Horizons magazine is published by Presbyterian Women (PW) the national women’s organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Issue link: http://horizons.epubxp.com/i/623149
28 S t. Columba's Church doesn't much look like a church . . . at least not when you are in Budapest —a beautiful European city with cathedrals on every corner, resplendent in architecture and adorned with centuries of history. But St. Columba's, a congregation of the Church of Scotland in Budapest that is housed in the Vörösmarty School, is very much a church. Perhaps not in looks, but certainly in its commitment to worship and love God, and welcome those whom God loves. Since a multifaceted conflict erupted in Syria in 2011, more than 11 million Syrians have fled their homes. 1 More than 1.8 million Iraqis have left their country to flee ISIS. So welcome for God's beloved children is sorely needed. In the fall of 2015 as many as 3,000 refugees (largely Syrian) were arriving each day in Hungary, many hundreds mak- ing their way to the Keleti train station in Budapest. St. Columba's was ready to welcome any refugee needing shel- ter from the rain and cold as they awaited the next stage of their journey. The only available space being the sanctu- ary, pews were moved aside to make way for temporary beds. Church members swiftly responded to the church's request for clothing. While none needed the church overnight, as forces moved quickly to transfer people to elsewhere in the European Union, many knew that St. Columba's was a safe refuge. More Than Response, Welcome Aaron Stevens, minister at St. Columba's, and Dora Kanizsai-Nagy, director of Kalunba Charity, a refugee min- istry working alongside the Reformed Church in Hungary, spearheaded much of this response. Kalunba Charity is housed in St. Columba Church. Together, Dora and Aaron mobilized volunteers and staff to reach out to the thousands of refugees arriving in Hungary. Despite being overwhelmed by the number of people, volunteers described their desire to be a loving presence to people who had traveled far and experienced much heartache. Workers for one international aid organization—in a rush to feed and help as many people as they could—threw sandwiches through train windows to people. Shocked by the sight, Kalunba volunteer Balázs Acsai took the sand- wiches on the train and distributed them personally. "It's how you treat people," he explained matter-of-factly. Such a kind and personal gesture is often rare in the midst of such chaos and panic. Some may argue that Balázs's simple act may have accomplished less than the aid organization's approach, but there is no doubt it embodies the church's determination to respond with hospitality and grace to those in desperate need. As volunteers distributed food and water, refugees shared their stories, which often included separation from A Sandwich, A Sanctuary, A Community The Reformed Church of Hungary and Church of Scotland Welcomes Refugees BY DEREK MACLEOD Afraid for their safety, Mayada Ari, her husband and their four children left Syria for western Europe. "We heard that the best life is in Germany," she said. They traversed Turkey and Greece and Macedonia and Serbia until arriving in Hungary. Mayada, pictured here holding two of her children, said the journey has been difficult and dangerous. "But it was more dangerous to remain at home." Paul Jeffrey/KairosPhotos