Providing A Valuable Resource
In the English-speaking world, pastors and Christians have an ocean of resources to help them understand and apply God’s Word. As a result, we may be tempted to assume the same is true in other lands and languages. Sadly, this is not the case. Instead, in many languages, there can be an absence of quality Christian literature that serves the church and equips people for ministry.
For decades now, SGA has been committed to helping in-country publishers produce and distribute resources that will stand the test of time.
Dinu Moga (above) is well known to the SGA family and leads a Christian publishing ministry in Romania. He approached SGA asking for help in the translation and editing of The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach and Teach from Old Testament Narrative Texts by Dale Ralph Davis. We are grateful that we were able to respond positively to this request and report that this important book is now readily available. Commenting on its value in the Romanian context, Dinu writes,
[This book] has been very well received, and a number of lecturers from Emanuel University are using it as a compulsory reading text for Homiletics and Old Testament Studies. Many preachers, teachers and ordinary Christians in Romania are already immensely blessed by having this book in their native tongue. We are indebted to SGA for supporting us to translate it into Romanian and to Christian Focus for giving us the rights to do it.
Travellers' Return
During a recent SGA Zoom meeting, Pastor Igor Bandura informed us that the ‘Grace Shelter’ children were returning home to Odessa, Ukraine. When hostilities broke out in 2022, the children were moved to safety, away from the war zone, first to Poland and then on to Barsinghausen, Germany, where they have remained until now.
While they were well cared for there, it was felt that it would be better for the children to be back on home soil in Ukraine and the decision was taken to return to Odessa.
SGA has supported this ministry since its commencement, and over 60 children are loved and cared for within small family groups. Most of these children have come from difficult backgrounds. Many have emotional scars and have suffered tragedies in their short lives. At Grace Shelter they find comfort, hope and care within the Christian family environment.
Oleysa Krohinov oversees this children’s ministry, and she writes:
‘We are trying to improve our way of life. The children have started attending school. There are difficulties with the school bus because gasoline is expensive in war conditions, but there is an opportunity to study at school because there is a bomb shelter. We are grateful for the care of our children.’
Recently the children have started visiting a nearby nursing home, singing to the old folk who were overjoyed to see them. Please continue to pray for safety for the children at the Shelter and their house parents.
A New Chapter
Plans for a new ‘Casa Filip’ in Cluj, Romania, are well underway and the team there hopes to open in late summer 2023. Cancer patients and their relatives have been able to find support and accommodation at the original ‘Casa Filip’ since 2016. Another building will also be renovated so that up to 40 people will then be able to stay.
People who come to ‘Casa Filip’ don’t just have physical pain but are affected emotionally and spiritually. Many times, they testify about how well they feel in Casa Filip due to the love and affection experienced there. A dear lady, who stayed earlier this year, wrote:
“I was left alone in a large and unknown city, but I met a lot of love and warmth here at Casa Filip. In the fight with this ugly disease, I saw that I am not alone. I felt kindness and encouraging words here. I could call this place ‘home’. All this would not have been possible without the generosity of supporters within SGA.”
We thank God for the progress made with the new building and for all those who have given so generously for this work.
Pray for wisdom and strength for Violeta and the team as they seek to minister to those suffering with cancer, and their relatives.
Pray for the health and salvation of guests. May the Lord give them courage and faith as they go through these trials.