Hungarian Gypsy Missions International made a cooperation agreement with the University of Miskolc on the campus primarily about the areas of education, research and social work. The participants of the ceremonial signing were Prof. Dr. Zita Horváth, Rector of the university; Albert Durkó, Presindent of HGMI; and the deans of faculties involved in professional coordination: Dr. Mária Kovács Illésné, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. Dr. Mariann Somosi Veresné, Dean of the Faculty of Economics. Other attenders from HGMI were László Surman, representing the Gypsy Methodology and Research Center, Rita Patkás, Director of education and training at School Operations Center, and Hajnalka Fazekas, Director of Social Services Center.
At the event, Prof. Dr. Zita Horváth, Rector of the University of Miskolc, mentioned that the university puts great emphasis on social convergence in the region. There are several programs helping the disadvantaged students of the region. When the faculties of social sciences were opened at the university, the third mission was initiated: the idea of helping social convergence.
Albert Durkó mentioned, that HGMI was founded in 1996 with only three Roma churches, and now they cover the whole country with the activities of 137 Roma churches. They have significantly developed their international relationships recently. They take every chance to help disadvantaged people. He can see a great opportunity in cooperating with the University of Miskolc, since he believes this united work will help to leverage the potential in Roma people. For this potential to become visible much work, education and research is needed to be done.
This agreement could start such a long-term cooperation that will greatly help not only the Roma, but non-Roma young people as well, to whom knowledge will open new ways and opportunities.
Photo by CsabaVégh, University of Miskolc
Photo by CsabaVégh, University of Miskolc
Photo by CsabaVégh, University of Miskolc
Photo by CsabaVégh, University of Miskolc
http://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.png00Laszlo Adamikhttp://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.pngLaszlo Adamik2022-05-19 11:35:482022-05-19 11:41:51Cooperation with the University of Miskolc for the Benefit of the Roma
First of all the GypsyAid of Hungarian Gypsy Missions International wants to thank all the donations and support we received from many kind people in this time of hardship. Let’s continue our cooperation in helping the Ukrainian war refugees to find shelter and food.
The aid team of HGMI was departing from it’s central office packed with donations to see how we can help the Ukrainian war refugees more efficiently. The escaping families are thankful for every help, but there was a request we were unfortunately not able to meet. One young boy’s only request was he wanted to be reunited with his father again.
The mission team’s first stop was at the railway station close to the Ukrainian border. Most of the people there left all their belongings behind. Hundreds of people, children, adults, old and young were seeking help and looking for a place to go to sleep at.
“We left our husbands and children home. My two sons and two grandsons had to stay home, I was able to bring only my youngest ones with me and unfortunately they are ill, but we had to leave home. The air defense sirens sound and we don’t know what will happen next minute. There aren’t any bunkers in my village so we could not hide anyway, and we only speak Hungarian. There is great fear in people, many have departed, only a few people stayed in the towns.” — said one of the waiting women about the every day hardships.
Another mother had set on the road with four kids.
“We had to come, the lives of our children is the most important. We left everything at home, but we couldn’t wait any more. It was very difficult to leave, I was brought up there, everything ties me there, but everybody is overwhelmed by fear over there.” — told us a young lady answering our question.
Another family came also from Transcarpathia, and our mission team was able to help them by giving them useful items, clothes, bedding. They consider themselves lucky, since they can stay with the family of the father’s brother. “We could bring almost nothing with us except our ID papers and the clothes we wear. We left everything behind, so we are grateful for every help.”
The team left the border to visit some of the Mission’s community houses to bring donations there, where some refugees have been accommodated already. At one place we met 12 members of a family: 8 children plus the women of the family stay there. Instead of complaints we heard thanks from them for the opportunity to sleep there.
“We give thanks to the Heavenly Father for this warm welcome by the brothers and sisters. At home people are hiding, not staying home, so we had to leave as well. Our children are at the age of 9 months, 2 years, there are older ones as well. I always think of home and our men, because the shops closed, they are not able to buy food. Yet, my faith will not abandon me. I asked the Lord to let us cross the border using our ID papers and He answered my prayer. I am grateful to be together with these brethren who can help us.” — told us the eldest member of the family.
At an other place many children filled the room in the community house, who fortunately kept their playful mood. Maybe they feel less of the fear of life’s uncertainty what we can see in the eyes of their parents. “We would like to return to our homes as soon as possible, this is my greatest wish.” — said one of the mothers while opening a chocolate bar for her son.
The refugees were welcomed with love at the third place as well. The family of 6 members had no idea what was awaiting them in Hungary, but as they mentioned they received all help they needed, and they are very grateful to their accommodation providers.
The GypsyAid of HGMI works continuously to support and accommodate the incoming refugees by opened our community houses for them at several parts of the country and by providing accommodation and hot meals for them.
Again, thank you for all the donations we have received so far.
Roland Kocsany
To be able to provide all this help we need your support as well. Well-meaning people can support the aid work mostly by financial donations to our following accounts:
Account holder:
MPE OCM
Address:
56 Petofi street, Bekes H-5630, Hungary
Bank name:
OTP Bank Nyrt.
Bank address:
16 Nador street, Budapest, H-1051, Hungary
IBAN (EUR):
HU39 1176 3330 3316 8881 0000 0000
IBAN (USD):
HU97 1176 3330 3316 9019 0000 0000
SWIFT (BIC) code:
OTPVHUHB
Note:
Ukraine (+ include your email address)
http://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.png00Laszlo Adamikhttp://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.pngLaszlo Adamik2022-03-06 22:58:212022-03-06 23:10:51“We had to leave everything behind”
They have been to Zahony to see the situation there. Afterwards they went to visit their Community Houses in Nyirvasvari, Mateszalka and Kotaj taking donations with them, since they have accommodated some refugees there. Durable food, clothes, diapers, blankets and helpful items of use were handed over to those in need.
The Mission has accommodated 150 people in its own facilities and provides for their everyday needs. Help is continuous.
http://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.png00Laszlo Adamikhttp://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.pngLaszlo Adamik2022-03-01 22:26:032022-03-01 22:26:23Hungarian Gypsy Missions International takes part in providing for the refugees from Ukraine
Review of the 3rd Gypsy Mission Methodology handbook .
Jesus Christ “…loved everybody, taught everybody, He loved to make the little people great… Let’s think about the ethnic minorities, and the Gypsies among them… Let’s see, and let’s believe in the great plans and intentions of God, when He calls us to go amongst the little and despised ones!”
The united publication of the Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal and Reformed Churches’ Gypsy missions tries to offer new visions and practical approaches by showing some examples to those who work hard to raise the living standards of the Roma, and especially to those who try to achieve this goal by working with children.
http://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.png00Laszlo Adamikhttp://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.pngLaszlo Adamik2020-10-16 17:40:322020-10-16 17:46:05Mission and integrating education
Short introduction video of Hungarian Gypsy Missions International.
“It is not a good motivation if I want to minister in order to seek fulfilment. Ministry means the death of one’s self, total humility, the washing of the feet of Roma people. I’m not the great one in that situation… rather I’m the servant, used by God…”(Albert Durko, mission leader)
http://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.png00Admin HGMIhttp://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.pngAdmin HGMI2020-10-15 12:21:192020-10-16 17:55:02The time of collecting vessels
Refugees have been coming through Hungary for quite a while now but we had never seen anything like what we experienced in August and September 2015. In partnership with the Hungarian Pentecostal Church in Hungary, HGMI?s charity and aid arm, GypsyAid set up an operative base at the refugee collection point outside Röszke, Hungary, less than a kilometer from the Serbian border. GypsyAid is committed to coordinate help in the long term.
Hungary is situated on one of the major refugee/migrant routes to the heart of the European Union. Over 300 thousand people crossed the border illegally in 2015 (until September 30). During the summer, the Government rushingly enacted legislation to more efficiently keep migrants ? and refugees ? out of the country, and erected a 175-km border fence on the Hungarian?Serbian border.
On September 14 afternoon, the border became much more difficult to cross, so our operations shifted from Röszke to Horgos, on the Serbian side. A few days later, people started to come again ? but this time via Croatia. About 35 thousand of them entered Hungary through the Croatian border in the next 7 days.
While there are a lot of young men that seemingly need little help, there are also lots of families with small children, even babies. Many places the refugees are warmly welcome by local people, but the general public?s attitude is rather adverse. It is expected that the flow of refugees will not stop for the winter and an even greater wave will bee coming next spring.
GypsyAid, in cooperation with the Hungarian Pentecostal Church and by the generous support of some local and international partners, distributed water, bananas, apples, biscuits, coffee and tea, tents, sleeping bags, shoes, clothes, blankets, backpacks, items of personal hygiene, and many other things as they were needed. A lot of volunteers joined our team, even non-Christians came after we had made a call for action.
http://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Post_featured_news-04.jpg270706Admin HGMIhttp://www.gypsymissions.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HGMI_logo3_enfold.pngAdmin HGMI2015-09-29 21:47:082015-10-03 20:47:08The role of GypsyAid in helping refugees
On April 23, 2015, Gypsy Methodology and Research Center (GMRC), the scientific research arm of Hungarian Gypsy Missions International, introduced their first major work in sociological research among the Hungarian Roma, The Impact of Gypsy Mission Movements in Hungary. The Protestant interdenominational survey has shown that there are about 20,000 born-again church-attending ethnic Gypsies in Hungary today.
Having processed 1100 questionnaires from a representative group of 6500 ethnic Gypsies across the country, GMRC researchers found that transformation of born-again Roma?s lives is obvious and Christian ministries among the Roma have a substantial positive impact on society.
Ethnic Gypsies make up a significant portion of the population in Central & Eastern Europe. Their cultural differences, poverty as well as mainstream society?s rampant prejudice against them have created a complex ?Gypsy issue? across Europe. Neither national governments nor the European Union has been able to offer a viable long-term solution that would provide equal chances and a hope for the future to the Roma masses while increasing their usefulness for society. We are convinced that even if society had all the good intentions and precise strategies to help, the Roma ? just as everybody else ? can and will only be changed by the transforming power of the gospel.
In The Impact of Gypsy Mission Movements in Hungary, the authors ? GMRC researchers Mr. Gellert Gyetvai and Mr. Zoltan Rajki ? paint a detailed picture about how Roma lives can change under God?s transforming power when they are approached with love and grace. All aspects of their lives are changed and they do become a blessing to others.
Hungarian Gypsy Missions International firmly believes God will make the last the first. He will lift up the Roma in Europe and make them examples and a driving force for change.
The Rev. Albert Durko, President of Hungarian Gypsy Missions International, nominated by Mr. Zoltan Balog, Hungarian Minister of Human Capacities, and the senior leaders of HGMI, received the Raoul Wallenberg Award on January 19, 2015.
For an exemplary life and ministry of fighting against discrimination, helping the underprivileged and disadvantaged, and contributing towards the exercising of human rights and citizenship rights provided by law in Hungary, Mr. Zoltan Balog, Hungarian Minister of Human Capacities, and the senior leaders of HGMI had nominated Albert Durko for the 2015 Raoul Wallenberg Award. The Award Committee found the nomination well-founded and selected him to be one of the Award recipients.
The laudation states that ?the leader of Hungarian Gypsy Missions International believes that through mutual acceptance everybody can help decrease the tensions in society and find the path to enriching others.?
The award ceremony, titled ?Raoul Wallenberg ? Each Action Counts? and held on January 19, 2015, commemorated the 70th anniversary of Wallenberg?s detention by the Soviet Red Army. The diplomat was never publicly seen afterwards and reportedly died imprisoned in Moscow on July 17, 1947. The joint awards of the Raoul Wallenberg Association, the Raoul Wallenberg Foundation, the Ministry of Human Capacities and the National Association of Local Authorities are given to people and organizations that, in one way or another, follow in the footsteps of the Swedish humanitarian. This year, five people and two organizations were awarded.
Ceremony participants and speakers included H. E. Mr. Niclas Trouvé, Embassador of Sweden, Mr. Michael Wernstedt, Executive Director of the Swedish Raoul Wallenberg Academy, Mr. Urban Christian Ahlin, Speaker of the Riksdag (the Swedish Parliament), Mr. Emir Selimi, Artist & Roma Rights Activist, Dr. Marta Matrai, First Officer of the Hungarian National Assembly, Mr. Szabolcs Takacs, Minister of State for European Affairs (Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities), and Dr. Bence Retvari, Parliamentary State Secretary (Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities).
Raoul Gustaf Wallenberg (4 August 1912 ? disappeared 17 January 1945) was a Swedish architect, businessman, diplomat and humanitarian. He is widely celebrated for saving tens of thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary during the Holocaust from Hungarian Fascists and the Nazis during the later stages of World War II. While serving as Sweden?s special envoy in Budapest between July and December 1944, Wallenberg issued protective passports and sheltered Jews in buildings designated as Swedish territory. (Wikipedia: Raoul Wallenberg)
Over 900 of our nearly 1200 full-time coworkers attended our special biannual gathering in Bekes on November 15, 2014. They had come for a day of encouragement, inspiration, and information and didn?t go home empty-handed ? or, in fact, empty-hearted. They all had the opportunity to listen to reports about what we are doing as an organization, hear the gospel, and even be prayed for. We are receiving good reports about the outcome.
On November 15, 2014, the number of HGMI employees across all our sectors and functions was 1183. Over 900 of these people came to our biannual coworkers? day held in Békés, Hungary. As a Christian organization, we have a policy not to only employ Christians. About half of our people are non-Christians. We convey the gospel to them in words and deeds.
In the morning, the Rev. Albert Durko, HGMI President shared a heart-to-heart message. One of the main objectives of these gatherings is to express our appreciation to our coworkers for their hard work and commitment. Albert preached a message of hope and inspiration. He offered the people that they can come forward and be prayed for by the HGMI executive elders and other leaders.
All participants had yet another opportunity to familiarize themselves with HGMI?s mission and vision: everything we do, we do to reach as many lost Gypsies and non-Gypsies with God?s life-transforming gospel as possible.
In the afternoon, the leaders of various HGMI units and functions shared their presentations about our services, statistical data and their vision for the future.
Our invited guests ? including Dr. Erzsebet Sandor, Deputy Commissioner from the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, the Rev. Albert Pataky, President of the Hungarian Pentecostal Church, and Mr. Gabor Izso, the Mayor of Bekes ? all addressed issues relevant to minorities and underprivileged people and expressed their joy for HGMI?s work.
