On Christmas Eve, the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe made a beautiful charity action to support the needy children and families of the “Diaconia Mission of the Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia”.

The campaign “Let’s Rejoice in the Birth of the Lord – The Gift in the Shoe Box, 2018” took place between November 11 and December 9, and many families from all the parishes of the Diocese (Sweden, Denmark and Norway) were involved with much generosity.

As part of the philanthropic program, each recipient of the project, in our case, the Bessarabian children with low financial possibilities, received a nice packed shoebox in which they find various surprises: toys, sweets, stationery, body care products, small garments, and a personal note from the sender, the organizers disclosed.

Bishop Macarie of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe: “We were glad to organize this campaign through which Romanian brothers from the Scandinavian diaspora sent gifts and encouragement to their younger, poor little brothers and sisters in beloved Bessarabia. I urge all those who participated in the campaign not to stop here, but to preserve and cultivate the relationship started with the Bessarabian children, adding love to love and charity to charity. Which we all owe to the glory of the Infant who is born to be together with us.”

Father Octavian-Horatiu Muresan, Archpriest of Copenhagen, project coordinator: “A symbolic gesture that we hope will bring joy in the hearts of the children. In the Centenial Year we created a bridge between the young families of Scandinavian Romanians and our brothers in Bessarabia. We hope to be the beginning of a fruitful collaboration.”

Igor Belei, director of the “Diaconia” Social Mission: “The gesture of the community of the Scandinavian Romanian community has turned into miracles thousands of miles away. We received lessons of kindness through the letters inserted in each box, messages that were written from the heart by the children who prepared these gifts with their family, and we are extremely glad that Father Bishop Macarie and his collaborators came up with this unprecedented proposal. An example to follow for many other parish communities in the country and abroad.”

The first gifts are already bringing the joy of the winter holidays to the children in the Maternal Center coordinated by the Social Mission “Diaconia”, and the same beautiful emotions and the children from several families assisted by the Consultant Center “In the Mother’s Arms” of the same institution. The “In the Mother’s Arms” program was launched by “Diaconia” in 2010 and aims to prevent child abandonment and ensure the right of every child to grow up in the family. This year, 17 mother-and-child couples received residential assistance, and hundreds of needy families received help through this Consultancy Center.

We remind you that the “Gift in the Shoe Box, 2018” is a collaboration between the North „The Voivode Stephen the Great” Center for Youth (CTSM) of the Diocese of Northern Europe and the “Diaconia” Social Mission of the Bessarabian Metropolitan Church.

Articol edited by Ana Ceban, www.diaconia.md