Phoebe Ministry
During the long periods of Covid19 lockdowns, SGA’s Phoebe Ministry was conceived and born. Its aim is to support women in ministry. From Paul’s commendation of Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2), SGA was inspired to launch this exciting new expansion of the work in October last year. Already huge benefits are being felt, and Gospel advancement is evident as ladies provide for the practical needs of people who desperately need help. Through this initiative women are being supported in their God given ministry and the projects they lead receive funding.
Recent reports have given us more insight into current projects and underlined the importance of the Phoebe ministries.
Hospice Emanuel, Oradea, Romania, is another care centre for the terminally ill, efficiently supervised by Marinela Murg. It provides palliative home care services free of charge for patients who prefer to be cared for and spend their last days at home, surrounded by family in their own familiar environment.
However, there is the need for a purpose-built centre to be constructed. Hospice Emanuel Foundation has launched this initiative with the purpose of raising funds to build a hospice patient care unit in Oradea.
‘Casa Filip’ based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, offers accommodation and support for cancer patients undergoing treatment, and for their supporting families. Its director, Violeta Goron, shared how Casa Filip is no longer large enough to accommodate the growing demand for its facilities.
Sadly, due to lack of space they are forced to turn many away every day. The good news is that a large property has been secured which will accommodate up to forty people at a time. The hope is to renovate and remodel this and make it ready to open at the end of this year. The Casa Filip ministry is reaching into the lives of many who are in a life crisis, needing love and care at an anxious and vulnerable time.
Marina Tsapkova, a graduate from Balti Mission School, Moldova, is serving in Khakassia, Russia. She was delighted when over 25 volunteers joined their special Christmas evangelism.
In just five days they visited all the places which they had previously visited, and even a couple of new villages! They also travelled to five remote villages and settlements of the Evenk people, covering more than 2000 km (100 hrs in a car) along wintry roads – and this was only the distance covered between villages!
This was all organized so they could tell children the Christmas story.
Plans are already in place to expand the work of one of the Good News Foundation’s main projects – Mary’s House in Orgavany, Hungary. It offers accommodation and counselling for expectant mothers who are considering terminating their pregnancy. Thirteen women and their children are currently living there. Renovations have begun on the building.
Phoebe supported missionaries, Bohuslava Havrilova, (Slovakia) and Marina Tsapkova, (Russia), have experienced God’s blessings.
Bohuslava is grateful that a new Roma women’s Bible group has commenced in Chrast, Slovakia, with eight attending. It is hosted by a family who accepted the Lord Jesus while reading the Bible in the loneliness of quarantine.
Bohuslava summarizes what is happening here: “The Roma village of Chrast is a miracle to me”. The village was completely closed to the Gospel but now there are regular worship services.
It was a great joy for Bohuslava to witness four new believers baptized. There was huge opposition from some family members. A mother of two who were baptized brought their birth certificates, threw them into the water with anger and said, “You are no longer my children!”. However, they were encouraged by other believers, and thankfully their mother later apologized for her actions.
Phoebe ministries also reach into Central Asia, supporting ladies who are carrying out amazing work for the Lord. Ministry to children with disabilities is overseen by Tatyana.
A house for vulnerable mothers and their children is providing essential accommodation and daily supplies.
In a Muslim context men are generally forbidden to speak to ladies, so it is vital to have ladies who are evangelizing other ladies and reaching families, as God gives opportunity.
Other Phoebe projects include the ‘Social Kitchen’ in Bulgaria, which provides Roma people with daily food packages; Bread of Life, Belgrade, Serbia, caring for the elderly and for Roma children; ‘Preventis’ based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, which endeavours to prevent drug addiction, and help support young people already addicted, through counselling.