A Bridge to Hearts – Roma Church Women Bring Change
Päivi Ranta, Director of Mission Possible Finland
“God needs each of you, every woman in this room. You are the bridge through which Christ’s love flows into the hearts of mothers, children, and families. You are missionaries, even if you may not realize it yourselves!”
These were the words of our Bulgarian co-worker, Pastor Ivan Ivanov of the Konyovo church, at a gathering of women who assist with the Baby Box Project. About twenty local women attended who help in their churches and support our team by assembling the packages. Those of us from MP West (workers from Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the USA) were also invited to the meeting.
When I last visited Konyovo four years ago, the current church building was under construction and a small group of believers was gathering in a cramped room. Now they are already expanding the facility to accommodate the assembling of Baby Boxes, children’s and youth activities, and teaching seminars. This is one of the Roma churches where Mission Possible’s support has made a great difference.
“Many families were introduced to the church through Baby Boxes.”
Ivan’s wife Mila also shared her thoughts: “The Baby Box Project is a source of great joy for me. It has brought us together in serving God and the families of our villages. We know the mothers and children personally, and we know who truly needs a package. Through this aid we share God’s love and the gospel. In our churches, several families have come to faith in Christ through this project.”
Other women were encouraged to share their experiences as well. “We see the joy in mothers’ eyes when they receive their box. Regardless of whether they are believers, we can pray for them, and many have come to faith. We are happy to bring them such a gift.”
“We need the Baby Box Project,” said Pepa, the wife of the pastor in Tvarditsa, who attended the meeting in Konyovo with her husband. “The packages have been a great blessing for our church. They give us a way to reach families, help them, share the gospel, and pray for them. Through this outreach many new families have joined our congregation.”
Other women were encouraged to share their experiences as well. “We see the joy in mothers’ eyes when they receive their box. Regardless of whether they are believers, we can pray for them, and many have come to faith. We are happy to bring them such a gift.”
Another lady said, “My name is Pepa. I come from Lozenets. When our church received Baby Boxes, many mothers had no way to buy clothes or supplies for their babies. They were overjoyed with the packages. There were so many tears of joy. I can’t even describe it. Thank you so much to everyone who takes part in this!”
I shared with the women how volunteers in Finland gather and assemble clothing to be sent to Bulgaria. That evening we became one family, rejoicing in our shared calling to be God’s bridge – each of us with our own important role.
All of us – the workers, the volunteers, the supporters, and the prayer partners around the world – are building God’s church together through the Baby Box Project. Christ’s love and message is being shared with the mothers, the children, and the families living in the slums.
“During the evening, we women became sisters and co-workers with one another,” says Päivi (middle). “Our time ended with hugs and group photos. I believe the gathering was deeply encouraging and important for all of us.”
