In January 2025, Daniel Toma joined our Missio Link International (MLI) team and was challenged by Fivi Danalache, the coordinator of the Children At Risk (CAR) department, to become certified for the course “Beyond Success” by Equip Romania, John C. Maxwell—a challenge he accepted with both seriousness and enthusiasm. At the beginning of February, he completed the training, and on February 19, he was already teaching his first lesson in the “Choices for Freedom” program.
This course was specially designed for young people deprived of their liberty, accredited by the National Administration of Penitentiaries (ANP), and included by MLI in the Harmony program at Buzias Educational Center.
The course consists of seventeen lessons addressing deep and relevant topics for teenagers and at-risk youth—topics such as authentic friendship, forgiveness, value, and choosing what is right. Twenty boys took part in the course, fifteen completed it, and thirteen were rewarded with twenty credits each for their involvement and perseverance.
What makes these lessons especially appealing to youth in the educational system, beyond the content, is the approach: positive, encouraging, and focused on rediscovering personal value and a strong identity. In an environment where youth are often seen through the lens of their mistakes, this type of education offers them a new perspective—a chance at a different future.
The program also brings tangible benefits. Participants can earn up to 25 credits based on behavior and involvement, which can lead to various rewards within the center: outings into the community, the ability to purchase goods from the prison shop, reduced disciplinary actions, or even the cancellation of negative notes from their personal record. Credits act as both a motivational tool and a means of tracking progress, being awarded or withdrawn depending on behavioral evolution.
Through the Back to School program, at the end of March, the course was adapted for 5th and 8th grade students and implemented at the “Constantin Paunescu” Inclusive Education Center in Recas under the title “The 6 Keys to Success.” The first course of the program ran from May 8 to June 12 with a group of fifteen students. At the end, each student received a certificate of appreciation for their participation and the conscientiousness they showed.
In the final lesson, the discussion focuses on the importance of authentic friendships, healthy relationships, and especially the most important relationship a person can have: a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the One who never disappoints and loves unconditionally.
What’s next?
Daniel Toma will continue working with minors through the “Choices for Freedom” program and with young adults (ages 18–22) at the Buzias Educational Center, using the course Exploring Life – From Basic Needs to Life’s Purpose. Starting June 24, a new series of courses will also be launched for minors. One day every week, the Abstinence = Freedom course will be taught – a sexual education program developed by the Estera Foundation in Timisoara, addressing sensitive topics such as self-image, sexually transmitted infections, teenage pregnancy, abortion, and the benefits of abstinence. The Estera Foundation is a Christian organization based in Timisoara that provides counseling and support for mothers and couples facing unplanned pregnancies.
All these courses are designed and delivered as part of a broader vision: to offer young people—even in the most vulnerable contexts—a new perspective on their own lives, one based on eternal values, hope, responsibility, and an encounter with Jesus Christ. What begins as a simple lesson often becomes a turning point—a meeting with a different, better, and possible way of life.
