Calvin Synod Herald, 1991 (91. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)
1991-07-01 / 4. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD- 6 -REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA From the Watchtower on East Reverend Joseph Vásárhelyi (Norwalk, CTO ■ We expected him with r great anxiety, the bishop of 25^ our homeland, the first freely y elected bishop in the last 35 years. We waited for him together with the Rev. Dr. Alexander Havadtőy at the NY Alexander Havadtőy at the New York Kennedy Airport. His white hair was visible from a distance. After six and a half years in the worst Rumanian prisons his hair turned complitely white. After the uprising and revolution in Hungary in 1956, the Communists in Rumania feared that the uprising could spread to the Transylvanian part of the country, where there are still three million Hungarians. Dr. Csiha had been a pastor in Arad at that time and he organized the local congregation. As a talented young men he became very dangerous in the eyes of the always suspitious and doutful communist regime. They could not point out his wrongdoings, but they said he is able to do wrong politically and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. When he left his home he left behind young pregnant wife and a nicely organized congregation. As political prisoners they had no protection in the prison. Criminals were treated with more dignity. There were cells so small that they had to take turns between sitting or standing. Even to lay down was a comfort. Those who had no faith became depressed or insane. The pastors, 40 of them, tried to hold services and prayed together as often as they could. Each time though when the guards found someone praying he was facing solitary confinment in a cell that had only a small cement floor. Dr. Csiha already has painful reumathic simptoms in his legs. Dr. Csiha had to face such a life for 6 and A years. His daughter was bom, but he could not see her for all those years. In prison they tried to destroy his body, but they could not destroy his soul. And his wife who is also a charismatic minister raised her daughter Emese in the love of God and to feel the presence of The North American tour of the Transylvanian Bishop the Rt. Rev. Dr. Kálmán Csiha April 11 — May 5th Kálmán in their midst she called her Kemeske, always remembering her husband when she called her. But the good Lord watched over his children and ended this inhumane suffering. Although life in Rumania was always hard and the persecution of Hungarians never stopped, the Csihas took the responsibility of organizing major church events. And God worked miraculously. When his church reached the membership of 12.000, he started organizing a new church. The new church had already 10.000 members, they counted again his membership, and it was 15,000, so he started a new church again. And he established 4 new congregations. Even today dr. Csiha’s church has 17.000 members. His good leadership and devotion to God makes him able to lead 600.000 reformed Christians and 800 ministers. And between the so many duties what he has his main goal is still to organize, reestablish a religious school that would be the nest for the Christian youngsters who wish to learn in Hungarian and the beauties of Christian life. He learned in prison also, that those who had no faith could not last. It is indeed very important that you feel you are God’s child. This is why he started the idea of building this school. He did not come to America for his own interest, his legs probably would had preferred of him to stay home, but the soul is stronger than the body, and he came to knock on your door and on my door, on your heart and on my heart. We heard this knocking and we are supporting the school fulheartedly. Already 260 students are enrolled, and in the fall 400 will start. And they really need us. When Dr. Csiha delivered his service, he talked about the “útravaló” food for the journey. An impressive sermon I’ll never forget, and in departing from U.S. my fairwell was, we gave you some money, but you gave us more. * * * American Departure to the II. World meeting of the Hungarian Reformed Christians Interview with the Rev. Dr. Alexander Havadtőy, minister of the Fairfield Calvin Hungarian Reformed Church, who will have the opening sermon in Budapest at the world meeting. Questions by the Rev. Joseph Vásárhelyi, minister of the Hungarian Reformed Church U.C.C. Norwalk, CT. Q. What are your feelings, how are you getting ready to be at this world meeting? A. Being away for 43 years I’m very happy, that I have the opportunity to fly back to Hungary, to stand on Hungarian ground amongst Hungarians. Q. What are your goals, what would you like to achive at this reunion? A. Our old dream is to establish a Hungarian Reformed Ecumene. In the last 7 years I had the opportunity to visit the Hungarian congregations all over the world from Canada to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Venezuela. We visited our brothers and sisters from South Africa to Australia and even the Island of Fiji. We were very happy to worship God with those who have the same faith, same past and even the dreams are the same about the future of the Hungarians. At this meeting we will have a chance to meet Hungarians from all over the world. Q. Do you see any kind of barrier in realizing this goal? A. Now that Midie-East Europe is free, there are no more political barriers. Most of the religious organizations had free elections, nothing stand on our way to have meetings except irresponsability. Q. Do you think of a new organization, when you are talking about this Hungarian Ekumene? A. I do not mean a new organization, but simply that we take more responsibility of each other and keep in touch. Even this world meeting urges more responsability towards each other. It is a good feeling for
