Cantemir is a locality in the Republic of Moldova, around 120km from the capital city – Chisinau. There are around 50 small villages within its municipality. Despite it ’s size and population, Cantemir is an extremely poor area. With high unemployment and desolate living conditions, many people, out of despair, find comfort and addiction in alcohol. Children are the ones who suffer the most, living in miserable conditions. Witnessing their parent’s daily addictions, they simply go hungry and very often are physically and emotionally abused. Pastor Boris Garconita began working as a Coordinator for Mission Without Borders last year, but he has been a missionary in Cantemir for over 15 years. The church that he leads is actively involved in helping people living in extreme poverty. The church doesn’t just limit its potential to providing meals for the poor, there are also plenty of activities available to the community on a daily basis. The vision of Cantemir Church is the salvation of souls through loving and supporting those in need. Pastor Boris and his volunteers pray that through their provision of a warm place to come to eat and enjoy the company of others, many will come to know God personally. They have spent time creating a place that builds valuable relationships with people in need and sharing the knowledge of God’s love. With MWB’s collaboration, the Cantemir Community Centre has been able to grow and improve the services offered. They now have a fully functioning canteen open to the elderly during the day and for the children to come after school for meals and to study.
with mwb’s help The members of Cantemir Church have the opportunity to share God’s love to those in need
An elderly couple who come to the church for their meals also take food to people in the community who are housebound. “This place means a lot to us. I eat a fresh, hot meal each day, and afterwards I deliver meals to people who are sick and cannot get themselves here. There is a woman who lies in bed all day as she is paralysed. When I arrive at her home and bring her a daily meal, she receives it thankfully and eats it. We are both filled with joy.” Another elderly couple shared: “Thank you so very much. The situation in our family is very difficult, we are both invalids and cannot survive on the pension. We are so blessed to come here and meet other people, eat good food and forget about our troubles for a while.” Once the elderly have left the Centre, the staff then prepare for the children to arrive after school. Many children from the local area arrive daily, and are given a warm meal, fresh fruit and spend time doing their homework and attending English classes. We had an opportunity to speak with one of the children. MWB: “Why do you come to the Centre each day after school?” Child: “To eat! I also love to come here because there is a Children’s Club. We play games and learn a lot of interesting things.” Pastor Boris shares: “We are glad that the children don’t just come to eat at the canteen but also to participate in the different activities offered. Each Saturday, we host a Children’s Club for those between 8-12 years of age as well as a Teen’s Club for youth from 12-14 years of age. The clubs are attended by children and teenagers. Our joy is that many of them have already started coming to church and that they have also invited their parents. We witness the great work that is done in this place and we thank God for it.”
Just $50 will provide a month of hot meals and Community Centre facilities for a needy person - so much more than a daily warm bowl of soup...
The Community Centre is always a hub of activity. Once a week, the elderly can bring their clothes here and a volunteer will wash them. Also, the children can wash their clothes when they need to. If anyone needs a shower, there is a fully equipped bathroom that can be used at any time. The staff are all very aware of the homes most of these beneficiary’s live in. Most of them don’t have bathroom facilities and a washing machine is a rarity, especially because electricity and running water are most often not connected due to the extreme poverty and poor living conditions. Every 3 months, there is a large delivery of warm, knitted items delivered to the Centre for all the children. The joy on their faces is absolutely priceless. Boris extends his absolute thanks on behalf of the children to all those who knit and provide donations to keep them warm during the harsh winter months.
Pastor Boris also has great plans for this Centre’s future. He prays that the construction plans for the Centre will be completed. “There is still so much work to be done. The church needs insulation as it is very cold in the winter, we also need proper parking facilities and a path to connect that to the entrance of the building, especially when it snows - it’s very muddy and access is difficult.” His mind is always on providing for others. The biggest project is still just a dream that he prays will one day become a reality. “What we would like most of all is to build a Day Care Centre for children – another building attached to this one. Our vision is to create a centre where the children could come to eat, take a shower and perhaps even sleep here. It would provide a safe refuge from their homes where their parents are drunk or fighting and they are at risk of abuse and even rape. We pray that God will help us to serve people were He has placed us. “
Not only do the children receive assistance with their homework, they also have the opportunity to attend English lessons in the hope of giving them better prospects for their future. The children can use the computer room which has internet access, so they can complete their homework projects and look up interesting information they may need. When he isn’t coordinating the activities in the Community Centre, Boris spends his time visiting the families in poverty in the area, ensuring they know about the facilities available to them. He gives them food as well as pray for them and provides them with emotional support.
WILL YOU PARTNER WITH US TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY CENTRES ? YOUR GIFT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO BRING NEW HOPE TO MANY CHILDREN FAMILIES ’ AND THE ELDERLY IN EASTERN EUROPE.
Why not host your own Soup Kitchen evening and support Mission Without Borders Community Centres? Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of soup at this time of year? How much better would it taste knowing that you are supporting a child or family in poverty in Eastern Europe? As winter sets in, it’s the perfect time to gather your friends together and host a fellowship evening while enjoying a traditional bowl of soup that would typically be served in one of our many Soup Kitchens in Eastern Europe (as pictured in the top photo of this newsletter). If you belong to a Bible study or church group this could be the perfect opportunity to raise funds in a fun and nourishing way. We have provided a simple, traditional meatball soup recipe that you can make and charge a nominal amount for those who attend - perhaps $5 per bowl to raise funds for this project and at the same time enjoy quality time with family and friends. Be sure to send us your photos and let us know how you went.
Chicken and Rice Meatball Soup.
This soup is a staple meal in many homes in Moldova. It is easy to prepare, and so very delicious. The flavours are light and the ingredients are simple, making this the perfect dish to make for a large group of people at minimal expense.
Ingredients (recipe serves 8)
Meatballs 600g of chicken mince ¾ cup long grain white rice (uncooked) 1 egg ½ teaspoon sweet paprika ¼ teaspoon dried dill ¼ teaspoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon salt Soup Base 4 tablespoons olive oil 12 cups chicken stock (or water and stock cubes) 2 brown onions chopped half a large bunch of celery chopped (including leafy parts) 3 carrots (peeled and chopped) 4 cloves of garlic (finely minced) 4 tablespoons fresh dill (rough chopped)
Directions
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Prepare the vegetables for the soup base (peel and chop) Heat a soup pot to medium heat and add olive oil. Sauté carrots, onion and celery until onions turn translucent and carrots take on some colour. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add stock and dill to the pot and bring to the boil. Prepare meatballs while stock is heating. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients for the meatballs together in a large mixing bowl with your hands or a wooden spoon. Form meatballs using a tablespoon measure. Gently drop meatballs into boiling stock one at a time and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer partially covered for 20-30 minutes or until rice inside of meatballs is cooked through (depending on size of meatballs you may need to cook for 35 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning, add salt and pepper as desired. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh dill and a wedge of lemon.
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