July 1, 2011
Dear friends,
January 2010 I visited the WMF communities in Romania and Moldova. While I was there our Moldovan staff were searching out opportunities in local government-run boarding schools to help provide services such as tutoring, after-school activities, and career counseling for students.
“There are 68 boarding schools in Moldova, schools that essentially serve as institutions for children separated from their families. Unfortunately, for many children without parental care, institutionalization is the only available alternative offered by the state. Some children go to institutions at an early age and spend a great part of their childhood and adolescence there. Many feel lost when they leave, afraid and unprepared for the realities of independent life. As a result, these young people become highly vulnerable and exposed to a variety of risks, especially trafficking. In Moldova, young people are commonly lured by traffickers with offers of good jobs abroad (often in Italy, Turkey, Russia, Portugal and Spain). To date, one-third of the country’s population have migrated to other areas in search of employment. For those who fall into the hands of traffickers, employment often means prostitution, begging or domestic slavery…
In 2005, Government data suggested that 35,000 school-age children are separated from both parents due to employment-driven migration and at least 75,000 children have one parent abroad.” (UNICEF)
Since I visited Word Made Flesh staff members in Moldova have found a full-time place at a government school helping support the students at the school with additional programming. One of the most recent things that the staff have done is to work with the students to publish an internal newsletter with the students’ writings. I loved this English translation of a portion of their paper that I’m sending along, I hope that you enjoy it as well.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the work of WMF and my work with WMF. This month please remember the children of Moldova, especially recent graduates of the boarding schools.
Blessings,