Summer is here and it’s time for Summer Camp! It’s the highlight of the year for thousands of impoverished children in Eastern Europe.

In Albania the camp takes place on the beautiful coast by the Adriatic. In a pine grove, just by the beach, 375 children are accommodated in tents. Not all at once of course! Every ten days a new group of 75 children arrive. Working in close co-operation with local congregations, these are the children we are able to help throughout the year. Many of the children come from homes that are no more than shacks, often with an outdoor ‘kitchen’. Their parents keep them away from school in order to help with work. The parents themselves have known little else. It’s now becoming a real fear that the majority of young people will grow up illiterate.

During Summer Camp there’s such a variety of things to do. There’s sports and swimming. Also there are competitions and creative activities to choose from. In the evenings the entertainment continues. The puppet show is loved by everyone.

It’s a happy time of fun and learning that the children will never forget. More importantly the opportunity to learn about Jesus could make this a truly life-changing experience.

This summer forty one teachers, caretakers and administrative workers from 11 different ‘orphanages’ arrived in “Canaan”, a camp in Ukraine.

For four days the adults enjoyed different activities including sport games, topical discussions, singing Christian songs together, visiting church visit. At the end of the Camp, many said what a wonderful time they’d had. Many spoke of the calm and peaceful atmosphere, how they got to know more about the ministry of the Mission and understood more about our aims. They all enjoyed learning new Christian songs and exchanged addresses with others from other orphanages. One teacher said: “I’ve never sang in my life. I didn’t even think I could sing. But here I sang; I felt very calm and couldn’t stop smiling!” The Mission Without Borders staff had been very diligent in prayer both before and after the Camp and all feel that God blessed the people there. Please join us in our prayer that the seeds planted in the heart of the attendees will grow and bring forth the fruit for the Lord.

The earthquake measured a massive 7.9. It made 5 million people homeless. The death toll is expected to reach 80,000.

Mission Without Borders - through our church related partners - have been actively involved in the relief effort since the day after the earthquake. The following brief report is collected from our local source:

1. Workers supported by MWB have made personal trips with local disciples, distributing food and water, providing comfort, and assessing the situation.
2. House church workers who have been associated with our team and national missionaries who have been mobilized and work in these areas. Pastors and evangelists have gone to provide assistance. One couple was even in the very center of the earthquake zone, and although cut off, has been able to provide us with first hand reports through phone calls.
3. Our partners organized a relief team led by a Doctor and coordinated in conjunction with other International Christian organisations, which was personally authorized by Wen Jia Bao to provide assistance to the victims.

PRESENT SITUATION
We are in the ASSESSMENT and RESCUE phase. Roads are blocked, bridges are out. Survivors in the areas closer to the city and accessible by roads are being adequately cared for by relief teams. Those beyond are desperate and need urgent relief otherwise there will be an even larger loss of life.
URGENT NEEDS
Many places within the earthquake zone are still out of reach. One of our national missionary couples survived and reported that as of yesterday NO OUTSIDE HELP HAD REACHED THEIR AREA. They are buying food and water and reaching out to the people around them. These areas must be reached, and quickly.
With no places to stay and no shelter, many are walking and finding their way to the cities. Have to set up places for people to stay, collection of orphans, and counseling. Our House Church partners are already focusing on these needs, and are counting the cost for long term involvement far beyond the relief stage.
We are working with a number of agencies to coordinate training and support for relief workers. A local Christian businessman has agreed to cover the expenses for the conference facilities. He has also offered up to ten vehicles a day to be used by relief teams.
Please will you consider supporting this vital work by donating now?

Please click here for details of your local Mission Without Borders Affiliate

After a summer of drought in Romania, food and vegetables became more expensive.  But while the prices rose by 40%, pensions and the minimum salary increased by only 10 – 15%. With rising gas and electricity prices too, the fight for survival became too difficult for many of the poorest families. So this year in particular, Operation Christmas Love became a lifeline to many.
The Christy* Family of 6 is one of the needy families who received an Operation Christmas Love parcel that made all the difference.
The monthly cash income of this family is about £40 and the OCL parcel they received was a wonderful surprise for them. The basic food helped the mother to prepare a Christmas meal and she said that with the sugar, the oil and the white flour, she could make buscuits for her boys. The children couldn’t believe it when they saw the chocolate and the sweets.  Christmas became something they could look forward to. 
* name changed to preserve confidentiality

Each year our generous supporters donate money to “Operation Christmas love” and bring joy to thousands of families and elderly people this Christmas.

It will fill approximately 30,000 boxes full of good basic food and supplies, sweets and treats for the children, Christian literature and love from you.

Last Christmas Alexandra’s family received one of our Operation Christmas Love boxes. She said, “I was trying to decide whether we would do without food or heat. Now I know that God really exists.”

Her family was able to rejoice last Christmas. Thousands of families and lonely elderly people are in similar situations, waiting and hoping for a miracle this Christmas…

Approximately 30,000 Operational Christmas Love parcels have been assembled.  The packing was done at various  warehouses in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania.  Distribution to people has started.  To see video of OCL Parcel distribution click HERE.

Please show your love this Christmas!  For details of how you can help, please contact your local Mission Without Borders office.

Fifteen years ago, the authorities in Cluj Napoca found two babies abandoned in the railway station, Sebastian (2), and Larisa (4). These siblings were then placed in the Cluj Napoca orphanage where they grew up until they were School-age. At this point the two were separated and transferred to placement centres: Sebastian in Gilau and Larisa in Huedin.
When Larisa was in the second grade, she was adopted by a family from Denmark. Larisa and her adoptive parents visited Sebastian at the Placement Centre in Gilau before leaving. Sebastian remembers “Larisa hugged me and cried. Then, they left together but they didn’t take me with them, because I was sick”. This separation from his sister, and rejection by her new family, caused Sebastian much pain. This rejection, coupled with the original abandonment, had a profound affect on his life.
Sebastian spent many years in the Home in Gilau, before being moved to Huedin, a family-type home. At this point he enrolled in the Child Rescue International (CRI) Program, was soon sponsored by a Norweigan sponsor, and enrolled in MWB’s Bible Correspondence Course. Sebastian now attends all Christian Input activities and Emotional Support classes held by the Mission’s workers and volunteers in the Home. From this participation, Sebastian began attending church and made the decision to receive Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. On September 23, he was baptised at the Pentecostal Church in Huedin. This momentous occasion was shared with two of Sebastian’s best friends: Ciprian Dimbean and Sorin Lacatus. All three boys had grown-up together in the Huedin Placement Centre.
Ciprian was the first of the three to be Baptised. Ciprian prayed and continued to ask God that his friends from the Home would also find Christ, and God answered him in a wonderful way! So far, four of his friends have been baptised and are living their lives according to God’s will.
Mission Without Borders Romania is grateful to God for his faithfulness and answer to prayers. It is a privilege to be a part of this work!
We cannot do our work without prayer and the Lord’s help. We appreciate your support and would appreciate your prayers.

Torrential downpours bombarded Valcea County a week ago. The already swollen rivers burst their banks washing homes completely away. Crops were submerged, roads and bridges were destroyed. Families were made homeless, facing the oncoming winter with nothing more than what they wore.
MWB was the first to offer them a helping hand. We were able to provide insulating materials, beds, mattresses, warm blankets and food.
The Humuzau family were fast asleep when the waters hit their house. They just had time to snatch their little baby and run. They lost their home, all their possessions including their livestock. “We lost everything, but we’re so grateful to God that we’re alive!” Elvira Humuzau said.
Maria, the mother of three, added “Government aid for flood victims is usually slow in reaching those in need. You acted instantly. Thanks to you, we have a bed to sleep and my children have something to eat. Thank God that there are some big-hearted people like you!”
Thank you everyone. It is you who helped the homeless after the floods.