There was celebration in Salvation Army institutions and churchs. The Miskolc Church reached out to disadvantaged families and incarcerated women.
The Salvation Army takes special care of those experiencing difficulties. Those who have no family, or for some reason find themselves in challenging life situations. We believe that during the holidays, empathy and assistance are even more important so that everyone can feel the warmth of community and love during these challenging times. How can this be achieved in practice? We can gain insight into this from the following reports received from our Miskolc Congregation, as well as from the leaders of our institutions, Válaszút Háza and Új Reménység Háza.
The Miskolc Congregation reached out to disadvantaged families and incarcerated women.
During the Advent season, on December 13th, we distributed food to 40 disadvantaged families at the Nyitott Ajtó Baptist Elementary School in Diósgyőr Vasgyár. There is a wrestling department operating in the school under the leadership of Coach Gyula Horváth. For several years now, the coach has been organizing a Christmas celebration during the Advent season for the children and their families, where he presents their year-long work to the families. The program includes singing, preaching, communal meals, and gift-giving. Coach Gyula and his wife joined the Miskolc Church of The Salvation Army this year, so we jointly organized the celebration, also assisting disadvantaged families with food packages.
In December, we also held a Christmas worship service for 30 incarcerated women. There was communal singing, testimony sharing, and preaching. At the end of the event, we handed out care packages and Bibles, which they greatly appreciated and thanked us for throughout the year.
According to their testimonies, the encouragement from God meant a lot to them when they were struggling emotionally.
(Report by Győző Cséki from Miskolc)
Preparations for the Válaszút Háza begin in October
We began preparing for the holiday season at the end of October by planning and organizing our November food collection, recruiting volunteers. We also set the date for our communal Christmas celebration for December 20th. Frigyes Vomberg cooks for the residents during the celebration, and the International American School expressed their desire to support us with donations again this year.
For many of our clients, Christmas falls into the category of "I don't like holidays." They feel more lonely and sad during this time because they would prefer to celebrate under different circumstances, and the feeling of absence (family, friends, own home) intensifies. Therefore, during the Advent season, we try to bring them the true message of hope, love, and Christmas. We aim to create a cozy atmosphere and ease the tension they feel during the holiday season.
We prepare small gifts for St. Nicholas Day and larger ones for Christmas (depending on the generosity of donors) for our clients. On December 20th, we prepare a joint worship service and a special lunch. We also remain open during the holidays and ensure that they feel a sense of belonging.
God's love has come close to us, and He still wants us to feel, see, and trust that He is good to us, despite all circumstances.
(Summary by Anna Győri from Válaszút Háza)
At Új Reménység Háza, they emphasize God's love and hope
We consciously start preparing for Christmas in September-October, or even earlier, depending on the donations received. We begin planning with donation collection or contacting our donors who have expressed their intention to support us, and we pray with faith, asking for help from God.
We primarily think of our residents and then of the guests who dine at our community kitchen since they are constantly in focus. For the holidays, we want to provide and create joy in a special way. Apart from these two main groups, we also have friends whom we think of separately during this time: poor, disadvantaged Roma families in Nagykáta and its surroundings. We want to make God's love tangible to our target groups, whether through a festive dinner, a package, or a visit, combined with assistance.
We emphasize God's love and hope.
During Christmas, we treat our residents with a festive lunch, a spiritual event, and gifts, and we welcome guests dining at our community kitchen with festive meals and some extra sweets. We also prepare packages for poor families living nearby and hand them over during visits.
Most people are happy about the holiday, especially because we celebrate it together; they get emotional, express their joy and gratitude. There are fewer people who find this time difficult; they are reluctant to participate in communal events, which we always respect.
(Report by Hajnalka Kun from Új Reménység Háza)
Source: Salvation Army | Miskolc Congregation | Válaszút Háza | Új Reménység Háza | Győző Cséki, Anna Győri, Hajnalka Kun
Date: January 12, 2024
Image source: Salvation Army | Miskolc Congregation | Válaszút Háza | Új Reménység Háza | Communication Department
