Jesus and the gypsies.
It sounds like it could be a subtitle for a story in the gospels.
This month my team and I have had the privilege of living in a Roma (gypsy) village in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Before the Race, the picture below sums up what came to mind when I thought of gypsies:
But no, movies did not accurately depict a culture. Shocking, I know!
As I’ve thought about what and how to share my experience with the Roma people, I realized I would have to write a blog as long as a dissertation to describe this wonderful and complex people group.
So here is a short list containing facts (some specific to Bulgaria) and common stereotypes:
- They are formally called the Roma or Romani people (gypsy is often considered derogatory)
- The Roma people most likely originated from northern India
- They were an enslaved people in Europe from the 14th to 19th century, being bartered and sold
- Their “nomadic” lifestyle was not always by choice as they were expelled by many countries they settled in
- They were victims of the Nazi regime as tens of thousands were sent to death camps
- The Roma population is estimated around to be around 11-12 million, having large populations Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia, Slovakia Hungary, Serbia, Spain and France
- They make up roughly 5% of the Bulgarian population
- They are uneducated
- They are considered a separate minority group, not “Bulgarian,” even if they were born here
- They are loud
- They steal
- They rape
- They murder
- They are animals
- They have no morals
- They are a drain on society
The average Roma isn’t just disliked, they are considered disgusting.
During a conversation with a Bulgarian, he asked me where I lived, and I showed him on Google maps. Immediate shock spread across his face.
“That’s a gyspy village!” he exclaimed. “Why are you staying there? You can’t live there!”
He went on in.
“Those people act like wild dogs. They are basically less than human. They don’t send their kids to school and refuse to work. They rape, steal and murder. How and why would you stay there?”
Before you shake your head at the nerve of this man, this, unfortunately, is the common perception. Prejudice is alive and well.
And it is for that reason I think God placed us in our village – to share our personal experiences.
So here is my list:
- They are unbelievably lovable
- The grandmas will yell at any boys messing with you
- The kids yearn for attention and love
- Foreigners have never lived among them
- Many are uneducated
- Some teachers have refused or neglected to teach them
- They are loud
- They are rambunctious
- The kids can brawl with the best of them
- They play the most physical game of soccer known to man
- They love being smiled at and talked to
- Stealing is part of their culture
- They love music
- Human traffickers often target Roma communities
- They love gathering together
- They are impoverished
- They are kind and fun-loving
- They have a lot of stereotypes going against them
- They validate many of them
- They are rejected by society
- God has not rejected them
- God loves them
- God is for them
The Roma people aren’t perfect. There are many deep-rooted cultural norms that only Christ can redeem.
For instance, while working with some Roma kids, an adorable 5 year old girl was hugging on one of my team members. Hugging her back, my team member realized the girl was patting down her pockets feeling for a wallet or phone.
This little girl wasn’t malicious. She was doing what she knew to be normal.
Though I could go on for pages more, I’m going to pose the same questions I asked the man who gawked at me because of my living situation.
The people we complain about, those grand sinners who just plague society, how can they change? What government referendum? What rules? What welfare program? What social awareness trainings?
The answer: none of the above.
I know for myself, a sinner the same as any Roma, it wasn’t a seminar; it wasn’t school; it was Jesus.
He’s the solution. He’s reformer and the great restorer.
So thank goodness for our Savior, who, while we were sinners, died for us.
Thank goodness for our Savior who doesn’t wait for us to get our act together in order to display his love and grace.
Thank goodness for our Savior who transforms us and makes us a new creation.
