2009 Ministry Report by Mission Without Borders International

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MISSION WITHOUT BORDERS

WALK I N G TOGE T H E R

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MWB REPORT | 2009 |

What Value Do You Place on An Individual Soul?

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ission Without Borders’ response to this question is why we are so passionate about our work. The Lord Jesus asked this question in Mark 8:36: “How does a man benefit if he gains the whole world and loses his soul in the process? For is anything worth more than his soul?” On another occasion in Luke 9:25, Jesus asks: “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Many years before our Lord asked these questions, the Psalmist expressed the same thoughts. In Psalm 49:6-9 (Living Bible) he says:

“They trust in their wealth …. Yet not one of them, though rich as kings, can ransom his own brother from the penalty of sin. For God’s forgiveness does not come that way. For a soul is far too precious to be ransomed by mere earthly wealth. There is not enough of it in all the earth to buy eternal life for just one soul, to keep it out of hell.”

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What motivates us as a Mission to continue our work? It is the unspeakable joy that is experienced when we are the instrument God has used to save a soul. We may say, “I’m poor by the world’s standards, but I have not lived for nothing. There will be one gem in our Lord’s crown that came through the Holy Spirit choosing to work through me. There will be one voice in the choir of heaven which, humanly speaking, would not have been there if the Lord had not used me to be His instrument to bring that soul to Christ.” That, as our dedicated workers and supporters know, is our richest reward. On behalf of our International Board, I want to thank them all.

Rev. W. A. Temlett MWBI President/Chairman

This is why Mission Without Borders is so committed to their vision and goal – “Reaching People for Christ” All our programs and activities are geared to this goal. We know, from our own personal experience, that Christ is the only answer to redeem a soul and keep it from hell. God sent His Son to pay the price for our sin and through His death, by faith in Him, we are forgiven and brought into the family of God. For close on 50 years, Mission without Borders has been giving hope and comfort to thousands of men, women and children by exposing them to the Good News of Jesus Christ and His salvation. Working together with local churches, we are meeting the spiritual, emotional, educational and material needs of these poor disadvantaged people.

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Walking Together

OUR RELA Mission Without Borders overall commitment remains that of “Reaching People for Christ.”

Our primarily focus is to respond to the spiritual, educational, emotional and material (S.E.E.M.) needs of children, families and elderly that live under difficult and challenging conditions. We seek to find ways that enables the child or adult to start the process towards a more sustainable life, hence being able to care sufficiently for oneself and the family. At Mission Without Borders we believe that a genuine relationship is the key to true compassion and sustainable development! Our cooperation with the local churches and the hundreds of volunteers enables us to add a unique, personal relationship to the many material deliveries, educational opportunities and emotional and spiritual experiences that are the outcomes of our ministry. This unique, personal relationship encourages, motivates and strengthens the process towards a more sustainable life in a way that would not have been possible to obtain without the commitment from the many volunteers. Relationships that are anchored locally are also important for the development of long term sustainability. We have seen that aid given without commitment, often in well-meaning and sufficient form, fails over time simply because it was a “stranger passing by” that offered the help… The fact that the process is supported by local friends, both with a stronger degree of understanding, as well as expectations of accountability over time, increases the success rate significantly. Even more important than the locally-anchored relationships is the individual’s relationship with the Creator, Savior and Helper/Transformer. Only through such a living relationship there will be an everlasting sufficiency and transformation of lives. Over and above all possible criteria and methods of measuring “our efficiency/success”, we recognize the power and perfection of the Holy Trinity as the Creator, Savior and Helper/Transformer in the lives of the beneficiaries. Therefore, we see our ministry as a supplementary part in the Transformation that He completes within the lives of the beneficiaries.

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Being relationship-oriented, we value each role in the MWB relationship circle. Through God’s

6: Beneficiaries – field countries:

The beneficiaries are people in difficult circumstances that need someone to walk together with – in a direction towards sustainability. The beneficiaries also serve as a true encouragement and inspiration to the supporters and sponsors – and give them a deeper understanding of life and God’s purposes for mankind. 5: Volunteers – field countries:

Through hundreds of volunteers in our field countries individual are met with the full gospel of Christ. The volunteers enable the ministry to have the personal “one to one” element that is so central in Mission Without Borders’ philosophy of ministry.

4: Staff members – field countries:

Committed and dedicated field staff members serve in critical roles to ensure that the ministry upholds the quality and power in reaching people for Christ. The field staff works hand in hand with the local Church body and its many volunteers – enabling us to reach a larger territory with a conservative number of employees.

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TIONSHIP CIRCLE leading, we trust that all roles consist of an element of giving and an element of receiving – all working in unity to become a big blessing for our neighbors;

1: Sponsors & Supporters:

Through a variety of opportunities, people can be engaged in MWB’s ministry as sponsors, supporters, volunteers or dedicated prayer partners.. The most powerful blessing is to bless others!

2: Volunteers - affiliates:

Our dedicated volunteers on the affiliate side are active in recruiting new supporters, helping out in preparing material donations for transport to the field as well as partaking in a rich fellowship of meaningful ministry.

3: Staff members – affiliates:

Committed and dedicated affiliate staff members serve in various roles and ensure that the ministry upholds its focus and momentum in providing the resources needed for the program work to take place. The affiliate staff also serves as a blessing to the many sponsors, supporters and volunteers!

Child Care (CC)

he Child Care program benefits all the children within Mission Without Borders’ network, whether or not they have sponsors. Thousands of children take part in one or more of the nine projects that are implemented in our six field countries in Eastern Europe.

Christian 5-Days Clubs

Through Bible Correspondence Courses, children are introduced to Christianity and to the God of the Bible. Lessons and activities are tailored to different age groups and deal with, among other topics, Christian morals and ethics.

The goals of the 5-Day Club project are to meet the needs of institutionalized children and help them understand the Gospel. During these activities, the children learn Christian songs, participated in various games and contests. The children are motivated to trust God and be a good example to others. Focus is placed seeing and recognizing each child as a unique individual.

Children’s Camps

Dreambus

Bible Correspondence Course

Each year, thousands of disadvantaged children, teens and young adults- from both state-run institutions as well as from poor families, are given the opportunity to spend their holidays at one of MWB’s Children’s Camps. This year, more than 4000 children made new friends, filled their stomachs with good, wholesome food and spent time outdoors and participated in camp activities that brought smiles to their faces and laughter to their burdened souls. Furthermore, they had the opportunity to hear about the Good News of Jesus Christ. Whether during winter or summer camps, these children enjoyed nature and relished in the carefree days of childhood.

Christian Radio More than two million children in Romania and Ukraine have the opportunity to hear about God and his love for them through our weekly radio broadcasts. Radio drama, interviews and discussions about pertinent subjects draw listeners of all ages to this important ministry.

Christian Theatre/Puppet Ministry MWB’s theatre and puppetry team volunteers travel to Children’s homes, institutions, churches and other venues across the country to present their productions to enthusiastic audiences. Both young and old alike are captivated by messages that teach about God and life through this engaging and appealing medium. Lessons drawn from these performances are great

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

topics of discussions among the spectators. More than twenty thousand children had the privilege of seeing these plays.

Children who come from poor, dysfunctional and socially-vulnerable families, as well as those from institutions, rarely have the opportunity to go on excursions. The Dream Bus project makes it possible for them to go on sightseeing/educational trips that have included visits to historical monuments, amusement parks, McDonalds and other places of importance.

MotherCare The MotherCare project provides poor and economically disadvantaged women and mothers-to-be the assistance and supplies needed to undergo safe deliveries. Both pre-natal and post-natal MotherCare parcels, guidance and courses are offered them by our professional staff. MWB also contribute with needed medical supplies and infrastructural assistance to these centres so that the clinics’ staffs are able to better cope with everyday workload and emergencies.

Scholarships MWB offers and provides financial support to Home graduates and other disadvantaged children in their pursuit of further studies and higher education. In 2008, MWB provided scholarships to more than 200 recipients.

Vocational/Educational Numerous studies show that children who live in institutions

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have less confidence and low expectations of themselves and the future. As they are less prepared for social life, it is harder for them to find jobs. They can be potential victims of human trafficking and can enter into conflicts with the law. As a preventative, MWB provides them with basic vocational knowledge/skills and training in the following areas of concentration: English, Computers, Tailoring, Cooking, Agriculture, Hairdressing, and Apiculture.

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Focus on BCC Bible Correspondence Courses (BCC) have been a prioritized project of Mission Without Borders over the past five years. Any beneficiary within our sponsorship programs are offered the opportunity to partake in a course suitable for him or her. In the past couple of years, we have strengthened our Bible Correspondence Course project to also include MWB beneficiaries outside the sponsorship programs. Examples of these groups would be listeners of our Christian Radio programs, neighbor children of our F2F beneficiary families as well as people living in the vicinity of one of our Community Centres. All of our Christian Ministry activities are carried out in a close cooperation with the local Church â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thus enabling the beneficiaries to find and integrate into a local Church family.

VOLODYMYR VRONSKIY > MWB REPORT | 2009 |

“My Life and Ministry is In carrying out its projects, MWB Ukraine depends a lot on local churches, one of which is in the village of Zhovtneve (Western Ukraine) where there is a wonderful Pastor, Volodymyr Vronskiy. He is a special man, a God-gifted pastor, a devout Christian, loving husband and caring father to his five children. His fast-growing church is a proof of his Bible-based spiritual leading and evangelistic heart. Today he’s been very kind to invite me and my colleagues from the Mission to attend his church service and after that, he agreed to narrate about himself\his ministry, as his wife served us good coffee with tasty Ukrainian biscuits. Pastor Volodymyr, tell us about how you became pastor? - Well, I come from a Christian family. My grandparents were also devout followers of Christ and it happened to me something similar to what is written about Timothy (2Tim 1:5). I was raised in a spirit of Christianity and served the Lord since my very young years. I first was elected to be a deacon in a large Novovolynsk church and then became a pastor in a daughterchurch in the village of Zhovtneve. When I first came, there were 60 people in the church. Today, after 10 years of ministry, there are 170 people. I praise the Lord for blessings upon our ministry and for multiplying His church in Zhovtneve. Tell us about the ministries your church is doing now in your community? - First, I’d say we are an evangelistic-minded church. We want to reach adults and children in all possible ways. Currently we have our three daughter-churches in the neighboring villages and a Community Children’s Center which we successfully launched 4 years ago with the help of Mission Without Borders. There we have 40 street children who daily receive food, clothing and our care. They have been so happy to be in the Center. We are also happy to see them singing in our church every now and then. Instead of learning bad things on the streets, they learn Bible truths, computer basics, how to play guitar, how to sew, to draw, etc. It’s a great thing that we can offer all those courses for them. I’m really thankful for making this project possible in our village. It’s a great testimony of Christian love for all in our village.

”The Lord gave me health and equipped me with everything I need to carry out His ministry, and I take this as a great honor”

Interview conducted by: Volodymyr Brychuk PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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here, in Ukraine!” about it in my church. We are an active church, to my mind. We have 4 services a week and our 5th gathering is for Bible study, which we do for all church members and for everyone who may visit us that day. We go through book by book and discuss the truths found there. I believe that God’s Word is alive and eternal and that it can regenerate a person and strengthen his\her faith. That’s why I preach a lot and encourage my deacons to do the same.

I know you had a chance to immigrate and live in USA permanently. Why did you not leave? - Yes, indeed, I have relatives in the USA and they often called me to quit Ukraine for the United States, for better a life. I even visited America and found it very beautiful. But my life and ministry is here! I know this is the will of God for me to stay here and lead the church to eternal glory. To be in line with God’s will is a better life for me! My flesh is not always happy here because our economic situation is not very good in Ukraine, yet my spirit is very happy, especially when I see sinful people turning into God’s people and living the new life of sanctity. All of my family supports me in this decision and helps me in the ministry. My daughter is the church’s chorus conductor. My wife, Valentyna, helps a lot with the Community Center. Life is often difficult for my family but it’s our decision – to stay in our native village of Zhovtneve and serve God and our neighbors!

I know you have worked as a miner for 20 years. How does one feel 400 m. under the surface? - I’d never go down unless I’ve prayed before-hand and the Lord protected me and saved me several times. He even healed me from my lung ailment, called silicosis. The Lord gave me health and equipped me with everything I need to carry out His ministry, and I take this as a great honor. In conclusion, I’d like to thank all those good people from the Mission who help churches like ours to fulfill its calling of salvation. Thank you, dear brothers and sisters and may God bless you.

What is the greatest passion of your life? - To live, preach and do everything possible to enlarge God’s Kingdom by means of reaching people for Christ. I always remember Jesus’ Great Commission for His followers “Go and make disciples of all the nations…” (Mathew 28:19). I often talk

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ADRIAN ENUCA > MWB REPORT | 2009 |

Everyday is a Day My name is Adrian Enuca and I was born in Simleul Silvaniei (north part of Romania) on February 19, 1955. I graduated from the Faculty of Electro-Technology in 1980 and I got married to Georgeta on June 13, 1982. We have two children: Georgiana (26) and Gabriel (24). Georgiana graduated from the EnglishGeography Faculty and is currently working at Ethos Foundation in Craiova. She is married. Gabriel is a graduate student at the Communication and Public Relations Faculty in Craiova and is presently working as a zonal coordinator for PostMaster firm in Bucharest. He will marry Ana on the 16th of May 2009.

mical Science in 1982 and she also has ten years of experience with the Mission. She is an Emotional Support Coordinator. We both got baptized at the Baptist Church in Craiova on the 11th of January, 1987. Together with the children, we gladly attend the Filadelfia Baptist Church, where we are active members and Christian Input volunteers.

When I first entered in one of the orphanages in Craiova, I had a shock. I saw about 70 children coming towards me, all wanting to be kissed, loved, held hands and taken home so that I can be their father, in one word- to be taken care of. I have never worked with children before but my boss in Sibiu told On April 2nd, 2009, I will me that if I remain faithful, God have worked for 15 years for will give me the strength to face Mission Without Borders the challenges of this job. Romania. I used to work as an electro-technical engineer for the When I was jobless, I worked as a volunteer for the Campus Heavy Equipment Company in Craiova for eight years. Soon af- Crusades for Christ, and I showed the movie “Jesus” to grownter, I remained jobless (due to reorganization of work) and two ups, but not children. So, day by day, I started to get to know brothers in the Lord from Sibiu came and asked me if I wanted the children and very soon, I started to love them. Now, I can a job which implied working with the children in orphanages. say that there’s nothing else in the world I would want to do. I They also said that I will receive a car to allow me to go to all the fell in love with my job and the children I work with. Homes and do the job, and that I will serve as a coordinator in my area. I felt like Joseph who “overnight” from a prisoner, was Things went very well and soon I had 50 families enrolled from made the prime minister of Egypt. From an unemployed perDolj County. This was a new challenge for me and I loved it son, “overnight” I got to be the representative for Dolj County because it granted me the possibility of sharing the Gospel of in MWB Romania. Only God can do such miracles! our Lord Jesus, not only with the children, but this time, with the grown ups. I started doing Christian counseling together with my My wife, Georgeta Enuca, graduated from the Faculty of Econo- wife, and we can say that the results never ceased to amaze us.

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of Hope Families who lived in sin understood the situation they were in, and were willing to change their lives completely. Mothers, who took abortions earlier and put their children in orphanages, gave up this idea/attitude and gave births to wonderful children whom they kept at home. God deserves all the glory for every positive result we had in our cluster. Over the years, we saw many good changes in the lives of many children who grew up in orphanages, and we are so happy to be able to see the fruits of our work. God is good to us. Our two children also wanted to be volunteers for MWB, so we enrolled them in. They both helped us in carrying things, distributing, singing and sharing the Word of God. One of the greatest joys of our work was to see two of the children (one from 17/2 and one 17/4) get baptized. They both attended the tailoring workshop courses in Daia (one of our former projects) and were really happy to have heard about Jesus from our Christian Input sessions in the two Homes. Every testimony of every child/family made me stronger in the Lord and gave me the wish to tell more people about God and His Salvation Plan.

my family’s life was when He healed my son as he had health problems since birth. I will never stop thanking Him for the miracle He performed with my son and for every day He gives to us. I have had ups and downs in my life, but through it all, I could see God’s hand and protection. When I was down, God lifted me up and gave me the strength to go on, and I was on the highest mountain. God gave me words to tell others about Him.

To me, every day is a day of hope. Although there are crises in the world, I can look up to God and peacefully say that I trust Him completely and that His plans for my life are far better than anything in this world. I am very happy to be one of the many I was so happy when I personally met Jesus. My grandfather, to fulfill His Great Commission of sharing the Gospel with the who was an Orthodox Priest, gave me a Bible and encouraged me to read it on a daily basis as it was God’s love letter to people. poor, needy, sick, the orphans and widows. He said I should pray so that I understand what God says in it. Another living proof of our God’s existence/presence in

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Child Rescue International (CRI) and Child Recovery Homes (CRH)

ll the children residing within state-run institutions benefit from the activities carried out through our CRI and CRH programs. The main goals of these programs is to meet the spiritual, educational, emotional and material (SEEM) needs of these children, with the support from our donors. These program activities are implemented by MWB’s staff and volunteers, in cooperation with governmental authorities, NGOs and the local churches.

Bible Correspondence Course (BCC) BCC teaches children of all ages about who God is as well as the morals and ethics of the Christian faith. These popular lessons are filled with interesting and fun activities appropriate for the different age levels, and cover many subjects. Courses are continually being developed and improved for the specific needs of the children. This year more than 8,000 of the children participated in BCC.

Christian Ministry (CM) Introducing children to Jesus Christ, teaching them about love for oneself and love for others is the main focus of the Christian Ministry project. Christian Input Classes (Sunday Schools) are implemented by MWB’s staff and trained volunteers. The children learn lessons from the Bible, sing songs, play sports as well as engage in other recreational activities/games.

Emotional Support (ES) Abandoned children oftentimes experience rejection, depression and loneliness on a regular basis. Our workers aim to alleviate some of these challenges by extending to them love and care that is part of this ES project. We do this by arranging special events to recognize the significance of all, individually and collectively, through birthday celebrations, awards ceremonies and others. In addition, the coordinators are there to befriend and support them according to their specific needs and challenges.

Urgent Needs (UN) Urgent Needs are provided to Children’s Homes according to

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

their dire/immediate needs and they enhance the overall CRI/ CRH programs. Urgent Needs can be in the forms of renovation projects, requests for needed material at crucial times of the year. The implementation Urgent Needs visibly improve the lives and living conditions of all in the Homes.

Health and Nutrition Medicines, vitamins, food and hygiene items and other lifepreserving supplies are all provided through the HN project. Regular check-ups (medical/dental), eyeglasses and necessary treatments are provided to all who need assistance.

Life Skills Emotional Support Curriculum (ESC) Weekly Life Skill Emotional Support Curriculum courses are provided for those teens which are on the cusp of leaving the Children’s Homes to live an independent life. Important life topics on conflict resolution, relationship, self-esteem, communication, and growth and development are part of this curriculum.

Life Skills Practical (Excursions) Practical everyday skills such as cooking, shopping, self-care, financial responsibility and others are taught. Trips to the supermarket, the bank and other institutions are part of the training the teens must undergo in order to ensure that they are best prepared for their integration into life and society once they turn 18 years of age.

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CRI in Institutions and CRI in Communities Child Rescue International (CRI) has been a powerful, ministry program since the beginning of the early 1990s. The evident needs within the state-run children’s homes becoming visible after the collapse of the communism, were heartbreaking. A faithful, long- term approach was very much needed in order to respond to the many needs of these children. After close to 20 years of support, we have a well-established and proven program that truly brings hope and a future to the many neglected children. Mission Without Borders is committed to a continued ministry (CRI in Institutions) within the Children’s Homes of Eastern Europe. At the same time, new areas of need have evolved, and together with the local Churches in the field, we have started a new branch of the CRI program called CRI in Communities. The projects of CRI in Communities will be the same as those of CRI in Institutions; however, the arena for the implementation of it is the local community, anchored in the local Church. The CRI in Community program has first been launched in Moldova during the spring of 2009 – reaching out to the many children growing up without parent(s) present. The high number of parents emigrating to find paid work abroad leaves behind tens of thousands of children growing up in their native villages with only neighbors or grandparents looking after them. The CRI in Community program aims to build supportive activities for these children.

G A B O R Z O LT A N >

Doing Gabor Zoltan, born November 11, 1984, is a former CRI beneficiary and we can proudly say he has become self-sufficient. When he was a baby, he was abandoned by his mother right in the maternity ward. Soon after, he was placed in a Baby Home where he stayed until he turned 3. From here, he was transferred to the Children’s Home in Resita and when he started school, he was moved to the Boys Home in Varadia. Then, he was enrolled in our CRI program. Time passed but with great trouble for Zoltan. He sadly remembers the times when most of the boys in the Home received visits from their families, relatives or friends or were taken home for short visits, but no one came to see him: “Nobody visited me, never. I don’t even know what it means to receive the visit of someone. That is why I started to look at the coordinator of MWBR as my father and I got very much attached to him.” All the children in the Home started to call him after the coordinator’s name, but he didn’t care. He was happy to know that someone came to him regularly. When he was in the 6th grade, the Home in Varadia closed down and Zoltan was moved to Resita, to a Home where he spent some part of his life. His greatest joy was to see the coordinator and the volunteers of the Mission in the Resita Home. He couldn’t believe his eyes! So, this is how he started going to the Pentecostal Church in Resita, to which he felt attached to over the years that followed. Zoltan, nicknamed Zoli, was unaware of what life had in store for him.

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If in the beginning, his going to the church was accepted by the Director of the Home. In time, the Director forbade the coordinator and volunteers to take the children to the Church, convinced that the children was indoctrinated as they are too small to understand, that they are forced to go to the Church and that the coordinator is tempting them by giving them sweets. Even more, for every little thing that Zoli did in the Home, the Director blamed the coordinator and the church for it was surely the way that the church teaches him to be/to do. However, Zoli was a good, obedient child and he never caused any problem. After 2 years, a new Director was brought to the Home. Soon after, going to Church was no longer a problem. The Director’s wish for Zoli was that he would have his meals provided for that particular day. To us, this was a very special thing to do and for Zoli, it was a blessing. This is how Zoli started to go to different families in the Church for lunch and see with his own eyes what it means to be a family. This also helped him get integrated in the Church. When he turned 17, he got baptized. It was a day of joy and triumph!

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to Others now a student at the University of Timisoara, in the Faculty of Letters and Arts, Romanian-French section. At present, he is a second year student. Although it is hard for him, he does not complain and is not asking for anything. He prays to God who knows his needs.

After the 10th grade, Zoli saw himself in front of a very important stage in his life. It was the moment of his leaving the Home. But where would he go? The Church supported him in prayer and when he was just about to leave the Home, a new Law was passed by the Government. This Law stated that a child who grew up in a Home can stay in the Home until he is 18 years old, even if he does not attend any form of schooling. After this, Zoli went on a search to find his natural parents and siblings. The actual meeting of his family was not so much emotional, as Zoli was expecting his parents to be stunned. On the contrary, he was the one stunned because his parents did not react in any way. Zoli did not want to remain with his family because they are Roma and they have certain ways of living which are contrary to Zoli’s beliefs. Zoli told his parents about Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross and was very happy to be a witness to his mother’s baptism. In a year’s time, Zoli lost both his parents but now keeps in touch with his siblings. After he graduated from high school (taking evening classes), he did well on the final exam and is

Zoli has been a volunteer of MWB for two years already and was a leader for the young children in the last 2 summer camps. He took part in the Christmas Parties in 2007 and 2008, being one of the most active volunteers. Zoli recognizes MWB’s involvement in his life and he considers himself privileged to have benefited from MWB’s programs and projects. Here is what he says: “Although I had no parents, I consider that the people in MWB as my parents. They have always helped me and without them, I wouldn’t have gotten to know God. Now, in return, I want to do what others have done for me: help the children in the orphanages. Thank you very much for all your support.” At present, Zoltan is a member of the Elim Church in Timisoara; he is a leader of one of the groups who prays for the missionaries and is also involved in the social activities of the church. He receives a scholarship from MWB which covers the school taxes. He lives in a hostel in Timisoara and 2 days a week, he works as a part-time teacher in a village. The money he earns provides for his food and clothes as well as a means to help his siblings.

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ERNST KANNLER >

Providing Help and I was born in 1951 and have been married to my wife, Jutta, since 1974. I started my vocational training in 1967 as an industrial manager. In 1974, I was promoted to sales manager – responsible for a turnover of ca. 8 million USD. I worked in this industrial firm until June 1987. I grew up Roman Catholic but started to attend the Lutheran Church services when I met Jutta. In August 1975, I had a very special moment when Jutta gave birth to our first daughter, Miriam. I suddenly understood that this little baby came not by chance but that there is a Creator! Shortly after that, we were invited to join a group of other young parents to study the Bible and have Christian fellowship. From time to time, our pastor organized weekend seminars with guest speakers. In the autumn of 1986, the director of “Christliche Ostmission” (the former name of the Mission in Germany) was the guest speaker. Besides the lessons, he also talked about the Mission’s work in China. That was the only information about the Mission we got at that time.

where the office was located, or what my salary would be, how many holidays I would get, etc. I started working as Office Manager on July 1, 1987 in Bad Homburg, a city close to Frankfurt, but 100 km from our hometown. So we sold our house (left our relatives, friends, church) and moved to the Frankfurt area.

At that time, Frankfurt (airport) played an important role as a hub for “Underground Evangelism” (the original name of our Mission). Indeed, we worked “underground” until December 1989, by smuggling Bibles, hymn books and tracts behind the At Easter time in 1987, this director phoned me. He asked me if Iron Curtain. Everyone who was supposed to go on a field trip I could imagine working in the Mission and Jutta and I were as- (as courier) got his briefing: How to act inconspicuous in the field country – when or what ked to think and pray about it and give him an answer when he time (by night) to meet the contact person, not to mention the came to visit us two hours later. Jutta, who was pregnant with organization’s name (we travelled as tourists) - nor to mention our third daughter at that time answered, “If you think this is our path to take then I will follow you!” We both felt such deep the names of our contacts or how and where to hide the addresses, etc. peace and certainty in our hearts to follow this call. Our decision was made at this exact minute even though I didn’t The location of our field director’s office was “top secret” for obvious reasons. There was also a car mechanics workshop know what kind of job I would be doing in the Mission, or

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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Protection where our vans were modified with secret compartments to hide and to carry the (forbidden) literature. There are quite some stories about how the Lord protected us - when we had to cross the different borders or when we were observed or followed by the Secret Police. But whenever I was travelling, I never felt unsafe, nor did Jutta, because I knew that many Christians were praying for us. I had the privilege of visiting Christians who had spent 12 or even 14 years in prison camps. They were tortured and mocked – just because they were the eldest of their congregation and responsible for Church services or teaching Sunday school. I met pastors who run (forbidden) audio cassette ministries to provide believers in rural areas with sermons and Christian training – with no consideration for their own health or life. Of course, we brought desperately-needed material to help the believers in Eastern Europe. But everyone whom we met expressed their appreciation for the fact that we had not forgotten them. Everyone welcomed us as Christian brothers – not asking to which denomination we belonged to. What impressed me most was their strong faith and courage. I tried to get these impressions across to the people in Germany – to encourage them and to make them aware of the situation of Christians in Eastern Europe. Until the end of 1988, we supported 188 Christian families who were deported to camps in Siberia. When Gorbatchov announced “Glasnost” and “Perestroika” the downfall of communism began – and all of “our” prisoners had been released.

At the end of 1989, the Iron Curtain was toppled and our mission work was no longer “underground.” During the Revolution in Romania at Christmastime in 1989, thousands of people were killed. Their self-sacrifice changed the whole country – and also our work. For the first time, we were able to visit the orphanages in Romania. We found the children living in circumstances beneath human dignity. That was the time when the Mission started with Child Rescue International (CRI) – the largest program to reach people for Christ. Until then every affiliate had had a different name. Now, everybody could travel to the East and see firsthand what Communism had left behind; we were forced to make our work visible and to build an integrated whole. Based on this, there was also a need for a uniform name. Thus, the Mission became “Mission Without Borders.” Now, after 22 years in the Mission, it is still a privilege for me to meet and to work with my dear colleagues – faithful and dedicated Christians. I thank the Lord for this and it is my daily prayer that He may continue to use us in this mission as tools to build up His Church. Throughout all these years, Jutta and I see the central theme of our life in the words from the Bible which we received on our wedding day, 35 years ago, from Proverbs 2:7-8 : “He provides help and protection for those who are righteous and honest. He protects those who treat others fairly, and guards those who are devoted to him.”

WALKING TOGETHER

Family Care (FC)

housands of poor families and elderly in our operative field countries are reached through the Family Care program. Family Care provides both acute and long-term assistance through the deliveries of material goods and food items distributed throughout the year.

but a very necessary help for our beneficiaries. The distributions of life-preserving items such as blankets, bed-linen, winter clothes, winter shoes, winter socks, hygiene products and candles, all contribute toward lightening the burdens of the winter months.

Operation Christmas Love (OCL)

Bible Correspondence Course (BCC)

Every year, 30,000 OCL parcels are distributed to poor families, children and the elderly containing basic food items during the Christmas season. Parcels were delivered with the help of the local churches and local authorities. Mission staff and volunteers purchased, packed and distributed these crucial items to the poverty-stricken throughout Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.

During 2008, hundreds of children and their families had a chance to participate in the Bible Correspondence Courses with our staff and volunteers. Every quarter we receive more than 1500 letters from people that have heard about this program through radio or through a MWB supported neighbor.

Operational Winter Rescue (OWR) During the winter time, OWR is not only a welcomed project,

Christian Radio Romania and Ukraine are the two countries where our Christian Radio project is implemented in. More than 2 million listeners hear our broadcasts, among them children, teens and adults. Letters from listeners stream in every month, along with their drawings, stories and concerns. Every quarter, one program is especially is addressed to the parents and one targeting the smallest children are also aired.

Families in Crisis Mission Without Borders attends to the needs of hundreds of poor and destitute families who come to our offices soliciting for help. These families are offered various types of assistance, among them, gifts-in-kinds (GIK) items that are necessary to their livelihood such as clothing, hygiene articles, shoes and food. Those who wish may attend counseling sessions and seek guidance and advice from trusted coordinators and volunteers.

Si Jeni newspaper In Albania, the Christian paper, ”Si Jeni” is published every quarter, with a circulation of 24,000 copies for each issue. The newspapers were distributed through the network of evangelical churches and sent to thousands of people, touching the hearts and minds of readers both in Albania and other Albanian-speaking parts of Europe. “Si Jeni” has become an important tool for the ministry of the churches as well as an outreach resource.

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Spreading the Good News Our Family Care projects aims to reach the wider group of families with the Good News. To achieve this, we have over the past few years, seen the support and development of Christian Radio programs, which reach millions of people with a practical, applied message from the Bible – relevant to the challenging life that ordinary families experience in many of our field countries. The programs are often a starting point for many families to further seek the knowledge of Truth and Mission Without Borders is happy to assist in this process alongside the Local Church. In a similar way, the “Si Jeni” newspaper (Albania), the “OCL” campaign and “Families in Crisis” are examples of MWB activities that aim to reach the masses with a ray of Love and Truth which in turn, may become a seed of Hope.

The Chocolate Truffle

AN INTERVIEW WITH A N N E B O LT O N AND ROBERT IMLACH, MWB, CONCERNING AN EXCITING FUNDRAISING VENTURE WHERE P E O P L E E AT C H O C O L AT E TO BRING CARE AND LOVE TO NEEDY CHILDREN

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MWB: Let me start by asking how it was that you decided that making and selling Chocolate Christmas Truffles would raise funds for Mission Without Borders? AB: I didn’t - my friends did! I felt I was not seeing life from God’s perspective. So I asked Him to open my eyes, let me see things the way He did. To change my heart. Soon afterwards I read some MWB articles and was just heartbroken. I cried for about 3 weeks almost non-stop. I had read these articles before, but after I prayed God allowed me a glimpse of how his heart breaks for the orphans, and widows and downtrodden. First, in my ignorance, I “told God off ” for allowing these bad things to happen to people-then I ended up asking Him please to let me help them. My friends at home group could see how strongly I felt. Nicola and Roz suggested truffles, because they had done them a few years before as a fundraiser on a smaller scale. They told me we might even raise as much as 2 thousand dollars and I was blown away! It seemed such a lot for one small group of women. Imagine how I felt the first year when Margaret, the financial whiz, announced we had actually made four thousand dollars profit and Ranzau School had made another three thousand! Together in total over the 4 years, we have made thirty thousand dollars including the money raised by Ranzau School. MWB: How did Ranzau School become involved? AB: They got involved through our Christmas card project. Schools around NZ make handmade, named cards for the orphans in the homes that we send financial support to. This is because the financial support goes to the whole home and we think it is good for the orphans to feel known by name, to be

important as individuals, not just one of the crowd. MWB: You have enlisted many volunteer helpers. Who are your helpers and how did you find them? AB: Word of mouth mostly. Everyone is a friend of a friend. St. Paul’s and St. Michael’s Anglican churches in Brightwater were the first to help and host it every year. We all spoke to our friends in different churches and asked them to be involved. Richmond New life, Richmond Community Church, Stoke Elim all had MWB supporters already so we had their support from the start. The Missions Fellowship, Holy Trinity, Hope Community Church,Mapua Community Church, Destiny Nelson, Nelson City, Atawhai Anglican and Atawhai Community Church, all advertise, sell and roll. Grace Church, Annesbrooke and Richmond Baptist also have individuals who are a great help. We also ask non-church going friends. Any friend is a potential helper! MWB: With all these wonderful friends, are there any who give a truly special support? AB: We could not do anything without the support of Woolworth’s Nelson who rolls the whole ton of mix every year. It takes them all day. There are not many places in Nelson with a mixer big enough. The bakers all joke and laugh and do it with such a great attitude. This year we had a really nice lady called Irenie. The Wakefield Rest Home donates all the sterilizing solution, hats and gloves. All hair has to be hidden. This year they accidentally sent us paper shoes instead of hats! My husband modeled one before we returned them and looked like a Smurf. I wish I had taken a photo. He looked so awful! Proper scales are

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Fundraisers lent to us by Atec, Nelson. MWB: What about the jobs. Are any more vital than others? AB: No person is more important than any other because if any job is not done the whole lot suffers. Selling and making the truffles, collecting and counting the money are obvious but the behind the scene jobs like bagging, collecting, storing and transporting the mixture, setting the hall up, covering the chairs, having a group of people to make and serve morning tea and lunches, people to clean up etc., are all essential. As long as any job is done cheerfully it is a huge help. We have so many laughs. The atmosphere of churches all working cheerfully together is fabulous. There is a fantastic feeling of unity. We feel just like the hostesses of a particularly successful party! Friday is exciting (while I still have enough energy to be excited!) with many of the same people turning up each year, and many older people. Friday evening is a fun time when youth groups and younger people arrive. They put their music on, joke and laugh as they work. To see youth caring about youth is cool. One of my fond memories is watching the revered headmaster of our school bopping away to the music as he was standing to tie the ribbon on the bags. Saturday is a family time with even primary aged children working with determination, delivering mix to the tables, collecting full trays, and rolling with supervision. Children have deep compassion for the underprivileged of the world. MWB: It sounds like fundraising by making and selling truffles hard work? Are you fundraising or “fun” raising? AB: It does take some time but is fun. Truffles are easy to sell. Most is by word of mouth. Sometimes I make a sample for business for morning tea and then they order heaps. We could sell

far more, if only we could figure out a way to make them all. MWB: You have a strong interest in MWB. Which of our projects have your fundraising success helped? We have bought sports equipment for 4 orphanages plus some doors, equipped one Home with sewing machines, materials, thread, etc., bought beds, hygiene needs, hand air dryers to replace towels, 2 Dream Bus tours, winter boots, dishware and many thousands of dollars towards summer camp. MWB: Anne, do you have a favourite MWB project? If so, why is it a favourite? AB: Summer Camp seems to be the favourite for most truffle workers because it has physical benefits, emotional benefits but most importantly eternal benefits when they come to know God. Something that lasts for eternity is real value for money! My personal thanks are recorded here to Anne Bolton, who does not want to be thanked, and to every single person, young and old, who has played a part in what is an outstanding activity that benefits so many young lives. From the beneficiaries in Moldova our deepest thanks to you all. Robert Imlach

WALKING TOGETHER

M I R A PA N D Z A >

Through Challenges I was born in a small village 45 kilometers from Mostar. I am the eldest child of four in our family. When I was only 7 years old, my father died. My happy childhood suddenly was stopped. My father was the one who provided for the family. After his death, we moved to my uncle’s house and lived with his family. It was an extremely difficult time for all of us. My mother was forced to look for any kind of work and finally found one in a communal company as a cleaning lady. The company was 18 kilometers away from our home; my mother had to walk to work. Every morning, she would get up early, walked in the snow, rain or sun, trying to provide the minimum for her four children. I knew it was time for me to do something and help my mother.

Very soon after, I got a job and met the man of my life, fell in love and got married. I had my own home but it was also a place where my brothers and sister could come. While I was working, I continued with my schooling and finished at the Academy for Nursing. In the hospital, I was promoted not just because of my Back then, even at a young age, I knew that good education additional education, but also for my diligent work. Through could change me and my brothers’ and sister’s lives. From that point on, schooling became my commitment, hope and need. I the many challenges and difficult moments in my life, I felt that I was guided by His invisible hand. I could always rely on Him was a very studious girl and graduated from primary school as for strength and comfort and He guided me in the right path. I one of the best pupils. Since I was en excellent pupil, I could experienced many blessings from the people I cared for in the choose what kind of high school I wanted to enroll at but with all my heart, I wanted to go to medical high school. My biggest hospital. People who needed care and attention got it from me wish was to help people; it was something that I dreamed about. because it was something that filled my heart with happiness. I At the high school, I achieved excellent results and I was elected was given a possibility to responding to their needs. A blessing was the greatest reward for all my efforts. the best student of my class. All my teachers and friends were thinking that I would continue with my schooling and enroll at the 1992 was the year when the war started in our country. Among Faculty of Medicine. However, my biggest dream couldn’t be reathe many destroyed facilities and buildings, the hospital where lized. They didn’t know that I had no money and that my mother needed me to help her with my brothers and sister. I was supposed I had worked for many years, was also demolished. I was supposed to be transferred to another hospital, though I had to wait to get a job and send a remittance home to my mother.

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and Difficulties for it. At that time, I couldn’t just sit and wait; I felt He wanted me to continue in my mission of helping people. During those two months that I stayed at home were the longest in my life. Suddenly there was a humanitarian organization that needed a nurse to select medicaments received as donations from dear people from all over the world. That was the beginning of my work at Mission Without Borders, my first steps in serving people and reaching them for Christ. I am so proud for being a member of MWB’s big family. From the first moment, I felt so connected with MWB and its goals were mine too. My previous job and this one are so inter-related. When those who suffer feel alone, hopeless and lost, I can be there for them. I can give them my hand, listen to them, understand their problems and needs, and comfort them and talk with them about possible solutions. When I was just a child, I made a wish and He fulfilled it for me. He found the way for me to respond to people’s needs. For many years, I was the main medical nurse in a hospital and now, I am a Family to Family coordinator. Could anything be more important and beautiful than to follow His instructions?

WALKING TOGETHER

Family to Family (FF)

ive of MWBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Field countries have the F2F program. Meeting the SEEM (spiritual, emotional, educational, material) needs our beneficiaries is an important component of this program. Family to Family is implemented through the support of our dedicated sponsors, staff, the local churches and volunteers.

Bible Correspondence Course (BCC) Both children and adults are given the opportunity to be participants in our Bible Correspondence Courses. Every quarter, letters are received to our offices and responses are sent back to families. Currently 1500 adults and children are involved in these enriching and educational courses.

Christian Ministry (CM) The families who are interested in learning about God are offered Bibles and other Christian literature. In addition, activities for both children and adults such as Easter/Christmas parties are implemented throughout the year for their benefit. Special events such as birthday celebrations, summer camps and study groups are also arranged to meet the specific needs of the beneficiaries.

Emotional Support (ES) MWBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coordinators who work with the families know them and their particular needs. Some of the topics touched upon have been on: maintaining family unity by improving marital relationship, childrearing, preventing child abandonment, parental involvement, job-seeking, conflict-resolution and others. Hundreds of families have benefited from the emotional counselling and guidance that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve received from our caring staff.

Urgent Needs (UN) MWB meets the temporary but critical needs of its beneficiaries by providing short-term assistance that alleviates the situations. For example, the acute needs for medicines, electricity, lifepreserving items, or supplying them necessary equipment for their houses are provided through this project.

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Health and Nutrition (HN) Food and hygiene parcels are distributed to F2F-enrolled families every month. In addition, the families also benefit from the regular deliveries of GIK (gifts-in-kind) items such as clothes, shoes and mattresses-just to name a few.

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A Walk towards Self-Sustainability A central goal of the Family to Family program is to help the families start the process towards self-sustainability. For many families, this may be a long walk; however, once the family understands the importance of the walk (as the only way to get out of poverty and hopelessness), a fundamental obstacle is defeated. We believe that the walk towards self sustainability requires ongoing relationships. It is not always sufficient to provide the means, but a genuine, encouraging interest from another person is vital to succeed. This is why Mission Without Borders works hand-inhand with the local Church to secure a long-lasting, local involvement from someone who cares. Our support can be characterized as a mix of the three support components relief, development and relationship. Our Family to Family program has developed from being relief oriented â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to becoming more development-oriented and then further enhanced into becoming relationship-oriented. Relief and development support are still central components, but alongside a well functioning relationship.

DEVELOPMENT

RELATIONSHIP

1990 2000 2009

RELIEF

THE JOACABINES >

A New Song The Joacabines is a poor family who lives in Hijdieni Community. This village is located in the Northern area of Moldova. The parents, Dumitru and Daniela, educate and raise their two biological sons and the son of Dumitru’s brother, Ion Plescov, who is imprisoned. Many years ago, Dumitru Joacabine had an encounter with the MWB MD’s representative who organized an evangelical meeting for the people in Hijdieni village. The “Jesus” movie was presented. Dumitru was offered the New Testament. Even so, Dumitru lived his usual life, together with his wife and children. He was addicted to alcohol and often quarreled with his wife. The children were scared and even trembled from fear when they saw their father drunk. Once Daniela asked the Family to Family (F2F) coordinator to visit their family and told him about their problems. The F2F Coordinator discussed with Dumitru and encouraged him to change his life’s priorities. After a while, the change in Joacabine family could well be distinguished. Dumitru quit drinking alcohol and worked hard for his sons’ welfare. Even though they put all their efforts in getting money for supporting their family, poverty showed its presence in all aspects of the family’s life. In 2005, the Joacabine family was enrolled in the Family to Family program. After many discussions, after studying and applying the F2F curriculum and prayer, the family recognized and received Jesus as their Savior and started to attend the local church. “The Church is the only place where I feel better than anywhere else. In God’s presence, I feel comfort and strength. It is the place where I am able to grow spiritually,” said Dumitru Joacabine. He started to involve himself in various church activities and share the Gospel with his friends and neighbors. Last year, he was appointed a deacon in the local church. His wife, Daniela, is a skilled Sunday School teacher. They put all their gifts at God’s disposal and they are pleased that they can do something to enlarge His kingdom.

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in Their Hearts Through a Special Project, the Joacabine family also benefited from a saw. They used it for themselves, but sometimes they were asked to help their poor neighbors. Dumitru cut fire woods for them and at the same time, shared the Gospel with them and encouraged to come to the Church. “In studying the Bible, I have concluded that I have to love my neighbor as myself. So, I am grateful that I am helpful for those in need in my village. I am happy that I am able to help my destitute villagers, because the Mission did it for me,” Dumitru said.

“In the most difficult situations, we kneel towards Almighty God and tell Him about our daily problems and grieve and He just strengthens and gives us a ray of hope for tomorrow. We will never depart from Him even though the great waves of difficulties will shake the boat of our life,” expressed Dumitru.

The Joacabine family is grateful to the Mission in Moldova for the support offered, for inspiring in them courage and for giving them counsel. They never stop thanking the Lord for the changes He did in their lives. They now sing a song of joy and praise to God for making them His children and for offering them new life.

Besides serving the Lord in the local church, the Joacabine spouses visit the children at the Costesti Home, teaching weekly Bible lessons. They are committed Christian Input volunteers and enjoy great pleasure in teaching the children in the Home the Bible truths. “I am very happy that God uses me in this way. I have already befriended the children and they always wait for the Bible lessons,” Daniela Joacabine said graciously. Their generous sponsors have offered the family a cow which helps them enormously. The Joacabine family enjoyed the construction material for internal and external renovations of their small house. All these goods have been highly appreciated by the family and they are grateful to their bounteous sponsors– their friends.

WALKING TOGETHER

VOLODYMYR ZHYGULA > MWB REPORT | 2009 |

“I Love My Ministry this time. I think the seed was sown then and the fruit came up only 30 years later, when I joined the church. My family consists of my wife and three children and we are a good, Christian family.

Volodymyr Zhygula, MWB-Ukraine’s volunteer, works at Sarny Community Center as a bus driver delivering 30 hot lunches 5 days a week to the 30 lonely, elderly people. He’s also the one who delivers spiritual food for hungry souls. And who can tell which of these two types of food is more important?

What church do you belong to and what is your ministry there? - I’m a member of Chudel Pentecostal church. It’s a middle-sized church in a village near Sarny and I carry out the ministry of a deacon there. Besides, I sing in the church choir and love my volunteer work at the Mission. I joined the church in 1993 and 3 years later, my wife also gave her life to Jesus and became a member of the same church. Recently I started preaching and I feel this is what God has laid on my heart to do. I like this ministry very much.

How did you learn about the Mission and came to minister there? - Well, Mission Without Borders is a very well-known ChrisBrother Volodymyr, tell us about yourself, your background and tian organization in Sarny and my native village of Chudel. Eveyour family? ryone in Sarny and Chudel has known the Mission and Volodya - I’m 45 years old and I come from a large, poor family. My Khomych, the manager in Sarny. Some of our church members father died when I was only 13. Life was very difficult as I, being helped Volodya to do Christian input in two Sarny-based the oldest son in family, had to work and help my mother to care children’s orphanages. So, I have known about the Mission for for my younger brothers and sisters. We lived in a small village a long time. About 5 years ago, I started praying about an oppand there was a small home church of “believers” as everyone ortunity to serve the needy alongside Volodya Khomych. Three called them then. That was a small Protestant home church and years ago, I came to the Mission because then, the Community my mother did not mind my going there every now and then, Center began delivering lunches to lonely, elderly people in since some of my friends attended the services there too. I’ve Sarny. Volodya suggested that I get involved in this ministry. I remembered some of the sermons I heard there throughout all happily agreed to help.

Interview conducted by: Volodymyr Brychuk PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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at Sarny Community Center”

Tell us more about your ministry in the Community Center - I’m a professional bus driver and serve as a driver at the Center to deliver hot lunches to the lonely, elderly, often bedstricken people. As a preacher and a deacon I like to communicate with people and therefore, along with physical food, I also deliver spiritual nourishment. I serve five days a week for a few hours per day and drive my yellow van with food to 30 addresses in Sarny town and its suburbs. Together with other volunteers from the Church, we can sing, read and explain the Bible to them, have comforting talks and pray with a person.

Can you share a story from your ministry that stands out in your mind as life-changing? - Yes, sure. One story is very special to me. There was a lady named Valentyna Petrivna (she’s in eternity today) who loved our hot lunches and appreciated the time spent with us. As the time went by, she realized she was a sinner that needed to prepare to meet God. Yet, she was proud and could not open her mouth for prayer of repentance. One day she felt very bad

and could barely speak. Her son from Moscow and her neighbors came to say goodbye and actually prepare everything for the funeral. When I heard about her condition I came instantly. The lady was about to die; there was that special atmosphere of silence, yet I approached the dying lady and asked if she had wanted us to sing a Christian song and pray for her. She had nodded for “yes”. We sang and then I prayed. The lady said, “Amen” agreeing with my prayer. After that, physical strength returned to her and she was able to confess her sins, pray on her own and passed away a month after that, having complete peace in heart and the joy of salvation. I’m sure God had given her some spare time to better prepare for eternity. This is why I love my ministry and hurry to the Mission Center everyday. Has your participation in the ministry of MWB in Ukraine contributed to your personal, spiritual growth? What does MWBU mean to you? - Being part of the Mission team, I feel I’m in the center of some very important work God is doing here in Sarny. You see, I’m doing this practical work and thus serve the aim to evangelize to people and draw them closer to God. My experience with the Community Center has enriched me personally just as much as my preaching does. In my sermons, I use different, encouraging examples from the lives of those I serve. I feel that those needy people need me and they are encouraged because of my ministry. This also builds me up as a Christian and I’m so thankful to the Lord for this opportunity to minister through Mission Without Borders. I believe, in heaven, that we will meet many who had come there because of the ministry of the Mission.

WALKING TOGETHER

Community Centers (COM)

WB’s outreach to especially vulnerable groups of people is made visible through our 25 Community Centres (COM). The COM Centres or soup kitchens are normally located on church premises and they offer hearth and sustenance to street children, socially-isolated elderly and impoverished families within these communities. Together with our partnering Local Churches and volunteers, we minister to the needs of those who are down and trodden with the message of Christ’s love and compassion.

Health and Nutrition (HN) Warm, hearty, nutritious meals are served to COM beneficiaries six days a week. Here at the centre, all receive the attention and care from our coordinators, COM staff and volunteers. The COM centre is also a meeting place where young and old alike come together to socialize and find friends, participate in activities (games, study group, etc.) or to find solace. Those who are house-bound and physically weak, have their meals driven home to them, accompanied by a pastor or coordinator who attends to their needs. More than 900 persons benefit from our COM ministry.

Christian Ministry (CM) Talks and social gatherings are organized with COM beneficiaries to discuss issues of relevance to them. Watching/discussing films with others or joining in a knitting/chess group, and having access to a library and books are some of the activities offered to COM beneficiaries. Special events around Christmas and the Easter holidays are also arranged.

Emotional Support (ES) It is our aim that all those who come in contact with our COM ministry experience respect and care from our Local Church partners, volunteers and staff. They also have the opportunity to hear about the unconditional love of God for each one as well as the Good News of Jesus Christ. Counselling and practical assistance is provided upon request.

Bible Correspondence Course (BCC) Both children and adults may take part in our BCC courses. The themes are varied and the beneficiaries learn about the God

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of the Bible as well as biblical principles that they can apply to daily living. MWB’s staff and pastors/volunteers are there to encourage and help whenever needed.

Vocational/Educational (VocEd) Vocational/Educational courses in English, computers, carpentry and sewing are also part of our overall COM ministry. It is an objective of the COM program to provide skills and training to its beneficiaries in order that they might find jobs and support themselves financially. Graduates of these courses receive State-approved diplomas or certificates of commendation after they’ve satisfactorily completed their courses.

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Building Self-Sustainable Communities Mission Without Borders has a long-term focus on (and commitment to) our ministry activities. At the same time, our ultimate goal is to become unnecessary and unneeded. Through a close walk together with the local Church body and a good cooperation with the local authorities, we aim to assist the Local Church to becoming a mercy centre of hope in their village or town. In the same way that we strive to help individuals and families to become self-sustainable, we also work towards having the Local Churches become self-sustainable in their outreach work to the community. Ultimately, we believe that the Local Church is responsible for being that centre of mercy and care in any community, and Mission Without Bordersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; commitment is to encourage, equip and help the churches to assume that role in the years to come.

COMMUNITY CENTRE >

“God is Love and We The Community Centre at Sliven Baptist Church opened its doors for the first group of beneficiaries in the beginning of 2007. The Soup Kitchen aids the harsh life of impoverished elderly and underprivileged individuals and families while the organized English language and computer training courses, aim to provide better chances for self-realization to unemployed or middle-aged professionals who cannot afford it on their own. Pastor Yuri Valkov and Centre Coordinator, Plamena Valkova, in their attempt to reach as many as possible, decided on a 6-month cycle of beneficiary list enrollment. Over the past two years of cooperation with Mission without Borders, they’ve been able to assist tens of needy people to endure life’s hardships with food provided and spiritual and emotional support offered. Every beneficiary’s story has been a unique testimony of God’s perfect care to people in hopeless circumstances. Dimitar Gospodinov was enrolled in the current Soup Kitchen list and his story is one of the many to encourage our partners, Mission staff and donors. Here is what he himself shared: Hello, Dimitar! Could you please tell us more about yourself and your family? “Hello! I am 63 years old and I live in Sliven. In 1968 I got married but 12 years later, my wife and I separated. I have two children but they now have their own lives and families abroad. I live with my elderly mother, Bojanka Yankova(80). She suffers from progressive osteoporosis and needs my constant care and assistance. My

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brother also lives in Sliven and is at least some help to us although he has his own family to care for.” How did you learn about the church and the Community Centre? For how long have you benefitted from the Soup Kitchen? “From the very beginning in February 2007, it was my mother who first was enrolled to benefit from the Soup Kitchen. The warm meals offered and the friendship of Christians made a great difference in her life. In October 2008, she took the decision to accept Christ and was baptized. She was enjoying the meetings so much that she often ignored her many pains and her sight problems so she could go to church. Those last months, her health worsened and she stays home. As for me,

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Did Feel His Love Here” the food and those who serve it and finally from Pastor Yuri Valkov, who shares the spiritual encouragement from the Bible. It is so precious to me to have this connection with God. I first seek Him in my life and the Lord is faithful to provide for my material wants.” Dimitar shared his deep gratitude for the help offered to him through the Community Centre but we also have reasons to thank him. Although a beneficiary, he did not remain a passive recipient of support and care but rather, he was willing to give of himself. He was always available to deliver meals to the homes of those who were ill and couldn’t I am very thankful to my colleagues in the Social Services Department who have always supported me in my life’s hardships. come to have their lunches. With his professional experience in They recommended me to join the group of beneficiaries at the the Social Service Department, last year, Dimitar helped most of the centre’s beneficiaries to fill in the required papers and apply Community Centre and I’ve been part of it since March 2008.” for state social aid. Coordinator Plamena Valkova shared with joy that Dimitar was among the beneficiaries who came to the church In what ways do the church and the Soup Kitchen help you? through the Soup Kitchen project and is now regularly attending “My last job was at Sliven Social Services Department where I was the meetings. Just recently, a new men’s ministry was started and he an Assistant in the Social Aid Section. I survived an acute coronary insufficiency leading to 81% disability. I have not yet reached is also involved there: “Dimitar and Bojanka are a prayer answered; we hope that the people from the beneficiary list might take their retirement age. It took a long while for the experts’ decision to place not only at the table where we serve their meals every day but come from the Medical Commission regarding my disablement benefits. Unfortunately the statement was for temporary incapacity also in our Christian family so that they may enjoy the abundant life to work and in April, I will once again stand before the Commission and blessings from God,” says Plamena. for a state of health reevaluation and I hope the benefit plan would Dimitar, what was the one thing that made the greatest difference for be continued until October when I could retire. The disablement you from among the activities carried out in the Community Centre? benefits are hardly enough; I spend most of it on medications for “What I am really glad for and what was very important to us is me and my mother. Still, it is our only income. that we were able to know God better as He is the one source of all To me, the Soup Kitchen is such great aid and a gift from above; it spiritual and material goods. He is the beginning and the end. He did strengthen my faith in God’s goodness and in the people He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. God is Love and we did feel his uses to help us. At the centre, we are all embraced with love and care from the people who provide the funds, from those who cook love here. May God bless all those who work in His name!”

WALKING TOGETHER

Of Growth and Intensification

hile 2007 was the year of “expansion” of the extensive work for MWB Albania, aiming at covering more of the Albanian territory through our projects, 2008 was the year of growth and intensification of the impact of the work in all these areas. Through our human and logistics capacities, coordinated and intensive team work, MWBA became an important partner in the ministry of many local churches. From faraway Gjegjan in the northeast of Albania to Polican in the southeast of the country, many churches that regularly cooperate with the Mission highly appreciated our mutual relationship. We feel blessed that we have been there for them and with them when they needed support and that we have been able to act together as the body of Christ for His kingdom in Albania by helping the needy in various ways.

with whom we work. Albania ranks among the top countries for its suicide rate and the children and young people are the ones mostly affected by this. In a society at a loss, with hard-to-find values, role models or examples, a Christian organization like ours cannot but be involved in all the wider aspects of family problems encountered. Knowing the reality and being able to properly evaluate the needs versus potential, provides us knowledge as to what can be done and in what ways.

The family, women and children remains our main target group in our Christian outreach work. The mothers were a novelty in our Bible Correspondence courses in 2008; they alongside their children, happily agreed to participate in this project with the continuous presence and support of our coordinators. This is only one aspect of our Christian outreach work which has Our main priority, challenge and objective of work in 2008 are also reached new levels in the past year due to the cooperation the children. They were the major, direct group of beneficiawith the local churches. In addition, we had a bigger variety of ries of every MWB project: summer camps, puppet theatre, activities, more participants, a greater distribution of literature, Vocational/Educational courses, trips, parties, celebrations, a greater number of the “Si jeni” newspaper for our usage as well actions and campaigns. We keep aiming at reaching the kids as a bigger availability of volunteers. We were present in more in schools, institutions, organizations and also aim at the most houses and shared God’s Word and our testimony in ways that vulnerable categories such as orphans, Roma and the handicaps. were appreciated by the beneficiaries. We feel immensely blesThe assistance is multi-sided and has focused on addressing sed and privileged that we had the opportunity to modestly confood needs, clothing needs, educational needs-school supplies, tribute toward the soothing the conditions of poverty, beggary, courses, emotional needs-trips, parties, entertainment, activischool abandonment, family violence and spiritual loss/void. ties and the spiritual needs in the forms of Christmas parties, literature, Christian films, Bible Correspondence Course and During 2009 we shall continue with the same way of approacmany more. We had a larger number of beneficiary kids, a better hing the people and will intensify our already-established preorganization of the activities due to a better cooperation and sence. We hope to be able to expand on the rural suburban F2F arrangement of tasks with our local partners, and thus were able communities. We already have the structure, the people and to supplement each other for better effectiveness and impact. above all, a strong point of reference-the local church- in both of these places. This situation asks for an overall commitment so The family is our other priority and not only related to the that we not only maintain the standards of our work, but more Family to Family (F2F) project. Albanian society is going importantly, maintain and improve on the relationships and through not only an economic crisis but also a moral and social the quality of work we have gradually attained with much effort one, a crisis that is more visible among the vulnerable layers throughout the years.

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

Sincerely, Monika Qerimi Office Manager Albania

2008- A Challenging but Blessed Year

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

nother year has passed, a year where we were able to notice the progress as well the guidance and providence of our Lord. It was a year full of blessings but at the same time, a challenging year as we aimed to reach many people with the Good News as well as to expand our already existent co-operation with our collaborators from the local churches on a countrywide basis. The Mission’s work has always been relationship-oriented, so we continued to build the bridges of trust, confidence and friendship with all whom we serve and with those whom we help to serve. Our primary goal in 2008 was to respond to the spiritual, emotional, educational and material needs of children, families and elderly that live under difficult and challenging conditions. Through timely, valuable and appreciated resources delivered in 2008, we could assist many with material items through 12 truckloads of gifts-in-kind that arrived to our country. In addition, Special Projects designated to needy families were also implemented. Throughout these numerous distributions, we maintained a unique personal relationship with all those who are helped and this is what motivate, encourage and strenghten the process of the ultimate goal – that of a sustainable life. In this sense, we encouraged the families, children and elderly to know the person of Jesus Christ through serving them individually, through Bible study groups in the Glamoc Feeding Centre, through the Alpha courses organized by the Evangelical churches, through the summer camp, Christmas and Easter puppet plays and others. Together with the local churches, we helped them reach more people in distant places through the Microenterprise Project and through our Church Care Program. We supplied many churches with the material means needed for their ministry work. We were able to discuss and implement new ways of serving as well as to intensify the work in general. Many good projects resulted in solid and positive results. Mission Without Borders’ holistic approach to ministry brought many fruits within all four S.E.E.M goals in 2008. In addition, families were connected to churches and took significant steps where they could lead sustainable lives. Our wish and prayer is to be able to expand our existing projects to new areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2009 for the benefit of many children, families and elderly who are in dire need. There are many needy areas where the Mission does not have any ministry activity, so our presence in these areas would bring assistance to many lives.

Respectfully, Miona Boskovic Office Manager MWB Bosnia-Herzegovina

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

“For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.”

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

e praise the Lord for His faithfulness, for His countless mercies and goodness revealed to us in the work of Mission without Borders in Bulgaria throughout 2008. As God’s servant Samuel said, “Thus far has the LORD helped us” (I Samuel 7:12) and our trust and hope for the future regardless of the circumstances in the world today, despite the financial and all other crises, is that we also trust in His grace because it is all sufficient. Abraham said, “Jehovah-Jireh - The Lord Will Provide” (Genesis 22:14). We believe that this crisis will contribute for the good of His kingdom. We are convinced that the Lord has provided and in His time, He will enlarge the borders of His kingdom despite everything taking place here on earth. We thank the Lord that we succeeded in continuing the work in the initiated projects. The Community centers are functioning. The Soup kitchen project remains our main year-long activity. It provides a great opportunity to aid the poor in our country. The daily serving of warm meals and the sharing of the God’s Word, help our partnering churches to not only feed beneficiaries but also reach out to their hearts. In addition, a few of the centers offered basic computer literacy courses and English language training. These educational opportunities were a good and effective means of reaching to the younger generation. Education has always been a worthwhile investment and we pray that the Lord would reveal and direct us to the people who really need our help in this area. We hope that with God’s help the acquired qualification would enable beneficiaries to improve their lives. In the summer of 2008, together with our partnering churches, we organized camps for children and youth from churches and institutions. The time spent is important and valuable in our work with children and teenagers. At camps many heard God’s Word and the news of Christ’s love for the first time and had the opportunity to experience the transforming power of God’s grace. The humanitarian aid received through Mission without Borders over the year, has helped hundreds in need. We managed

FACTS

MAPS

to reach out to orphanages, nurseries, elderly people’s homes, prisons, refugees, disadvantaged families, etc. For Christmas, we organized our traditional annual Christmas Love campaign. This year we prepared the food parcels locally. This had a particularly positive effect not only due to the economic efficiency achieved but also because of the unified efforts of staff and volunteers countrywide. It was a precious time for all, a time for sharing and fellowship, a time to personally contribute to the good cause. Those food parcels reached institutions, handicapped people, the ill, the retired and the socially-disadvantaged citizens of our country. The campaign was yet another blessed possibility to reveal God’s love and care for the suffering, the neglected and the despised. For 2009, we will prolong the work under the existing programs. We would like to reach various groups of people in need in our country through the projects implemented. For instance, we plan the opening of a “Support and Integration of People with Disabilities” project. Its purpose would be the offering of aid to those people in specific hardship through spiritual, emotional, educational and material support so they may feel self-sufficient without losing their dignity and through faith in God, be enabled to overcome any problem or trial while enjoying the life God has given them. We will try to expand our cooperation with institutions and state authorities in the places where we have already established connections and bridges of trust in order to fully and effectively reach out to children and youth with the Gospel. We would also like to focus our efforts on providing conditions for the development of business initiatives which would help the young and lowly-educated survive and find their way in life. May God’s grace guide us and give us wisdom so that we may serve Him selflessly and do everything in accordance to His will. May the Lord bless the ministry of Mission Without Borders so that God’s name would be exalted and glorified in everything we do! Respectfully, Sarkis Ovanesyan Country Manager MWB Bulgaria

In Difficulties, but not Defeated MWB REPORT | 2009 |

ission Without Borders Moldova enhanced the existent relationships of cooperation with the Local Church and developed new relationships for making the ministry in Moldova more efficient and effective. The committed Christians from the Local Churches were entirely at the Mission’s service. They wanted to work together to reach as many people as possible for Christ. Therefore, 250 volunteers from the Local Churches worked in partnership with MWB Moldova and were involved in various programs and projects. The Local Churches’ administrations placed the church buildings at the Mission’s disposal for the various activities that were organized such as the Christmas and Easter parties, the trainings and seminars for Christian Input volunteers. This wonderful unity and cooperation helped us to increase the impact upon the beneficiaries’ lives. 2008 was a draughty and difficult year. The unprecedented drought recorded this summer in Moldova has generated fears across a country that was at the threshold of facing great difficulties. A large number of farmers were threatened with bankruptcy due to the drought. All these together pushed the people to ask for help and counseling. The F2F families were very happy to know that in those moments of disorientation and desperation, the Mission was close to them to offer them the necessities for their daily lives in order to break the deadlock successfully. The Special Projects that were implemented for the F2F families, CRH and CRI Homes were highly welcomed and appreciated by the beneficiaries. Many families enjoyed having the animals and poultries in their yards, having the greenhouses in their gardens where they could grow vegetables, or having well-equipped carpentry workshops by which they may receive people’s orders or in having the most necessary building materials in order to renovate their shabby and poor rooms. All these goods and items were like gates opened to these destitute families towards self-sufficiency. The living conditions of the children in institutions improved considerably after the implementation of several important Special Projects. The qualitative GIK goods which were received through the 68 truckloads were highly welcomed and proved a great help for our beneficiaries. We are grateful that in the end of 2008, we managed to support 350 impoverished and destitute families enrolled in our Family

to Family (F2F) program. 1500 CRI and CRH children as well as those from F2F families enjoyed the 10 day –rest in the summer camp organized by Mission Without Borders in Moldova. The Community Centers were a true blessing to the beneficiaries in the communities where they are located. In the spring of 2008, we succeeded in launching the 4th Community Center in Chisinau City. Due to a fruitful partnership with the Local Churches, the Community Centers enjoyed a great popularity amongst their beneficiaries from the various areas. The children participated in the English courses and gained skills in computer literacy. The young people also enjoyed being involved in the sewing courses. The Vocational/Educational Project supported 83 CRI, CRH and F2F graduates with scholarships in order to continue with their studies. Fifteen young people got jobs through the Employment Agency. The Car Mechanics Workshop is a promising project for the Homes graduates as well as for the F2F families’ children. In looking towards the future, we would like to achieve many good things for people’s welfare and for God’s glory. Our vision for the next year is as following: - To increase the quality of our ministry, both programs and projects. We are truly convinced that the quality matters more than the quantity. • To continue to help 50 F2F families to become self-sufficient. To replace them with other poor families in critical living conditions which would desperately need the mission’s sup port; focus on the 3 to 5 year support given so that F2F families would become self-sufficient. • To support the Local Churches in having a greater impact and role in society and to encourage them to be more confident. • Together and in unity, we can win everything in the Name of our Lord. May God help us to achieve the above visions for Mission Without Borders’ ministry in Moldova!

Respectfully, John Groza Country Manager MWB Moldova

A Strong Impact

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

he strong impact of Mission Without Borders Romania in 2008 towards its beneficiaries has been noticed by many other institutions representing the state and the Local Church. A year of accomplishment and some disappointment as well, 2008 can be characterized as a year of expanding its outreach ministry for the glory of God. It was, it still is and will remain, the main goal of our work as long as we’ll be able to do it. We were more than privileged to be able to share God’s love in 2008 by distributing approximately 70 imported trucks of gifts in kind of very good quality from a large variety and number of donors. These have met many of the needs of many of our beneficiaries spread out all over the 16 counties (clusters) we work in. As a main direction, we continued looking towards the extension of the “Family to Family” program as a growth area but also trying to find ways to be more efficiently organized. This not only resulted in a greater efficiency from a technical point of view but also in regards to implementing a better approach for providing spiritual support to the beneficiary group concerned. Minimizing the long distances between the beneficiaries also decreased the expenses involved in carrying out this program.

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

always be a privilege and a chance to care for those in need. As the challenges keep on coming, both economically and spiritually for our beneficiaries and as the offers of the world are becoming more and more tempting, the Romanian team as a whole has set as a goal for 2009, to aim for a higher quality in our work and a stronger fight on the spiritual field. We want this to become realized through a serious prayer and fasting campaign so that God will protect our beneficiaries and our colleagues from the evil effects of sin in our days. This is not only a goal among our team but also one that involves the local churches with whom we’re collaborating. In conclusion, we believe that a better spiritual quality for our beneficiaries and for ourselves, will generate a stronger faith in the heart and that this will manifest itself in both support and compassion extended to those in need by God’s grace. God Bless, Eugen Macavei Office Manager MWB Romania

Optimizing the support and the quality among the five Community Centers that we organized in collaboration with the local churches was also a goal in the overall ministry. We were so happy to see that all the reporting coming out of this partnership is obviously showing great improvement in the lives of these beneficiary families, and that the churches themselves are aiming to become a consistent and reliable support structure for those in need, on their own. In supporting and working with the local churches, we believe that they will, in the future, be able to develop a variety of charitable projects on their own towards those living in poverty and difficult circumstances because we know from the Bible that “you’ll always have the poor among you.” For all of us, it will

2008 - A Bountiful Year MWB REPORT | 2009 |

ooking back on the year 2008, I should admit that it was a bountiful year in terms of help given out to our beneficiaries. We lacked no resources, neither material, nor financial nor human ones. In all our activities on all our Programs (Child care, Family Care, Family to Family, CRI, Community Centers), we tried to remember to reach souls for Christ. With this in mind we developed closer cooperation with the local churches and did our best to tie local church Sunday schools to the closest CRI Home and an F2F family to the closest evangelical church. Spring and Summer Camps, Christian Radio and literature distribution, Bible Correspondence Course, Puppet Theatre, Easter and Christmas parties – all had been targeted to bring a person closer to Christ, to the Church and towards salvation. We have been very grateful to have a reputation as the Christian Mission. This is very important; it means that local churches of different denominations view us as their partners and helpers in broadening the Kingdom of God on the earth. In thinking about the progress we experienced in 2008, it’s worth highlighting our Camps through which we reached 1060 CRI and F2F children-which is an increase compared to the previous years. We have further developed our unique 4-days Camps for CRI Home staff where we had great fellowship with the people who work with institutionalized children daily and thus, we indirectly influence the children themselves! For example, Christian songs sang in this Camp have been then taught to the children in CRI Homes. It’s such a joy to see how all the children and some staff workers singing together a Christian song during a Birthday or a Christmas party at a CRI Home!

There is also a plan to develop specific F2F communities where a number of poor families live. This means something useful for a community will be done – like improving the local school’s sports ground, or digging a well, etc. We also have a vision to cooperate with those local churches that perform so-called Summer Day Camps where children in villages are taken to the Camp atmosphere just during the daytime and go home at night. It normally lasts for the whole week and has wonderful impact on children’s and even their parents’ lives! A special word of praise deserves to be mentioned with regards to last year’s Christmas Campaign that included the Christmas story by the Puppet Theatre in all 43 CRI Homes with the follow-up goodies distribution, individual Christmas Gifts from children’s sponsors and similar Gifts for poor F2F families. The Operation Christmas Love project allowed for 7000 food parcels to be distributed to the needy and bring them the joy of Christmas. A few evangelistic events helped the villagers in Sarny and adults in some CRI Homes understand why Jesus came to this world! We pray that we may continue our Christian Radio programs that cover 5 regions in Western Ukraine in 2009, that we may go on supporting kids and elderly people through our 3 Community Centers, that we may continue to conduct our free vocational courses (computers, cooking, tailoring, English) in the Sarny Vocational Center and further develop our Bible Correspondence Course among CRI children and F2F families.

As it has been all these years, the 2008 Programs\Projects had been greatly facilitated by our large GIK deliveries to the CRI Homes, F2F families and Community Centers. In the language of numbers, there were 57 truckloads (almost 345 tons) of diverse material goods in 2008 and all this had been passed on to the happy receivers.

May God for whom nothing is impossible bless us and our planned activities in 2009! May more people come to know Christ in 2009 and may they experience Christian love and mercy through the work of the 58 full-time workers and 67 part-time Sunday School teachers in the Ukrainian office.

The Special Projects (SP) department can mention that 256 different SPs implemented met the dire needs of the beneficiaries. Namely, 190 went to help poor families, whereas 66 to CRI Children’s institutions.

Respectfully, Mykola Bogdanets National Manager Ukraine

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

Special Projects

pecial Projects are meant to further enhance our existing program work in a concrete way. They address and fulfil a specific, urgent need or responds to a need of investment connected to the walk towards sustainability. Examples on Special Projects are the purchase of greenhouses and livestock that will assist poor families to become self-sufficient and selfsustaining, or the financing of a much needed renovation of toilets or the purchase of an industrial washing machine in a Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Home.

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

GIK (Gifts-in-Kind)

arge, material gift acquisitions and donations from corporations and other businesses strengthen the backbone of Mission Without Borders’ material outreach in its field countries. High quality and high grade items such as new clothing, shoes, hygiene material, foodstuff etc. are shipped through our central warehouse in Rotterdam and further to final destinations in the field.

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

MISSIO Albania

Bosnia

Bulgaria

Moldova

Romania

Ukraine

Total

35 32

72 232

107 264

375 5 34

154 2 42

707 14 77

1000 10 20

3956 45 380

31000 45

2 mill. 260

Over 2 mill. 305

BIBLE CORR. COURSE # of Children graduated during the period # of Children enrolled at the end of this period

Child Care

CHILDRENS CAMPS # of Children attending a MWB Camp # of MWB Camps held # of Volunteers (national) helping

220 4 50

1500 10 156

CHRISTIAN RADIO # of Children having access to the programs # of programs aired

CHRISTIAN THEATRE # of Children (beneficiaries) having viewed a performance # of performances held

1225

739

10177

1128

9000

22269

131

129

308

CHRISTIAN 5-DAY CLUB # of Children having experienced the presence of the 5-day club # of 5-days club visits

886 7

400 9

DREAMBUS # of Children (beneficiaries) taken on a dream bus trip (total) # of trips performed

MOTHER CARE # of mothers assisted # of parcels distributed

1220 200

928 928

2148 1128

SCHOLARSHIPS # of Students graduated during the period # of Students enrolled at the end of the period

165

207

144

207

220

226 241

267 276

794 560

5288 166

4464 82

11713 339

VOCATIONAL/EDUCATIONAL # of Children graduating during the period # of Children enrolled at the end of this period

81 43

HEALTH & NUTRITION # of Children being enrolled in CRI in the beginning of the period # of Children receiving Eye-glasses during period

Child Rescue Intl.

1961 91

CHRISTIAN MINISTRY # of Children attending Christian Input meetings (of 1.1) # of Volunteers helping (this project) # of Bibles distributed during this period # of other Christian literature distributed

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT # of Children attending Emotional Support gatherings (of 1.1)

4353 3400 6000 13753 190 173 50 413 764 117 290 1171 20706 715 1700 23121

9673

7200

6000

22873

1219 2655

467 2246

442 2085

2128 6986

BIBLE CORR. COURSE # of Children graduated during this period # of Children enrolled at the end of this period

URGENT NEEDS

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

PRESIDENTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MESSAGE

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

MISSION Albania

Bosnia

Bulgaria

Moldova

Romania

Ukraine

Total

HEALTH & NUTRITION

Child Recovery Homes

# of Children being enrolled in CRH in the beginning of the period # of Children receiving Eye-glasses during period

532 54

1156 56

1688 110

439 50 40 2483

700 73 29 1025

1139 123 69 3508

107 76

76 450

183 526

2476 531

470 419

2946 950

70 1 18480 6

125 2 33932 3

260 10 63683 29

125 3 33285 20

168 6 39450 22

485 3 55120 30

1233 25 243950 110

43 230

9 112

143 740 1555

144 896

214 750

553 4283

172

150

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT BIBLE CORR. COURSE # of Children graduated during this period # of Children enrolled at the end of this period

LIFE SKILLS-ESC CURRICULUM # of Children enrolled in the ESC project # of practical/excursions

URGENT NEEDS

HEALTH & NUTRITION

Community Centres

# of Beneficiaries being enrolled in COM in the beginning of the period # of Centres enrolled in the beginning of this period # of Meals served during this period # of Volunteers helping (this project)

CHRISTIAN MINISTRY # of Bibles distributed during this period # of other Christian literature distributed during this period

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT BIBLE CORR. COURSE # of BCC attendees in the COM centres # of Voc/Ed students in the COM centres

155

347 195

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

MISSIO Albania

Bosnia

Bulgaria

Moldova

Romania

Ukraine

Total

HEALTH & NUTRITION # of Families enrolled in F2F during period # of Families receiving Eye-glasses during period

Family to Family

CHRISTIAN MINISTRY # of Christian Input visits during this period # of Volunteers helping (this project) # of Bibles distributed during this period # of other Christian literature distributed

266

100

330

318

399

1413

168

384

689

198

5100

818

7189

533

144

778

550

347

3315

314

579

5105

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT # of Emotional Support gatherings this period # of Families attending Emotional Support gatherings (of 1.1)

BIBLE CORR. COURSE # of Beneficiaries graduated during this period # of Beneficiaries enrolled at the end of this period # of Volunteers helping # of Christian Books distributed during this period # of Bibles distributed during this period

128

266

133

330

430

740

1899

190

126

149

210

744

330

530

338

1262

140

3040

201

293

3743

533

102

719

263

406

283

593

877

URGENT NEEDS # of Families benefiting from the Urgent needs actions

BIBLE CORR. COURSE # of Beneficiaries enrolled at the end of this period

Family Care

CHRISTIAN RADIO # of Families having access to the programs # of Volunteers helping # of programs during this period (this project)

FAMILIES IN CRISIS # of Families helped

600000

6100

1040

7388

180

MEDICAL CLINICS OPERATION CHRISTMAS LOVE # of Families helped # of parcels distributed # of Volunteers helping

OPERATION WINTER RESCUE # of Beneficiaries helped

4400

1800

2120

6809

7000

6000

28129

4500

2444

2120

6809

7000

8196

31369

200

297

2500

1200

3648

3500

10848

SI JENI NEWSPAPER # of Families having access to the newspaper # of papers distributed total

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

24000 96000

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

ENGLAND

FACTS

MAPS

NORWAY

THE NETHERLANDS

GERMANY

BELGIUM SVITZERLAND UKRAINE MOLDOVA ROMANIA

CANADA USA

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ALBANIA BULGARIA

AUST RALIA NEW ZEALAND

SOUTH-AFRIKA

Priπtina

Valbonë

Podgorica

Bogë

Lotaj Koplik

Koman 6

Shkodër

Rubik

Lezhë Mat

Gjiri i Drinit

Milot

Laç

Klos

Krujë

Kavajë

Peqin 19

Cërrik

Roskovec 31 Vjo së

S tr

Vlorë

Patos

Gramsh 22

Moglicë

Berat 29

Qesarat

Villahinë

Tepelenë

of O

tr an

Deti Jon

ë Vjos

Sarandë

Kerkyra (Corfu)

IONIAN SEA

GREECE

Ersekë

Kosinë

Leskovik

Poliçan

Gjirokastër

Kardhiq

Borsh Lukovë

Libohovë

Delvinë

Jorgucat

Finiq 35 Çukë 36

Konispol

Miras

Dardhë

Përmet

Xarrë

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

Korçë

Këlcyrë

Kuç

Palasë

Bilisht

Çorovodë

Selenicë

Kotë Orikum 32 Dukat i Ri

Voskopojë

GREEC

Maliq

ll vo

Vithkuq

Poliçan

Shëngjini

Lake Prespa

Pogradec

Ura Vajgurore

Ballsh

Lin

Përrenjas

Llixhat e Elbasani

Lushnjë Kuçovë

Lake Ohrid

Librazhd

in mb ku Sh

Devo ll

mbin

±abzun

Elbasan

Rrogozhinë

Sazan

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Krastë

(Tirana)

Fier

Bulqizë

Mat

TIRANË

Durrës

Divjakë

F.Y.R.O.M*

Shijak

ku Sh

Peshkopi

Burrel

16 Vorë

ADRIATIC SEA

Muhur

Ulëz 10

Child Care CRI and CRH Homes Family Care F2F Communities Summer Camp sites Vocational Training Centres Community Centres

Zall-Reç Krej Lurë

Rrëshen

Ishëm

LEGEND:

Kurbnesh

Gostil

Drini i ZI

Velipojë Shëngjin

Kukës

Fushë-Arrëz

Pukë

Skopje

Shëmri

Poshqesh

Ungrej

Krumë

Liqeni i Fierzes

Iballë

Ura e Shtrejtë

Zogaj

Breglumë Fierzë

Dr in

Lake Scutari

Tropojë

Bajram Curri

Theth

Albania

KOSOVO

Vermosh

MONTENEGRO

0 km

45 km

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

Bosnia and Herzegovina Sa

Banja Luka

Bosanska Krupa Donji Kamengrad Luπci Palanka

Ripa{

Velagi‹i

Smolijana

Kulen Vakuf

Bosanski Petrovac

Klju{

U na

Bara‹i

Drvar

Jelah

Klupe

Tesli‹ Pribini Banja Vru‹ica

Maslovare

Jajce Travnik

Turbe

∏ipovo

Medena Seliπta

Crni Lug

Glamo{

Kupres

Priluka

Livno

Gornji Vakuf ∏uica

Buπko Blato

Prisoje

Tar{in

Jablanicko Jezero

Ostrozac Jablanica

Tomislavgrad Mesihovina

Split

Gorica

∏iroki Brijeg

Bradina

Jasensani

Goranci

Grude

Ljubuπki

Ustikolina

Dobro Polje Kalinovik Obalj Luka N Ulog eretva

Mostar

Peru‹ac Jezero

Viπegrad

Dobrun

Pale

Jahorina

Gora≠de na

Ustipra{a

Lim

Uvac Rudo

[ajni{e

Fo{a

Brod Tjentiste

Kosman

[elebi‹i

[emerno

Kifino Selo

Medjugorje

Capljina

Gacko

Radimlje Po{itelj Stolac

Korita

Berkovi‹i

Plana Ljubinje

Peljeπac

Neum

Kor{ula

ADRIATIC SEA

Sokolac Podromanija

Nevesinje

Vitina

Vis

Han Pijesak

SARAJEVO

Ilid≠a Krupac

Konjic

Bra{ Hvar

Srednje Breza Ilijas Vogoπ‹a

Bratunac

Srebrenica

Olovo

Bogodol

[itluk Posuπje

Kiseljak

Prozor

Duvno

Podhum

Had≠ici

Kreπevo

SERBIA

Mili‹i

Vlasenica

Kakanj

Visoko

Fojnica

Vrb a

D. Kazanci

Bugojno Blagaj

Busova{a

Kozluk

Zvornik

Kladanj

Vareπ

Bosansko Grahovo

Caparde

Banovi‹i

Kamenica

Zenica

Vitez Kaonik

Donji Vakuf

Glavi{ice

Drina

Nemila

Sava

Janja

Priboj

Tuzla

±ivinice

Zavidovi‹i ±ep{e

0 km

45 km

Mljet

Hutovo

CROATIA

Bile‹a

Veli{ani Hum

Dubrovnik

ube

Ugljevik Lopare

Maglaj

Bijeljina

[eli‹

Gra{anica

Blatnica

Kn≠evo Barevo

Mrkonji‹ Grad

Kaldrma

CROATIA

Bo{ac

[a}avica

Crljivika

Trubar

Kotor Varoπ

Vrhpolje

Doboj

[elinac Donji

bas Vr

a Un

Vrto{e

Sanski Most

∏pionica

Biha‹

Prnjavor

Bosanska Ra{a

va Sa

Br{ko

Kotorsko

Laktaπi Klaπnice

Kozarac

Lon{ari

Grada{ac

Podnovlje

Belgrade

Oraπje

∏amac

n Bos

Ostro≠ac Brekovica

Prijedor

Una

Otoka

Cazin

Drina

Pe‹igrad Tr≠ac

Gornji Podgradci

VOJVODINA

Drin

Novi Grad

Sav a

Novo Selo Od≠ac Derventa Modri{a

Kobaπ

Srbac

Novi Grad

Dr i

Vrnogra{

Bosanska Dubica

Bosanski Samac

Neretva

Velika Kladuπa

av a

Una

Bosanska Kostajnica

Bosanska Gradiska

CROATIA

Bile{ko Jezero

MONTENEGRO

Trebinje

Podgorica

Bulgaria

nu be

ube Da n

Gomotartsi

Vidin

ROMANIA Kozloduy Butan

Isk≤r Yazovir Isk≤r

Stru ma

Ikhtiman

Yarlovo

Dupnista

Gyueshevo

Simitli

Bansko

Dobrinishte

Strum

Kresna

Breznitsa

Sandanski Petrich

Strelcha

Melnik Marikostinovo Kulata

Gotse Delchev

Kaloyanovo

Dospat

Me s ta

Ivanski Smyadovo

S≤edinenie

Devnya

D≤lgopol

Grozd'ovo Kam ch

Batak Khvoyna

Borino

Varna Galata

Staro Oryakhovo

BLACK

Byala

Ma ritsa

Knizhovnik

Komuniga

Rudozem

Madan

Ardino

Most

K≤rdzhali

Podkova

Topolovgrad Ustrem

Simeonovgrad

Kharmanli

Karnobat

Aytos

Burgas

Neseb≤r Akheloy

Lyubimets

Nos Emine

Pomorie

SEA

Burgaski Zaliv

Sozopol

Zornitsa

Grudovo

Boyanovo

Bolyarovo

Indzhe Voyvoda

Primorsko Tsarevo

Zvezdets

Akhtopol Gramatikovo Veleka Malko T≤rnovo

Levka

0 km

d Ar a

Krumovgrad

Vetren

Kameno

Radovets

Svilengrad

Yazovir Studen Kladenets

Momchilgrad

Nedelino Zlatograd

Straldzha

Goritsa

Lozarevo

Elkhovo

Polski Gradets

Dimitrovgrad Glavan

Khaskovo

Chepelare

Radnevo

G≤l≤bovo

L≤ki

Smolyan

Sungurlare

Tenevo

Chirpan P≤rvomay

Nos Kaliakra

iya

Dolni Chiflik

D≤skotna Lyulyakovo uda a Kamchiy

Yambol

Nova Zagora

Syuyutliyka

Asenovgrad

Peshtera

Gradets

Zhelyu Voyvoda

Brezovo

Plovdiv

Stamboliyski

Nikolaevo

Yagoda

B≤lgarevo

Asparukhovo

Sliven

Tv≤rditsa

Nos Shabl

Kavarna

Obrochishte

Balchik

Provadiya

a Kam chiy a

V≤rbitsa Kotel

Kazanl≤k Tundzh a

Rakovski

Tsarimir

GREECE

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

Veliki Preslav

Omurtag

Elena

Tryavna

Stara Zagora

Devin

Ribnovo

T≤zha Yazovir Dimitrov

Krichim

Velingrad

Yazovir Batak

Karlovo

Aleksandrovo

Belovo Maritsa

Belitsa

Kamburovo

Shabla

Aksakovo

zha Tund

Razlog

Sevlievo

Khisarya

Pazardzhik

Me st a

Yakoruda

Rozino

Dolno Levski

Rila

Blagoevgrad

Klisura

Sopot

Panagyurishte

Kostenets

Gorna Oryakhovitsa Lyaskovets Dryanovo

V≤lchidol

Shumen

T≤rgovishte

Veliko T≤rnovo

Dobrich

Izgrev

Novi Pazar

dzha Tun

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Kocherinovo

Zlatitsa

Samokov r Isk≤

Boboshevo

Mirkovo a

Sushitsa

Kamen

Durankulak

General-Toshevo

Yasenkovo

Popovo

Rositsa

Gabrovo

a Stryam

Kyustendil

Elin Pelin

Sashevo

Razgrad

Tsar Kaloyan

Polikrayshte

(Lovetch)

Troyan

Topoln it s

Zemen

Dolno Kamartsi

(Sofia)

Lovech

Teteven

Etropole

Levski Pavlikeni

Vrabevo

Novi-Isk≤r

Svishtov

Byala

Pordim

Ug≤rchin

Yablanitsa

Oresh

Kardam Karapelit

Dve Mogili

SOFIYA

Pernik

Mezdra

Tervel Vetovo

Gorno Ablanovo

Pleven

Dolni D≤bnik Gorni D≤bnik

Kubrat

Rositsa

Sredishte

Dulovo

Go ly a m

Breznik

Belene

Os ≤m

Lukovit

Botevgrad

Kostinbrod

Gulyantsi

Stavertsi

Yantra

Vratsa

Slivnitsa Tr≤n

Banitsa

Zverino Tserovo Svoge

Sk≤t

Cherven Bryag

Berkovitsa

Dragoman

F.Y.R.O.M*

Borovan

Krivodol

Knezha Byala Slatina

Ruse

Ard a

Montana

Godech

Alfatar Bisertsi

Pirgovo

Nikopol

Cherkovitsa

Isk ≤

Vladimirovo

Chiprovtsi

Dunav

a os t Og

Mikhaylovo

Belotintsi

SERBIA

Oryakhovo Miziya

V≤lchedr≤m

V it

Rasovo

Brusartsi

Lom

Vit

Drenovets

Belogradchik

Silistra

Staro Selo Slivo Pole

Lom

V≤cha

Dimovo

Duna

Tutrakan

Dunavtsi

Kula

ska

Du n a v

Fakiy

Bregovo

Ivaylovgrad

TURKEY european part

60 km

Rezovo

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

Moldova Briceni

Ocnifia

Nis

Corbu

inar

Mårcåufii

Lipcani

UKRAINE

Otaci

tru

Edinefi

Donduçeni Cupcini t Rå u

t Pru

Bråtuçeni Ciuhur

Moara Nouå

Glodeni

Vårtejeni

Drochia

Rîçcani

Mårculeçti

Bålfii

Glodeni

Rezina

Sîngerei

Glinjeni

Tåura Cula Veche

Fåleçti Scumpia

Rîbnita

Recea

Bucovåfi Bîcu

Pru

Stråçeni Durleçti Ciuciuleni Codru Ialoveni Låpuçna

CHIÇINÅU

Butor Målåieçti

(Chisinau or Kichinev) Sîngera

Tiraspol

Anenii Noi

Bender (or Tighina) Botn a

Taraclia Mihailovca

Parcani Copanca

Cåuçeni

Opaci

Slobozia

Volintiri

Iargara

str u

Cimiçlia

Tomai

Grigoriopol Vadul lui Vodå

Gura Galbenei Mingir

Criuleni

Cricova

c îlni

Cårpineni

Leova

Cog

Hînceçti

Dubåsari

Råu

Cålåraçi reni

Molovata

Orhei

Ichel

spo Ni

Butuceni

Chiperceni

Teleneçti

Bravicea

Ungheni

Crasnencoe

Cuizåuca

Såråtenii Vechi

Corneçti

ROMANIA

Beloci

Nistru

Soldånesfii

Brinzenli Noi

Måråndeni

Sculeni

Cotiujeni

Floreçti

u Nistr

CRI and CRH Homes F2F Communities Summer Camp sites Vocational Training Centres Community Centres

Costeçti

Camenca

Gribova

Petruçeni

LEGEND:

Soroca

Zgurifia

Crasna

Dnestrovsc Olåneçti

Abaclia

Basarabeasca Cantemir Baimaclia

Congaz

Ciadîr-Lunga

Prut

Cahul

Comrat Ialpug

Lopatnic

Albota de Jos Budåi

Taraclia

UKRAINE

Colibaç

Vulcåneçti Etulia

Romania UKRAINE BOTOÇANI MARAMURES

SATU MARE

SUCEAVA

MOLDOVA BISTRIflA-NÅSÅUD

BIHOR

IAÇI

SÅLAJ

NEAMfl

HUNGARY MUREÇ

CLUJ

HARGHITA

ALBA

ARAD

SIBIU BRAÇOV

TIMIÇ

BACÅU

COVASNA VRANCEA

HUNEDOARA

CARAÇSEVERIN

VÎLCEA

GALAflI

ARGEÇ PRAHOVA

BUZÅU

GORJ

BRÅILA TULCEA

DÎMBOVIflA

SERBIA

VASLUI

IALOMIflA

MEHEDINflI

BUCUREÇTI

DOLJ

BLACK

(Bucharest)

CÅLÅRAÇI OLT

TELEORMAN

GIURGIU Ruse

0 km

MWB REPORT | 2009 |

78 km

BULGARIA

CONSTANflA

SEA

PRESIDENTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MESSAGE

PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY

PROGRAMS

FIELD MANAGER GREETINGS

FACTS

MAPS

Ukraine

Sarny

Novovolyns'k Luts'k

LEGEND:

Rivne

Kiev Zhytomyr

Sarny

CRI and CRH Homes Novovolyns'k F2F Communities Summer Camp sites Vocational Training Luts'k CentresRivne Community Centres

Sumy

Kiev

Khmel'nyts'kyy

Zhytomyr Poltava Khmel'nyts'kyy

Pavlohrad 0 km

Dnipropetrovs'k

135 km

Zaporizhz Nikopo} 45

135 km

Melitopo

Mys

a ts'k

a atok

eD anube

0 km

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