You may not know much about Hungary.  This East-Central European country may be smaller than the size of New York State with about half the population, but the accomplishments of its people are recognized throughout the world.  Hungarian researchers and professionals have enriched humanity with several scientific inventions and professional achievements such as the binocular, the Ford Model T, and the first nuclear reactor, many of them earning the Nobel Prize. The country is in 8th place at the all-time Olympics medal table, its cuisine (such as goulash and chicken paprikash) is undoubtedly among the best in the world, and the ferociously difficult Magyar language brings a sense of national pride to its people.

From the Austrian-Hungarian Empire to the fall of communism, however, Hungary’s turbulent history has had a devastating impact on its economy.  But Hungarians are a resilient and resourceful people.  In 1989, Hungary finally became an independent democracy, joining NATO in 1999, and the European Union in 2004.

But even twenty five years after the fall of communism, a third of Hungarians (approximately 3 million individuals) live below the poverty line, the fifth highest average in the EU.  1.2 million of them live in extreme poverty.

Mother Teresa once said, “I have helped people to talk to the poor and not just about the poor”.

Poverty diminishes people.  Extreme poverty is deeply demeaning.  There is injustice when a small fraction of the population grows richer year by year, while others ache and suffer for lack of the most basic human needs like food, shelter, work and minimal health care.

In Hungary, poverty is disproportionately high among the Roma people, sometimes referred to as “gypsies”.  The largest ethnic minority in Europe, approximately 7% of the country’s total population is said to be Roma.  A historically nomadic people with its own culture and unfamiliar with agricultural production, they continue to struggle to adapt and contribute to today’s market economy.  Consequences brought about by this are segregation and exclusion, but ensuring improved access to integrated housing, healthcare, and educational opportunities, and eliminating barriers to entering the labor market would dramatically improve social integration.

We pay particular attention to the Roma because they are the poorest of the poor, but we would never exclude helping others in need.   It is clear, however, that we must be deliberate in our search for ways to facilitate the involvement of the Roma population.

As dispensers of hope, we want to come alongside the people in their communities, encourage them and share God’s unconditional love with them.  We want to lift up the poor and help them rise above their plight, believing this can transform the lives of their children, other families in their community, and the community as a whole.

Mother Teresa’s statement helps us remember how beautiful, talented, and valuable these people are.  They are fellow human beings for whom we have concern and responsibility.  We are a global family, part of the larger family of God after all.  Investing in this way is an opportunity to enable them to create a productive and sustainable lifestyle, ensuring that the next generation of Roma is not a lost generation.