SIMON FORD: An opportunity to experience other cultures

Three groups of our church members will be going abroad to work with partners this summer.

A team of 10 mainly young people will be going to Romania in July. 

This will be the fourth time we will have visited Teliu where we help to run children’s clubs, help to maintain the church premises, and reach out to the local community, many of whom live in poverty.

It is a great opportunity for our own young people to experience other customs and cultures.

It is very different from being a tourist in a hotel bubble. 

It also confirms our relationship with Teliu Baptist Church which has been growing for seven years.

In August, nine of our members will be going to Moldova to help the charity Stella’s Voice in its work with young people who have been exploited by sex traffickers.

Moldova is the poorest country in Europe, where there is no support for young people being discharged from state orphanages.

Stella’s Voice seeks to provide protection from traffickers and rescue young people in these situations.

Our team will be helping to run summer camps, for about 160 vulnerable young people, and support safe houses.

Four of our members are also going to Malawi.

The church already supports the work of Tearfund, a Christian relief and development agency, there.

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world and is suffering badly from climate change which is causing drought and flash flooding.

They will be going to some of the worst affected areas to see some of the work, helping farmers to adapt to changing conditions.

These trips help us as a church to look outwards to other communities and to show God’s love for the world in very different places.

If you would like to know more about any of these trips or other aspects of church life contact the church office on (023) 9232 4688.

Alternatively, e-mail [email protected].