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Moldova's New Horizon
An urgent need for funding for the New Elim (new elementary)
school has been dictated by the enactment of a recent law
in Moldova. As Doru Cirdei, Executive Director of Bethany
Christian Center explained, "The communist government
wants everyone to be the same. They do not want schools where
the students are clearly receiving an above average education.
They want everyone to be at a low level. People are easier
to control in that environment. The Parliament has just passed
this law that requires every private school to a) hold property
in their name and b) have proof that they have 500,000 Moldovan
Leigh (over $42,000 in the bank). No private schools, to my
knowledge, have met this requirement, and in fact many schools
including the only other Christian school in Chisinau have
been closed. After the first of the year, we could have inspectors
walk into our school at any time and demand to see proof of
these two things in our files. With a great deal of problems,
we were able to get some of our property re-titled into the
name of the school. I came to America to raise the $42,000
to keep the school open. If we do not have the proof of the
funds in the bank when the inspectors walk in, they can legally
close the school. And the same law states that if a private
school is closed, it can not re-open for another 5 years."
During the last 6 weeks of 2004, Doru was in the United States
raising the money. To date, the governmental inspectors have
not arrived to close the school. During that 6 week period,
he drove approximately 8,000 miles and raised almost $16,000
before returning home to Moldova in time for Christmas. While
here in Missouri, Horizons Foundation helped put a safety
net under the school, but another $26,000 in cash is needed
in a Moldovan Bank, so they can give Bethany an affidavit
stating that the school has the funds in the bank. As soon
as the proof is in Doru's hands, the school may apply for
a 10 year license, with reinspection at the 5 year mark,
Hundreds of children live on the streets of the cities of
Moldova, a former nation-state of the U.S.S.R. Christian volunteers
walk the streets to invite the homeless, begging children
to come to a free lunch. This program is called "Bread
of Life."
The children come for lunch and attend classes in the large
church building housing the "Bread of Life" program.
As children become stable and demonstrate their acceptance
of the help offered to them, they are selected to have a home
in Bethany Homes for Children. Bethany Christian Center is
a family style orphanage where up to 12 children live with
a mother and father guardian in a home-like environment.
Bethany Christian Center was founded to continue the on-going
care and sustenance of the children after being initially
fed by the "Bread of Life" project. It is located
in a former pioneer camp on the outskirts of Chisinau, Moldova,
and has 10 'summer houses' (houses that don't have any kitchens,
bathrooms, running water, sewer or heat before remodeling)
residing on 15 acres. Each house has approximately 1800 square
foot of living space. Most of the old houses have been remodeled
to accommodate families of abandoned children with "parent"
couples who have dedicated themselves to care for the children
in a family-like manner. These couples have committed their
lives to raising their 'foster family' until the kids are
grown.
Here at Bethany, the children discover an honest lifestyle
combining education, work and family life. At present the
orphanage has a woodworking shop for giving useful skills
to older boys. All the wood used in the remodeling of the
homes is cut from timbers here. There is also a cattle and
poultry farm where all children learn to love and care for
animals of all types, while helping provide food for the orphanage
family.
The overriding goal of Bethany is to provide a self-perpetuating
program consisting of orphanage homes, a shoe shop, a farm
and a bakery where children can learn valuable skills while
working to generate food and income for the center to continue.
In 2003, Bethany added 2 acres of land for farming, the large
commercial bakery and a building for making shoes.
Pictures of Bethany
Christian Center
#1 A new arrival at Bethany
#2 – a ‘summer house’
before rehab
#3 – Kids playing with basketball
inside one of their newly remodeled homes
#4 – Kids at the ‘Bread of
Life’ program giving thanks before eating lunch
#5 – Just having fun on one of the
asphalted streets inside Bethany Christian Center complex
of 15 acres
#6 – Picture of same girl a) upon
arrival at Bethany and b) after living at Bethany for a few
months;
#7 and #8 below – Bethany kids attending
school at the ‘New Elim’ school in the big church/school
building that also houses the ‘Bread of Life’
program;
#9 and #10 – School kids at lunch
in school lunchroom for special pre-Christmas lunch;
#11 – First Christmas present for
former street children at first Christmas celebration in 1999
#12 – All the kids attending
the school shown on the steps of the large church/school building
that also houses the ‘Bread of Life’ program;
#13 below – Children from the ‘Bread
of Life’ program who have prepared a special puppet
show;
#14 below – One of the classrooms
at the ‘New Elim’ school;
#15 – The first ‘family’
of Bethany: the couple seated on the left moved into Bethany
on September 20, 1999 with the first six former street children
(now they have 12); the girl seated on the far right told
everyone she was 11 when she moved in (she was afraid to tell
the truth, afraid she was to old to get into Bethany); by
August 2003, she was 17 and a great help to her parents (without
Bethany this girl would be living on the street, in a life
of crime and prostitution);
#16 – New arrivals at Bethany
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