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Christian Community Minstries was born out of a God-given vision to provide relief from poverty and sickness and to further the Christian faith.
Moved by the images in Romania of terrible deprivation and squalor of so many Romanias, Max Keelty, founder of CCM, began delivering relief aid to Eastern Europe. Helped by people from the UK, relief aid was given out in hospitals, orphanages, children's homes, schools for handicapped children, churches and families in outlying, mountain villages. |
Fundatia Christian Community Ministries Cluj Napoca
Through further aid and mission trips to Romania, a strong network of Christian contacts was established and the charity Fundatia 'Christian Community Ministries' Cluj-Napoca was set up. Today this charity is managed by Gabi Covasa who, assisted by others, distributes the aid exactly where it is most needed.
In 1994, the idea of building and running a children's home was discussed, and following lots of fundraising and help from people travelling to and from from the UK to Romania, Emanuel Children's Home was opened in 1998.
The home accommodated up to 12 orphaned and abandoned street-children, offering them a loving, caring family environment. The home was staffed by fully qualified Romanians totally dedicated to the care and well-being of the children; children who came from different backgrounds but such similar circumstances.
With changes brought about when Romania joined the EU, the continuing future of Emanuel became untenable. Spiralling costs and changes in legislation brought about the closure of Emanuel Children's Home in December 2010.
The Trustees of Fundatia CCM, an independent Charity in its own right, have decided that their future lies with supporting impoverished University students. Cluj Napoca is a huge University city with over 100,000 students living and studying in the city. Some students who have been awarded scholarships to study at the University cannot afford to take up their place because of the huge accommodation costs. This is where CCM Romania would step in - by offering a place to live, with food and bills included. The costs would be covered by donations from the local church, the student's home church, individual tax giving (similar to gift aid), business profit giving and through donations from CCM UK.
Romania - The Facts and Figures
The Romanian population over the past 10 years has decreased from around 23 million to around 21 million. The decrease is said to be due to the migration of the workforce. You may ask yourselves why the Eastern Europeans are doing everything they can to get into the UK. Maybe these facts will help:
- 6.5 million Romanians live in poverty, of whom 2.4 million live in extreme poverty and another 1.2 million cannot afford basic food rations
- With 18 deaths per 1000 babies born alive, ROmania has the third highest infant mortality rate
- 95% of Romanian households is some rural areas do not running water and 10% cannot afford to connect to the electricity supply
- The average minimum temperature in January is -17C and has been as low as
-34C
- In cold spells, the police do rounds to check those sleeping rough have not frozen to death. In one night, in one district, 14 people were reported to have frozen to death, in their own homes as well as on the streets
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Emanuel Children's Home
The original bungalow built by UK volunteers |
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Bibles for the Church at Bazna
CCM founder, Max Keelty (2nd left) with a delivery of Romania Bibles for the Church in Bazna.
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