Michel and Janet van Boxtel, a Christian couple from the Netherlands visited Budapest in 2010, and here they lost their hearts for the homeless and other people living in deep poverty. They moved to Hungary in 2015 to serve these groups full-time through the Embrace Foundation.
Their homeless friends living in East Budapest soon expressed their desire to have regular programs where they can hear the Word of God and be in community. The first Sunday service was celebrated in 2016. First, the little group met only once a month, but in a short time it became obvious that they don’t think it’s held often enough… Therefore even throughout the season of Covid, we gathered every week – according to the current regulations of course. Meanwhile, volunteers joined the team: not just enthusiastic individuals but also missionaries from e.g. the Truth Planters. They contribute to the functioning of the Church with teaching, worship leading, managing the coffee and tea making or the distribution of the food packages, or in many other ways.
Every homeless and not homeless people who are interested are warmly welcome every Sunday at 10 a.m. We usually have around 40-60 visitors at these events. During the midweek programs, we try to build meaningful relationships with not only those who visit our Sunday gatherings regularly, but also with people who had never heard about us before – and in many cases, not even about Jesus.
In previous years, we also had a couple of baptisms at Korall Church, and quite a few of our homeless friends serve with us every week by arranging of the chairs, distributing the food packages or in worship.
Even though the team who serves and the church members come from various denominations, our relationship with the Baptist Union of Hungary has obviously been the strongest from the very beginning. We are grateful that besides providing locations for our programs and many other kinds of help, on April 30, 2022 they acknowledges us as an official church of their Union.