Refugees at the Serbian - Hungarian border. Photo: Milos Nikolic
Dear Friends,
It is in a good
way overwhelming and exciting to watch how this initiative that was born just
over a week ago is growing fast and strong. The words of Jesus: "When I
was hungry you gave me something to eat..." (Matthew 25:35) are becoming
fulfilled through your actions of kindness and generosity. Many of you have at
this time put aside a number of other important things to focus for a while on
our action "ROM Community Refugee Response".
Since our first ROM Refugee
Day of Action in Belgrade, Serbia is only one week away - Friday, 18th
September, and since we are addressing the global community of our
friends, and since time is of the essence, allow me to follow up on our
appeal by sharing a few more hints that might be helpful as you are at this
time planning to give or/and get involved:
1. For our
friends in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania, Serbia and
Montenegro, and UK:
Please, check
the names and contact details of your national coordinators, and
contact them immediately to see how to pass on your donation to them.
It is important that we complete the collection of funds and items in
your countries by Tuesday afternoon, 15th September so
that the timely transfer of donations may be organized. If you are planning to
give a monetary donation remember that no amount is too small or too
big. Give what you are able to give. I like the comments of some of you who
told me: "ROM has given so much to me and now is the time for me
to give something back".
Also, should we
need to have a vehicle available to take a group of people
or/and donated items from your country to Belgrade, let us and your
country coordinators know as soon as possible if you can make your
car and yourself available.
2. For our
Friends in Other Countries:
The time was
too short to organize national coordinators in your countries. We would like
you to send your donation immediately, and no later than Tuesday, 15th
September, directly to any of the accounts presented at the end of the appeal
letter. Please mark it as "Golden Rule Project". If you
would like to use some other method of sending us your donation please consult
Mihaela Kovacs, Bojan Ruvarac or me first. It is important that the
monetary donation you intend to give will reach us in Belgrade by Thursday,
17th September the latest.
3. Four our
Friends in the US:
We are
impressed and encouraged that since we launched our appeal yesterday among our
friends in the US we have already been notified about the first group of
donations. Please continue sending your donations by checks or
electronically to The Antioch Partners as
specified at the end of the appeal letter. Your checks need to be noted
as "Forum - Project Golden Rule". Since time is of the essence
please send us your donation immediately, or by Tuesday, September 15
the latest. Please also, notify any of our US coordinators by an
independent email as soon as you have submitted your donation.
4. For Those
Planning to Come to Belgrade and Serve the Refugees on Friday, 18th September:
We are looking
for a dedicated group of friends who are passionate about helping the refugees.
If you are planning to come we would need to know you are coming by
Monday night, 14th September, in order to organize
an accommodation for you in timely manner. We are not able to
receive the last minute registrations. If you are coming we are expecting
you to arrive to Belgrade on Thursday afternoon, 17th September. As
soon as we know who is coming and the exact number we will send you all other
arrival and accommodation information.
5. Praying for
the ROM Community Refugee Response action and the Day of Action in
Belgrade:
Let us also
give through prayer, and
thus become a big prayer team. This is an important action and
our contribution to the softening of the current refugee crisis in Europe that
seems to be growing by each new day. Let us pray for a bigger picture too, that
the Lord may move the hearts and minds of people of the European governments to
find a suitable and humane solution for the hundreds of thousands unfortunate
people who are seeking a safe place where they could build their new homes. Let
us pray also that the witness of Jesus may shine through our action, however
modest it might be if compared with the magnitude of the challenge. And, indeed let
us pray for everyone who will come to Belgrade to serve, as well as for
those who are already on the streets and in the fields of Serbia, Macedonia and
Hungary helping the refugees in many ways.
May I also take
this opportunity to thank EUS (IFES) Serbia; Samuil Petrovski, EUS
Director, and ADRA Serbia for letting us do this action if partnership
with them.
Finally, join
our FB ROM Response Prayer Group and see our regular updates about the refugee
situations in Serbia.
Love you all.
May the Lord bless you abundantly.
Tihomir Kukolja
Renewing our
Minds, Director
Forum for
Leadership and Reconciliation, Executive Director
+1-281-515-3707
PS: Please
visit often the following pages for timely updates too:
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