Report

Thanks to our Lord, we had a lot of blessing in our Ministry and also in our family.
In 2005 we started a building project in the Mission Centre and it was running in 2006. We wanted to finish it very quickly because we needed the building done for the leadership training and summer camps.
Just before the summer camp the conference room was finished upstairs and two rooms there. In the conference room there can sit 25-30 people during a seminar or training. There is also a new heating system in the whole building. But for the heater we did not have enough money. We made also a fire system in the building.
In springtime we had leadership trainings three times with 15 Roma adult people. In these trainings we taught them how to work with children in a congregation, how they can help their pastor and how to find solutions to problems.
Before the summer camp we had two meetings with Roma leaders. Together we tried to decide how many children are coming and to divide up them for the 6 weeks.
After the schools were finished we started the summer camps. From June 6 till July 15 during 6 weeks Roma children had summer camps. There were about 400 Roma children who took part in summer camp. Thanks to our God, they could feel themselves very good and also they could study about our God, Lord, Jesus Christ. There were 65 children during a week in the teaching with 10-15 adults. It was very blessed that together Roma and Hungarian adults worked together for the glory of God.
The afternoon program was not an easy work every day. But there were volunteers who already worked a diaconal year in different Roma congregation and they also took their part from this work and they worked very hard to make the children enjoy themselves and they liked camps. If we think about the summer camp we could not say there were no problems. There were a lot of different problem but at least we can say it was blessed, children liked it and they give a lot of love and receive also.
There were two Hungarian youth groups from Hungary and one Canadian and these people were very helpful during the camp.
In springtime we did not have all the money needed for summer camp. We knew we want to serve Him among the Roma people and we knew that these people are important for Him. Our God showed us His mercy and He helped to us to have everything for the children in summer camp.
In August, after the summer camp finished, we had a V. World Meeting of Reformed people. As Missionaries we were invited to this meeting. With us we invited a group of Roma kids as a presentation of our Ministry. Attila said some words about Roma people, that it is very important to love them how Jesus loves everyone. The kids group sang some songs after that. We feel that everybody (there were 5000 people) was excited how kids were singing from their heart. Some weeks after the meeting we heard that people thought that was the most important moment in the meeting when the kids were singing.
In autumn time we continued the renovation we started with the foundation FUNDAMENT from Holland. There was a really difficult work. In the first floor where the girls were sleeping during the camp were in a very bad situation. So we wanted to renew them. There are 5 rooms and in each room people the old plaster had to pick off and make the new one. The walls were colored, doors and windows were painted, and we bought linoleum for the floors. And at least we could buy the heater for the heating system.
The room started to be very nice, there are rooms 2-3-5 beds in it.
The first leadership training we had after the renovation in September. Roma leaders liked the new rooms very much and they felt this Mission Centre their own centre.
Outside of the building the water system was done. In two sides where the walls inside were always wet we made small roofs.
Under the whole Centre building we have a basement. In one part we took there the heater. We made an inside door of the basement and bought new windows in it. For the future we have a plan to make a little kitchen and eating room. We have a big kitchen and eating room what we used for summer camp. But there is no heating in winter time and it is very difficult to organize the leadership training without a kitchen. So that is why we think about to make a little kitchen in the basement.
We have a lot of running programs in the Mission Centre. Beside that we have another job we have to do. From September 2006 we had 8 young volunteers from the Diaconal Year program in Hungary, who help in the Roma schools in the different Roma churches. My wife, Livia is their coordinator. These volunteers are in the Roma church of Gát, Nagydobrony, Kisdobrony, and Szürte. We have to visit them and help them till May when they will finish their work in Ukraine.
A lot of times we also take part in the struggles of different Roma congregation. For example we started to make a project of clean water and toilets together with the Dorcas foundation. It is our plan too to help them in health problems.
In the Roma community the TBC is a very big problem. We want to help them but it is difficult to find a good way. It is a lot of work for us and sometimes it is too much for us. We want to find partners and workers in this Ministry who like Roma people and want to help them.

Through the organization of the Hungarian Reformed Church Mission office, from October 1 every month at the assembly meeting the Transcarpathian Roma Mission presents itself. Here it is possible to exchange experiences with other people who also work with Roma people or would like to work with Roma people. If God allows it, then next year these opportunities will continue.
We believe that our efforts are not in vain but blessed by God. Even if many times we don’t see the results, the Holy Spirit works in peoples’ hearts and God guides them.

We want to thank you for all your help, prayers and material support.
We are happy to work together and know that we serve to our Lord Jesus Christ.
We think we can work together in the New Year, 2007.
God bless you, your family, work.
Attila and Livia Tomes
Missionary among the Roma people
10 January 2007