(NZ)
Spring 2015
focus
The Will to Overcome In the workshop with the family
Family to Family has a well-defined goal: to make a difference in the lives of families that have limited opportunities but who have the will to fight for change. Often this means overcoming obstacles of discrimination due to poverty, disabilities, and disadvantaged backgrounds. Ibrahim’s story
the opportunity to support himself and his family. When Ibrahim, his wife and three children joined our family sponsorship programme 2 years ago, their existence was hand-to-mouth.
“For the first time I did not meet with prejudice and discrimination, I felt that I was supported. This gave me the motivation to try harder. I had always looked for work but never found any. I didn’t fall into depression as many disabled people do. I kept trusting in God, “The family income knowing that He will reward those that believe and seek Him”, Ibrahim is improving, and shares.
Ibrahim Dacis, 42, is from Albania. When Ibrahim was a child he lost his right arm and burnt half his body when he touched a high voltage electric cable – a very common danger in Albania. He carried I am now able to The MWB Coordinator soon the stigma of being “disabled” throughout childhood and into cover most of my realised that Ibrahim was very adulthood and he has continually skilled in repairing used household family’s expenses.” fought against prejudice from his appliances and furniture, so peers and from his community. In decided to provide him with tools Albania, about one in 25 employees needed to do this. He would make have a disability of some sort, and the necessary repairs, and then sell there is virtually no Government provision made for the appliances or equipment to earn money for his them. Their life is one of hopelessness and poverty. family. Now through a special “self-sufficiency” gift by a family sponsor and the Mission, he has been Ibrahim realised that he would have to turn his life able to buy a professional tool kit and has started around on his own. He tried to top up his small his own business. disability pension by selling bric-a-brac on the street, but it was a daily struggle to survive. Despite “I am so pleased to have this great opportunity. being poor, he never wanted pity from others, only The family income is improving, and I am now able Continued next page >>
In the lounge of the new house with the new tools (above) // Ibrahim at work (right)
to cover most of my family’s expenses.” The Daci family have sold their old, damp house and now live in a warmer rented house nearby which helps their youngest son who has bad asthma. “My family goes to every event that the Mission organises. My eldest son, Oltion, attends the Mission’s free English class. It’s a blessing to be part of this programme that is changing our lives. Everything we do in life should be directly linked to our faith in the Faithful One.”
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 family, and extra items for their children. 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