Roma conference emphasizes hope in Christ

They dance with abandon, singing rich, deeply emotional songs. They live and travel in all parts of the world. They have large families and little else to call their own. They are marginalized, living on the outskirts of every society they encounter.

We know them as the Gypsies. God knows them as beloved.

“The Roma are the hated and despised people group of Europe,” said Boyd Hatchell, the director of Roma Ministries in Europe. “They face harassment, discrimination and prejudice in all sectors of society. Sadly, they see it in the church as well. They are on the bottom rung of every ladder in every society.”

For Romany Christians in Europe, living a life of hope can be difficult, especially when their families and communities do not share their faith. This is why Mirek Richter, the pastor of a Romany Church in Brno, Czech Republic, chose to organize a conference for Romany Christians across Europe. He titled the conference, “Jesus is our Hope.”

In April, nearly 100 Romany Christians traveled from Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic to attend the conference in Brno. There they participated in a missions outreach project and worshipped God together. They enthusiastically shared stories of how God changed their own lives and their communities. People danced and sang loudly, their shouts of praise filling the sanctuary as they celebrated their common heritage and their common faith.

“[The Roma] need to have this encouragement,” said Pavel Coufal, the pastor of Brno Baptist Church, where the conference took  place. “It’s not easy nowadays for them economically or spiritually. I think they have similar problems everywhere, and when they come together, they can encourage each other.”

The members of Brno Baptist church work to break the stereotypes that many hold against the Roma. By holding outreach events, church members have many opportunities to share their testimonies with families. Church members like Jiri Randall enjoy working with the Roma because of their vibrant culture and hospitality.

Randall has worked with several Roma in Brno who were formerly in prison. These men now lead strong Christian families and share with fellow Roma the hope and love found in a personal relationship with Christ. He noted that this kind of radical turnaround is a huge testimony to indigenous Czechs. Randall said, “They can certainly see God is real– God is helping.

“God is helping the Roma.”

You can get involved in ministering to the Roma by engaging in prayer, attending or starting Bible studies in Romany areas of your town, and by giving to projects that will aid the Romany people. For resources, prayer guides and news about the Roma, please visit romaministries.com.

Posted by Megan Finger on May 14, 2010

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