Hungary Mission Trip 2013
By Apogee Software Engineer, Daesuk Chai
During this past summer I took advantage of Apogee’s Volunteer Program and made the trip to Budapest, Hungary where my mission team from Sarang Community Church spent two weeks helping the homeless and kids from gypsy slums by serving food and performing music and skits.
Our mission group teamed up with pastor Paul Kim and his family in Budapest, who has spent twenty years in Hungary serving people in need. Their main ministry consists of two main activities – feeding the needy and sharing the word of God. Our objective for this mission trip was to help out the existing ministry that pastor Kim and his family were carrying out.
Our trip consisted of rather intense activities throughout. We woke up 5AM in the morning, prepared ourselves, went grocery shopping, prepared food, and then went out to the streets to serve the food and perform what we had prepared for roughly three months prior to arriving in Budapest. We sang praise and worship songs, some in English and some in Magyar (also known as Hungarian), and showed drama performances to encourage those in need and share the love of God.
With the help of pastor Kim, we had been able to serve and perform in various locations including Kosma Ut. prison, Nursing home, and Gypsy slums located in Illatos Ut and Hősök Ut. However we were particularly shocked when we first visited the Gypsy slums in Hungary. Their living conditions and neighborhoods were not in a manner where children could grow up properly. Their neighborhoods were full of trash and broken glasses, and it was not a proper place for anyone, especially children, to live and play. While we were in the area, we carried out summer camp, and did the best what we could. We introduced the kids to a few craft activities, taught them a few words from the Bible, played sports including soccer, distributed gifts that we had brought from the States, and cleaned the playground.
Two weeks in Hungary was a memorable experience for me. Budapest is a beautiful city filled with beautiful and historical structures and scenery, but there were still people suffering from hunger and poor living conditions, and also discrimination. Though I still have a long way to go, I learned to look for the people in need and hunger through this mission trip.
I really appreciate Apogee for supporting me with this mission trip. And as a gratitude, I have shared 50% of the contribution I received from Apogee to one of our members who had financial hardship and towards the ministry in Hungary.
Thank you,
Dae
