Europe Update From The Office

Vanja Bule

Director, CBN South East Europe

Andreas “Pitti” Heerwagen

Director, CBN Germany

CBN SOUTH EAST EUROPE

This year has without a doubt been one of the most challenging years since we launched the CBN ministry in South East Europe. The pandemic has changed how we operate and particularly impacted our planned Superbook and humanitarian outreach events. Nonetheless, God has been so good in helping us to adapt to the challenges whilst remaining effective advancing His Kingdom in this region!

Through this season, sharing hope and light, we continue to see open doors for Superbook through our online ministry. With an online textbook to resource schools and churches in Croatia and the wider region.

We are working in partnership with 21 churches in Croatia to distribute food and hygiene parcels to vulnerable families who are currently struggling. We distributed food parcels to the homeless and are helping a Roma community in Zagreb to see lives changed and impacted.

Thank you CBN partners for helping us to change so many lives in the former Yugoslavia region, enabling our teams to share the Good News of Jesus! We pray His rich blessings over you in 2021!

CBN GERMANY

We are in the process of publishing season 4 of Superbook in German and are looking forward to seeing many people experience Superbook adventures with Chris, Joy and Gizmo while getting to know Biblical stories and learning more about Jesus. The “Book of Hope” has been translated into German and is in publishing phase. Please pray with us that these incredible tools will help people of any age get to know Jesus.

This December we are celebrating a very special anniversary: it has been 4 years since we started publishing Erlebt Magazine and the 24th issue has been released!

Erlebt Magazine is filled with inspiring and encouraging stories and articles to inspire relationship with God. We are thankful for the increasing number of readers and their positive feedback. We pray that the readers of this issue will also be strengthened in their faith and that, especially now in the Advent season, they will remember what the real meaning of this holiday is and why we really celebrate Christmas.

GET TO KNOW OUR TEAMS!

CBN Europe is constantly expanding, with more teams building across Europe. Get to know our teams and what they are up to!

Chris Karelse

CBN Representative, Netherlands

CBN NETHERLANDS

In the Netherlands we are expanding the CBN Ministry. We are reaching thousands of people with the Gospel through social media. Many people are encouraged by the articles and testimonies we post online!

Besides that, we are still developing innovative ways to reach more children with Superbook. We will soon have a Superbook streaming service which will enable churches and families to watch Superbook in church and at home. We are looking forward to the fruits which will come from this next step for CBN Nederland.

Will you stand in prayer with us to see CBN expand in The Netherlands to share the hope and light of Jesus in this nation?

Many blessings from CBN Nederland!

Doina Bejenaru

Director, CBN Moldova

CBN MOLDOVA & ROMANIA

December is the most magical month of the year! But it can be easy to forget the essence of that night when ‘hope’ was born, the greatest gift for mankind! Understanding the depth of this gift, we have the power to face any valley of the shadow of death. Leaving behind 2020 and stepping into the unknown of 2021.

In the midst of a difficult year, for me 2020 has been a year of peace and order. I have managed to put my mind in order, to have order in collaborations, tasks and in the administration of CBN Moldova. This year God has poured out so much love on me. In the midst of the pandemic I joined the CBN Europe family and started a new chapter, with challenges that cultivate a new leader and servant in me every day.

We have put the accounting in order and registered the NGO through which we will manage CBN work in Moldova. We have also produced Superbook Academy in Romanian which will be a huge blessing to churches in Moldova!

In 2020 I felt loved and helped by the hand of the Almighty more than ever!

A 2021 full of more hope, more miracles and more love is definitely coming.

Lavender Otieno

Head of Operations, CBN Europe

Mark Dijkens

CBN Europe Regional Director

CBN UK & IRELAND

Hope was born that night

As we approach Christmas and with that the end of another year - a milestone. One can’t help but reflect on what the year has brought and with that an expectation for all that the festive season brings; Gifts, family, food laughter – peace and good will to all mankind…

The partner premium is “The Name of God”. The standout name for me in 2020 is Jehovah Shammah – The ever present one. A reminder of the hope that was born to Mary & Joseph that eventful & exhausting night at the stable in Bethlehem. I am grateful that still today, God speaks reassuringly to us His children. JEHOVAH SHAMMAH: The ever present one, He has taken care of our past, He is always in our present, He waits for us in our future, I will not be afraid. The Lord is ALWAYS there.

As we look forward to celebrating our saviour’s birthday, let’s join together in putting our Hope in Action by volunteering with CBN at:

www.cbneurope.com/volunteer.

MERRY CHRISTMAS dear friends & partners and THANK YOU for your support in 2020!

OPERATION BLESSING EUROPE

This summer, our director Ron Oates retired after working for over 25 years with Operation Blessing. I can never forget Ron’s statement about the importance of sharing the Gospel through everything we do. He said: “A bowl of rice is no substitute for the Gospel”. Everything we do is for Him, because of Him and to bring glory to Him. We want to see lives restored, impacted and made whole because of the transformational power of the Gospel in every man, woman and child.

2020 has been a challenging year for all of us because of Covid-19. Yet, the Lord has helped us to quickly adapt our teams in the field and focus on bringing relief during the pandemic. Through our Hope in Action Initiative, the UK teams worked with local churches and partners to deliver food parcels, blessing hundreds of families and individuals. Every Hope box contains nutrious food, hygiene supplies and resources that share the Good News of Jesus to every family. We will soon be launching the first UK Operation Blessing distribution centre with a community project, reaching the isolated and vulnerable.

Thank you for standing with us and for your prayers and financial support that have helped us serve.