Say What?!?!

IS HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT READY FOR AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AT HOME IN THE LIGHT OF PROPOSED EUROPEAN ROMA STRATEGY?

Posted by: ValeryNovoselsky on the Romano Liloro web site of Roma news

"Last month, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared Roma issues a priority for the Hungarian Presidency of the European Union. He promised to work towards a “functioning Roma strategy” at EU-wide level to improve social inclusion of Roma citizens. While the Prime Minister’s pledge to enhance Roma rights across the EU is commendable, the rhetoric has done little to console Hungary’s Roma, who continue to face discrimination, including in the form of hate crime. They have been waiting for justice to be served and for Hungarian officials to lead by example when it comes to addressing the daily struggles of Roma at home. Setting aside its high rhetoric in support of Roma rights across Europe, there is much that Hungary’s government could do at home ... It’s time for the government to prove that Hungary is serious about standing up for its Roma citizens at home as it pursues initiatives at the EU level." - Paul LeGendre, Director, Fighting Discrimination Program.

**It is the opinion of Ralph and Tammy, after 15 years living in Hungary and continued communication with Roma friends, that the Hungarian government is saying, "Do as I say, not as I do." They are "talking the talk" but from what we've observed certainly NOT "walking the walk." Join us in prayer that this will change.

Wedding Bells

When an invitation to pray turned into a request for a wedding sermon, of course Shane agreed.  

Stefan and Lisa's daughter Ruska was getting married; but Feri the groom's family did not speak Slovak.  In what has become a familiar tag-team, Stefan and Shane conducted the wedding service with Shane preaching in Slovak and Stefan translating into Romani.

Not only was it an incredible honor to be asked, today's wedding was testimony to the power of personal relationships as the basis for ministry partnership.  Join us in saying a special prayer for Feri and Ruska, the newlyweds.

Shattering Stereotypes Through Education

Shattering Stereotypes Through Education

http://blog.soros.org/2011/02/shattering-stereotypes-through-education

Through the Romaversitas program, the Roma Education Fund provides financial and educational support to talented Roma university students across Hungary. More importantly, the Romaversitas program is helping to shatter stereotypes. Zoltan, Aliz, Dezso and Erzsebet are enrolled in Romaversitas; in addition to being Roma, they are also aspiring astrophysicists, professors, filmmakers, and architects.

*CBF field personnel partner with several different schools and projects to foster education among the Roma.

Media on the Move

Last month Keith went to England to record the 30-minute Ruth DVD in Western Kalderash. He finished recording in three days, came home, mixed it, and sent it off to be "proofread" by the Kalderash-speaking church in London.

This month Keith begins to record the approximately ten-hour audio New Testament in Sinti Romani. He and recording partner Arthur Wijnveen will start tomorrow, February 9, in Hamelin, Germany. I am not going to ask them to bring back any rat-shaped breads (see photo!). We are going to ask you to support this project with lots and lots of prayer. As we have seen time and time again in recording projects, prayer makes a huge difference. They are going to begin with the voice of "Paul," generally 70-hours' worth of recording. They will be recording at different places in Germany and the Netherlands. They hope to be finished by the end of March. Perhaps this recording will go as smoothly as Ruth in London . . . . We'll keep you posted.

Gypsy Smith School - January Session

The January session of the Gypsy Smith School** was a huge success! We expected about 20 leaders and had 24 attend! We were scrambling around making beds to accommodate the extra numbers - always a nice problem to solve.

Our leaders, Warren Hoffman, pastor of 3rd Baptist Church in St Louis, and Terrell Carter, interim youth pastor at 3rd and Networking Coordinator for CBF MO, taught on communion, worship elements, and the New Testament. Harold Phillips, Coordinator of CBF MO, accompanied the Missouri leaders but sadly returned to the USA after the first day due to the death of his father.

The weather was cold and blistery outside but the fellowship and camaraderie was warm and inviting inside. It was a wonderful week of training and building of relationships. Please join us in giving God thanks for his blessings.

*Pictured: Warren Hoffman with students.

**What is the Gypsy Smith School? It is a leadership training for Roma (Gypsy) church leaders held four times a year through Project Ruth in Bucharest, Romania.

A Different Pair of Glasses

First, I couldn't see things far away. That required one kind of corrective lenses. Then, a few years ago, I couldn't see things close up. That called for a different kind of corrective lenses. Now, I need "computer glasses" because the screen is just the wrong distance for either near or far portion of my regular glasses. Different problems call for different solutions.

This morning, before I picked up this newest pair, Keith was telling me how Romany he had stayed with in London had visited Romany in Romania and been shocked by the behavior of some of the Romanian Romany. The poor treatment of children, for instance, went against traditional Romany culture. Keith wanted to find out what made the Romanian Romany act that way--to look at the situation from their point of view. What forces prompted them to deviate from the strict code of Romany conduct? Only by understanding the cause could one attempt a remedy.

In my case, the computer glasses are working fine to type this blog. But I'll have to switch to the other pair if I want to read the bulletin board 18 inches further away. Different problems call for different solutions. Thankfully, the optician knew what to do about this one. I'm wondering what the Great Physician has to say about some of these other ones.

Wishing You...

Veselé Vánoce!

Gelukkig Kerstfeest!

Veselé Vianoce!

Crăciun Fericit!

Merry Christmas!

The Gypsy Team wishes you a joyful celebration of our Lord's birth!

**Santa hands out gifts to the Ruth School students and they present a program for their parents and the staff.