About Szolnok

Over the past year that I have been in Szolnok, I have discovered some very interesting things. Here is just a short list;

Facts about Szolnok:

• Szolnok sits at the convergence point of Hungary’s second largest river, the Tisza, and the Zagyva. The Tisza river is prone to flooding and has one of the largest flood control systems in Europe!
  
• Received one of the first railroad stations in Hungary, later became one of the largest stations in Hungary (Central hub for many international routes)
• Reduced to a population of a couple thousand in WWII due to severe bombing by the Allies.
• Under Russian control, Szolnok prospered again with strong industry and tourism.
• It was called “little Moscow” for it’s complete adoption of the communist ideals. (Mostly due to Russia’s heavy investment in the city’s rebuilding.)
• Included the view that religion is the “opiate of the masses” and a sign of lesser intelligence (some attitude of which still carries on today.)
• In the Hungarian revolution of 1956, Russian troops retreated to Szolnok from Budapest to regroup. In only three days, they returned to Budapest and destroyed the rebellion.
• The people of Szolnok take a long time to trust you, but once they do, they will trust you to the end and treat you like family.
  
• If each of the 10 churches (including Catholic) in the city has a minimum of 75 people, the high estimate of Christians in the city runs around 750 to 1,000. That’s still only between 1% and 1.33% of the population. (This means around 99% of the population is not Christian or not attending a church.) This gets worse when we realize that many of the people attending church in Szolnok actually live in the surrounding towns and villages.
  
• The economy of Szolnok is in the process of switching from agriculture and heavy industry to bio and computer tech. (This is a ten year vision for the city that is now in it’s second year.)
• A Hungarian Methodist pastor was sent here in the 1970s to plant a church. After a year, he returned to Budapest for a year to “recharge and regroup” as the work had left him spiritually dry and weak. Eventually the church was planted and today is thriving.
• Szolnok has been prayed for by Calvary pastors and fellowships for over 10 years!