Roma are finding a reason to smile as they learn about Christ

Jemo was known by his friends as a Muslim preacher. Now his message to them is “I believe in Jesus and I read my Bible.”

The transformation was not sudden. Karen Blackburn, IMB worker in Macedonia connected with Jemo’s wife, Julia, 3 years ago at a medical clinic funded by Southern Baptist organizations including International World Changers. She and other workers continued to build a relationship with the couple through helping to meet their physical needs. When the Macedonian government began building public housing, Jemo and Julia applied for an apartment with help from Karen, who had also been sharing scripture with them.

“When they got the apartment, they knew that God had provided it,” Karen said.

That was when things started to change. They invited people from the church to come and dedicate their new apartment to God. They also agreed to host a Bible study in their home. Jemo invited his neighbors and even though they were Muslim, 25 of them came.

Mihai and Victorita are Roma from Romania. They were living as missionaries in Macedonia as part of the FETE (from everywhere to everywhere) program begun by Boyd Hatchel, IMB Roma cluster leader. Mihai was attending the Bible study at Jemo’s house and the two of them began having long discussions about the Bible.

“’Coincidentally’ Jemo can speak the Romanian dialect of the Romany language,” Karen joked, alluding to God’s evident handiwork in arranging the circumstances.

Jemo and Julia both gave their lives to Christ. Jemo is reading the Bible daily, marking verses, and really putting effort into learning about his newfound faith. He and Mihai were meeting two or three times a week for discipleship until Mihai’s recent departure.

From that Bible study, three others are following Christ and Jemo has returned as a witness to his home village where there is interest in starting a Bible study. Of course, the Gospel not only saves, it divides. Since converting from the Muslim faith, Jemo and Julia are experiencing some conflict with their Albanian neighbors as well as some of their family and friends. Pray for his continued growth and witness in a potentially hostile environment.

If you would like to get involved in ministry to the Romany people, visit the Roma Ministries website.

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.

I was ushered into a house at one point. My camera fogged up immediately as it was transferred from the cold, dry outside air to the warm, humid air inside this two room house/workshop. I was introduced to a Roma basket-weaver who was in the middle of production, and I couldn’t even take a picture, but had to wait several minutes for the condensation to clear away.

His hands were scarred and calloused from the manual labor, but his face was kind yet focused on his work. His pot of freshly boiled twigs sat beside him as he pulled them out one-by-one to strip the bark by using a larger slotted stick. The bark dropped to the floor and the white, bare twigs emerged as easily as a banana from its peel.

He informed us that he could produce a basket in about one hour. The sturdy examples sat behind him and we were told that the price per basket was 40 Ukrainian Griven (UAH) which is about $5. He and is wife were welcoming in their modest accommodations.

We departed there to attend the church service being held at the house just next door. The cold blast was but a few seconds as we exited one house and entered the other. More than 20 Roma crammed into this small house. Hungarian songs were sung, and a Hungarian Bible lesson was well received.  I understood no words, but felt a spirit of true worship.

Under the instruction of my wife (at home in Kiev, Ukraine), I needed to return to purchase one of these baskets.  I didn’t know how I would get it back in one piece, but arranged a return trip to his house.  Once again, we were welcomed warmly.

The basket-weaver told me to choose one of the baskets. They all looked similar. I asked for his opinion, and he pointed out one he seemed especially proud of. As I took the basket, I started to hand him 50 UAH (instead of the quoted price of 40), but he would not accept it. My host and I were startled as everyone in the room indicated that the basket was “paid for.” By whom? When? Questions swirled in my mind at the thought of a gift from someone who worked so hard to create a $5 basket. Here I was, awed by the generosity of someone who didn’t appear as someone who could afford to be generous. I continued to try to pass the money to no avail. The basket was a “gift.”

I was reminded of so many different stories from the Bible, but mostly was reminded of the best “gift” I had ever been given. One with carpenter’s hands gave it to me. It appeared to cost him everything, even though He did not even have a place He called home (on this earth). My ugly bark of sin had been stripped away to reveal the clean, white righteousness that He gave me. He works on weaving me into a sturdy, useful, ornate, being that he created me to be. And he promises me a home beyond my imagination.

Remember, you don’t pay for a gift, the Giver does.

A Romany youth shares Christ with Roma of Medgidia.

Some worked with children, doing four programs in two locations; others walked the streets witnessing and going into homes to share through singing and testimonies; a few preached; all sang on street corners and at the outdoor evangelistic services. These were not American volunteers on a mission trip, they were Romany youth from different cities in Romania who came together as Roma Ministries to reach their own people. Bob and Gayle Hill, missionaries to the Roma living in Romania who organized the weekend, felt like proud parents as they watched these youth serve as a team and bring glory to God.

“Some stood out as preachers, some as singers, some as children’s workers, and some as faithful witnesses,” Gayle said. “Like proud parents, our buttons popped and our hearts were blessed!”

Bob and Gayle have lived in Romania for 61/2 years, and have known many of these youth as long–bringing some to faith, seeing them baptized and watching them grow in Christ. They have also witnessed American teams come and minister to the Roma and have rejoiced as God blessed these efforts. But they are convinced that the best ones to reach Roma, are Roma.

“They need no translator, they bring no gifts or money, the simply bring their own changed lives and share what God has done for them and can do for others,” Gayle said.

Bob and Gayle believe that giving these young people the training and opportunity to reach their own people blesses their cities and homes and prepares them to become the leaders, pastors and missionaries of tomorrow. Several years ago the Team Romany, led by Boyd Hatchel, started a program called FARM (Far Away Romany Missions), through which Romany believers spend 6 weeks on a mission project in a different city, and often a different country. It has been a wonderful experience as the Romany believers have caught a vision for reaching their own with the Gospel, seeing first-hand how God can use them.

This group went to the city of Medgidia, near the coast. The pastor there wanted a FARM team to come during the summer but there weren’t enough young people to meet the need, so this weekend group came instead. This area of Romania is a mixture of Romanian, Romanian Roma, Turks, and Turkish gypsies.

The young people chose their ministry and were let loose on the town. They made house visits, often stopped on corners to sing or share a testimony, held children’s programs, met with the local church youth group and held an outdoor evangelistic service with music and worship. Local believers were encouraged, many people heard the plan of salvation and 2 adults were saved.

“The youth were amazing,” Gayle said. “The first night, they were already talking about when and where they could go next!”

This project was funded through Team Romany’s partnership with LifeWay and Centrifuge camps. Roma missionaries hope to do at least 4 similar projects a year, depending on future available funds. Please pray for the Roma youth as they take on the mantle of leadership in their communities.