As part of a developing partnership of solidarity with churches in the Middle East, four young people from the region attended this year’s Starpoint Youth Festival in Debrecen, Hungary. During their time in Hungary, the delegates sat down with the RCH to discuss their experiences of church in their homeland and what it was like experiencing a Christian festival of this scale in Europe.
Four young people from the Middle East visited Hungary this summer as part of an evolving partnership between the RCH and churches in the region. Three youth attended and represented the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, and one youth came from the Armenian Evangelical Church in the Near East. Most of them had never seen a Christian youth gathering so big before, but they dove into the experience from the first day.
During their time in Debrecen, the young people sat down with RCH staff to have an in-depth discussion about topics like: the situation for Christians in their homeland, interfaith relations in their communities, and the impact that Starpoint would have on them when they returned to the Middle East. You can find an in-depth interview with one of the delegates from the Middle East here.
This international experience is part of a broader effort from the RCH to partner and cooperate with churches from the region. The donations from the closing worship at Starpoint went to support the RCH’s partner churches in the Middle East. In addition, the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid (HRCA) is beginning a campaign to help support a Sunday school project in Syria – taking practical steps to serve people where they are. Over the coming years, delegations from the Middle East will visit the RCH, and vice versa, as the partnership continues to grow.
Article by Kearstin Bailey