Needs turned to joy for children on a special trip to the seaside for International Children’s Day.

Thirty-eight children and ten mothers were taken away from their poor settlements in Durres and Sukth to have fun at one of Albania’s nicest and unspoiled local beaches. These children and mums are part of Mission Without Borders’ Family to Family program, through which they receive material, social and pastoral help.

On 1 June, to celebrate International Children’s day, MWB co-ordinators and volunteers from local churches arranged a variety of beach activities for the families. For some of the children this was the first time they’d been on such a day out.

They took part in sports, games and singing. They watched puppet shows and read Bible stories together.

All the children and the mothers were radiant with joy at the end of the day. They expressed their appreciation that activities such as these’bring some sunshine into our bleak lives’.

MWB is committed to improving the lives of families. We work in six countries across Eastern Europe to help parents build better lives for themselves and their children.
Join us by sponsoring a family.

Girl Guides’ youngest are packing gift envelopes for children they’ve never met

St Albans Rainbows, a group of 5–7 year-olds, heard stories about children of a similar age living in orphanages in East Europe. This spurred the girls on to work at decorating and packing up A4 envelopes. Each Rainbow filled her envelope with a variety of presents. Mission Without Borders will then send the collection of envelopes to the children’s homes in Ukraine and Moldova.

These will then be given to boys and girls who may not know much about Christmas. They will receive the presents – containing a wide variety of goodies fromballoons to pens to yo-yos – that will show them that they have not been forgotten. They’ll learn that Christmas is a special time and that someone cares for them.

We were really impressed by the Rainbows and their leaders: they set to work cutting out shapes, drawing pictures and colouring in like true artists.  The Rainbow motto of “I am Kind” was being displayed in all its glory.  So our thanks got to SnowDrop, Poppy and the young leaders as well as to the Rainbows and their parents for being so generous and kind at Christmas time.

Thank you everybody at 26th St Albans Rainbows.

If you know of children who would like to give a Christmas envelope, please telephone 020 7940 1340 for more information.

Read about Andrei and why he’s living in a children’s home

Hundreds of children living in orphanages are touched by Christmas parties given by Mission Without Borders. They discover that they are not alone, that someone cares about them and they have not been forgotten.

Donate to this ministry of making children happy

Schools here in the UK are now on their half-term break. Yet thousands of children in East Europe will not even have attended the first part of term. Others, like Dimitar, are at school, but may not finish this term.

School is free, but Victoria is worried that her son Dimitar will have to stop classes because of the cost. She has to buy all of Dimitar’s school equipment and that’s expensive. This includes the proper clothes, shoes, books, pens and paper. But Victoria also has to pay her regular bills. So she’s not sure she can pay for Dimitar to complete this term.

Victoria recently found work in a shop. For this she gets paid less than £130 for a six day-week. But out of her salary, Victoria has to pay for her flat, food, electricity, clothing – and school items.  Dimitar is growing rapidly and frequently needs new clothes and shoes.  In fact, the costs of starting a new academic year easily exceed one week’s salary.  As Dimitar progresses through school, the cost of books will also increase.  Victoria was shocked to learn that some 11th grade books cost around £30 each; ‘I never imagined school books could be so expensive!’ 

Commit to help a child go to school – and stay at school.
With your support we can provide stationery, clothing and equipment to orphanages and schools throughout Eastern Europe.
• £20 could buy stationery for a young child for the year
• £30 could buy an advanced text book for an older child
• £90 could buy stationery and textbooks for a younger child
• £150 could provide textbooks and stationery for a child in high school.

Help children like Dimitar to stay in school and give them a future. Donate here
Commit to support a child through all of their school years. Give regularly

Today involved a lengthy drive to visit a Home and a Children’s Centre.  They were worth the drive!

The Home’s Director had good connections within the Government and they received funding for educational “experiments”.  Basically the school would not have looked out of place in the UK.  They had many technical gadgets and the furnishings were good.  What they looked to the Mission for was Spiritual and Emotional support for the children.  It was good to see what was possible with suitable funding.  The Summer Camps and visits by Mission staff and local churches are obviously appreciated.

We were accompanied on our journey by the MWB Ukraine’s Puppet Team.  We were as enthralled by the performance of “The Treasure Hunt” as the children.  It was of a very high standard.

But it was followed by what was described by one of group as the highlight of the visit and the best thing to happen to her for years!  Our group was invited to take part in the distribution of the Mission’s 50th Anniversary Bibles to the children.  The Mission aims to send one million Bibles to Eastern Europe to mark its 50th Anniversary.  It was a huge privilege to be able to take part in the distribution of 100 Bibles today.

We moved on to a Children’s Centre which was in direct contrast to the Home in terms of buildings and material goods.  And yet the same love was shown and care given.  The Children came from poor and dysfunctional families 5 days a week.  They received a hot meal each day plus time to play, attend a Bible study and assistance with homework.  There was a computer training room and a sewing workshop  to provide vocational training.  We ate a late lunch at the centre and the food was magnificent.  This was followed by the children coming together to be entertained by the UK group inviting them to join in singing “if you are happy and you know it”.  It quickly melted the ice and the children responded by singing several songs to us.  It was a very special time. 

As we travelled back to Rivne, we reflected on what a special time it had been and we were definitely happy - and we know it!

It is odd really: today was all about Love.  The people that we have met today were all about love.  They clearly demonstrated their love for the children in their care.  The love permeated the Homes that they helped to run and it all came as a working out of their faith. 

Today involved visits to two Homes for children to visit three sponsored children.  The first Home was for slow learners and slow developed children.  “Mild mental retardation” was the phrase used.  But the emphasis must be on the word “mild”.  They were lovely kids.  The first, a girl, showed her pleasure in meeting her sponsor; the second child was extremely shy and withdrawn and it too quite some time before he appeared at ease.  The Deputy Director of that Home was very proud of the children’s achievements.  She was proud of her staff and their love for the children.  She was proud of “Big Family”.  There were needs at the Home but she wanted to show us only the good things - and there were many good things to show!

The second Home had very obvious need of major renovation.  The long promised re-building work had stuttered into action two years ago and had made the present situation much worse.  The Financial Crisis has cut Government funding and was much more evident in this Home then elsewhere.  Yet the kids in this Home were extremely happy, lively and outward going.  The UK Supporters sprang into action on the playing field armed with footballs, basket balls, Frisbees, bats and balls and were soon surrounded by 90 children eager to meet and greet the visitors.  Love was evident everywhere.  These kids had big material needs by some standards but had the kind of practical love that many materially rich kids are missing.

It was truly humbling.  We witnessed the love of God through faith in action.

It was John 13:5 that was running through my mind:

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Well that was the thought until we were nearly back to our Hotel this evening when everything changed as a result of a chance remark.  One of the Sponsors asked our translator how he thought that the meeting with the child had gone.  He said: “you made her feel worthy; it was good”  and that was when everything fell into place.

It can be an uneasy balance between the potential benefactor and beneficiary.  Neither wants to feel unworthy - either in need or taken for granted.  Thank God that He was present.  Today we needed to demonstrated that we recognised the worth and the work of the staff of the Homes.  The on-going love and care that they demonstrated on a daily basis.  The sacrifices that they make.

After today we can all echo “He is Worthy” and we can all see and appreciate the worth of the people that we have met today.

In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12)

Amen!

Three schools have donated a stunning £755.59 to support the work of Mission Without Borders.
These primary schools, from different parts of the UK, all set up fun fundraising activities to raise fantastic amounts of money. At Dersingham St George’s Junior School, Kings Lynn, pupils made £101 through their non-uniform day. While at Fleetville Junior School, in St Albans, a core group of seven food-focused pupils organised a cake sale that raised a fabulous £113.11. Last but by no means least, Manby Lodge Infant School, in Weybridge, held a variety of sponsored events over the past year to raise £642.48. Pupils were involved in everything from being silent (in an infants school?) to book-reading challenges to wear-your-own-clothes-to-school days.

Do you have contact with your local school? Are you a school governor? If so, recommend Mission Without Borders as a charity for your school to support.

Are you a teacher? Then the answer to choosing your charity fundraising activities may be here:

• follow the examples of these schools
• contact us for more fun fundaising ideas that will work in school.

And if you lead assemblies, or teach Religious Education, use Mission Without Borders to help your pupils:

• learn from Christianity
• find out how Christians put their faith into action in another part of the world.

Contact Anne Montefiore on 020 7940 1373, or contact us for more information.

This year’s summer camps in Ukraine have already benefited over 700 children. And there are still more than 200 waiting their turn.

‘It’s the best time of the year for me!’ is the cry from children both in Child Rescue homes and Family programmes. For ten days, Ukranian children like Vadim make new friends, eat well, enjoy the countryside and grow in knowing the love of Jesus.
But Vadim has never been to Summer Camp before. His mother doesn’t have enough money to pay for him to join a camp. Nor even take him, with his two sisters, to the seaside. Instead, Vadim and his friends hang out by the river or on the streets.
He doesn’t remember his father – who left the family when Vadim was small. Yet today Vadim is a brave and lively 12-year old. He loves to play sports, especially volleyball. And he has a quieter side too. He likes reading and cross-stitching.
PRAY

• for more children like Vadim to be able to join a camp
• for the children at camps to know Jesus
• for the volunteer camp leaders.

DONATE  To send more children to summer camp.

Over 1,000 Bibles have now been distributed across Albania through Mission Without Borders.
Generous supporters have donated to MWB’s 50th anniversary celebration plans to send million Bibles to Eastern Europe. As a result, Europe’s poorest country is now spiritually richer with over 1,000 people reading new Bibles – many for the first time.
Albania is suffering a daily depreciation of the domestic currency with increasing prices. This threatens family life and could put even greater demands on MWB’s Albania social care programmes, particularly as we move into winter.
What better time, then, to reach many people with the life-nourishing word of God? People like Jani Gerco. He now has his own Bible, which he reads to his brother. ‘I have learnt a lot from the Bible’, he said. ‘I have learnt a lot about Jesus Christ, who fed poor people and healed the sick. Sometimes I read in the evening before I go to sleep. I like reading the Bible.’
And what a time to be giving hope to people like Ballkize. She lives with her children in a small house. ‘I read the Bible with my children. I have never heard about God before and it is very encouraging for my children and me. It gives us the strength to face our daily problems. So I read it when I go to the fields to graze the cow, or my eldest child reads it to me in the evenings. I am very happy to have my own Bible now. Thank you’.
PRAY:

•   for the Lord to open doors for the efficient distribution of Bibles
•  for more people to receive a Bible and learn about God.

DONATE  

To send more Bibles to Eastern Europe click here

A message from Volodymyr Brychuk, one of our workers in Ukraine

“Every year our workers celebrate Easter in the Ukrainian Children’s Homes and Community Centres.   A puppet theatre and songs about the Easter story makes it a very special day for everyone. Afterwards a lot of time is spent with the children many of whom love having their photo taken together. Lyuda, who works on emotional support and Inna who heads up our Bible Correspondence Course are particularly popular.
The children learn that the centre of Easter is not a bunny, nor painted egg, nor the special Ukrainian Easter pie.The centre of Easter Jesus who died for us, came back to life and now lives forever and welcomes anyone who would come to Him.
May God bless all the people who made it possible for us to conduct these events. All together we are working in the Lord’s Great Commission to “Go and teach….”

Summer is here and it’s time for Summer Camp!  It’s the highlight of the year for thousands of impoverished children in Eastern Europe.  

In Albania the camp takes place on the beautiful coast by the Adriatic.  In a pine grove, just by the beach, 375 children are accommodated in tents.   Not all at once of course!   Every ten days a new group of 75 children arrive.   Working in close co-operation with local congregations, these are the children we are able to help throughout the year.     Many of the children come from homes that are no more than shacks, often with an outdoor ‘kitchen’.   Their parents keep them away from school in order to help with work.   The parents themselves have known little else.   It’s now becoming a real fear that the majority of young people will grow up illiterate.

During Summer Camp there’s such a variety of things to do.   There’s sports and swimming.   Also there are competitions and creative activities to choose from.   In the evenings the entertainment continues.  The puppet show is loved by everyone.

It’s a happy time of fun and learning that the children will never forget. More importantly the opportunity to learn about Jesus could make this a truly life-changing experience.