Due to the war in Ukraine, human lives are at risk, people lack basic supplies and have been forced to leave their homes. IDPs have reached the Western part of Ukraine and refugees are arriving to Hungary in growing numbers. The Hungarian Reformed Church Aid has been providing emergency response from the first day. Daily update.
Bible Sunday in the shadow of the crisis in Ukraine (10:24)
For over a hundred years, „Bible Sunday” has been celebrated on the first Sunday in March. The annual event was established in 1904 on the centenary of the founding of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
It is a time to look at Bible societies in different countries and the work they do in translating, editing and publishing texts. This year, however, the day is overshadowed by the conflict in Ukraine.
The portal „Parokia”/Parish (www.parokia) spoke to Otto Pecsuk, the Secretary General of the Hungarian Bible Society, who said that the Hungarian and Ukrainian Bible Societies have a long history of connectedness and cooperation. In 2017, they published a Ukrainian-Hungarian New Testament. "Back then, we jointly handed over this publication with our Ukrainian colleagues in the Bishop's office in Beregszász/Berehove, but today we only have 100-150 copies left. We sent copies to the Reformed Church Aid and to Debrecen. Coordinators Viktória Katona and Gergely Iszlai helped with their distribution," said Ottó Pecsuk in his response to the www.parokia.hu.
More than 100 tonnes of donations already distributed by Hungarian Reformed Church Aid (10:34)
By sunday morning, the amount of donations distributed by the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid exceeded 100 tons. A quarter of the in-kind donations was delivered to Transcarpathia, Ukraine, the rest was distributed to refugees in Hungary.
The Reformed Church in Hungary is still waiting for those who want to help. Donations of goods or housing offers have to be sent at karpataljaert@jobbadni.hu, and money can still be donated.
Zoltán Balog encourages donations through the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid (18:12)
"This is the first time, I have seen fear in the eyes of pastors, but seventy of the eighty Hungarian Reformed pastors in Transcarpathia, Ukraine continue serving in their congregations. It is our duty to stand on their side and help our brothers and sisters in Transcarpathia," Bishop Zoltán Balog said with emotion at the meeting of the pastors in his Church District on Saturday. In the church of the reformed congregation of Budapest-Nagyvárad Square, the ministerial president of the Synod also drew attention to the importance of in-kind and financial aid. Instead of individual help, he asked to join the fundraising of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid, because HRCA provides well-organized, targeted help to those in need.
On Friday, Zoltán Balog, accompanied by three other Hungarian Bishops, to visit among others, Sándor Zán Fábián, Bishop of the Transcarpathian Reformed Church District. (Source: www.parokia.hu)
Edited and translated by Anna Derencsényi, international officer of the Diaconia of RCH