The short documentary "An Act of Trust" follows the harrowing migration journeys of several refugees—Kafia from Somalia, Ali, Hassan, and others—from conflict zones through multiple countries to Hungary, highlighting the dangers of traffickers, detention, and violence they face. It showcases the Church of Scotland’s Columba Charity in Budapest, which provides language lessons, housing assistance, and personal friendship to about 30 refugees, and features volunteers Dora Kanazai and Kirsten Bailey describing their mission to welcome newcomers. The film contrasts this compassionate community work with the Hungarian government’s anti‑refugee propaganda, which fuels tension among locals. Historical context is provided through the church’s legacy of sheltering Jewish girls during the Holocaust, underscoring a tradition of humanitarian aid. Personal testimonies reveal refugees’ struggles to adapt—working low‑paid jobs, dealing with family separation, and confronting prejudice—while volunteers reflect on the resilience of the newcomers and the gratitude they inspire. The narrative culminates with a reminder of the Holocaust memorial on the Danube, linking past atrocities to present calls for empathy.
Chapters
Hungarian lessons are easy compared to this 16-year-old's journey alone from Somalia.
I came from Somalia to Iran, Iran from Turkey, Turkey to Greece, from Greece to Serbia, then Serbia to Hungary. But the scariest was the Greek. It was very bad. The people you travel with, most of them, they really help you. But some of them are not so good because some of them, they try to harass you. Especially the traffickers.
Kafia found friendship in Budapest through the Church of Scotland's Columba Charity. Same with Mohammadreza. He just reunited with his family after 3 years' separation. It was leave Iran or be killed. Columba Charity workers offer supportive friendship language lessons and help with housing to about 30 refugees.
My job as a Christian, my job is to make them feel welcome.
At the time of this filming, they believe there are 1,000 more near Budapest who crossed the border and were put in detention— limbo, actually. If they go home, they'll meet violence. Here, they meet resistance. Kirsten Bailey volunteers with Columba.
So what's so shocking for me with these propaganda campaigns that the government has done is they're written in a way that is directed towards refugees, but they're written in Hungarian, an informal Hungarian that is meant for everyday Hungarians to see and be afraid of. You know, they say things like, if you're going to come to our country, don't steal our jobs. You know, if you're going to come to our country, you must respect our rules. And it's just that kind of propaganda towards the everyday Hungarian citizen is just increasing tensions and anger and unrest.
But you do not see tension and anger when you look at this melting pot of faces at the Church of Scotland Sunday service. Among them, a group from Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. Bucking national sentiment is not new for this Scottish church, which also provided shelter for Jewish girls during the Holocaust.
This building was built as a school in 1910, as a place where Jewish girls and Christian girls were together. One of the missionaries here was arrested, Jane Haning, and because of her work here, she was taken away in the spring of 1944, and she died in Auschwitz. That's an important part of our history. The inconvenience or unpopularity we might occasionally face for what we're doing now is nothing compared to that.
It's part of Dora Kanazai's history as well. Her uncle immigrated to America through Ellis Island, and the family now lives in Arizona.
First time I heard from helping refugees was from him. We're going to the immigration office to see Sonia and her husband, have an appointment. Sonia has been in the country for 3 years about with her children. She's a PhD student in the University of Technology. It's a Syrian young couple from Damascus, and the husband was not participating in any of the real political activities. He was just a few times on the street, but he was unfortunately listed. So it was dangerous. I'm a Syrian refugee.
We're about to go into the apartment of a man named Ali, who used to work for the United States government in Afghanistan as an interpreter. When that job ended, his life was in danger. Ali's family is now scattered throughout Europe.
My family lives in Turkey, Sweden, Netherlands, and Denmark. I'm a normal guy living and trying my best to make a good life for myself, like any other normal guy is doing. So that's it. I'm not doing anything bad.
Ali works nights at a restaurant, then fixes up a dilapidated apartment during the day.
When I'm not working, I'm working in the home. Watching the YouTube, learning something to fix those lamps. I just broke three of them to put three of them in the place. I'm Muslim, but I cannot say that I'm religious.
Hassan was an engineer in Iraq, but now must work as a cook. So what do you want to be when you grow up?
Maybe an engineer.
Like your dad?
Maybe.
We had to leave Iraq because of aggression, because we said—
I don't know what to do when you have children and the army put for you boom, boom, boom. My children, when they are afraid, I tell them, go out. This is easy.
It puts into perspective really what Americans take for granted. These people are coming here with nothing, but they are making it.
Refugees welcomed us in their homes and invited us to see their small businesses.
I had a lot of preconceived notions coming here about refugees. I didn't know why they were leaving their homes. Were they terrorists? Were, you know, what's the deal? But since I've been here and I've met them and I've seen the situation and how they're people just like you and me, and they have mothers and fathers, brothers, children, and they're coming here to have the opportunity to have a life like we have, the safety and security and love. And that's what we saw here with Dora and her teammates. They spend just unreal amounts of time helping people get their papers, helping them find places to live.
I wish the peace in all the world. This is what I wish.
But do the people of the world learn? Along the banks of the Danube in Budapest, there is a Holocaust memorial, shoes of Jewish people shot by Nazis and pushed into the water.
There might have been Jewish people who stood on the bank who years before had tried to seek refuge, who needed a safe home and were told they weren't welcome. To, to welcome a refugee is an act of trust. To tell someone that I see your humanity and I know that you're someone who needs love and welcome and a new beginning. That you are worth betting on, that you're worth loving. That, that's an act of trust that makes this world a better place.
