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P.O. Box 2007, Abbotsford, BC V2T 3T8

In a small isolated village in Southern Moldova, where more than 3,000 people subsist on a poorly developed agriculture industry, live many families mired in poverty, barely surviving.

One family lives in a house similar to many others in the village - old, made of clay and very close to falling down. When you knock on the door, a small 6 year old boy wearing shabby, smelly clothes answers. This little boy has 4 siblings - all with different fathers whom they have never met. With a mother addicted to alcohol, the children have had no proper supervision or parental care, or even love, growing up. Only their blind grandmother has tried to love and care for them. The oldest daughter got pregnant, gave birth and promptly abandoned the baby to her grandmother, and moved to another village with her boyfriend.

The family barely survives from day to day; food is a luxury for them. It’s a huge blessing when they receive a piece of bread from someone and are able to share it with the family members. Their situation is so difficult that last year, out of despair, they slaughtered and ate their dog.

The boy doesn’t attend school because he is only 6 years old. Fortunately, he and his two older siblings recently started attending the community center nearby. There, the children benefit from a hot meal.

“We are so blessed to be able to help these children and to share God’s love with them. We do not only offer them food, but show them our compassion, love and care. We praise the Lord that He led their paths to our center!” said Viorel, the center administrator.

Only a couple of houses down from the boys’ home resides another child, a 10 year old girl who lives in even worse conditions. She is both mother and father for two younger siblings. Her mother is alcohol-addicted and her biological father abandoned them when she was born. Now, her mom lives with an often violent boyfriend.

“Each time when I visit this family, my heart is filled with grief. I have seen her mother only a few times, each time with bruises and scratches on her body. The stepfather is either not at home when I come, or is totally drunk. He doesn’t even get up on his feet to talk to me because he can’t,”– Vitalie, the local area’s MWB coordinator shared.

The girl attends school but often misses classes since there is no one who could take care of her brother and sister. Aliona had three siblings but last year, one child died. The parents were not accused of negligence, but many in the village are suspicious of what actually happened to the child.

“We tried to remove the children from the family and provide a safer environment for them, but the authorities would not allow us to do that. The Educational Reform aims to integrate children from Boarding schools back into their families, not take them out again. The saddest part in this story is that she doesn’t attend the community center anymore because her parents forbade it. They said she has to stay at home with her siblings. Still, we often visit this family and do our best to help these little angels,” Vitalie told us.

These are just two of thousands of similar children’s stories in Moldova. MWB’s support offers hope for such kids and we praise God for His limitless love that can be shown through our work. We ask that you pray for these and other children in Moldova that face the same hardships, for their salvation and for peace in their souls.

Please let us know if you would like to provide support for these children and others in the same village. They need food, clothing, health care and most of all, the knowledge that someone cares for them. Will you be that someone?

Food prepared at Community Centre

I Was HungryJune 2015

REMEMBER TO TURN OFF HYPHENATION

Mission Without Borders1-800-494-4454 | www.mwbca.orgemail: dinwood@mwbi.org

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FOLDRite™ Template Master: B-13 Vertical Letter [Side A]

Face (fold-in)

Back Cover

Front Cover

Untitled-1 1 11-01-04 10:13 AM

“The family barely survives from day to day; food is a luxury for them...last year, out of despair, they slaughtered and ate their dog.”

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION

Last June I wrote about June being the time of year when high school students in Eastern Europe graduate, just like our students do here. But for many, the comparison ends there. Teenagers in places like Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania have far fewer options and opportunities than our kids do. Without further education there is little prospect of employment, let alone meaningful employment that could secure their future.

Some estimates suggest as many as 30% of the “graduating class” have a bleak and tragic future in store. Homelessness, crime and even suicide is in their future. Many young girls will be tricked or kidnapped and sold into the sex trade in Western Europe

MWB has a general fund which is used to provide sponsorships for as many of these students as we can, so that they can continue their education. This protects them from a potentially devastating fate, and gives them opportunity to hugely increase their employability.

If you are sponsoring a child about to graduate, please consider providing a scholarship for your child. If you don’t currently sponsor a child, then we would welcome your donation to our general education fund which we can match to other donations to provide for higher education for graduating students.

Sometimes tuition is free but the children (many orphans) still need money for books, supplies, clothing, food, and accommodation. That is why any donation from $100 and up is most welcome and greatly appreciated.

SPEAKING OF GIFTS

If we were all in Australia we’d be looking forward to “Christmas in July” as it’s coming on winter there now. But here in Canada, it’s not too soon to start thinking about Christmas.

You may recall last summer we introduced the idea of buying your Christmas (and birthday) gifts in the home country of your sponsored child or family. It’s easy, just send us the amount you want to spend and we will take care of the rest.

We will arrange to forward your money to the appropriate field office where they will make the gift purchase and deliver it directly to your sponsored child or family.

1-800-494-4454 | www.mwbca.org

This works very well because:

• We can buy more gift for your money in Eastern Europe than we can here

• Supporting the local economy multiplies the value of your gift

• We eliminate the expense and time involved in shipping from here

• The local counsellor will know exactly what your child or family needs and can buy a very appropriate gift for them

• We don’t have to worry about far in advance deadlines from the post office

• There is no lengthy shipping period to account for

If you still wish to purchase a gift yourself we would be happy to accommodate you. Please keep in mind current postal rates to Europe are about $45 per kilogram (2.2 pounds) and the post office deadline for surface parcels from Canada is late October.

By the way, MWB Operation Christmas Love parcels this year are $50, the same as last year.

We are very grateful for your generosity and guided by your wishes.

Sincerely,

David InwoodNational DirectorMission Without Borders Canada

PRAYER GUIDE

We invite you to use our prayer guide. You can find it on our website at www.mwbca.org/get-involved/

Look under the Prayer team entry, and thank you for your prayers, as they are truly appreciated!

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