Meeting Jesus on the Refugee Trail in Houston

Dear Friends,

The refugee crisis in Europe remains to be the most difficult challenge Europe has faced since WWII. Many in Europe are responding to the refugee crisis with fear, judgmental attitudes, even hatred. Others, on the other hand, are not sparing to walk many extra miles to be among those who desire to help “the homeless of the world” on their trail from Syria, Iraq and other countries to the Central Europe. 

What do the lives of the refugees who travel with their families for weeks and months look like? Why are so many leavening Syria, Iraq and other countries in the vicinity? Should we as Christians be helping the refugees on their trail through Europe? Why did the Renewing Our Minds ministry (ROM), a leadership and reconciliation initiative, decide to become involved in the refugee charitable work? These and other related questions will be included in the interactive presentation “Meeting Jesus on the Refugee Trail” on Wednesday, Jan 27, 2016.

Tihomir Kukolja, Renewing Our Minds (ROM) Director, recently returned from the second ROM refugee mission in the Balkans. He will share stories from his time on the Serbia-Croatia border, and more recently, from his service in the biggest Refugee Camp in Croatia. He will be joined by Liviu Bocaniala, a well know Romanian music artist and a member of the ROM Response Team in sharing their stories of labor under the foggy, wet and cold winter conditions. Only a few weeks ago their team of 15 built two shelters for refugees - nursing mothers. Their action was motivated by the summons of Jesus: “Whatever you did for the list of those you did for me!”

It is a must presentation which you would not like to miss.
Come and Invite your friends! MDPC - Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, Parlor, Wednesday January 27th, 2016, at 6:30pm

In Houston February 25

Welcome to the Presentation "Ambassadors for a Better World"

Parlor, Wednesday, February 25, 2015. Starting 6:30 pm.

Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church (MDPC), 11612 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77024

Stories of peacemaking, forgiveness and reconciliation from the Balkans, via Ukraine to Middle East. 

Photo:

One hundred participants from eleven countries attended the 2014 Forum Regathering in October 2014, Fruska Gora, Serbia.

Dear Friends,

Renewing Our Minds (ROM), a ministry of Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation (Forum), celebrated recently sixteen years of its service. Over the years it helped shape the lives of the hundreds of young leaders from the Balkans to Ukraine and beyond, many of whom are now serving in prominent and senior leadership positions in their countries.

In the year 2014 our ministry had its leadership and reconciliation programs in Croatia, Serbia and Romania. In 2015 we are planning to add a new project in Albania, have our second take in the Middle East, and provide a special place for a group of participants from Ukraine, Russia and Moldova. This will take place at our next Renewing Our Minds Leadership and Reconciliation Gathering in August, in Croatia. Guided by the leadership of Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation and your partnership we have been blessed with an amazing growth of our ministry over the past several years.

Come and listen to the accounts of transformation and success that only God can bring into the lives of young leaders from many countries that are involved in our programs. Hear also about the plans to reach our next landmark - twenty years of the transformational service of the Renewing Our Minds reconciliation and leadership development ministry that continues to focus faithfully on peace building, reconciliation, leadership development and following Jesus. Our vision and mission continues to grow strong: “Developing leaders transformed by the person of Jesus in a divided world.”

Our theme for the evening will be "Ambassadors for a Better World". Presenters will be: Tihomir Kukolja, Renewing Our Minds Director, and Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation, Executive Director, and MDPC missionary; Jeremiah Collins, MDPC High School Outreach Director; Matt Rejmaniak, MDPC Elder and serving on the Global Outreach Committee; and Matt Hammon, a professional musician and artist from Houston. Jeremiah, Matt and Matt have over the past few years served in the ROM facilitation teams too. 

This is an exciting time for the ministry of ROM as we try to reach young leaders of the world with the love of Jesus across various ethnic, racial and religious dividing lines. We believe you should know about it. It will be an honor to see you on Wed Feb 25, at 6:30 pm, Parlor, Memorial Presbyterian Church. Bring a friend too.

Tihomir Kukolja, Executive Director, Forum for Leadership and Reconciliation

Photos taken at the "Ambassadors for a Better World" evening, February 25, 2015 at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, Houston