This post is also available in: Romanian
Opening Note:
“You make your own way in life and along this road you meet people.” – Anthony Hopkins
Beyond the cultural aspect that defines each ethnic group or nation, we are people. We are part of different cultures and civilizations; we have different values and traditions.
When people from different countries or ethnicities meet, there is an inevitable cultural clash.
Such an encounter must be wisely managed.
Blaise Pascal said that “One has to get to know people before loving them”.
As you begin to know the person who is part of another culture, you begin to understand and appreciate him/her.
As you begin to understand and accept him/her as it is, you begin to communicate and collaborate with him. In this way, you learn to go along with him in the same way. This is possible only as you begin and learn to love the other as he/she is.
“People of different religions and cultures live side by side in almost every part of the world, and most of us have overlapping identities which unite us with very different groups. We can love what we are, without hating what – and who – we are not. We can thrive in our own tradition, even as we learn from others, and come to respect their teachings.”
― Kofi Annan
Love in this context is the gift of God in Christ, for each one of us.
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:4-7 NKJV
The clash of cultures and civilizations is evident. It cannot be avoided, but it can be managed in Christ, who gives us the model to work and live in unity even if we are diverse.
Only TOGETHER in Christ we can cope with all the challenges of the cultural encounter.
“…where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.”
Colossians 3:11 NKJV
When two cultures meet in Christ, they accept one another, perfect one another and co-operate, thus bringing a pleasing fragrance to God.
Through the program 2 Cultures 1 God, we had many experiences over the years with groups from England, Wales, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the US.
The latest collaboration was with our friends and partners at ST. STEPHEN CHURCH. It all started in 2002, centered on Christ, on Christian values and in accordance with the Romanian and British cultural characteristics.
At the end of October 2018, a group of adults, young people and teenagers from this church, came to Romania through Charis to serve the hopeless people and get involved in practical activities at the Charis Center.
They got involved in practical projects in Charis, such as: painting the fence of the greenhouse, setting up the barbecue place, making and fitting some benches to the outdoor Chapel and transforming a storage room into a workroom and insulate an exterior wall to Daniel’s house, the orphan boy from Charis.
They visited the beautiful city of Oradea and Baile Felix. They served through songs, Bible messages and testimonies, in the community of people living in the Tinca elderly house and the Hungarian Baptist Church Sântion. They carried out charitable activities at the Dumbrava – Tinca elderly house and the Christian orphanage from Ineu. Their involvement and ministry was an exceptional one.
Together we experienced what Mother Theresa used to say: “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things!”
General Manager of Charis Foundation
Charis Project Updates
OPEN DOORS
In this program we had two actions. We organized a baby shower party for Ema (a member of the Charis team). Members from both families and friends attended this special event.
A group of 35 people, children, and parents from a Christian high school in Oradea, spent a weekend in Charis.
NEHEMIAH
We helped with clothes, food, and money a family from the Rroma Church from Telechiu which went through an unfortunate event: a fire destroyed a part of their house and goods.
We served monthly in the Rroma Church from Telechiu preaching from the book of James.
GOD’S GARDEN
We continued to work on transforming a former warehouse into a workshop room. We prepared the bee families for autumn-winter. We planted in our garden: strawberries, raspberry plants, and bushes of blueberries.
We started to clean and cut the plum trees. We thus want to eliminate the parts of the trees which have been affected by pests and remake the crown of the trees.
A CHANCE FOR EVERYBODY
We organized a mini-vacation at Charis for Feri, one of the orphaned boys who works in Germany.
We finished insulating a wall to Daniel’s house. He now feels more comfortable in his home.
AGAPEO
We prepared and distributed 190 parcels with goods and personal hygiene items for the people that live in the 7 locations of the Tinca elderly home and the children from Ineu orphanage.
We have offered clothes and goods to a family in need, from a Rroma community living close to Charis.
We brought a ray of hope to the orphan children from Ineu and few families in need, giving them Christmas packages.
PRAYER REQUESTS
2018 was a year blessed by God. Although we faced financial and health problems, we managed to achieve most of the programs that we have planned. Bring thanks to God together with us for all the events that we went through in 2018.
With the blessing of God, we enter into the 29th year of our existence and in the 5th year of the cycle Open Hands for the Hopeless. In front of us there are other projects and programs. We need God presence and help to cope with all the challenges. Pray with us to complete everything we start, under God’s guidance and protection.
Without prayer and serving, this ministry cannot succeed. One of our priorities for 2019 is the Ezra Prayer & Ministry Group, a group of people who carry the burden of Charis’s work. Pray with us, that God will bring many blessings through Charis mission and the ministry of those involved in it.
NEEDS
In order to fulfill our mission, we need your financial support.
Question 1: How much do we need in 2019?
Answer: Each month we need around 2500 euro. For the entire year we need 30000 eur.
Question 2: How much should I donate?
Answer: The Bible says that each should give as much as he decided in this heart. Therefore, feel free to donate as much as you want and can!
Question 3: When should you donate?
Answer: You can donate once a month, once a trimester, once a semester, or once a year. The decision is yours, but please let us you so that we can organize our budget accordingly.
Question 4: How can you send money to support Charis ministry?
Answer: If you are from Romania and you want to join this mission by offering financial support for our projects, programs, and activities, please contact us via email at: [email protected] and we will provide further details.
If you are from the UK, you can support us via STEWARDSHIP. It’s a simple and efficient method. All you need to do is use one of these two methods: Support Form or Direct Debit form
If you are from the US or other European countries, you can send your donation directly to our account. For further details, check out this link: CHARIS_2015_account
More details can be found on our donate page.
IMPORTANT:
All those who are or will be part of CHARIS PARTNER IN MISSION will receive periodically a newsletter and annually, until July 1st, a financial report of the foundation for the previous year. Get involved!
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