Entries by Comunicare MLI

Gratitude Trophy for Missio Link International, offered by the Timiș County Council

 

On 26.07.2024, we were honoured to participate in the festive meeting organised by the Timis County Council on the occasion of Timis County Day, an event that marks the establishment in 1919 of the Romanian administration in the county.

During the event, several organisations were awarded for their significant impact in the fields of culture, social assistance and education.

The Missio Link International Foundation (MLI) received the Gratitude Trophy for the efforts made in the field of education through the projects Back to School and Mom’s School, implemented in partnership with the School Center for Inclusive Education (SCIE) Constantin Păunescu Recaș. MLI was represented by Mrs. Fivi Dănălache – Coordinator of Services for Children At Risk (CAR-MLI).

We are grateful for the 20 years of partnership between MLI and SCIE Ctin Păunescu Recaș, and for the change in the lives of the children and their families. The local authorities thus recognise the major impact on access to education in the lives of the children from the rural areas and the fact that Christian education and activities have added value to the learning experience of the students from the SCIE Ctin Păunescu in Recaș. 

 

Happy Birthday Timiș County!

https://www.cjtimis.ro/

29 July 2024 by
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Moms’ School – The story of a community

“I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old – things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands” – Psalms 78:2-7

It was perhaps a little before the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year. The teachers from the current Constantin Paunescu Inclusive Education Center, Recas, Timis county (School), shared their concern with us about the high rate of early school dropouts among children in the administrative area of Recas. Children aged 10 -12 dropped out of school even before graduating from primary school to help and work with their parents in agriculture. We then understood that one of the causes of this phenomenon is the precarious economic situation of the uprooted families as a result of the communist demographic policy. This was the moment, our partnership with the school went beyond the limits of the former Recas Placement Center, moving towards the children of the community. It is worth recalling that the former communist orphanages had their own schools. It was only later on that the school and the fostering centers were separated and the children from the community and those from the orphanages were integrated together. The Bible education workshops that we are running in the foster care center, exclusively with the resident children,  would move into the classrooms of the school and include the children from the community. In order to respond to the material needs of the children in the community, in partnership with the school, we have implemented a scholarship system, consisting of basic food and hygiene products, school supplies, and clothing. The scholarship is awarded based on attendance and results at school. This is how Missio Link International (MLI) started the  Back to School program, which continues to this day annually serving over 200 children, ages 3 to 18, coming to the school from eight different villages adjacent to Recas. 

Over the years, not only has the early school dropout rate decreased, but also the academic situation has improved with more and more children graduating from secondary school and then vocational school, being the first generation in the family to have completed more than four classes and even with a professional training. The passage of time, the closer relationship with the school and also with the families of the children in the program, helped us understand that they are actually the children of a second generation of illiterate adults without a qualification. These adults were displaced from other areas of the country or were former children raised at the children’s home in Recas, one of the communist orphanages. We thus understood that school dropout was a consequence, the root issue was the lack of healthy parenting models based on values and principles that can break not only the cycle of poverty but also of abuse and juvenile delinquency in the communities where children and their families live.

For over ten years, we could see the fruit of the Word of God in the lives of the children we worked with at Recas,we saw them flourish, trusting in them, having dreams and making plans for the future.

During every visit, these children amazed us and still amaze us by reciting Scripture and even poems composed by some of them. We are moved to tears hearing them sing with all their heart and with all their strength “Amazing Grace”. The children and grandchildren of uprooted adults without a home of their own and without a place to return to, would find their identity and belonging in Christ, and not because they were told so in Bible education classes, but because during the course spent in school, they feel loved and valued both by the staff and volunteers of MLI and by the teaching staff of the school. The harmonious relationship between the adults in their surroundings gives them a different model of life. We thus understood that in order to change the paradigm in the communities of these children, we need to help the parents to find their identity, and where else can we start but with the mothers.  

With the support of the school, we identified a group  of 15 mothers with whom in the Fall of 2015, we started a new project at Recas called “Moms’ School”. Twice a month, Christian psychotherapists Mariana Mitrofan and Adriana Ciacia working with MLI and the school’s speech therapist Dana Oros, met with the mothers included in the project in parental counseling sessions, helping them understand how to be mothers according to the will of Christ. Counseling sessions were alternated with hands-on workshops where mothers interacted with their children using the newly learned principles. The power and importance of prayer, valuing the child but also disciplining in love, games that show mother-child relationship, were just some of the themes addressed until the end of 2019. Unfortunately, the pandemic prevented us from continuing the project, but was resumed in the spring of 2024, with a number of six mothers who together with Psychotherapist Adriana Ciacia, went through the Circle of Safety program, a program that they successfully completed on June 11, 2024. 

The Circle of Safety is an intervention program in educating and raising the child, based on over 30 years of research in Attachment Theory, which teaches that the child’s relationship with parents plays an essential role in their well-being. A secure relationship will help the child form the patterns on which he/she models relationships in adult life. Although the course is aimed at parents and educators, Adriana Ciacia also integrated practical workshops with children’s involvement. She brought Emily, a German Shepherd trained for therapy, as her assistant. “By integrating Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) with the Circle of Safety (COS) program, mothers and children can benefit from a multi-faceted approach to building secure attachment, improving communication and reducing stress. The presence of the therapy dog can serve as additional support, strengthening the secure foundation that COS aims to create in the family. For example, the “command and reward” activity aims to build trust and improve communication skills. Thus children learn to give commands to the therapy dog, such as “sit”, “lay down” or “fetch the ball”, while mothers guide their children to give clear, calm commands and praise the dog’s obedience. The dog’s role is to respond to commands helping children see the immediate impact of clear communication and positive reinforcement. This activity reflects the confidence-building aspect of the COS’’ – explains the psychotherapist. 

We congratulate the mothers for completing the Circle of Safety course, being convinced that their children will have a safe environment in the family. We desire to meet with them and other groups of mothers again in the Fall.

We are honored by the almost 20 years of partnership with the Constantin Paunescu Inclusive Education Center in Recas. Our collaboration in educating the children in the Recas area and the change in their lives led churches, companies, individuals from the country and abroad to join us in offering spiritual and financial support to continue the programs in the Recas area. 

Together we learned and showed others that everything is possible with God.

5 July 2024 by

Stan Johnson’ Great Opening book – Church in Mission

When we think of the word “conference” we imagine all sorts of pompous things like the lecturers, stuffy materials, participants aspiring to a higher level of knowledge, professional sessions, presentations, etc. That’s correct, because all of this is influenced bi-directionally both by the level of expectation of the participants and of the organisers. However, the conferences organised by Missio Link International are much more than that, as it is influenced by the long-term relationship between us, the speakers we invite and that partners to whom we provide the framework which helps them develop. 

 

A recent example is a series of two regional conferences organised in Giurgiu and Cluj, adding to it is an intensive conference held at the Alpinis Leadership Center. Stan Johnson from Zionsville Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, an old friend of MLI and of partners in Fetesti, Giurgiu, Cluj and other areas, approached the study of the book of Mark in a highly relational and interactive way. In Giurgiu (April 12-14) and Cluj (April 19-21) only those from the area participated in the regional conferences, but at the Alpinis Leadership Center (April 15-18) we had pastors, missionaries and ministers from Giurgiu, Fetesti, Alexandria, Zimnicea, Medgidia, Timisoara, Cluj and other areas. In his blogs (LINK HERE), Stan demonstrates exactly what was mentioned earlier: the conferences were not just about learning and intellectual development, but also about relationships, fellowship, rest, fun and relaxation. The fact that our Romanians immediately found nicknames for him (Stanel, Stanica, Stanisor) highlights the depth and history of the relationship between Stan Johnson and the conference participants. Stan and those from ZPC have been coming to Romania for decades, in partnership with MLI, collaborating on various programs and supporting projects that would have been difficult to appear on MLI’s agenda without their support.

 

One way of evaluating these conferences is the feedback we receive from the participants. Beyond the usual thanks and messages of gratitude, this year the participants surprised us with their words: 

 

“It was a heavenly atmosphere, these blessed days has to be repeated.” (Ficioru Family from Giurgiu)

 

“Stan’s proposed study method is the one that surprised me – it helps me a lot to visualise the biblical contexts and to connect all the details of the text.”

(Mitroi Cătălin from Alexandria)

 

“I went home with the thought and desire to put into practice what I have learned, especially when its about obedience to the Great Shepherd.”

(Mirela Moisa from Alexandria)

 

“It was an experience that helped us better understand our relationship as a part of the Shepherd’s flock, but also our relationship with the one who is the Great Shepard.” 

(Cira Emy from Cluj)

 

Nothing is more satisfying than to see that each conference achieves its goal: to create a space for transformation, for relationship and for the effectiveness of the ministry, and the testimonies of those who participate confirms this every time. We hope that the dynamics of these events will continue to remain the same in the future. Yes, we serve people, we are at the disposal of the churches, we want the Kingdom of God to grow, but the ultimate goal of all these events we organise was and remains to glorify our God.

To Him be all the glory forever!

30 May 2024 by

Exchange of Romanian-American best practices regarding the reintegration of persons deprived of liberty – integrated solutions and innovative ideas

On April 23, 2024, the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest hosted the event “Exchange of Romanian-American best practices regarding the reintegration of persons deprived of liberty – integrated solutions and innovative ideas”, organized by the Ministry of Justice and the National Administration of Penitentiaries, in partnership with the CEAS Federation – Christian Federation for Education and Social Assistance.

The event brought together over 180 participants from the country and abroad and aimed to present successful solutions in educating and reintegrating people deprived of their freedom and reducing recidivism.

An active member of the CEAS Federation with over 15 years of experience in education and reintegration programs for minors from the Buziaș Educational Center, Timiș county, the Missio Link International Foundation was represented by Emil Toader, President.

The end of the meeting was marked by a festive moment of adopting a Cooperation Declaration, through which the eight signatories, including the Missio Link International Foundation, committed to act in a united and coherent manner to support the socio-professional reintegration of persons deprived of their liberty and relapse prevention



Click : Press release of the Ministry of Justice

25 April 2024 by

LEADERS MISSIO LINK INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

Strategic Planning Meeting

On April 2, 2024, just for a day, the Missio Link International Foundation (MLI) coordinating team stopped from their daily routines and focused on the future. 

Under the guidance of Mr. Adrian HUDULIN, co-shareholder and senior consultant at Train to Excellence also MLI volunteer chaplain at Deborah House,  the MLI leaders answered a few questions :

  • Is the direction of the organization in line with the vision, mission and declared values after more than 20 years of serving?
  • What will MLI look like in five years?
  • How do we get there? What are the strategic objectives?

Our team imagined MLI as a vehicle in motion having Christ as both resource and destination. We move on solid ground developed by a team of dedicated leaders and partnerships of over 20 years. We share the same holistic approach that includes growth and impact of the Church in the community, leadership training and the recovery and integration of Children at Risk. 

At the end of the day, the team established the strategic objectives for the next five years:

  • Ensuring the sustainability of the foundation, through the development of resources;
  • Training a new generation of leaders;
  • Evaluation of ongoing projects, the needs and how MLI will respond to those needs;

Encouraged by the conclusions of this first meeting, we are preparing for the next stages in establishing the MLI strategy, keeping in mind Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen”.



Click : Youtube Channel - Missio Link International

25 April 2024 by
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Biblical counseling – November 2023

Intensive Course for the formation of Leaders in local churches

Between November 13-16, 2023 , the Alpiniș Leadership Center (ALC) hosted a new session of intensive spiritual training seminars, with biblical counseling as its theme. Forty-two pastors, missionaries, ministers and members from the partnering churches of the Missio Link International Foundation (MLI)  participated from over ten locations across the country.

The training session was organised through a partnership between MLI, the Maranatha Baptist Church in Campina and The International Theological Education Ministry, USA. The guest speaker was Pastor and Professor Louis Cloete of South Carolina, USA , originally from South Africa, based on the biblical counseling course he teaches his students. 

We are grateful to our partners who, for over 15 years have made these training seminars possible for leaders in local churches, thereby increasing their impact in the community.

 

20 November 2023 by
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Stories of Hope – Deborah House

Since 2002, Deborah House has been writing Stories of Hope.

Nicoleta

Nicoleta from Deborah House excels at school and she is an example to her colleagues.

Ana Maria

Unlike most teenagers, Ana-Maria is a quiet one. She tells her story through the strings of a violin, colours and sometimes by writing. A few years ago she published a collection of poems written by her. The collection of paintings painted by Ana-Maria is much larger. Some of these paintings were offered as a thanks to many of our partners who visited us and are now as private collections in USA and Europe.

Sabrina

Despite the evil she has unfairly dealt with, Sabrina always finds the strength to choose the good and soar above the clouds like eagles.

Adela

Who are we? Where do we come from and where are we heading to? These are question that each of us seek to have answers to. Gift of God with a beautiful voice and her passion for music helped Adela to discover and to value the beauty of Romanian folk music.



Listen to her Cover of a Traditional Romanian Song

Raluca

After only a few months with us, Raluca talks about her passions and her future plans. We believe that the people who helped her adapt so quickly are her new housemates, our volunteers and partners, last but not least the team.

Felicia

What can be so full of hope, when you see a young girl who desires to help other kids the way she was helped?

At Deborah house we write the Stories of Hope together every day.

7 September 2023 by

Dedication of the Alpiniș Leadership Centre

On June 10, 2023, we celebrated the dedication of the Alpiniș Leadership Centre. Alpiniș has a beautiful story woven by God with people who chose to leave a legacy of faith and impact in a special place: Păltiniș, Romania. This MLI project was accomplished miraculously starting with a land purchased in 2002 and a villa transformed into a ministry facility where thousands of youth benefitted of Christian programs on the mountain between 2006 and 2021.

The vision for the new Alpiniș location emerged during 2011-2013, and we broke ground for the new construction in 2018. Dear friends named the place, admiring the scenery, Alpiniș (Păltiniș – Alpine – Alpinish…) or holy ground, while walking on our property. A prophetic role was discerned for Alpiniș as one of formation, of transformation and growth for those participating in our programs or seeking a time of rest. From this, the modern concept of leadership which implies equipping and formation of character and abilities based on the model of Christ.

We share with you The Story of Alpiniș in a brief video we prepared for this occasion. Please click on the link below.

Our key word is thank you; we thank God, we thank you and we celebrate the completion of the building and pray for God’s provision in the new season. We are honored that you are part of our story at Alpiniș, thank you!

June 10 2023 - THE EVENT

16 August 2023 by