West End Assembly of God, Richmond, VA, USA
What better way to end the summer holiday than with dear guests and activities filled with smiles? From August 31st to September 6th, we had the joy of hosting a short-term mission team from West End Assembly of God (WEAG) in Richmond, Virginia, USA. The team was led by Sue Schlesman, the church’s Director of Discipleship. Eight women came with a clear purpose: to serve, bring joy, and spend precious time with the children in our “Children At Risk” (CAR) programs.
The partnership between WEAG and the MLI team began a long time ago, back in late 1993. After MLI was established in 2001, WEAG decided to include MLI on its list of international mission partners. In the early years, they provided financial support for the renovation and construction of the two Deborah Houses. Even through leadership transitions and the challenges of the pandemic, WEAG has remained a faithful partner of MLI-CAR.
With open hearts and prepared with creative and educational materials, the WEAG team organized various activities that filled the children’s days with joy. There were moments of play, learning, and storytelling, all with the desire to build and strengthen friendships and to make our girls feel valuable. Being healthy means more than just feeling good physically; it means taking care of and valuing yourself. That’s why one of the most successful workshops was dedicated to health and personal hygiene. In a playful and friendly way, the girls learned about the importance of personal care. These small daily habits are actually a way to feel a little more confident every day. Each activity was a small piece of a larger puzzle, designed to help the girls rediscover themselves and build healthy self-esteem.
Each day of the week, a special time was dedicated to the story of Esther from the Bible, a wonderful example of courage and self-worth. The girls learned that, like Esther, every girl is chosen by God for a unique purpose. Caring for our bodies is important, but especially caring for our hearts. This story teaches us that, beyond external appearance, true beauty lies in the courage to act, the humility to listen, and a heart that allows itself to be used by God to make a difference in the world around us.
The children and youth from the other CAR programs also enjoyed the ministry of the WEAG team:
The MLI “Back to School” Program: together with the WEAG team, we organized a special activity at the “Constantin Paunescu” Center for Inclusive Education in Recas, connecting with the children through interactive games. Some of the children’s mothers took part in a health-focused session, where they received valuable information about first aid, medical advice on household accidents, and participated in a Q&A session, asking about various health issues affecting them or their loved ones.
The MLI “Harmony” Program: at the Buzias Educational Center, together with the girls in the program, MLI and the WEAG team created connections through a specially prepared craft, shared a snack, and had heartfelt conversations.
We sincerely thank our friends from West End Assembly of God Church for choosing to be with us and our children!
