Szia!
As orientation winds down, I wanted to share about a significant weekend that the Volunteers in Hungary were able to experience. September 4th and 5th, we traveled to the beautiful town of Sárszentlörenc. We were able to meet the staff of the Lutheran Church of Hungary in Sárszentlörenc and some of women who identify as Roma Hungarians. Although Révolop, the town we have stayed in for the duration of orientation in Hungary, is beautiful and relaxing, Sárszentlörenc was an eye opener and the towns are nothing alike. Révolop is a resort town, where people come to stay to relax and enjoy Lake Balaton. Sárszentlörenc is much more of what I envision of where people live and work everyday. When we first arrived, we got a quick tour of where we were staying before being told to drop off our bags and that we were having lunch outside with members of the Lutheran Church. The YAGM volunteers sat dispersed through the congregation at the long lunch table, attempting to use the “kicsit” (or little) Hungarian that we had learned the previous week. We had a traditional Roma soup that is with homemade bread that is also a traditional recipe that only the Roma use. The soup was made with the bones of the chicken cooked in it and the bread is used to soak up the broth. As lunch is the biggest meal of the day, we were continually told to eat more. It is typical to the Hungarian Culture that Hungarians will continue to try and give you food even if you say are full. After soup, we had cookies and Japanese pears that grow in the yard of the guesthouse. This weekend, we packed a lot into two days. Almost immediately after lunch, we were told to grab a notebook and that we were heading over to the church to learn about Hungarian and Roma Culture. In towns and villages in Hungary, there are two churches, one “big” and one “small”. The big church is typically used during the spring, summer, and early fall as it is easier to keep cool, while the small church is used in the winter or for smaller events as it is easier to keep warm. The church in Sárszentlörenc was built after the Turks invaded Hungary and has been around ever since. The paintings around the sanctuary and the Alter were absolutely stunning and the church was beautiful. After talking a little bit about Hungary, we were split up into several groups and were able to visit with a member of the Lutheran Congregation that identifies as Roma. Another volunteer and I were able to meet with a woman name Mari. She invited us into her home, where we sat and discussed what she liked to do, how she ended up in Sárszentlörenc, and her faith journey. From the moment we arrived in the village, she immediately welcomed us. On several occasions, she mentioned how wonderful it was that we, as American Young Adults, were there wanting to learn about her culture and her way of life. Her faith was incredibly strong, despite such strong discrimination her entire life. Mari even told her husband that Jesus was her number one. Her favorite story was about Jesus dying on the cross for us because He died for everyone, not just white, male Hungarians, Americans, etc., but He died for her and other Roma as well. Mari shared that when she first got her own house, she didn’t have running water and didn’t have a bathroom in her house. However, she trusted in God that everything would turn out alright. She then moved to a nicer house, but it still wasn’t ideal. However, she still didn’t have running water. The house that we were visiting it, she had just recently moved to within the last few months. Mari considered this her castle. Although not big to Americans, it had everything that Mari wanted: running water, an indoor bathroom, several rooms, with a large kitchen. When we went to leave, she stopped the other volunteer and I and gave us huge hugs, holding us close and telling us how wonderful it was that we were there. After meeting with Mari, I wanted to hear so much more about her life, where she came from, what she liked to, and other questions that we weren’t able to ask in the time we had with her. We continued to learn about Hungarian culture, through listening to a local Roma band that played traditional Roma music and hearing stories from other congregation members. The next morning we were able to participate in worship that was all in Hungarian. We were asked to sing a couple of worship songs and hymns that we grew up singing and were able to take communion. We ended our visit to this beautiful town by seeing a few of the sites that the people of Sárszentlörenc were so proud of, including a tree that a popular Hungarian author was inspired by that had been there since the town was founded. I felt the Holy Spirit in the Roma Women we met, the pastor and other members of that community as they opened their arms and welcomed us into their homes and lives. I cannot wait to share more as I head into my site in Békéscsaba this upcoming Tuesday!
1 Comment
10/2/2016 02:55:39 pm
Wow. What an amazing witness from Mari. You are doing important work
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Elaina JohnsonI am from a town on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin. I grew up in Hudson, WI, where I had the privilege of returning after graduating from Winona State University with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation. Archives
December 2016
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