Children’s Day in Dencshaza
In Hungary, they have a special holiday dedicated to kids. Our team celebrated by going into a school and providing a day-of-fun with different activites. it was so interesting to me that a public school allowed a Christian orginization come in and pretty much take over for a day! Here is a news clipping from Jill Hitchock about our experience in Dencshaza:
PS- i was the one in the bus… me and the bus driver, Ego taught the children English using songs and games (i.e. ‘Head Shoulders Knees and Toes,’ & Simon Says, etc.)
Bus4Life brings a day of Fun in Dencshaza.
With many children around Hungary cramming for exams, the end of the year coming up fast (for Hungary anyway), and the special ‘Children’s Day’ celebrations at the end of May, OM was asked to help with a day of fun and games for a very needy school.
The village of Dencshaza is in the southwest of Hungary and far removed from the bright lights and affluence of Budapest. With a local area unemployment rate of 80%, it has many of the social needs that accompany the poverty associated with this. The Calvinist Missiological Institute of Hungary sponsors a teacher at this school and it was through this connection that OM was asked to come and help with this fun day.
120 kids from 1 - 8 grade (6 - 14yrs), enjoyed variety of different activities, throughout the day, as they moved through the different stations of the ‘obstacle course’. For the older teens in the morning there was a choice of films and a world mission’s presentation of the ‘ships ministry’ through a Hungarian OMers eyes, while the younger ones had fun inside and out. There was singing on the ‘bus’, quizzes, relay races and water games and a very interesting version of volley ball involving bed sheets and water balloons!!. The groups changed places in the afternoon and while the younger ones enjoyed a puppet show from a local Christian group the older ones had fun on the ‘obstacle course’
It was such a reward for us to see the laughing and smiling faces of all the groups as they enjoyed this very different day. The teachers commented on the behavior of the children, which is often a challenge for them, they had not seen them so well behaved and attentive for a long time and admitted afterwards they had been concerned about this for us.
With us leaving at 5am and not returning home until gone 10 in the evening it was a long day for the whole team, but we all agreed it was well worth it and would do it again for the privilege of helping the dedicated teachers in this challenging place.
The school teacher’s weren’t the only ones to be encouraged by the day as afterwards we met with a local church planter and his wife from the next village, who had organised the puppet show. We were able to encourage them and give them some ideas for ministry and outreach into the local community.
(photos accompanying this article are on Caleb under Hungary/bus4life. Also check out the web site www.bus4life.org for more info.
Jill Hitchcock
Communications Facilitator.
OM Hungary
