Rejected: “cast off or valueless.� Webster Dictionary
When I think about rejected people, Israel knows it best. The Jews have been in the center ring of media for centuries. It’s a tiny nation, which is always in turmoil. God has chosen these people from the beginning but other nations have tried to destroy their humanity, religion and freedom.
In World War II Hitler did his best to destroy this race; over six million Jews were murdered in Hitler’s Euthanasia Program. The Nazis, who came to power in Germany in January 1933, believed that Germans were “racially superior” and that the Jews, deemed “inferior,” and were a threat to the so-called German racial community.
However, there was another race that was targeted as well during these hateful times. The Roma people (Gypsies), 200,000 were murdered during the span of the war and today they might as well be completely wiped out, this is the opinion of many people here in Romania.
(Picture taken of Roma people right before they were executed)
Roma people are nomadic and they originated from Northern India but now live worldwide, mostly in Europe. Roma were widely believed to have psychic powers, popular stereotype of the Gypsy fortune-teller, and many are involved with Tarot cards and other psychic realms. As much as most Europeans hate them, they are willing to use them to tap into these dark resources. This is how some Roma people make their money but they are also known as thieves, prostitutes, and beggars.
I have been to their villages, seen with my eyes the poverty and lowliness of these people. No one cares; no one takes time to understand them. They are labeled and discarded.
Not even Christians want to take care of the Roma people. Becky our contact considers it a privilege to serve the poor and administer to their needs. Where no one else goes, she goes with the purpose of bringing the gospel to the poor, and as she always says, “the poor always listenâ€�.
(Becky and her accordion)
Everyone, even her helpers try to talk her out of going to these communities saying,”it is too dangerous.â€� Becky continues to go for she has been given a purpose by the Lord and has chosen a life of obedience.
It saddens me to know that the Christian church will not show Christian love and practice hospitably and serve to these people. Again, the mindset here is that they are “too good� to help. It is a shame for God loves all humanity and each person is worth the risk.
As I walked through these villages I have stared at beautiful faces. Each Roma person is made in the image of God. I am staring at the face of God. They don’t deserve this kind of rejection. So I beg you, as you read this blog don’t let these people disappear for good.
Let them not be forgotten.
Photo’s from:
Victoria Maynez
Glenalyn Hunt
