Diaspora in Moldavia
Missionary report
By László Árus
On
February the 4th we went with one of the students from Karácsonykő
to Jászvásár. In the evening we held Bible classes for the youth and we
returned the other day.
On
February the 6th, here was a sermon and agape in the afternoon on
Karácsonykő. On the 7th of February I traveled to Brassó to
a pastors’ conference, which I was a little bit late for because of the
slippery road. On the 9th of February I took part on the burial of
a close relative and on the 10th I went to the mechanics to perform
the necessary operations for car-maintenance.
On
the 11th I held Bible classes for the youth following which there
was also an agape. On the 13th I traveled to Bákó where I had a
sermon, and then I moved on to preach in Onest, as well. In Onesti I visited
different families together with the janitor, and on the way home I also
visited one of our brothers who cannot be found during week-time.
On
the 15th I paid an advance for 4 water-meters, which were installed
in Karácsonykő, on the 18th of February. The accomplishment
of this expensive investment was necessary because the maintenance costs of
the parsonage were fairly high.
On
the 16th I traveled to Bákó, where I visited families, I filled
in a tax statement, which I also handed in at the revenue office. As an
interesting remark, I can mention the fact that I paid three times taxes until
now in Bákó, but only with two occasions did I pay them at the same place,
because the revenue office moves each year into a more “shiny” building.
Although
they forgot to invite me, I would have liked to join the reception of the
Hungarian under-secretary of state, Zsolt Németh in the Csángó-Hungarian
headquarters, but due to a program-modification
our meeting didn’t take
place. Actually, I wasn’t informed about the modifications in the program
because of the forgetfulness of a manager who didn’t even speak Hungarian.
Thus, I could only exchange a few words with the under-secretary of state
before the gala dinner. It was the negligence of the organizers that touched
me on a sore spot, who considered that only the Moldavian csángó nation is
worthwhile calling on and assistance, but I presume that those Transylvanian
reformed people, who really live here weren’t even mentioned.
In
Bákó I visited the headquarters of a Dutch charitable institution, but my
“colleague’s” wife received me quite in a chilly manner, so I only got a
phone-number.
On
the 17th of February I visited my colleague from Galac, and it was
nice to talk about our common concerns. In the afternoon I held Bible classes.
On
the 19th I set off to Dorna Vátra. On the way there I stopped
to visit families from Békás. I had a very unpleasant experience, as
well. I was just preparing to overtake a car that was slowly moving on the
edge of the road and when I came just in line with it, it jumped again in
front of me without any signal. But thanks to the great breaks I managed to
overcome the possible crash. When arriving to Dorna we visited some more
families who were struggling with great problems.
On
the 20th of February there was a religious srevice and an agape, as
well.
On the 23rd some of the reformed members of the congregation from Magyarhermány visited us, because one of their sons was called up there for military service. I soothed them and promised that I would not forget about the young man.
On the 24th I held a Bible class in Dumbrava Rosie. On the 25th I traveled to Jászvásár to have Bible classes for the youth, but nobody was present - they probably prolonged their holiday between the two semesters with one more week. On the 26th of February I visited different families in Jászvásár, moreover I visited the Hungarian soldiers in the frontier-guard-barracks. The other day, on the 27th a sermon was held at the same place. In the afternoon the sermon and the agape was held in Falticeni.
Karácsonykő,
on the 1st of March, 2000.
László Árus