Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Roma People: reach out to people who the world would prefer to deport

Recently the news has shown stories about the deportation of Roma People from France. Roma people, sometimes known as gypsies are a heterogeneous ethnic group who live in South and Eastern Europe. This people date back more than a thousand years and have come from northern Africa. The people of France have been paying Roma people money to go back to their home countries and it has been a controversial and difficult situation.

I am happy to say that the United Methodist Church in Europe is reaching out to the Roma people in ministry and mission. In Hungary they have started Roma churches and last year the first Roma pastor was ordained. Besides worship there is a great deal of social work, literacy training, home economics and agriculture taught at the churches. They have their own song books and style of worship. One of their songs is entitled “I am Proud to be a Roma and a Christian.”

I am grateful to be a part of a denomination that reaches out to people who the world would prefer to deport. We are doing good work in the name of Jesus. Please pray for their ministry and look around for people in your community that people would rather not have around. Reach out to them and include them in your ministries.

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