In the heart of Uzhhorod, an alliance is flourishing, woven together by faith and community. The Church of Jesus Christ stands as a beacon of hope, under the stewardship of Pastor Victor Fontash. The church, a stalwart of the Transform Uzhhorod Alliance, has been extending its hands and heart to the Rroma communities with relentless compassion.
Amidst the tapestry of this community work, the church has partnered in a Sister Church Association with the Dungeness Community Church from Sequim, Washington. This partnership ensures that Pastor Victor’s dedication to his flock remains undivided, as his own family is cared for, allowing him to focus on the needs of his church members and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that seek refuge within the church’s embrace.
The church doors have opened wide, transforming into one of eleven IDP centers, offering sanctuary to 120 individuals at the peak of need. The alliance now embarks on a new chapter, laying the foundation for a Rroma Social Life Center — a sanctuary poised to rise on a near 10,000 square foot land parcel. This center aims to be a cornerstone of support, providing necessities such as food, temporary housing, education, and job skills training, as well as bolstering the community’s well-being with access to personal hygiene resources, clean water, exercise, and social activities.
In a heartfelt communique to the Sister Church, Pastor Victor recounts the recent endeavors of his congregation. Despite the harsh grasp of winter and challenging times, the church has managed to provide warmth to five families with heating ovens and kindled joy in children’s hearts with gifts. Beyond his church’s walls, Pastor Victor has traversed the cold corridors of hospitals, offering solace to soldiers wounded by the ravages of war, embodying the love of Jesus in every compassionate gesture and prayer.