Our Autumn Newsletter is now available.  You can read it on-line or contact the office on 020 7940 1370 and we’ll mail a copy to you.

Driving north to Balti, our supporters’ tour visited first a boarding home for children with learning difficulties. The initial sense of uncertainty at being faced by huge 1960s Soviet blocks, was quickly dispelled by the warmth and friendliness of the home’s Director. She oversees 71 children in one of the blocks, which is in the process of being refurbished. It’s a comfortable place and MWB has donated cupboards, beds and doors. Tony and Jan met little Cristina. She was shy for one minute and then opened up to be very chatty, engaged and lively. She was a delight. All three, Tony, Jan and Cristina were clearly enjoying interacting and learning about each other.

Further down the road at the school for deaf children, we were surprised by the wonderfully painted and brightly coloured hallways and classroom/dormitories. There were clearly good relations between all the staff and the 22 children, with either speech or hearing difficulties, who ranged between 3-6 years old. Ten of these little ones stayed at the home during the week, while the others were day pupils. Four-year old Edita met her sponsor Tamsin. It was a delightful time. Edita is a confident little girl, who communicated really well with good signing. She was clearly comfortable in the home with all her friends.

We’ve arrived! Having met up at Heathrow Airport at 4am on Saturday morning, it was good to arrive safe and sound in Chisinau on Saturday afternoon. There are currently 19 of us on the tour - with one final member of the group arriving on Tuesday. Today we’ve rested, attended Church and had a look around Chisinau. On Monday we start the visit with a packed itinerary of visits to see sponsored children and families, special projects and to experience first hand the work of Mission Without Borders for ourselves. It is a very lively and fun group of supporters with many new friendships being established already.

Harvest of Hope is our free resource for use in your church.

This year we focus our harvest appeal on two extraordinary families. They struggled to feed themselves. But through their Mission Without Borders’ mini-farms, both the Bondarenco and Bulmaga families are today becoming self-sufficient.

For your Harvest service:

• Show this harvest-of-hope-minifarm-presentation power-point.
• Read the special notes pages to tell the two families’ stories: Please refer to this Harvest of Hope presentation with notes, or phone 020 7940 1370 for a copy of the notes.
• Use these suggestions for a MWB Harvest Service with songs, readings and prayers to support your church service.
• The story of a Harvest of Hope is a ready-made article in your church magazine. It tells how the Bulmagas are now providing for themselves.

Download the materials listed above.

To request copies to be sent to you, please phone 020 7940 1370 or email info_uk@mwbi.org

Acting president, Mihai Ghimpu, dissolved parliament to call this month for Moldova’s third general election in just two years. MPs in one of Europe’s poorest countries failed to select a president for the second time when a referendum to introduce direct presidential elections collapsed over low turnout last September.
In July 2009, a pro-Western alliance ended Communist rule. Then, the Alliance for European Integration (a four-party coalition), won a slim majority. But since July 2009, the country has been without a president. MPs’ attempts to choose a president were thwarted by Communist opposition. So the liberal governing coalition proposed the referendum as a way to break Moldova’s political impasse. Moldova’s Communist Party, led by former President Vladimir Voronin, campaigned against this. In addition, public interest in the 5 September referendum was under 30%. ‘The electorate appears to have been less active than we had hoped,’ said Prime Minister Filat, one of the main backers of the referendum. This raises questions over clear a outcome in this month’s elections.

Read more about Moldova and Mission Without Borders’ humanitarian and outreach work to meet the needs of Moldova’s most vulnerable people.

Moldovan acting president, Mihai Ghimpu

Disastrously heavy rains in south-western Moldova cause flooding and devastation for many rural families.

In recent weeks 3,000 people have been evacuated as the Prut River burst its banks after days of heavy rain.  In one week alone, over 60 communities across 14 districts were flooded. 

The worst affected district is Hincesti, where three villages are currently under water. Over 2,000 people from Nemteni, Cotul Morii and Obileni villages have now been evacuated from their flooded homes, including 417 children. All are now sheltering in local sports halls, kindergartens and schools in neighbouring villages. Reports also state the loss of one life, and one person who has disappeared. 
 
According to local authorities, the flooding has damaged almost 2,000 hectares of farmland and orchards. Villages in the southern area of Moldova are still at risk. Crops, animals, poultry and whole livelihoods are lost – causing devastation for many families.

What MWB is doing
Teams from MWB Moldova have visited villagers to bring emergency aid. They have delivered mattresses, clothes, shoes, blankets and food. In spite of the shock of losing everything, the flood-victims were grateful for such basic goods. In addition, MWB-Moldova staff are voluntarily donating a day’s salary to support the flooded families, while the Moldovan Government has promised to build for the disaster victims 400 new homes before winter. It is a huge task.
 
What you can do

• Pray for the flood victims – for emergency aid to reach them and for their re-settlement.
• Pray for the Moldovan Government – for God to enable them to handle the disaster situation effectively.
• Donate – your cash donation is the best way to get help to victims of the Moldovan floods:
  • £20 could help us distribute blankets
  • £30 could help us distribute clothes and shoes
  • £50 could help provide food parcels
  • £100 could help provide mattresses and other household goods.  

How much can you donate?

During October month, MWB’s MD Christian Input(CI) staff organized two 5 Days Clubs for the children in Calaras Home and in a special home for deaf children in Hirbovet.  In both Homes, the children and the teachers enjoyed attending the 5 Days Clubs very much.  While the CI staff presented the lessons, the children sang with great pleasure and befriended the 5 Days Club team.  The kids also listened to spiritual-educational stories which were presented through dramas and puppetry.  The Christian Input staff taught the lessons’ message in very simple words in order to be comprehensible to the children.
The goal of the 5 Days Clubs is to strengthen the relationships between the children, the Home Administration and 5 Days Club team.  Through these relationships of collaboration and friendship, the CI staff was able to teach the children the spiritual, emotional and educational principles for good behavior in society.  Every day, the 180 children, together with their educators and teachers attended and participated in the 5 Days Clubs’ activities.  The lessons covered the following topics:

• Never Give Up – David and Goliath
• People’s Submission to God – Daniel in the Lions’ Den
• Obedience to Parents, Teachers and God – Jonah
• Humbleness and Choosing Friends – Samson
• People’s Salvation and Love for Neighbors – Cain and Abel.

The following goals were set while choosing the themes:

• to enhance child’s self-esteem
• to present the Almighty and Loving God to children and teachers
• to promote respect, patience and love towards their neighbours in the children

The themes that were taught were very relevant and interesting because the children and teachers were very receptive, responded to questions and participated in the discussions.  Also the children, in their turn, displayed great interest in the 5 Days Clubs’ activities by asking questions, being active and eagerly waiting for further information.  On the last day of the 5 Day Club, the children were happy to receive Christian literature, biscuits and juice.
The seed was sown in the children’s hearts.  We leave them in God’s hands. May God bless them and help them to know His love towards them.

Today was our final day in Moldova.  A day of tourist visits, shopping and relaxation.  A day to say “thank you” to our generous hosts and a day to return to our families and friends.

As we travelled we couldn’t help smiling and sharing as memories of the week came to mind.  What an amazing week!  It will take many weeks to think through all that we have seen.

We parted at Heathrow airport this evening with many new friends and a determination  to share our experiences with others (you have been warned!)

In this, the final “Postcard from Moldova”, Mission Without Borders would like to thank those who joined us on the journey - whether physically or virtually.  We are told that it is better to give than receive: On this MWB Supporters’ Tour we have been blessed by giving AND receiving.

God Bless!

Today we spent much of our time with the MWB Staff in Chisinau meeting those who work “behind the scenes”.  In some ways it would have been nicer to meet them at the start of our trip, but meeting them at the end allowed us to appreciate all that they do in supporting our Field Staff.  It also allowed us to thank them based on what we had seen!

We met the wonderful people who translate the messages and updates for children and families; the Special Projects Co-ordinator; the Emotional Support staff; the medical staff;  the Bible Corrspondence Course co-ordinators; the Christian Input staff; the media staff … the list goes on!  And what they all summed up for us was Integrity and Professionalism but very clearly mixed with love and a desire to do God’s work.

We asked one member of staff about the education: they had studied at University and trained as a teacher before working for the Mission.  When asked about their ambition they answered “to serve God”.

After lunch we visited the MWB Warehouse and marvelled at the towers of goods there - assured that within a month most of the goods would have been distributed to the appropriate beneficiaries.

And then to our final stop: the MWB Farm and Vocational Training Centre.  Once more our hearts lifted as we saw the fresh produce in the greenhouses (destined for the Homes and Families that we serve); admired the sunflower oil production; and marvelled at the new centre to provide practical training in Car Maintenance.

What a wonderful day!

As we met this evening for our last time of prayer together, our hearts turned to thanks.  Thanks for all the people that we have met. Thanks for all the hope that we have witnessed; Thanks for all the integrity and the obvious love of God;/ Thanks for each other and the opportunity to share time together and to learn a little of each one’s story.

We give Thanks.
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phillipians, Chapter 1 Verses 3-6, NIV)