from CTS.
The next day, the CTS student group made their way to Debrecen and in the following day, continued their journey in Hungary visiting RCH partner churches and organizations of the RCH.
A prayer was shared on the CTS blog for that day:
“For the many ways you work through your church, and through the lives of those who proudly serve its mission. For your refuge to the displaced and for those who continue to displace. For your love of the smiles of children and the warm safety of your presence. For the serene determination you bestow upon those who seek a life free of addiction and unhealthy dependencies. For these blessing we give thanks to you. Our God is moving and stirring encounters, Amen.”
Check out their entire journey in Central Europe on their blog
Pricilla Yang