Ballymena-based charity, Vision of Good Hope celebrates Christmas in Moldova.
Christmas is well and truly over in Western Europe! But in Pernastrovia, Moldova, the birth of Christ was celebrated on 7th January 2018. Vision of Good Hope – Moldova saw to it that youngsters there had a festive season to remember.
Vision of Good Hope was established in 2001. The charity is making a difference to the lives of many people, particularly children, in one of the poorest regions in Eastern Europe.
Vision of Good Hope owns and operates an orphanage situated in rural Transnistria. This is a separatist region in the country of Moldova. They work hard to achieve the following objectives:
• house a number of children, ensuring they are fed, clothed, educated and loved.
• provide employment opportunities for local people.
• support local families, projects and institutions.
To members of the charity, its orphanage is known as the House of Hope. Locally it is referred to as the Red Roofs (or more accurately, красные крыши!) due to its distinctive appearance within the local surroundings.
To mark ‘Christmas Day’ each of the children were given $20 to spend on a present of their choice.
Vision of Good Hope celebrates Christmas in Moldova, bringing joy to the children at the House of Hope.
Vision of Good Hope – Moldova Chairman, Tom Dick smiled:
“It was a real surprise for the children. They didn’t know anything about it until breakfast, so very little food was eaten after they heard the news! I am sure it was a challenge for the shop keepers and the staff but all the children really enjoyed the experience. The youngest girls bought dolls and the boys bought cars. The older girls choose nail varnish and other girlie things while the older boys chose to buy sports themed presents.”
Tom went on to say:
“This was followed in the evening by a Christmas Eve meal; the older children helped in the kitchen. On behalf of them all, can I say a big thank you to all those who have helped and supported us through the year and made this happen.”
This happened as part of the charity’s wider Christmas programme. It also involved delivering 100 trailer loads of logs to the poorer families in need. A Facebook appeal asking for the provision of logs was very well supported.
To find out more about Vision of Good Hope – Moldova, visit their website here. You can also find them on Facebook here.