It was a pleasure to host twelve ladies from the WMS in Romania for three days as part of their tour to Eastern Europe focusing on the Hungarian Reformed Church. The tour started and ended in Hungary but also included Ukraine and Croatia.
On October 5th the group arrived in Oradea (Nagy Varad) for lunch and a chance to visit my photo exhibition of Romanian Reflections held at the museum connected with the Olaszi Reformed congregation. Two of my former theological students Feri and Abigel were on hand to sing folk music. Later we attended a youth church service held in the Rogerius church where Arpi another former student working as assistant pastor welcomed and gave information about this modern church and the elements of the worship service.
The group traveled on to Magyar Lona where they were billeted at local families for the night and were quite impressed with the hospitality of the villagers.
On arrival in Cluj at the theological institute they met with my first year students (20 in all), which provided a great experience for them to activate their English knowledge.
They also met with the bishop of Transylvania and a representative of the local Women’s Missionary Society. In the afternoon they visited a folk museum and children’s centre ending the day in Chidea (Kide). Here the pastor Nagy Tibor and his wife Erika hosted them and the villagers prepared a wonderful Hungarian gulyas. Tibor graduated from the institute last year and has gone to a village where there has not been a pastor for three years. All enjoyed the sumptious feast.
Tuesday was called Canada Day in the institute. At 12 15 we held an English service of praise with singing in both Hungarian and English. Nagy Emese from the fifth year delivered the message emphasizing the importance of partnership and referred to the special covenant with was signed this summer formalizing the partnership between the Presbyterian Church in Canada and the Hungarian Reformed Church in Romania. Four other female students shared in leading the liturgy. After the service Balough Csaba gave a lecture on the background and the present Hungarian Reformed Church in Romania.
A special musical concert was organized in the afternoon. Both the boys’ choir and the newly formed girls’ ensemble participated. Kele Brigita and Manyoki Maria from the Hungarian Opera in Cluj were the guest artists offering selections from Strauss and Gershwin and also the famous duet from Delibes’ Lakme. The Canadian ladies joined in Amazing Grace the final selection. After the evening meal Torok Adorian and Bone Katalin performed some Hungarian folk songs and dances and the party afterwards provided more opportunity for conversation.
The next day the Canadians continued their journey leaving for Hungary and then Ukraine. Both my students and myself appreciated very much this visit which gave all of us an occasion to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith and to continue with the work that God has called each of us to do.
Brian Johnston
Protestant Theological Institute,
Cluj, Romania
