Martina Wasserloos Strunk, President of the European Area of the World Communion of Reformed Churches paid another visit to the Reformed Church in Transcarpathia in the spirit of Christian solidarity, with a focus on women’s role in war.
Martina Wasserloos Stunk (in the middle) with women to attend the women's retreat in Beirut, Lebanon
Wasserloos visited the Ukrainian member church of World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) between 26th and 28th March to offer, once again, a tangible sign of solidarity with the people of the war torn country on behalf of the reformed churches in 26 countries across the continent.
The visit included encounters with pastors and church leaders of the Reformed Church in Transcarpathia (RCT), among others an in-depth discussion about the current situation and challenges with Bishop Sándor Zán Fábián, head of the RCT and president of the regional Ecumenical Council. The conversation also served as a preparation for the upcoming regional council of WCRC in Budapest where senior representatives of the European reformed churches will address the current situation and needs in Transcarpathia. Equally, matters related to the 27th General Council of WCRC to be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand in October were also discussed.
Martina with Bishop Zán
Wasserloos also met with Béla Nagy, the Deputy Lay President of the RCT and director of the Diaconal Coordination Office (DCO) who shared updates about the social and diaconal ministries of the church benefitting those in need irrespective of their religious and ethnic background. Martina paid a visit at the “Almond Tree” elderly home of DCO, bringing greetings also on behalf of her home church, the reformed congregation in Rheydt, Germany, which has a special link, in prayer and support, with the residents of the home.
As a symbolic expression of this particular fellowship and the gratitude for the solidarity, the social bakery of DCO produced special Communion bread to be shared during the Lord’s supper on Sunday in the congregation of Rheydt.
Béla Nagy, director of DCO offered Communion bread to the congregation in Reydt
Highlight of the program in the Bishop’s office this time was the preparatory meeting with women to represent the RCT at the women’s retreat in Dhour Choueir Evangelical Center in Beirut, Lebanon between 2nd and 6th April. Women (ordained and lay) gather from WCRC member churches in Lebanon, Syria and Ireland, together with representatives of the Hungarian-speaking Reformed churches from Ukraine, Serbia and Hungary to share in prayer, fellowship and discussion about the questions of Christian witness in war, from the perspective of an often forgotten voice of women. WCRC Europe – in cooperation with the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon and the Reformed Church in Hungary – invited women struggling through different hardships, facing the direct and indirect effects of wars and armed conflicts.
On the final day Martina joint Bishop Zán and Béla Nagy in visiting the Traumatology and Rehabilitation Units of the Bertalan Linner Public Hospital in Berehove (Beregszász), a long term partner of DCO. The church delegation met with soldiers who were injured in the war and discussed with the leaders of the hospital about needs and opportunities for support.
“During the visit, representatives of the Church also provided spiritual support, talking to both the hospital staff and the wounded combat survivors about the realities of war, their pain and their hopes,” the bishop said to the local press.
“These young men have made sacrifices and now it is our duty to stand by them, to make them feel that they are not alone. We must help injured and amputee soldiers to recover as much as possible, and this is also a huge task from a spiritual and mental point of view… Together we pray for peace and for their lives," added the bishop.
Discussions with the hospital staff also revealed that the soldiers in the hospital were in particular need of means of transport to facilitate their mobility and adaptation to daily life. “It is important not only to help them recover physically, but also to help them cope with everyday life,” the Bishop stressed. “It was a shocking experience to meet these young men, and we pray that these people will find their way back to life as soon as possible," Martina said.
According to Bishop Zán, social responsibility is key in this situation. The Church's mission is not only to provide spiritual help, but also active support through donations, medicines and aid programmes for soldiers and their families.
Bread from Transcarpathia on the Lord's table in Rheydt
The trip, third in a row since the since the Russian aggression in 2022 and the consequent escalation of the war in Ukraine, was at the same time Martina’s last visit in her position as president. After serving on the steering committee of WCRC Europe since 2011, she will retire from the position at the upcoming European Area Council of WCRC which will take place in June in Budapest.