Operation Winter Rescue December 2012
In Eastern Europe, the impact of MWB’s Operation Winter Rescue project is bringing hope to souls and warming bodies during the freezing conditions at this time of year. The winter season brings with it critical challenges for those who are already living in poverty. Many families are faced with a lack of heating fuel to warm their homes and a lack of money to buy the necessary items to survive the cold. Our Field countries are already facing a second month of cold, dry and frosty days. The weather worsens the situation of people in need and because of the sudden change in temperature, often reaching -25°C, the need for resources is doubled. For many families, the amount they would need to spend on new and appropriate winter clothing or shoes can feed their families for a long period of time, forcing them to choose. Our Operation Winter Rescue project offers a solution for many families in need by providing warm clothing, shoes and heating fuel to alleviate the struggles they face over the winter months. The Vartic family of Hirtopul village in Moldova is one of the families who benefitted from this project and are deeply grateful for the help they received. The parents, Nicolai and Raisa, put all their efforts into supporting their six children; Elena, Andrei, Igor, David, Iosif and Ana. However, they still struggle to offer their children the most necessary items, especially during the cold winter. The father works in Chisinau cutting stone and tiles but his income is barely enough to cover the family’s expenses for food and bills. The family lives in a very old house, which makes it difficult to Elena with her siblings face the winter. In summer, Nicolai borrowed $AUD 2000 from his boss in order to improve the living conditions in their house, which has two small rooms, because he was aware that winter would come soon and was worried about his family’s health. The family gathered some branches to use as firewood, but they were afraid it wouldn’t be enough to heat their house during the winter. They live in deep poverty, but in spite of all their needs, they are courageous and grateful for what they have. “No matter how great life’s hardships can be, we always trust in God. Only He can make us courageous and strong,” confessed Nicolai. In addition to the need for winter clothes and shoes, the family has many other difficulties. They do not have a table to eat at, no chairs to sit on and not enough comfortable beds to rest their
tired bodies. The children stay inside the house and usually dress in thick clothing because the wood they collect is not enough to heat their stove effectively. This year, the family felt God’s abundant blessings. Usually, the family wear the same shoes and clothes for everything; to Sticks to make a fire do various household chores, for going to school or going out, whether in summer or winter. As a result of the Operation Winter Rescue project, every member of the Vartic family thought their dreams had come true. “I never thought that there would be a day when I would have the chance to be able to offer all my family both winter coats and shoes at the same time. I always had this dream and now I see how wonderful God’s plans and ways are to provide for our needs. Now, we will have something to wear when we go out of the house,” said Raisa, expressing her feelings about receiving the amazing gift of new coats and shoes for every child in the family, as well as for her husband and herself.
A dream come true- warm coats and boots.
T
aking care of people in need is the most humble and sensitive thing we can do, offering a helping hand and bringing the love of Jesus Christ to those we serve. The reward is seeing the joy of these needy people, which gives them peace that will last for a long, long time. Natalia Pokrovets of Ukraine often has dreams after long days of hard work. In her dreams, her family is nicely dressed. They all have warm coats and boots. Together, they leave their big house and go to church, then afterwards, enjoy a feast around a big table covered with a white tablecloth. The children are happy and joyful and talk peacefully together - Natalia smiles - she's still dreaming. On waking, she sees another picture. It is cold in the morning in their two-roomed house and the furnace needs to be lit. Natalia has to get up and go outside to get some wood. While she is walking from the room, her eyes glance at the torn wallpaper, the dark Grateful for warm clothing spots on the ceiling, the cold radiators (that don't work) and the place where a new furnace should be. Natalia fetches the wood and lights the fire. Soon it will get warm. Now it is time to cook breakfast and wake the children. Then she needs to feed the goat, fetch water, wash the dishes, prepare dinner and supper, clean the house, fetch more water and wash the dishes again. Another difficult day has begun. Natalia Pokrovets is a widow. She is bringing up her seven children; Roman (19), Sergiy (17), Anhelina (11), Anna (10), twins Vasyl and Mariya (5) and Ivanka (4), alone. Her husband, who was an alcoholic, died five years ago forcing Natalia to go to
The Pokrovets family
Russia to earn money to support her family. She worked hard for five years and while there, she met some Christians. When she came home to her village in Ukraine, where the family now live, her interest in God caused her to look for Christians there. Natalia shares that her faith gave her the strength to live and work. She has always worked hard to provide for her family but after her husband’s death, she worked even harder. She did any work she was offered; painting, renovating, cleaning, you name it. However, Natalia was faced with another tragedy two years ago. She was painting the walls at her neighbour's house and fell into the window and cut her right hand on broken glass. The doctors tried hard to repair the damage to her hand but her fingers remained closed and now her right hand is unusable. Natalia is now disabled and unable to work. Her only income is her children’s and widow’s benefit of $AUD 236 per month. This makes life a bit easier, but it is still hard to find the money for all the family’s needs. Roman and Sergiy are studying at college to become plasterers. They receive a small scholarship, which is used to pay the rent for the room in Zdolbuniv where they live while they are studying. The boys come home every fortnight to help their mother. Roman and Sergiy go to a church in Zdolbuniv and are a part of the youth group. Anhelina and Anna are at school. Mariya and Ivanka go to preschool. Vasyl, who suffers from a weak heart and epilepsy, is the only one who stays at home with his mother. All the children go to Sunday school. The family have some land and every spring, they plant potatoes and vegetables such as carrots, beets and onions which are just enough to get through the winter. Having their own vegetables can make their life easier, but there are still a lot they need to buy; meat, buckwheat, rice, pasta and sugar. Natalia works in the field with her left hand, helping just a little with her right hand. All the children help their mother, even the youngest.
Natalia fetching water
Natalia tries to be thrifty, because they also need to buy clothes for the children, especially when winter comes. The children are growing fast and they all need a warm coat and boots. It is difficult for
Natalia, as a mother, to decide who to buy a coat for and who can wear the old one, which is not always warm enough for the harshest time of the year. She never has enough money to buy seven coats and seven pairs of boots. The family has problems that will remain with them. Natalia will have her dreams again and again. The dreams express a hope for a better life. However, she doesn't look at the world through rose-tinted glasses. The hard-working woman believes that God will never leave her family and never forsake them. Mission Without Borders will provide the family with warm boots, coats and firewood through the Operation Winter Rescue project. With this help, they will be able to purchase food for the winter season and will have the hope of a better life, just like in Natalia’s dreams.
the worst winter seasons our Field countries have faced, with temperatures plummeting to -30°C and hundreds of people literally freezing to death. Your financial help this month will ensure that warm clothing, shoes and heating fuel will reach the neediest children, families, elderly and the homeless in our Field countries through our Operation Winter Rescue project. May God bless you for your act of kindness to provide love and warmth not only for the body but for the souls who are reaching out for help during the harshness of their long winter.
As we in Australia face another warm summer, please remember those in Eastern Europe who do not have adequate warm clothing, shoes and heating fuel to help them survive through the freezing, harsh months of their winter season. Your prayers for these dear people are essential. Last year was one of
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From all the staff of Mission Without Borders Australia, we would like to wish you and your family a blessed, joyous and peaceful Christmas and New Year as we celebrate and reflect on the birth of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Please note the following: • The Sydney office and warehouse will be closed from Monday 24th December and will reopen on Thursday 10th January 2013. • The last packing day at our Melbourne Workshop in Dandenong will be Friday 21st December 2012 and will be closed until Friday 8th February 2013. • We are very grateful to our GIK Collection Point volunteers who have sacrificially given of their time and resources to collect and send your donated items to our Sydney warehouse and Melbourne workshop throughout the past year. They certainly deserve a break with their families and friends over the Christmas/ New Year period. Please keep in mind that they may be on holidays or are unavailable over this time to take your GIK items or answer your phone calls.
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‘Gift in Kind – Operation Cover Up’ Update As we come to the close of another busy year, we would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all our supporters, contributors, volunteers, collection point contacts, group leaders and helpers who have kindly and sacrificially given of their time, energy and resources to bless the poor and needy of Eastern Europe. May the Lord bless you abundantly for your service to Him and His people, knowing that our efforts will bring eternal rewards for His kingdom. For those who are able, why not take advantage of the New Year sales in the stores to pick up wool, materials, new clothing and other items at bargain prices for us to send to Eastern Europe in 2013. We look forward to partnering with you again in the New Year. NOTE: Please DO NOT send SECOND HAND or USED clothing items to us. We are unable to send these to our field countries, due to customs regulations we must adhere to.
What is needed – Updated list!!! Knitted, Crocheted and Handmade items: • Knitting patterns are available - contact our office or visit our website www.mwb.org.au if you would like some guidance and ideas. • Blankets • The minimum size our field countries have requested for knitted or crocheted blankets is approximately 160cm x 140cm (can be knitted by: 4mm (size 8) needles, 8-ply yarn, 40 stitches x 80 rows to make 56 squares) • If you are only able to knit/crochet smaller blankets, then they could be joined together with other small blankets to make a larger blanket. Knit/crochet small blankets measuring 80cm x 80cm-four of these can then be joined together to make a large 160cm square blanket. • If you are only confident to knit squares (20cm x 20cm), we would love your involvement. Squares can be given to us to be joined into blankets by others or they are sent
Coordinators and Collection Points Please contact our office, or the nearest collection point listed below, to organise getting your donated goods to us in Sydney or Melbourne.
to our field countries to be sewn together into blankets by the ladies who attend our Community Centres and children in our Vocational Training projects. • Patchwork quilts and polar fleece blankets. • Scarves, gloves, mittens and bed socks. • Beanies- for adults and children (at 2 years old, a child’s head size is the same as an adults). • Knitted Teddy Bears • Jumpers – older children, teenagers and adult sizes are in greatest need. Patterns with a crew neck are most appropriate for the climate. • We cannot accept “Aids Baby Jumpers”. • All items for sewing, embroidery, knitting and craft activities - Fabric, wool, cottons, needles etc. (for the Vocational Training courses; for poor families and elderly who would love to sew or knit for themselves but cannot afford the materials).
David Turner is the Australia-wide Coordinator
Sydney Office: 10 Stubbs Street, AUBURN NSW 2144 PO Box 7533 SILVERWATER NSW 1811 Phone: (02) 9647 2022 Email: dturner@mwbi.org
South Australia - Leila Lydeamore 33 Ina Close CRAIGMORE SA 5114 Phone: (08) 8255 0092 Email: leila@chariot.net.au Tasmania - Carlene Irwin 114 Sheffield Rd SPREYTON TAS 7310 Phone: (03) 6427 3113 Western Australia - Debbi Wilson Unit 4/110 Matheson Road APPLECROSS WA 6153 Phone: (08) 9316 2466 or 0417 926 695 Email: deb7543@gmail.com Please Note: Deliveries can only be made on weekends and weeknight evenings. Please phone first to arrange a suitable time.
Jenny Grainger is our Victorian Coordinator: 3 Exner Drive DANDENONG NORTH VIC 3175 Phone: (03) 9795 6141 Email: jenn.mwbvic@internode.on.net Workshop: 8 Birch Avenue DANDENONG NORTH VIC 3175
Open Fridays 9am- 3.30pm. Saturdays 10am -2pm (except VIC School Holidays).
VICTORIA -Geelong - John & Hermina Thierry 24 Coulter Street NEWCOMB VIC 3219 Phone: (03) 5248 7437 or 0407 502 733 ACT - Christine Bollen 2 Barron Street DEAKIN ACT 2600 Phone (02) 6282 2210 Email: bollens@netspeed.com.au QUEENSLAND - Brisbane - Elize Du Preez
Elize is our new collection point. Contact her after 4:30pm weekdays or on weekends to make delivery arrangements.
Deliveries: 14 St Ives Circuit FOREST LAKE QLD 4078 Postal address: PO BOX 4672 FOREST LAKE QLD 4078 Phone: 0439 696 837 Email: figaroe@bigpond.com
Street Address: 10 Stubbs Street AUBURN NSW 2144 Opening Hours: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday Postal Address: PO BOX 7533 SILVERWATER NSW 1811
www.mwb.org.au
Phone: (02) 9647 2022
Email: australia@mwbi.org