TEN Snippets

TENSnippets

Adding Life to Every Day

Emanuel Hospice, Romania

At Emanuel Hospice we cannot add days to the lives of our patients, but we can add life to days!

Under this programme, thirty children who are diagnosed, or have a family member diagnosed with a serious incurable disease, benefit from personal interventions to improve their quality of life.

Kevin, aged ten, is a hospice patient diagnosed with bone cancer. His father died suddenly last year because of heart disease. He takes part in the programme both as a patient and as a bereaved child. He is pictured with Estera, the social worker who leads the project.

Project Romanian Rescue (PRR)

Marian Serban

God has blessed us this year, against all adversity. We are grateful to our Lord God for all His faithfulness.

Despite the restrictions imposed by COVID, PRR was able to organise all sorts of activities, almost like in the good times, before the virus hit. During the summer holidays, the children in our care were able to visit the Aquarium, Dolphinarium, animal reservation, gondola in Constanța city, Dino Park in Neptun resort, Aquapark and circus in Eforie Nord resort. They also had a tour of Mamaia resort on the double decker bus, excursion to Medgidia town, a visit in Siminoc village, a train journey to Mangalia town where we visited a stud horse farm.

Two of these outings were sponsored by two friends of our project. We are grateful to you for praying for us and encouraging our efforts for His Kingdom.

TEN’s new Partner Advisory Group

After a year of planning, on 4th November we held our first Partner Advisory Group. Partners attended from Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Romania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, representing different churches and ministries.

We invited them to speak into our strategic intention to connect with more partners over the next few years. It was encouraging to hear their ideas and how they will be able to help us significantly in doing so. We are committed to hearing the partner voice as much as possible as we move forward. Please pray for this group that God will work through it to help TEN play its part in God’s Kingdom plans.

ISTL Graduation, Albania

In October we celebrated the graduation of 30 students. It was thrilling because last year we didn’t celebrate any graduation since the covid-related rules didn’t allow it.

We had missed the feeling of sending ministers to the field, spiritually and theologically matured. The most thrilling moment was the one when some of the students were sharing their testimonies of how ISTL has helped them and their ministry to grow spiritually. For many of them, even their way of thinking had changed during their time at ISTL, indeed the perspectives that teachers bring to some classes throughout the years challenge their ways of thinking. One of the students, Erion Xhaibra, couldn’t keep his tears from falling while testifying how great God had been during the time he attended ISTL—and we are sure God will continue to show His goodness to him.

English Camp for Kids

Banja Luka Christian Fellowship Church, Bosnia & Herzegovina

During the summer, we had a team of four volunteers join us from the US. While they were here in Banja Luka, one of the things that they did was to run a wonderful English Camp.

They used a method where they taught completely in English (with a smattering of translation here and there). It is amazing how much English the kids picked up during the week of the camp. Each day built on the other, and at the end of the programme the children knew how to introduce themselves, count, identify colours and recognise different animals, and most importantly the names of all the snacks that they had during the week. To get the snack, the children had to ask for it in English—from healthy snacks such as apples and carrots to biscuits and chocolate, they learnt those words pretty quickly! The children came both from our sponsorship project and from the children’s home. We got to spend time with some of the kids that we haven't been able to see much of because of Coronavirus.

A remarkable answer to prayer

Rock of Ages, Romania

Rock of Ages ministry in Romania reached out to help a former inmate build a new house for his destitute family living in a shelter of plastic and cardboard. Having spent what little he had to lay a foundation, the husband felt he had no option but to travel abroad to seek employment. In a dramatic answer to prayer, and with perfect timing, God miraculously provided all the resources and people required to help build and furnish their new home.

Jovica Bacvanski

Montenegro

After being in Montenegro for 22 years, most of those years the church was almost invisible to our country. However, after 33 years and much praying, the government of Montenegro finally changed.

A new political grouping came to power. Finally the government recognises both large and small churches. They invited representatives from the six registered evangelical churches of Montenegro and several other faith communities. For the first time in the history of this country our voice was heard. They offered to help us with some finances in the future and possibly with the pension for the church leaders. We now have the responsibility to be the prophetic voice to them, to bless them and to influence them the way the Lord will show us. Please pray for better and continuous contact between us.

Renewal Conference Centre

Sofia Baptist Church, Bulgaria

The Covid pandemic has impacted the business tenants who rent space in the centre and several of them have been forced to vacate. Also the number of conferences hosted in the past 12 months has been very small with no prospect of bookings yet for 2022.

The church was able to hold a national family camp bringing churches and families together, including non-Christian spouses. Young people and teenagers welcomed the opportunity to develop their relationships within a Christian context.

Please pray for Tedi and Didi and their team as they lead the church and oversee the conference centre. There are hopes of developing music and media ministry and training up of new leaders.

Bulgarian Partners Trustees are seeking one or more new trustees of mid-career age or younger to join the board. Email Geoff Wallis, jandgwallis@gmail.com