"I remember we had to use plastic wrap to cover the windows when we first moved in as the mould was everywhere." Elena

Elena and her husband, Florin, live in a two-room flat in Victoria, Romania with their children. When they first moved in, their home didn't even have windows, and they still don't have hot water or central heating.

As Christmas approaches, less work is available and basic food necessities and heating costs are getting more difficult to afford. Elena's family usually celebrate Christmas simply, visiting family and carolling from house-to-house.

"I know we celebrate Jesus at Christmas," Elena's ten-year old, Maria, told us.

What the family earn barely covers the family's needs. To help them, they have been renrolled on Mission Without Borders family sponsorship scheme and receive regular support in many areas of their lives. At Christmas, this means they will received an Operation Christmas Love parcel.

"" We can hardly wait to open the Christmas boxes and see what's inside," says Elena. "I get as excited as the kids to. Everything we receive from the Mission is an enormous help. We thank you so much!

This Christmas, working together with local churches and in response to the urgen needs of families in communities from war-torn Ukraine to struggling Moldova, we want to deliver 40,000 Operation Christmas Love boxes.It's a huge number, but people are in desperate need.

The journey of an Emergency Christmas Food box begins with YOU. Your online gift of £25 today will cover the cost of essential food, and if you were able to give multiple boxes, which would be very precious.

We want to bring alive these words from Isaiah 40: "The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." There are a lot of weary and hungry souls who need help.

Please respond today. This crisis means we need to deliver boxes by the beginning of December. We depend entirely on your help.

SUPPORT OPERATION CHRISTMAS LOVE