MISSIONWITHOUTBORDERSAustralia
ISSUE September YEAR 2013
Focus on EducatioN “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” - Nelson Mandela
A Scholarship Success Story a message from our National director We are a Christian organisation serving children, families and elderly people suffering poverty and oppression. Through practical and spiritual support we give hope by meeting urgent needs and building selfsufficient communities. By offering Spritual, Emotional, Education, and Material support, each of the people we serve in Eastern Europe learn about the love of Christ in a practical way. This month, we are focusing on Education, and we ask for your prayers and support for our young scholars as they return to school. Craig Tobler - National Director
Alexandru’s story is about a young Romanian who became a clarinet player after receiving a Scholarship, sponsored by a mens group from a church in Sydney.
Centre. “I used to tell the other children that if my mother had been healthy, she would not have abandoned me in the Placement Centre as other parents did.
We are often asked if the work we do has an impact on the lives of the people we serve – here is Alexandru’s story, and how the love and support of a group of men a half a world away, changed his life in just a few short years.
This had been my life story when ever anyone asked, as I kept telling myself that I loved my mother. I used to visit her from time to time, and sometimes she came to visit me as well. We used to meet together 2 or 3 times per year, especially for holidays. I was always happy to see her and receive sweets, and we sat and talked, while the other children were admiring me.
We first met Alexandru in 2009 when he was a bright teenager, getting good grades at school, but struggling with his personal relationships. He was abandoned at birth, and later learnt that his mother had mental health issues, but he was able to forgive her for his difficult life. The more he learned about Jesus’ saving grace, and enjoying God’s love for him, the better he understood the need to forgive his mother. Alexandru Moise (19) was abandoned at birth. He doesn’t remember much about his childhood. He remembers that he was loved by the staff at the home, but he changed carers very often and didn’t have a chance to get attached to any of them. This caused an emotional imbalance in his life. He was unable to have a normal relationship with other people. Our Child Rescue International coordinator in Romania often talked to Alexandru and encouraged him to change his lifestyle and to establish a relationship with God. Alexandru shared how his mother abandoned him and how he found out later that she was diagnosed with schizophrenia and this has been his excuse for living in a Placement
Alexandru drew closer to God and the more he learnt about His love and grace, the better he understood that he needed to forgive his mother. He got in touch to his mother again, forgave her and is not ashamed of her any longer. “I’ve learnt to love my mother just as she is”, says Alexandru, “but it wasn’t easy. I had to battle with myself. I lost my friends, but got my mother back. I have become very attached to her and I want to take care of her later on. I understand why she abandoned me and I have forgiven her for doing this.” The progress did not take place overnight and it took a while for him to get over his emotional difficulties and forgive his mother. However, he was very determined after he learnt of God’s love for him and received Jesus Christ into his heart. It was only when he had experienced the strength of forgiveness that he realised how much he had been forgiven. Continued on back page
Vocational Scholarships - Ukraine “I’m very grateful for the opportunity I had to get my cooking diploma through Mission Without Borders’ free vocational course. Now, I have a good job and I have hope for the future,” - Tetyana
Revive A Future
Twenty-six year old Tetyana is an example of a student who successfully graduated from the vocational cooking course. Tetyana comes from a large family in Ukraine and is thankful for the opportunity to enrol at the free vocationaleducational course. Tetyana, along with her mother and four younger siblings, she lives in a small flat in Sarny. Her father died in 2006 and left the family without financial security.
Since 2006, Mission Without Borders and the local church have provided various forms of assistance to the struggling family.
Finding the means to pay tuition fees represents a major problem for students who come from poor families.
In 2007, Tetyana enrolled in our six-month cooking course, and completed it with honours. Soon after graduation, this ambitious young woman received an invitation from the local pizzeria to start working there.
It is estimated that around 25% of the Ukrainian population live below the poverty line, which the authorities describe as “living under difficult life circumstances.” In its attempt to lessen the financial burden for this category of people, Mission Without Borders offers free vocational training courses at its Training Centre in Sarny, Western Ukraine.
“I was so excited to get my first job. Making pizzas and then receiving a wage made me so happy. Of course, I’ve always shared my wages with my mum, sisters and brother.” Last year, a new and bigger pizzeria opened in Sarny. Tetyana’s title is now “Chef” and she can now earn enough money for herself and to help her family. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity I had to get my cooking diploma through Mission Without Borders’ free vocational course. Now, I have a good job and I have hope for the future,” Tetyana shares. During Soviet times, all education in Ukraine was free. Following the collapse of the former system, new free-market based rules came into place. Now students in most educational institutions must pay tuition fees.
These courses, ranging from agriculture and English classes to tailoring and computer courses, aim to provide young people from poor families the chance to acquire skills that could land them paying jobs in the future. The cooking course was launched at the Sarny Training Centre in 2006. Since then, twelve groups of around thirty girls have completed their studies and many of them have found jobs. The Centre in Sarny closely cooperates with the local Agricultural College. The course lasts for six months, after which comes an exam that consists of two parts, theory and practical. The practical part requires students to prepare and present various dishes. Teachers from the Agricultural College participate in evaluating the students’ skills and then award State-approved diplomas to those who pass the exam.
Vocational Scholarships Now Needed Right now, the month of September is a critical time of year for many of our young people sponsored through Child Rescue International. At 17-18 years of age and having “graduated” back in June from their State Homes and schools, these young adults face important life decisions.
Scholarships
How you can Help
Vocational Training Programs - Ukraine The Mission Without Borders Vocational/Educational Centre in Sarny makes a great difference in the local educational system. This institution provides education to about a quarter of all the town graduates. Every year, approximately 165 students get their state-approved diplomas after studying at the Mission’s Educational Centre. For more than 10 years, young women and men from the region have been offered a brilliant opportunity to get a quality professional education in three disciplines: computer literacy, cooking and sewing. “I’m really, really thankful for the sponsors who paid for my study! I am 18 and I came here right after my school... It’s so great that I can study here for free and can get a good profession!” The Computer Basics Course is especially popular among young adult school graduates from local villages. Their families are too poor to have a computer at home, and that is why these people are blessed to be able to study this particular course in Sarny. Nowadays everyone must be computer literate to be able to study further or to find a good job. This class lasts for three months, so every year we have three groups, each one consisting of approximately 15 students. After they get their certificates, they can apply for a job as a computer operator or pursue further study in other institutions, if they have such an opportunity.
College Scholarships - Albania What’s next? What is even possible? Tiziana comes from a family in our Family to Family sponsorship programme. Most children in her very poor and neglected community struggle to complete school, even at “second chance” schools, often leaving school illiterate. Tiziana came to our offices earlier this year. Trembling with excitement, she wanted us to be the first to hear of her 100% in the external Biology exam result. She is now going on to do a nursing degree at university with a Mission Without Borders scholarship. She wrote to our staff, “Thanks for this amazing opportunity. I can never thank you enough for helping me to go to university… you have not only helped us materially, you have also been our support and counsellors…May God bless you and your families!”
To provide further education and training opportunities to dozens of other young ambitious people like Tiziana, we need your help. Here are some ways you can help them: $25 will help buy a pack of stationery for a school student to help keep him/her at school $75 will provide a computer course at MWB’s Vocational Training Centre, Sarny, Ukraine $100 will pay for a hair-dressing training course at Leova State Home, Moldova $500 will train a young person to become a mechanic at MWB’s training centre in Moldova $1000 will provide a university or college scholarship like Tiziana’s for a year
restore a Dream... Education is one of the most important steps in achieving financial independence, and self-sufficiency. We encourage all the children from our programs to be the best in school and to complete the highest level of education possible for them. We support them with scholarships (if needed) for school taxes, transportation, school supplies or personal care items; indeed a worthwhile investment. This letter was from Raluca in Romania, a Family to Family sponsored child, and her dreams for the future. “I would really like the opportunity to get one of MWB’s scholarships. In this way I could go to college and study what I like the most, without being a burden for my family (financially speaking).” This scholarship will give me the chance to follow my dream without worrying because of money and also do something for myself, study what I want and love in the hope that one day, I will be that famous archaeologist I plan to be. All in all, this scholarship will help me support my family while doing what I love, and that is studying History.”
Alexandru’s Story continued from cover page Mission Without Borders Australia P 02 9647 2022 F 02 9647 1899 australia@mwbi.org www.mwb.org.au
Alexandru has lived in a Placement Centre ever since he can remember, and every day was like the last, until 30th of July 2011. Alexandru arrived at the Placement Center in the afternoon, after he had been at a concert with the faculty’s orchestra. He was tired and wanted rest but, he was asked to go to into the office of the Placement Centre director. When he got in, he noticed two children standing next to the director. “Nothing new – he said to himself – she is very loved by all children. Maybe she is just interested to know how my concert was.” But this was not what the director had in mind, as she said: “Alex, I want you to meet your brother and sister: Ionut and Olivera.” “In that moment the earth stopped. I got dizzy, I felt all sweat and I felt a terrible strike in my head. I knew nothing about them. My mother has never told me I had any brothers or sisters. It was a real shock! At their turn, my brother and sister knew nothing about my existence until that moment. Ever since they were babies, they were left in the care of a foster family that was no longer able to look for them and thus, they brought them in the Placement Center.
“Alex, I want you to meet your brother and sister: Ionut and Olivera.”
I felt sorry for my little brother and sister, for all they have been through, but I believe that all that has happened is eventually a part of the plan of us reuniting as a family. God knows how to surprise us sometimes.” Ionut is 15 years old and Olivera is 12. They were very happy to meet Alex. The three of them cried a lot and felt overwhelmed by the importance of the moments they were living. Alex promised his brother and sister that he will take care of them and that they will stay together and enjoy a great summer holiday as a family.
“Music is a true and loyal friend, it never deceives me. It takes away my sorrow and brings joy into my soul.”
Alexandru is 21 years old and is now a young student. He likes classic music and that is why he has chosen to study the clarinet since he was in the 5th grade. At that time he did not imagine that music would help him in any way but today he is happy for his choice because in hard times it is the music that takes him far away to an imaginary world.
“Music is a true and loyal friend, it never deceives me. It takes away my sorrow and brings joy into my soul.” Behind every Scholarship is the sacrifice of a person, or group of people, that felt the suffering and need of another. They are there to cry with those who cry: although far away physically, they are close in spirit. There is also a time to rejoice with those who rejoice, for every sacrifice bears fruit. Sometimes, meeting someone’s need only requires a little effort, but at other times it’s about extensive effort, necessitating considerable amounts of money and the intentional and planned efforts of a group donors to raise money. In Alexandru’s case, it was a men’s church group, who met a need and the result definitely goes beyond solving a small problem – it has created a rewarding life, and has provided a promising career for a talented young musician. Knowing that someone gave him the chance to pursue his dream, Alexandru became one of the best clarinet students: “I am so excited to be able to study the clarinet, and I am happy to say I’ve got good marks”. Most of all though, as his words reflect, he is overwhelmed with joy knowing that there is someone who cares about his needs: “I would like to thank you for thinking about me as a parent would.” Can you measure the depth of these words written by a boy who grew up in a placement centre? The help received through this Scholarship brought him emotional support and helped him to persevere and move on. Indeed, who can predict the results of such an investment? Just to give us a clue about the career awaiting him, Alexandru gained a scholarship for a three-month internship in Germany last summer, where he performed in different concerts on his clarinet. What a great experience for a talented young man! We should not forget that it all began with help offered by a group of donors with a ‘parent’s heart’. “Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep” - Romans 12:15