News and Views
Editors: Margaret Brown
and Wies Dikstra

Biannual newsletter of the European Baptist Women's Union
Winter Edition 2010-2011
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In memoriam Julia Gerö (1927-2010)

Some time ago I, Wies Dijkstra, wrote a letter to Julia Gerö and asked her for an article in News & Views to tell me some-thing about herself and the Home she was living in. The home where so many of you in Europe have raised money for in the past. Her letter with her answer is on my desk. Written on 1-18-2010. Just about 1 year ago... And in the meantime the Lord took her into HIS Home.

In the next two articles are memories from two sisters who both became very dear friends with Julia and visited her personally in the "Baptist House of Love" in Kiskoros.

Memories which are meant to be a tribute to Julia‘s personality and her work for EBWU.

Memories to Julia Gerö in "Baptista Szeretethaz”
(„Baptist House of Love”) in Kiskoros, Hungary.

By Yona Pusey, Wales, EBWU president, 1998 - 2003.

In 2009 I was able to visit ex President of EBWU, Julia Gerö of Hungary.

Many of you may have heard that Julia suffered prolonged illness earlier in 2009, and as a result decided to leave her home in Budapest and became a resident of the Baptist-run care home in Kiskoros, two hours drive south of the city. During the lat-er years of the last century EBWU offered support for the setting up of this home, which has now blossomed into a wonderful facility providing home for over 100 residents. It is set in its own gardens, for which many of the residents share the care. The entrance hall is spacious with water and plant features, and places to relax.

Yona Pusey and
Julia Gerö

To meet Julia in her new setting was a privilege. So often our homes for elderly people are depressing places, but here there was life and grace and compas-sion. Julia herself was grateful to be freed from many "household chores", and spent a lot of time visiting her neighbours, some of whom she had known a long time, and others who knew of her previous ministry.

It was reassuring to see how God was using Julia in this new way, and to hear her testimony to His goodness and care for her. It was also a challenge to see how she sat more and more lightly to material things (Aniko Ujvari, EBWU secretary, told me that she left her Budapest home with only a couple of suitcases!!).

Julia became President of EBWU at the same time that I joined the committee. She was an inspiration to me then, and remained both a dear friend and a wise mentor.

I was so grateful to see Julia again, and also to visit the home in Kiskoros, which for so long had been only a name in our prayers and our bank books.




By Chieny Buitenhuis , The Netherlands,
EBWU committee member, 1972 - 1992

It was a real miracle, as Julia Gerö called it! In November 2009 I suddenly had the opportunity to visit the Baptist home for elderly people in Kiskörös,

"House of Love" (Szeretethaz) where my dear friend, Julia Gerö lived, about 140 km. south of Budapest. I have unforgettable memories of my visit to Julia and to this home.

I‘ve had the priviledge to serve in the EBWU executive committee from 1972-1992 as additional member, secretary, and nominating committee member. During this time I made many friends, one of them was certainly Julia. I think I can say that Julia has been one of the most enterprising presidents of the EBWU. Of course there has been an enormous change in opportunities during these years. The iron curtain caused so many difficulties in reaching our sisters in Eastern Europe at that time. Julia was able to travel a lot to these countries.

Chieny Buitenhuis and
Julia Gerö

 


To return to my impression of the Home – I had a most wonderful welcome and I already had breathed the warm and loving atmosphere. Although Julia was suffering from illness she was so grateful to the Lord to be at this home. Later on Julia was very proud to show me round the building – the lovely chapel – the sick rooms – the kitchens. We also visited the (very small) rooms of the inhabitants, most of them oc-cupied by two persons. And although they have very little privacy, and there is a need for wheelchairs and other equipment, that did not seem to bother the residents. Whenever I was introduced I met happiness and a real Christian atmosphere.

I asked one of the staff sisters whether they had any shortage of staff. She said, "Oh no, everyone loves to work here! "
This Baptist Home for elderly people is for me a real example of a Home of LOVE!

This home was for our Julia, who has served so well our EBWU in the past, her home for her last days. The lovely Christian atmosphere, the happiness on the faces of the people who live there will always stay in my memory.



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