Gypsies, or Roma as they are referred to in Hungary, and most of Europe, are over 10% of the Hungarian population and in many villages are over 20%.
They are believed to have migrated out of the untouchable caste in India around 1000 A.D.
Because their appearance and culture differed from those around them, Roma were considered outsiders and suffered extensive prejudice, a problem that sadly continues to the present day throughout Europe.
Most Gypsies do not move around any more but live in poor homes in the smaller villages.
Dan visits with some in our village and they welcome him into their homes, are very friendly, and offer him drinks. They enjoy laughing at his attempts at Hungarian. The family, neighbors, and friends gather as this crazy American comes to visit.
Below is a standard Gypsy house with a two-seater outhouse directly behind our house.
Most of the Gypsy families do not have any indoor plumbing and use outhouses even in the freezing Hungarian winters. They use firewood for heating and cut it with a hand bow saw. Very difficult work indeed! Maybe one in ten Gypsy families have a car but public transportation is very reliable.
They live off the land raising pigs, chickens, turkey, etc...
Here they are butchering a hog across from our backyard.
Several Gypsy families have horses to do a little subsistence farming the old-fashioned way.
It's a daily sight to see farmers on their wagons going to and from the fields.
This is one of the very poor Gypsy homes.
The kids love to play soccer with Daniel or whatever they can get him to play. They enjoy just trying to speak English with us.
This wonderful Roma couple invited Daniel and Dan into their home and fed them raw pig skin just carved off the pig! Yum!
Gypsies are a subset of the Hungarian culture that very few reach-out to. They desperately need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ!
