President of WCRC-European Region Visits the Reformed Church in Transcarpathia

On April 20th, Wasserloos met with Béla Nagy, the Deputy Lay President of the RCT and director of the DCO, for a tour and discussion of the “Almond Tree” elderly home supported through the DCO. The Almond Tree home was established in 2003, and from 2005 to the present, its construction and operation have fallen under the DCO. In 2006, renovations were finished, and in 2009, space was added for an Alzheimer's Home on the property. Presently, there is space for 37 occupants.

In the afternoon, Wasserloos participated in a meeting at the church in Beregszász (Berehove), which also included a brief introduction to a local youth group that met at the same time. The meeting with representatives of the church included updates on the situation in Transcarpathia; the pastors and church leaders discussed the sentiments and concerns of the church community. Following the meeting, there was a brief tour of a local youth camp outside the city, where the congregation hosts yearly summer camps.

On April 21st, Wasserloos attended Sunday worship at the Mezővári (Vary) congregation, where Bishop Zán-Fábián preached. The sermon preached upon Genesis 9:1-17 as part of an ongoing series in the church titled “Yet we live.” In his sermon, Bishop Zán-Fábián spoke of the sustaining and electing grace of God, saying that God does not destroy the Earth and the sinner, so that He could save him in Jesus Christ. This is a message for the elderly and frail, just as it is for the young and strong. In times of fear, hardship, or war, we should remember the message that God keeps us to save us.

In his welcome for Wasserloos, the bishop emphasized the importance of solidarity visits; these visits are clear indications that the Reformed Church in Transcarpathia does not stand alone, and it is remembered and prayed for by many. Wasserloos, in her welcome speech to the congregation, said that even “if it still takes a while for the hardship to end, we can pray together that he will give the people here strength. Hope. That His light will shine and make our dark times bright. I firmly believe that our prayers will be heard.” Wasserloos went on to say that “in the midst of God’s beautiful and yet often so tormented creation, the church lives, the congregation lives, prayer and intercession lives and will be heard by God.”

After the service in Mezővári, there was a visit to a local Roma kindergarten where a local pastor hosted a prayer and bible discussion session for adults while children participated in arts and crafts activities.