THE
C.A.R.E. CHRONICLE
Issue 2 December 2004
Welcome to the December issue of The C.A.R.E. Chronicle. In this issue you will find an article about our recent visit to three Churches in Worcestershire to speak about our work in Romania and Elsewhere, information on our next visit to Romania planned for 2005, as well as a newsletter and prayer requests from Filip Ologeanu, the son of Pastor Teofil in Craiova, who is in his second year studying at the Moody Bible College in Chicago, USA and further details about some of our Committee Members and Trustees. We hope you will find this issue interesting and informative and if you would like any further details about any aspect of C.A.R.E. please do not hesitate to contact us.
We wish you all a happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.
Sabah Baghdadi - Action Committee Member
I lived in Romania for eleven years and worked as a Gynaecologist in Craiova Hospital, in the Dolj region. After I had been persecuted in Romania, through a big miracle I came to know the Lord Jesus, who sent me to England to work for Him, especially in Romania. The Lord has been very generous to me; He saved me and gave me Jane, my wife, and two children Sarah (eleven years old) and Leila (seven years old).
I have worked in Romania with C.A.R.E. for twelve years, being one of the founder members, bringing people together, identifying needs and helping to establishing many projects. I have also helped to bring many Romanian doctors here to Birmingham and have established training programmes for Romanian doctors to come here and for Professors from here to lecture in Romania. In particular I have helped in establishing a cervical cancer screening programme in Romanian society.
Peter Briggs - Trustee
I cannot write this profile without including my wife, Joan, because it has been a very joint venture.
What brought us to C.A.R.E. and led to us becoming so involved? One Sunday in September 1990 our daughter was playing at the 11:15am service at Knowle Church for the last time before she went to Music College, a service we did not normally attend. The then Vicar, Rev. Andrew Dow, asked if anyone in the congregation could help in driving a lorry to Romania. Joan and myself just looked at each other and I was on my way to Romania. Despite having driven large lorries, it was decided I was too mature to drive one this time and instead I drove a 15cwt van. I thought it would be just one visit. How wrong I was, because “Him up there” had other ideas for Joan and myself, sufficed to say that in ten years we had filled our passports with visas and entry permits.
Being a professional engineer and retired I fitted into the practical support that C.A.R.E. gives. Being an engineer you learn to deal with any problem thrown at you quietly and completely. Oh, how often I have needed this ability whilst being with C.A.R.E. Patience is also required.
We really feel that C.A.R.E. has given us more than we have given. To have a child come running up to you with outstretched arms, you pick it up and whether it is HIV positive, or has some other complaint, it does not matter. To sit with an adult and listen to them, but you cannot understand the language, it does not matter. “Him up there” gave us the opportunity to strengthen and develop our faith. Would Joan and myself do it all again? Oh yes, without a second thought. Perhaps in hindsight a little differently though.
Visit to Worcestershire
On Sunday 17th October 2004 C.A.R.E. were invited to the Parishes of Upton Warren, Stoke Prior and Wychbold by the Rector, Roger Antell, to talk about their work. There was a service at each of the three Churches. Alf Hughes spoke at Upton Warren. This is a small Church with a small but friendly congregation. Noel Phillips spoke at the Family Service at Wychbold, with Jenny Phillips and Wlod Holweger joining the music group, doubling its size! In the evening the whole group went to Stoke Prior for Evensong, with Maurice Smith giving the talk. The feedback from the visit was very positive in that the talks were good and came from the heart. The Rector, Roger Antell, was at all three services and said it was wonderful to hear three totally different sermons on the same subject on the same day.
As a result of this visit one person would like to join the visit to Romania in 2005, with another three people being very interested. Several people would like to be kept updated on C.A.R.E.'s progress, particularly as many people thought that support was no longer needed in Romania.
The team from C.A.R.E. found it an interesting and helpful day, with God guiding them, allowing C.A.R.E.'s message to be passed on to others.
Joan and Peter Briggs
Church Support Visit 2005
C.A.R.E. has been working in Romania, particularly Craiova and Dolj regions since Spring 1990. We have been involved in all sorts of activities, including: Poiana Mare Psychiatric Hospital; Craiova Childrens Home (Leagan de Copii); building business contacts and arranging professional exchanges; Evangelistic Mission in conjunction with Baptist Churches in Craiova, Calafat and Filiasi.
Following C.A.R.E.'s Church Support Visit in October 2003, the Pastors of Craiova, Calafat and Filiasi Churches have asked for a big Support Visit at Easter 2005. This visit should aim at including: sharing love for Jesus at this Christian festival time; mutual support in healing ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit; encouragement and engagement with children/youth in the communities; evangelism in surrounding villages and towns.
Easter Sunday in Romania is 1st May 2005 and the visit will embrace the preceding Holy Week. Travel dates are provisionally 22nd/23rd April, returning 2nd/3rd May 2005, depending on flight availabilities and team constraints.
We are looking to build a team embracing skills such as: willingness to speak out and witness for Christ; music; preaching; prayer support teams (here and in Romania); communication with children; healing ministry; organisation.
If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
Maurice Smith
Registered Charity number 1061497
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