I have been volunteering at Te+én (meaning “you and me” in Hungarian), a drop-in center which hosts an after school program for Roma children and youth in Budapest to take Hungarian, English, and other tutoring lessons. It is a safe space for young people to play and hangout.

Spending time at Te+én has been enjoyable and challenging. I have learned more about the Roma population in Budapest and the daily struggles they face. The Roma are the largest minority in Hungary making up 10-15% of the population. They have faced forced assimilation to Hungarian culture since the 18th century and many have lost their native language and traditions. They are marginalized in many ways, including being segregated from non-Roma children in schools. The dropout rate of Roma children is high, with only one third continuing onto the secondary school level, whereas 90% of non-Roma Hungarians continue to this level. With unequal access to education and high unemployment, the Roma struggle to break out of a cycle of poverty.

I have heard people my age, including those in the Christian community, suggesting that the Roma are lazy because of their dependence on alcohol and government funding. It is more likely that the system has failed them, rather than them failing themselves. I see many parallels between Roma and Indigenous Canadians. Roma live in many European countries. It was an eye-opener to travel in Ukraine with members of the Reformed Church in Hungary and visitors from The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) to see the work the PCC is supporting just across the Hungarian border. We visited a kindergarten set up for Roma children with the aim of providing a better education and positive developmental experience for the new generation, one which their parents never received. It is a very slow process and might still be decades before Roma communities become completely self-sustaining, but there are signs of hope and positive changes are noticed in the morale of families and the communities. For example, some people who attended these kindergartens years ago are now working for their community congregations.

István Lako, minister and director of Te+én has many success stories to share. He is an inspiration in his constant desire to come up with new ideas and his unfailing devotion to improving this project. One time we were discussing starting up a new English program for high school students, and what he said really stuck with me. They were starting to get in a rut with the same after school activities. István said: “starting a new project will take more energy, but it will also bring more joy”. It was very encouraging to hear that someone doing this challenging work for a long time is still motivated to do his very best. István knows that a mutual relationship of support will bring fulfillment to everyone involved. He demonstrates that relationships can change lives and are the foundation of his organization’s work.

It has been a challenging experience for me to understand what my role is in the community. The children speak almost no English, and I speak even less Hungarian. This has been a motivating factor for me to learn more Hungarian. I found a role by leading a workshop on music theory. This was exciting because I could use a skill I had to help others start playing piano. It was demanding and took a lot of energy and creativity. Everything I say to the children has to be translated by a volunteer, who then translates what the children are saying to me. Despite these language barriers, I have shared many special moments with the children through music, sports, or by communicating without using many words. Bonds have been created and important moments have been shared through the common human experience.

I have felt very welcome at Te+én, despite the cultural and language differences. The children always greet me with a lot of warmth and excitement. I have realized that showing someone that you want to spend time with them, can make a difference. The children have shown me that too, as they don’t see these differences or judge in the same way that many of us have been taught to do. I have experienced the transformative power of just being present with someone else.

The children and volunteers of Te+én have been great teachers. I am constantly amazed at the dedication of the volunteers who have other work or school commitments; and find the time and energy to help the marginalized Roma children feel welcome and loved. By doing this, they are advocating for the wellbeing and dignity of each child. They are showing them their worth not only to themselves, but to the community and the rest of society. I don’t fully understand the challenges of what it must be like to live here, either as a Roma or someone working with them. Everyone at some point in their lives has felt like an outsider and I am inspired by the staff and volunteers of Te+én who have dedicated themselves to living out the gospel message of loving your neighbor and welcoming the stranger. This is a lesson that I will never forget.

Jackie Bannerman
July 2017