As the school year finally comes to a conclusion, we still have a few more students to recognize and celebrate with them for reaching these milestones in the lives! We are so proud of all the hard work these young people have put in to get to this point. All of their efforts and their perseverance has served them well! Congratulations to each of you as you embark on the next chapter of life!
We recently shared a little about the significance of the Last Bell in Moldova. The Last Bell is a time to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments in the lives of young people. It does not signify the end, but rather, a pause before the next part of the journey begins. In reality, the Last Bell is just the beginning of what is to come. In recent days, Crossroads Compassion Project, and our supporters have had the privilege to help several of our young people reach some major milestones in their lives. So now, we pause. We pause to congratulate Ana, Evelina, Valeria and Eduard and celebrate their recent graduations. We are also celebrating with Evelina and Nikita and the announcement of their engagement! Please join us as we celebrate with these AMAZING young people and lift them in prayer as they begin the next phase of their journey. Today is a very special day in Moldova. Today is a celebration for students that are experiencing the "Last Bell". The Last Bell is a day to celebrate the hard work and the accomplishments of students who are completing, or about to move to their next level of their education. We are happy to be celebrating with several of our Big Family members this year. We will share more about that very soon. Stay tuned... This link from IPN Moldova gives a little glimpse of the Last Bell celebration. (Crossroads Compassion Project does not endorse any content from IPN Moldova, nor does their content reflect our views or convictions) https://www.ipn.md/index.php/en/last-bell-ring-celebrations-held-at-schools-across-moldova-7967_1104875.html On April 5th the Alianța Creștină Moldova Fără Orfani (Christian Alliance for Moldova Without Orphans), also know as ACMO, held their Regional Conference in the North of Moldova, in the city of Bălți The participants in the conference were representatives of several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating in Moldova that serve vulnerable children in their local communities. The conference brought a diverse group of professionals, leaders, and volunteers to the table, and gave them an opportunity to share their work, goals, strategies and solutions. This type of collaboration, cooperation and networking, builds a stronger alliance among those who are called to serve at-risk and vulnerable children in Moldova. Crossroads Compassion Project is grateful to be part of such a coalition and to have an active role in the planning and presentation of the event. We are extremely grateful for ACMO and the amazing work they are doing in Moldova. Many thanks to all of the participants, and for the leadership of our own Alina and Kathryn, as well as our Crossroads young people, who volunteered their time and talents to serve those that attended the 2024 ACMO Regional Conference. Since it's inception in 1999, the North Carolina-Moldova Bilateral Partnership has continued to flourish. Last Saturday, the Partnership Committee met in Raleigh, NC. At the invitation of Secretary of State, Elaine Marshall, Crossroads Compassion Project had the opportunity to share a little of what we have been up to in Moldova. We would like to thank Secretary Marshall and Moldova's Ambassador to the United States, Viorel Ursu for the opportunity to share our work and our vision for the future.
If you have ever traveled to Moldova by air, you have surely flown into the capital city of Chisinau. Well...last week, a major change was announced. Up until January 18th, the Chisinau Airport code had been "KIV". The old airport code dates back to the Soviet Era and refers to the Russian spelling "Kishinev". As of last week, the airport code for Chisinau is now "RMO". So...if you are coming to see us, make your plans to meet us at RMO (Republica Moldova). Same place...different name! Hope we see you soon.
Here is the story from Radio Free Europe. *Radio Free Europe is third party source and we do not necessarily agree, disagree, support or endorse any content on their website. https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-chisinau-airport-abbreviation/32741609.html Christmas in Moldova is going to be a little sweeter for a lot of kids this year! Crossroads Compassion Project, has been working with Open Gate International (OGI) and Christian Alliance For Orphans (CAFO) to minister to needy and vulnerable children this Christmas season. Our young people have been volunteering their time to assemble and deliver special Christmas gifts for 3500 at-risk children. We are so grateful for the working partnerships we have with OGI and CAFO that allow us to collectively serve the vulnerable and impoverished in Moldova. For more than 20 years, the 2nd Sunday in November has become known as Orphan Sunday. Tomorrow, November 12th, is Orphan Sunday - 2023. This is not just something that we at Crossroads Compassion Project recognize each year, it is the core of who we are and what we do!
According to UNICEF, there are an estimated 153 Million orphans worldwide. It is also estimated that 5,700 children become orphans each day. There is no question that there is much work to be done! David Platt, in the book Radical, makes this observation: "Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It's easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes." Orphan Sunday is a day, set apart, to recognize and reflect on the plight of orphans around the world. But more importantly, it is a call to action! James 1:27 tells us of our responsibility to care for orphans (and widows), while not allowing the world to corrupt us. At Crossroads Compassion Project, our middle name is literally "Compassion". And we often say, "In order for compassion to be real, it requires action." So here is the challenge: Orphan Sunday is a day of recognition and reflection. But just like James 1:27, it is also a call to action. How will you respond to the call? If you would like to know how you can help bring awareness to our global orphan crisis, visit Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) and see how you can help raise awareness where you are. https://cafo.org/ Finally...We would like to give a huge THANK YOU, to our ministry partners, who help us serve. But let's not forget about all the adoptive families, foster families, and workers in the Foster Care Systems and Child Protective Services around the world that serve the vulnerable. THANK YOU for all you do! While we were in Moldova recently, we had the opportunity to finally meet an AMAZING lady who is doing great things in Moldova. We have collaborated with Victoria in the past, but we had never had the opportunity to meet face to face.
Victoria Dunford is the Director and Founder of MAD-Aid. MAD (Make-A-Difference) - Aid is a UK based NGO that is doing incredible work within the special needs community and in the medical community as well. MAD-Aid has touched the lives of hundreds if not thousands of people in Moldova. They have provided medical equipment to hospitals, clinics and hospice facilities, as well as wheelchairs and adaptive equipment for people with disabilities. They have been heavily involved in emergency relief and assisting refugees from the war in Ukraine. They also operate the Phoenix Center in Riscani, located in Northern Moldova, serving elderly and disabled people on a daily basis. The Phoenix Center is a favorite place for many of our Crossroads Compassion Project family to serve. Here is a link if you would like to know more about the Phoenix Center: https://www.phoenixmd.org/phoenix-home MAD-Aid is currently working on a project to renovate the surgical ward of the Children's Hospital in Chisinau. There have been no renovations to the facility since 1986 and quite frankly, the conditions there are deplorable. Tiles were falling off of the walls, and smoke was coming out of electrical sockets. The place that was supposed to be helping children had now become a threat to the very ones they aim to protect! Victoria truly has a burden to make this place safe for children again. And they are not cursing the darkness, they are lighting a light! We visited the hospital and saw first hand the work that has begun. This is no small project and there is still much work to be done. Crossroads Compassion Project was not able to do much, but we could not NOT do something! If you are interested in learning more about this project, or if you would like to help, here is a link to the project. Please pray for Victoria and MAD-Aid that they will reach their financial goals and see this project completed and reopened to serve the children of Moldova. https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/onouaviata On October 11th, we were invited to the offices of Serviciul de Asistenta Parentala Profesionista (The Professional Parental Assistance Service) in Chisinau. The purpose of the meeting was for them to express their gratitude for the cooperative work we have been doing, to assist them with caring for children in the Foster Care System. Crossroads Compassion Project has been helping by providing resources for children who need additional tutoring because they have fallen behind academically, due to the many other challenges of living in the Foster Care System.
The certificate reads: "Letter of Gratitude" "The Professional Parental Assistance Service within the General Directorate of the Protection of Children's Right expresses its gratitude and thanks to you for your contribution and involvement in supporting children placed in the families of professional parental assistants. We sincerely thank you for the financial help granted to carry out the instructional-educational process that will facilitate the school adaptation of SAPP beneficiaries. We appreciate your openness and opt for an effective collaboration in the future. With Deep Respect, Lacramioara Costivjanschi - Service Manager" They are an amazing team and it is obvious that these people truly love the children that they serve, and it is our privilege to partner with them to assist these young people and their care givers. |
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