EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one in a series of stories on the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Offering for Global Missions. Additional information and photos about the Offering are available at http://www.thefellowship.info/Global Missions/OGM/OGM Index 200405.icm

Penny Mann, one of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Global Service Corps personnel, interacts with several of the students she teaches at the Gandhi School in Pecs.

PECS, Hungary – A familiar face showed up recently on the campus of the Gandhi School in Pecs, Hungary, which provides educational opportunity for some 270 Roma (Gypsy) students. The friendly face belonged to Tom Leland, pastor of University Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Va., who along with six team members traveled to the school to share Christ’s love.

Leland, who has previously led four teams to the school, said the purpose of the trip was four-fold. "We were there to share God’s love with the Gandhi students through two worship/celebration services; to help students with their English; to encourage Penny Mann, one of the new CBF Global Service Corp personnel, who has just started three years as a teacher; and to encourage the local Hungarian Baptist Church to continue its ministry with the school," he said.

The team complemented the ongoing work of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global Missions field personnel Ralph and Tammy Stocks as they seek to address the educational needs of Roma in Hungary. The Stocks, who are highlighted as part of the Fellowship’s 2004-05 Offering for Global Missions emphasis, coordinate an array of cooperative Christian and humanitarian programs among the Roma in both Romania and Hungary.

Based on 1 Corinthians 3:9, this year’s Offering theme is "Together … Being the Presence of Christ." The Offering goal is $6.1 million with a challenge goal of $6.3 million.

"Roma teenagers rarely proceed past the eighth grade in school," Ralph explained.

The University Baptist Church missions team, which includes two members from First Baptist Church in Greenville, S.C., pose with Tammy Stocks, third from right, one of CBF’s Global Missions field personnel.

"While living in the school dormitory for the week, team members were able to form relationships with the students not only through classroom activities but by hosting a hot dog supper, the two celebration worship services and intentional hallway conversations," Ralph said, noting that team member Norman Potts even taught several students some Chinese. "His lovable nature attracted the students and he moved through the hallways with a glob of youth stuck to him!"

According to Ralph, the celebration events with the students attracted more than 70 students who joined the team for games, songs, a short message and refreshments. "After the Americans led several songs, the students themselves broke into a spontaneous hymn in their own language," he said.

On Sunday, the missions team sang in the local Hungarian Baptist Church and Leland shared a message through an interpreter in preparation for the Lord’s Supper. Following worship, the Hungarians served lunch to their North American guests.

Ralph pointed out that building this relationship with Hungarian Baptists will help Mann as she works with the church in weekly outreach at the Gandhi School.

"Along with teaching regularly in the classroom, she will lead a weekly Bible study on campus and relate to the students through various extra-curricular activities," Ralph said. "The volunteer team helped to kick off the year of Bible study with enthusiasm."

University Baptist member Mike Smith said when he and his wife, Amanda, entered their classroom at the end of the week, they were moved to find the students had written them a "postcard" in English on the chalk board wishing them "Good travel at home!"

"After only one week in Pecs, we felt we had come to know this group of young people and saw them as typical teenagers with the same joys, concerns, aspirations and insecurities that teenagers everywhere experience," Mike said. "We know that many of these students face discrimination in the Hungarian culture, but we also know that God’s love extends to them as it does to all of us. Our hope is that our brief visit he