UkraineYour support

newsletterSummer 2014

mwbuk.org @mwb_uk facebook.com/MissionWithoutBorders

Now more than ever, the people of Ukraine need our help. Since January, political instability has sparked rapid increases in the cost of living (see table). Ukraine’s poorest are hit hardest. Whilst salaries and most social assistance have stayed the same, child benefit has decreased and utility prices are increasing massively: Water and electricity have gone up 50%; gas 60%; the import price of Russian gas has increased 79%. Ukrainians must now expect their utility bills to continue rising annually, at least until 2018.

Mission Without Borders Reaching people for Christ: Helping people out of poverty into a sustainable future.

If you would like to learn more, or discuss our work, please contact us on: t: 020 7940 1370 e: enquiries@mwbuk.org This newsletter is available online: mwbuk.org

Ukraine

Volodymyr, our communications manager in Ukraine tells us that as “unemployment also rises, the national currency weakens. Ukrainians feel both despair and loss – and so every aspect of MWB’s support is very much welcomed. People appreciate our regular material help, but they are also thankful for our spiritual and emotional counselling in this time of uncertainty.”

Oleksandr: “Supporting thousands of children in need who live as orphans in Homes takes a lot out of you. I spend time with them; they tell me their problems; I organise football and games. Yes, I’m tired, but not of this work. When I go to the orphanage and see the children running and joyfully shouting to me, my tiredness is gone and I want to go there again and again and to leave a piece of kindness in their hearts.”

Item January 2014 (UAH) April 2014 (UAH) Increase

Chicken (kg) 23 (£1.15) 30 (£1.50) 30%

Tomatoes (kg) 17 (£0.85) 25 (£1.25) 47%

Jeans 400 (£20) 500 (£25) 25%

Gasoline (litre) 11 (£0.55) 15.9 (£0.80) 45%

Diesel (litre) 10 (£0.50) 14.9 (£0.75) 49%

UkraineSome of our Co-ordinators share what motivates them in their work for MWB

Yuriy: “One of the biggest challenges in our region is the radioactive pollution after the Chernobyl disaster (1986). Many people have serious health problems. Recently, doctors diagnosed leukemia in two children from our Family Sponsorship programme. Praise the Lord, they are now feeling good due to timely medical treatment and God's blessings.”

Sergiy: “What I really like about my job is the chance to share Jesus. It’s so exciting to see what happens. I remember counselling a young boy who behaved badly towards his mother. After I spent some time talking heart-to-heart with this youngster, he asked her for forgiveness. Can you imagine my feelings as I said good-bye to this family? Seeing the results of your work is always very encouraging!”

Pavlo: “When I was 15 years old my own family was enrolled in MWB’s sponsorship programme. For five years it was a huge support for us. Now I am MWB’s co-ordinator for 80 families from the Rivne region! I like my job because I can serve people. When I see the joy as we support poor families, my heart rejoices in a special way! Earlier this year, I brought winter boots to one family. It turned out that they had prayed and asked God for exactly that – winter boots!”

Please pray• For President Petro Poroshenko’s government to make good decisions

at this critical time in Ukraine’s history.• For peace to prevail across Ukraine and violence to dissipate.• For Ukraine’s teetering economy to stabilise.• Our Ukraine team consists of 50 staff and 90 volunteers. Pray for their protection, and to keep God’s

purposes at the centre of all they do.• That God continues to enable and bless His work through MWB.• For God’s deepening of good inter-denominational relationships formed during the crisis.

We ensured

16,000 children received the education and care they deserve in Children’s Homes and our

Community Centres.

Over 10,000 children joined our life-skills and Christian input activities.

Working with the whole family is vital to tackling the pressures of poverty. Through sponsorship, MWB provided spiritual, emotional, educational and material support to over

1,726 families. In addition…

863 mothers received support through our pre- and post-natal care

7,836 families in crisis had their urgent needs met.

Served Europe’s poorest communities in 6 countries:

Albania, Ukraine,

Moldova, Bosnia-Herzegovina,

Bulgaria, Romania

Your giving

Reached thousands of people in East Europe with regular assistance through local and national networks

Poverty steals – so we restore people’s dignity and value through…

n Our 24 Community Centres serving over 200,000 mealsn Prison-care for around 1,000 prisoners

n Skills-building and social support for over 500 people with disabilities

You and MWB'ssupporters, staff and volunteers around the world

translates into hope, joy, and support for thousands of children, adults, and elderly people across Eastern Europe. Be inspired by what we have achieved together over the past year…

For service in Christ’s Name to build hope, bring peace and God’s love in difficult circumstances, last year we…

n distributed 50,000 Bibles across Eastern Europe

n told 19,000 people about Jesus Christ at evangelistic campaigns

n engaged 42,033 people in Christian education, camps and through newspapers

n partnered with 190 local churches

What makes us unique?We support individuals, families and communities by investing in local knowledge, partnering with local churches, and working with local community members to empower their own development.

n MWB tackles poverty with a comprehensive, holistic approach: We meet people’s spiritual and emotional needs as well as provide education and material support.

n We are motivated by the love of God.

We really are making a difference!

Thank you.If you would like to support the work of MWB, please use the form on the back of this magazine, or visit www.mwbuk.org/giving

In Moldova, the Tentiuc family worried constantly about their future. Irina and Vitalii managed to provide a safe home for their three daughters to live, but they had little hope for what lay ahead.

“When MWB first visited us, we were all stressed, sad… even despairing,” admits Irina.

Life for the Tentiucs began to change simply through a legacy left to MWB. Because of this lasting gift, Irina received a sewing machine. She could begin to plan for her family’s future.

Today Irina earns an income from dress-making and has enough to feed her family. Irina and Vitalii bought some chickens, giving them a constant source of good food. What’s more, they share their produce with others. “We are very pleased when we can give some eggs to a poor family from our church. Maybe it is not much at the moment, but we hope to give more in the future. We have to help others as we ourselves were helped by MWB.”

Irina’s new income means she can think ahead for her children. With the extra money, Irina has enough to keep her daughters at school.

Today, the Tentiucs are a different family – full of hope.

Thanks to a supporter who left MWB a legacy, the Tentiucs are becoming self-sufficient. And because they can now provide for their children, this legacy is a gift that will continue to bear fruit and change this family’s lives for generations.

Leave a legacyof hope

After providing for your family and loved ones, bring changes for some of the most vulnerable people in Europe.

£700–1,500 could help a young person fulfil their potential with a scholarship—paying for books, living costs, and tuition.

£1,500 could help a whole community by funding its community centre for one month.

£5,000 could enable three families to step into self-sufficiency through our LaunchPad fund.By remembering MWB in your will you can have a life-changing impact on some of Europe’s poorest people.Find out more at mwbuk.org/legacies, or phone us in confidence on 020 7940 1370.

What has a sewing machine to do with a legacy? One small lasting gift made a family’s dream for a hopeful, self-sufficient future come true.

“ It was like sun-shine after the storm. I’ve been able to make dresses and sell them at the market. I am so happy now!”

What will your legacy be?

After the death of his father, Irinel’s mother remarried and moved to another village in Dolj County, Romania. She left Irinel and his younger brother with their elderly grandparents – who were already struggling to survive on their meagre state pension.

MWB first came into Irinel’s life through our Jubilee Bible Project. We offered Irinel his very own copy of God’s Word, which he tried to read every day. But he was forced to read his new Bible in secret because his grandfather forbade him from looking at it.

Irinel attended as many of our Christian Input meetings as he could. It was then that he decided to follow Christ. Today, he helps to lead Bible studies (photo below).

“I remember the day MWB came to our village. You

helped me when I needed it the most. If it weren’t for you, I would never have found out about Jesus. God’s Word gives me hope and dares me to dream bigger things for myself.”

Irinel’s dream is to serve the Lord full-time; “My relationship with God transformed my life for the better. I want to be a pastor for poor communities like my home village.”

Because of MWB’s Child Sponsorship Irinel is well on the way to meeting his dream. We supported him through his final years of school. Now, with a MWB scholarship he’ll study theology in Bucharest.

MWB’s Bible Club is transforming the lives of adults and children like Irinel across Eastern Europe by opening their hearts to God.

Word

Join our Bible Club! It costs just £4 a month to equip people hungry for the Word of God with their own Bibles. Phone 020 7940 1370 or visit mwbuk.org/giving

Life was difficult for Irinel growing up suffering the loss of both his parents and with few of his basic needs met. “My life changed for the better,” says Irinel, “the moment they put a Bible in my hands.”

Transformed by the

It’s not too late to donate!www.mwbuk.org/summercamp Phone 020 7940 1370

A time to flourish It’s not too late to help children flourish at Summer Camp!

For everything there is a season. This summer is a time for thousands of children to flourish at MWB’s Camps. With your help, many more children will be able to enjoy all that Summer Camp has to offer.

“ Summer Camp is the best thing that ever happened to me! I have made many new friends and I learnt to swim! I have eaten the most delicious food! Thank you!” Teodora, Romania

“ In the Children’s Home we never have time to play. But at Summer Camp our leaders invented so many, exciting games.” Nataliya, Ukraine

“ There are a lot of surprises here! They made up the whole camp to be like traffic: So the leaders were cars, the children were passengers and God’s commandments were the road signs.” Davyd, Ukraine

We have many more children waiting to go to Summer Camp – like Majlinda and Jetmir. Instead of spending their summer hunting through rubbish for tin cans to sell, they will experience ten colourful days full of fun. Watch them at www.mwbuk.org/summercamp

For Ion in Moldova, 12, it will be a time of crucial fellowship. “I hope to make new friends at this camp to play with and not to be alone.”

“I am 18. If it wasn’t for this centre, I’d be sitting around doing nothing since finishing school. I’m so grateful to be able to study here for free! After graduating, I’m going to work in my village: I can sew from home to earn money!”

For Tetyana (above), qualifying as a seamstress means she can now help to support her family, including twelve siblings. Because their parents cannot afford further education for their children, Tetyana’s older brothers had to go to Russia to find work.

MWB’s training centre in Sarny, north-east Ukraine, is a life-line for students like Tetyana from poor families. We offer them vocational skills in sewing, IT and cooking – crucial for finding work.

Presenting the graduation awards, Sarny’s mayor recognises MWB’s input into the local education system and for making such a difference to young people. The centre has been training young people

since 2004. With over 165 students graduating each year, we have prepared more than 1,500 young people for work and their life ahead.

Flourishing through further education

Our vocational training centre in Ukraine has prepared over 1,500 young people for a better future.

• Praise God for the amazing benefit our educational centre brings for youngsters living in and around Sarny.

• Thank God for our many sponsors who enable training to occur.

• Pray that each student will flourish in using their new skills for employment and becoming self-sufficient.

Support a young person with vocational training from £60Go to www.mwbuk.org/shopPhone 020 7940 1370

Please pray

Thank you for helping

Knitting achievementsMrs B has just celebrated her 94th birthday and recently knitted her 8,000th scarf!

Ann, in Caversham, knits for MWB. Comprising a jumper with a matching hat, scarf and mittens, Ann estimates she knits one complete set per month.

Thank you, Mrs B and Ann for your knitting. We will distribute knitting to children and families we support across Eastern Europe.

Share or like our Facebook page at facebook.com/missionwithoutboarders

CoULd YoU do Knitting Without Borders? Your knitting is essential for keeping warm children and families in Eastern Europe. But it is expensive for us to transport. So why not do Knitting Without Borders? That way you can ask people to sponsor you for knitting, and those donations can cover our transport costs.

www.mwbuk.org/get-involved

Cakes raised over £100Thank you to pupils at Fleetville Junior School, Hertfordshire, who held a charity cake sale to raise £115 for MWB.

Six children from Fleetville baked cakes, rocky roads, brownies and gingerbread trees to sell at a special charity event in their school playground.

In the school's Fleetville News, the six bakers were commended. "It was great to see pupils using their own initiative and doing something which makes a difference for other people."

WHY NoT use your baking skills for fundraising like the Fleetville six?

Thank you for helping MWB Advocates

Book sale bonanzaNick and Judy are Advocates for MWB. They ran a second-hand book stall at their church in St Albans. Thank you for raising almost £300!

Concerts and talksLong-time supporter Terry, from St Barnabas Church, Leeds, has been a busy Advocate for MWB. He sees this as a way of putting his faith into action. "I am very pleased to raise extra funds for Mission Without Borders. I've travelled with MWB and seen for myself how the charity really does change people's lives.”

Terry recently gave a talk at St Barnabas about MWB. It was because of Terry’s involvement that his church’s folk-blues band ASK'D put on a fundraising gig for MWB. What’s more, Terry initiated a performance of light and entertaining music by the Wendell Singers last year.

Thank you Terry, and everyone at St Barnabas Church for your crucial contributions, raising thousands of pounds to support some of Europe’s poorest children and families.

If you live in the Leeds area and would like Terry to talk about MWB to your church or group, please phone us on 020 7940 1370.

CoULd YoU put on an event? Whether you run a book sale, like Nick and Judy, or put on concerts, like Terry, you are an Advocate. Could you hold a coffee morning, run a bazaar, host a dinner party, or even clear out your clutter and sell it on ebay? Whatever you do, if you raise funds, or tell others about MWB – then you’re an Advocate!

For help with these activities phone 020 7940 1370,

For more fundraising ideas look at www.mwbuk.org/get-involved

Terry with his sponsored child Vladimir in Moldova

Calling Portsmouth locals! If you live in Portsmouth Diocese, we need you!

We’d like to promote MWB’s work in the Portsmouth area. For that we need supporters who are happy to speak – simply by telephone – about MWB. So whether you are a sponsor, you have donated or prayed for MWB, please let us know by phoning 020 7940 1370 or email enquiries@mwbuk.org

Mission Without Borders175 Tower Bridge Road London SE1 2AGt: 020 7940 1370 f: 020 7403 7348 e: enquiries@mwbuk.org mwbuk.org

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Could you give a legacy of hope?A gift in your will to MWB means that together we can help more people out of poverty into a sustainable future.

For Irina...“It was like sun-shine after the storm when MWB visited our home. With your sowing machine, I’ve been able to make dresses and sell them at the market. I am so happy now I can earn enough to feed my family!”

If you would like to find out how to include MWB in your will, please contact us in confidence. • Phone 020 7940 1370• Email enquiries@mwbuk.org• Tick the ‘Legacies’ box on the response form,

left, and return to MWB.

• visit www.mwbuk.org/legacies

Give others a future of hope: Leave a legacy

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