Our support helps a church in Constanta to exist and to reach out into the community. It is a Pentecostal Church and meets each Sunday in the Cultural Hall in the centre of Constanta. Its Pastor is Traian Pascalau and its members cover a wide age range and come from all social backgrounds including street children.

One of the ways in which they reach out is through Heart to Heart, an initiative started by the Pastors wife, Elena, to provide for the elderly, some of whom live on the streets. A day centre has been established in rented accommodation and is currently open Monday to Wednesday each week. Visitors are offered a shower and change of clothing, hot drinks and a mid-day meal. Many are respectable people who have fallen on hard times through no fault of their own. The love and companionship that they receive helps to keep them going. Our Trust pays the wages for one of the workers, Mitica Badau, (pictured with his wife Iulia, right). See their newsletters from June 2008 and February 2009.

During our 2006 visit we were impressed by the work of a newly qualified social worker, Mihaela Strugariu, (pictured right). The project could not afford to pay her a living wage and she was looking for other work. On our return to the UK several members of Community Church Killingworth offered to support Mihaela and we now pay the bulk of her wage. She talks to the visitors and deals with their needs. For many this means establishing their identity with the authorities. This enables them to receive the benefits and pensions to which they are entitled and they can then afford to rent a room and get off the streets. Mihaela was married to Iulian Vazoc, who also works for Heart to Heart, in July 2008, so ending a lot of confusion with her sister-in-law in Cernavoda!

Visits are also made to the housebound by Mihaela, Mitica and other workers. The extent of this work is limited only by the funds available to them.

The church is also reaching out into the Old City area of Constanta. The majority of the people being helped are Muslim but God’s love knows no boundaries. Further information about this work is awaited.

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