The people have spoken! They like goulash, and Hoa’s sandwiches, too. The Partner Church Committee has brought in over $300 at each of our last two snack tables. Thank you for enjoying delicious food and helping support the students from Homoródújfalu.

If you check the kiosk outside the office you’ll see that we’ve posted the list of current students from the village. The list has their names, grade level in high school or university, and the name of their institution. But there’s a lot that you don’t see on that list; it’s why we’re so passionate about our partnership with Homoródújfalu and the students. When I first went to Transylvania, Alpár Dakó was a kid. On my second visit, he was a high school student and was the translator for me and Anne Greenwood. Now Alpár is a fourth-year university student. Anne has seen many more children grow to adulthood from her many trips over a period of more than 20 years.

This is part of why we call our trips “pilgrimages.” We’re not there to sight-see, we’re there to deepen our Unitarian roots and to become involved in the lives of our partner church. The embroidered pieces we sell are made by people we know. From mother to daughter, the craft of weaving cloth and the art of embroidery are handed down. Fathers teach their trades to their sons. There is the paradox of our wanting to preserve the traditional ways of life, while encouraging education of the young for life in the modern world. We are happy to have this conundrum.

Want to learn more? Contact Stephanie Ann Blythe or Anne Greenwood.