(NZ)
Spring 2015
-updateBringing a little sunshine into their darkness
Lucian, right, and his brother
Lucian’s story Caplani village, in southern Moldova, is home to 3800 people, the majority of them poor and desperate. Agriculture is the main form of income for most, but it is underdeveloped. It is here where the Belii family live. Their house is very old, made of mud-bricks and very close to collapsing, like other houses in the area. A little boy greeted us wearing tattered, smelly clothes. His name is Lucian; he is 6. His life story seems unreal; it’s difficult to believe that there are children who live under such conditions.
Viorel, the centre’s administrator, tells us, “We are so blessed to be able to help these children and to share God’s love with them. We not only offer them food, but also show them compassion and care. We pray that Lucian would continue to come to the centre and receive the help he needs to overcome the pain and rejection he has experienced during his short life.”
Lucian has four siblings, each having different fathers, whom they have never met. Their alcoholic mother is not able to take care of them. The only source of warmth and love comes from their grandmother who, although blind, always tries to protect and educate her grandchildren the best she can. The oldest daughter recently gave birth to a baby boy that she also abandoned. Now, Andrian, her baby son also lives with his great-grandmother. Lucian’s family barely survives from day to day because food is a luxury. It’s a huge blessing when they receive even a piece of bread from someone. Last year, out of despair they slaughtered their dog in order to eat. Lucian and his two older siblings have started attending the Mission’s community center and are able to receive hot meals.
The children and their grandmother on the steps of their house
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Aliona’s story Only a couple of houses down from Lucian’s home lives Aliona, who lives in an even worse condition. Although she is only 10 she is both mother and father to her two younger siblings. Her mother is an alcoholic, and her biological father abandoned the family when she was born. Now, her mother lives with her partner who is often violent. Vitalie, the Mission’s coordinator shares, “Each time I have visited this family, my heart is filled with grief. I have seen Aliona’s mother only a couple of times, each time with bruises on her body. Her stepfather is either not at home when I come, or is totally drunk. ” Aliona attends school but often misses classes since there is no one to look after her brother and sister. Aliona had three siblings but last year, one child died. The parents were not accused of negligence, but everyone knows why the little boy passed away. Vitalie told us, “We tried to remove the children from the family to provide a safer environment for them, but the authorities wouldn’t let us. The Educational Reform Law aims to integrate children from boarding schools back into their families, not to take them out again. The saddest thing is that Aliona doesn’t come to the community centre any more because her parents forbade it. Anyway, we often visit this family and do our best to help these little angels.” “These are only two of thousands of similar stories of life for children here in Moldova. MWB’s support is a ray of sunshine and hope for such children and we praise God for his limitless love that can be shown through our work. Please pray for Lucian and Aliona, for the children in Moldova that face the same hardships, for their salvation and for peace in their hearts.” Field Team, Moldova
Email We expect to send the next edition of Family to Family Focus by email, where possible. Please let us know your email address (by sending an email to nzadmin@mwbi. org with your name/s and supporter number) if you haven’t already done so or have changed it recently.
2015 Sponsor Tour On 25 September, 9 Kiwis will reach Ukraine to start a visit to sponsored families and children and to learn more about life and the Mission’s work there, and will then travel to Moldova and Bulgaria. If you are interested to join a future tour, please register your interest with our office.
Christmas Gifts Reminder There is still time if you would like to give a standard Christmas gift parcel to your sponsored child, and extra items for their family. Please return the form we mailed, with your payment, no later than Friday 23 October. If you didn’t get yours, just call us and we can send one or you can give us details and pay by credit card over the phone.
MISSIONWITHOUTBORDERS (NZ) PO Box 56264, Dominion Road, Auckland 1446 Phone 09 309 6969 0800 469 269 Email nzadmin@mwbi.org Website mwb.org.nz facebook.com/MissionWithoutBordersNZ Reg. Charity No. CC37218