Between April 28 and May 2, 2025, we had the opportunity to take part in a one-week Erasmus mobility program organized in Debrecen, together with BA first-, second-, and MA second year theology students.

We started our first day with travel, during which we had many deep conversations and opportunities to get to know each other better. Of course, there was no shortage of humorous moments. Upon arrival, we settled in our accommodation at the Maróthi College in Debrecen. Afterward, we set off to explore the city, followed by lunch and a short rest before attending an academic worship service in the ceremonial hall of the Debrecen Reformed Theological University. The gospel was proclaimed from the story of the young man who was revived. The word served as spiritual nourishment, reinforcing the thoughts behind the celebration: Jesus has power over life and death because, by raising the child, He not only gave him life back but also restored the life of the widow. After the service, we had a closing debriefing, where we shared our experiences from the day.

On the second day, we began with a morning devotion, again held in the university's ceremonial hall. The selected scripture was from the second chapter of the book of Malachi, the first two verses, which highlighted the responsibility of our covenant with the Lord.

One of the main objectives of the Erasmus mobility program was to gain insight into the research and teaching work of a foreign professor. As part of this, we attended a class taught by Dr. Viktor Kókai-Nagy, professor of the biblical department, where we studied the Letter to the Hebrews together. After the class, we had the opportunity for an informal conversation with the professor, who shared with us his life story, the beauties and challenges of his career. The professor emphasized, as a legacy, that we should not force ourselves to become theologians but should allow ourselves to become them.

After lunch, we took part in a guided tour on the history of the university’s museum and library, led by Director János Győri. During the tour, we got acquainted not only with the university's history but also with the city's past.

In the second half of the day, we gained practical theological experience by visiting the Debrecen-Úrréti Reformed Congregation, a newly planted church. The hosting pastor, Daniel Püski, openly spoke about the joys and challenges of establishing a new congregation. This afternoon was especially insightful for all of us, as we hadn’t encountered a similar situation in our Transylvanian congregations before.

We began our third day with another morning devotion, where the scripture came from Malachi 2:11-12. The issues of faithfulness to the covenant and unfaithfulness were the focus of the reflection. This was followed by free time: together with our fellow students, we visited the Hajdúszoboszló baths, where we spent an unforgettable, relaxing day together. For those who remained in Debrecen, there was also an opportunity to visit the Szabó Magda Memorial House.

On our fourth day, we visited the Déri Museum in Debrecen, where, in addition to many impressive exhibitions, we had the opportunity to admire Mihály Munkácsy’s famous Christ trilogy, which provided a deep artistic and spiritual experience.

The program concluded with a joint evaluation session at the end of the week, where we shared our experiences, reflected on what we had heard, and made suggestions for the future. The day was crowned with an informal communal dinner, which provided a chance to deepen relationships and enjoy delicious dishes.

Our fifth day was spent traveling home: slightly tired, but spiritually enriched, we got in the car and headed back, taking with us the memories of shared experiences, lessons learned, and spiritual growth.

Kinga Szabó
1st-year theology student