Csaba & Ilona Veres
Csaba and Ilona have been serving as global mission workers in partnership with the Hungarian Reformed Church in Romania since 2000.
Latest mission report
Csaba and Ilona's mission work
In January 2024 they moved to Hungary to serve in the Transtibiscan district of the Hungarian Reformed church as church planters and gypsy mission workers in an Intercultural church plant in the village of Bodaszőlő, Northeast Hungary. The Bodaszőlő church plant is a ministry of the Kalvin Square Reformed Church in the town of Hajdúböszörmény.
Ilona and Csaba work together with leaders and members of the mother church (Kalvin Square Reformed church, Hajdúböszörmény) and also a small team of local Hungarian Reformed church gypsy mission workers and a part time pastor. The team aim to faithfully preach the gospel of Jesus to the Hungarian and Roma residents of Bodaszőlő, calling them to become disciples of Jesus. There has never been a church in the village of Bodaszőlő before and it is the prayer of the team that God will bless this church plant with a vibrant, living fellowship where future local leaders can be trained, and God’s name is glorified through transformed lives.
In their initial period Csaba and Ilona will focus on building relationships and exploring opportunities for introducing patterns for evangelism, Bible teaching, pastoral care and worship, helping to form the vision and strategy for missional church. Importance is placed on communicating the gospel in such a way that it is understood across cultures and organising programs where all cultures feel welcome and included. As an intercultural church plant working in an area of social deprivation, the ministry calls those who love the Lord to serve the poor and needy in the community through diaconal work.
The church plant currently run activities from a rented house in the centre of the village and Csaba and Ilona are involved in pastoral family visits, bible studies and evangelistic outreaches. Ilona leads a women’s bible study and a women’s service group who find practical ways to help struggling families.
Summer ministry is spent organising and leading Bible camps, football outreach, evangelistic youth events and programmes with children and young adults, in partnership with the youth in the mother church.
Ilona grew up in Sloan Street Presbyterian Church, Lisburn and Csaba in the Hungarian Reformed Church in his hometown of Zalău. Csaba and Ilona have two adult daughters.
Prayer points
- Give thanks for the work of God through the Kalvin square Reformed church, and for their vision for the church plant at Bodaszőlő.
- Praise God for those seeking the Lord and for the small group of 15 Hungarian and Roma who have come to faith and attend bible studies, services, women’s group and serve the disadvantaged in the community.
- Pray for Csaba and Ilona and the team at Bodaszőlő as they minister to this diverse community daily. Pray the team would walk closely with the Lord, be gospel focused, fervent in prayer, and set God honouring goals.
- Pray for the witness of the Hungarian Reformed church among Hungarians and Roma in the country.
Csaba and Ilona have recorded a short film clip which can be downloaded and used in church services, prayer meetings or events to raise awareness and prayer for what God is doing across the world, as we seek to go deep and wide in global mission involvement.
Latest report May 2026
“… always pray and never give up.” Luke 18:1
National Gypsy Mission Prayer Day
As we look back to all that God has led us through in April, our hearts are thankful. Alongside our regular bible studies and services, we were able to take a group of 25 to the national gypsy mission prayer day in Mateszalka. The theme was Luke 18,1 …. always pray and never give up. After teaching on the passage, the focus was on gaining strength through hearing personal testimonies of how God had brought transformation to Roma men and women from a life of entrapment of addiction to freedom in Christ. This led us to a time of praise and worship. Throughout the day many took the opportunity for one on-one prayer to lay down life’s challenges, fears and failures at the feet of the cross.
At the end of the day, our group preformed the ‘life’ drama calling those who don’t know the Lord to turn to Jesus for salvation.
Bodaszőlő Prayer House
In mid-April as the Kilbride team worked tirelessly for a week at the prayer house, digging, pouring cement, gardening, painting, putting up the fence, this inspired men from the local community and from our parent church to volunteer their time to work alongside them.
We greatly appreciate their partnership in the gospel, hard work and dedication. The new fence, gate and car entrance looks lovely and spurs us on to continue with the other parts of the renovation of the prayer house.
Prayer Points
- Please pray for the Pentecost services, ongoing Bible studies, women’s group and youth group. Pray for rootedness in the word and steadfast prayer.
- Give thanks for the upcoming confirmation celebration on 17 May and for the two young people and four adults who have been taking membership classes. Pray as they share their personal testimonies and make promises that they will be strengthened and filled with the spirit.
- In May we will begin English classes for the youth group, to prepare them for work alongside the Exodus team in July at our youth week. Pray that many young people will come along.
- Give thanks for the ongoing steady renovations in the Imahaz/Prayer house. Pray for the plastering and laying of flooring in the meeting room.
- Please pray for the much-needed finance for the new roof and insulation of the prayer house which is probably the biggest investment we need to make.
Mission report archive
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