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MISSIONWITHOUTBORDERS

“Get ready for winter! The temperatures will fall to minus 17 C next week.” This news worries thousands of families across Eastern Europe. For children it means lots of fun sledding with friends in the snow but for their parents it’s a different story.The Bujac family from Chisinau, Moldova consists of five children and their mother, Svetlana. They were a happy family until the father became addicted to drugs. “Life was extremely difficult. We often went to bed hungry. After the birth of my youngest son David, my husband was often violent so to protect my children I had to choose between him and them. It’s still sad for me to remember that day, but I know that my decision was right,” Svetlana confessed.

December 2015 - January 2016

Fearful of the Coming Cold

The Bujac Family and Mission Co-ordinator Iurie with the briquettes

22 MWB in FOCUS

David dressed for the cold weather

The family inside their small apartment

Now David is a friendly one year old and the two younger girls Nastea 5, and Iana 4, attend kindergarten. Svetlana has become a professional shoe-maker thanks to an opportunity given for her to work at her husband’s old workplace. Victoria 18, her oldest daughter, looks after David during the day but attends night classes at High School.

Winter is a huge struggle for them. Their greatest concern is heating their one room apartment and to have enough winter clothes. They used to wear only sport shoes during winter which made their feet wet and cold, but through the mission they now have warm boots, coats and hats.

“The thought that the cold season was coming was frightening me. I didn’t know where to find firewood or how we would heat our house. I thought we would have to rummage through the trash bins to find something to sell. A few days later, “the Mission brought us some sawdust briquettes. We were so relieved” Svetlana happily exclaimed.

“I’m very happy that we had the opportunity help them. The Bujac family are a special family, endeavouring to overcome their difficulties, doing anything to survive.” Iurie the co-ordinator shared.

“When we were about to leave, I asked the children what they would like for next Christmas. Thinking their answer would be “sweets and toys”, it surprised me. “Really our only wish is to have a bathroom inside the house”. While many of us forget to thank the Lord for the comfort items we have in our homes, there are millions of children who simply pray for running water, heating, a piece of bread or a little bathroom.”

East European winters are severe. Temperatures can go below minus 30C in some areas. For many years the Mission has responded to the needs of the poor, especially families, elderly and orphanage children by providing warm clothing and bedding, boots for the snow, firewood and fuel for cooking and heating, and food parcels. It is rightly named ‘Operation Winter Rescue’.

33MWB in FOCUS

SUPPORTERS’ TOUR 2015Andrew Wilks led a group of 8 Kiwi supporters on a 3-week trip to Ukraine, Moldova and Bulgaria in September-October. The group visited orphanages, soup kitchens, a training centre, community centres, churches and homes, meeting MWB staff, the homeless, sponsored children and families. They also learned more of the recent history and cultures of each country, and the challenges faced by ordinary people. All of the group have said it was a very enjoyable trip. If you would like to come with us next time, please let us know.(Picture Right: 2015 tour group outside the Chernobyl Museum, Kiev.)

OPERATION COVER UP Another Outstanding Effort! A big ‘thank-you’ to everyone who has contributed to this amazing project during this year. The impact on lives both here in NZ and in our field countries is enormous. Both shipping containers have arrived at our Holland base and the contents are being moved to our field countries.

CHRISTMAS LOVE 2015 We have had a tremendous response from our Christmas Love appeal – thanks to all who have given. So far you have helped over 1200 families with a Christmas Love parcel. It’s not too late if you would still like to make this special gift.

Here is a report from Mykola, Ukraine Director. This year Operation Christmas Love programme is again helping to support the widows, refugees and the poor in the Eastern Ukraine. We work with the local churches to share the Gospel and to help them celebrate Christmas. During a recent event in Rivne many Christmas Love parcels have already been distributed. On behalf of all the beneficiaries of this project MWB Ukraine would like to thank all the supporters who helped to make this outreach possible. Thank you for sharing Christmas love not only in words, but in deeds. God bless you all..

2016 CALENDARS & CHRISTMAS CARDS PACKS There’s still time to order your 2016 Calendar ($12). MWB Christmas cards (pack of 12, $15). Order by phone or go to our website “Shop”.

Office hours over Christmas -New Year and Mail

Our office closes Wednesday 23 December and reopens Monday 11 January 2016.

Our next regular mail will be sent 1 February together with our Bridge of Prayer.

Christmas Greetings We wish you a very Happy Christmas and a Blessed 2016.

The Field Directors from the six Eastern European countries where we work send you their heart-felt Christmas greetings and thank you for all you have done to make their work possible during 2015.

444 Helping to Change Lives in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine

MISSIONWITHOUTBORDERS (NZ) PO Box 56264, Dominion Road, Auckland 1446 Phone 09 309 6969 0800 469 269 Email nzadmin@mwbi.org Website mwb.org.nz Reg. Charity No. CC37218 facebook.com/MissionWithoutBordersNZ

Direct Credit Payments: Our bank account is 06-0185-0122206-12 If you would like us to issue a receipt for tax rebate purposes, please include or email us your name, supporter number (if you have one) and a reference code: OWR: Winter Rescue WMN: Where most needed For Bibles, please use account 06-0185-0122206-25 but please note that gifts for Bibles do not qualify for tax rebates.

Delivery of firewood, Bosnia

Moldovan girls receive NZ knitted jerseys

Blankets for the elderly, Bosnia

Little Bulgarian girl wrapped up for winter

“Just receiving these shoes and warm clothes and blankets, makes our day. We know there

are many poor people like us in the world that need help so we appreciate everything.”

The Stan Family, Romania

“Thank you for all you have given us – the knitted clothing, the blankets and shoes and now we have enough firewood to last the winter. Thank you for the school bags, they are brand new!” The Aldescu Family, Romania

Feedback from last year’s Winter Rescue

A Romanian girl warm in her knitted jersey