Northwest District Project 2024-2025: Eurasia
Your district NMI has been in conversation with leadership throughout Eurasia in an effort to shift our district project focus to that region. Our desire this time is to offer multiple project options that would attract differing interests and passions in this part of the world, and where we feel led by God to go.
One of those projects is Open Door Foundation (ODF) in Bucharest, Romania. ODF operates a shelter and provides care for women and children who are survivors of human trafficking. Along with the shelter they provide counseling, job training, and help secure medical and legal assistance. As of last December, they were working with 67 survivors, with and without children. In their work they have to run all over the country and abroad, pick up survivors, transport them to court hearings, doctor appointments, track down documents, pick up groceries and supplies and take the women and children on outings. We discovered they were in desperate need of a trustworthy van; THEREFORE, we have donated $40,000 of district project money to ODF for the purchase of a reliable van! This was only possible due to your generous district project support. Monica Boseff, executive director for ODF, was our speaker at our 2024 NMI Convention! Monica described this ministry and of opportunities for W&W teams. Monica opened the only emergency shelter in Bucharest, Romania in 2012 to provide support to survivors of human trafficking. She began working for Open Door Foundation (originally called Open Door Medical Foundation) in 2003, a year after its inception by two medical doctors. Monica, having medical training as a nurse, had worked for other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) prior to joining Open Door Foundation. In 2011, the Foundation began to get involved with anti-human trafficking work by engaging in an awareness campaign in partnership with an organization called Men Against the Trafficking of Others (MATTOO). After surveying a variety of key people in the community, she realized that there was one need which was more pressing than any other: a need for an emergency shelter for victims of human trafficking. In response to that need, Open Door Foundation purchased a house in December, 2012. They currently run an 18-month program and provide counseling and therapy, medical assistance and consultations with various specialists, comprehensive legal assistance, continuing education, vocational training, job placement, and other various services. Occasionally, they form partnerships with corporations to provide jobs for some of the survivors who are in the program. They have already worked with and supported 1,200 survivors who are finding hope after their tragic and unjust enslavement. The safe house offers 16 beds, and Monica works tirelessly to make sure each of those beds is filled with a survivor who is being empowered and loved. In 2014, she was given the Trafficking in Persons Report Hero Award recognizing her incredible work with survivors. Dr. Jill Biden, wife of then Vice President Joe Biden, met with the seven survivors who were in the shelter at that time and presented Monica the award. Since then, Monica has had numerous requests to speak at anti-trafficking conferences world-wide. Open Door expanded the ministry by purchasing four used, modular homes for transitional housing. This will offer help in gaining independence and in learning selfsufficiency for the survivors in the second stage of their reintegration program. About 87% of the survivors who were living in the program are now fully reintegrated in society, living a balanced, independent life. Monica and her staff have attended 147 court hearings with 119 defendants, convicted traffickers a total of 175 years and 26 days, convinced the court to award survivors a total of 175,000 Euros from seized assets, led 27 survivors to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ with 17 choosing to be baptized. The survivors have taken a total of 21 vocational courses. For more information: Open Door Foundation Website: http://www.usadeschisa.ro/ Videos of Monica: Oct 11, 2017 - Monica Boseff - YouTube (55) 2014 TIP Heroes: Monica Boseff -YouTube To schedule Monica to speak at your church or organization contact: Kim Winn KimWinn7@gmail.com 918.299.4034 For tax deductible donations: Thousand Cranes (U.S. based 501c3 sponsor of Open Door Foundation) P.O. Box 932 Humble, TX 77347 www.1000CranesFoundation.org and go to donate page.
Also, we have an opportunity available to us in Armenia, a country that claims to be the first state to formally adopt Christianity in the early 4th century. It has had a long history of being overcome by various empires which has contributed to a history of changing borders, mass migration and genocide of its people, and now an influx of refugees fleeing turmoil from neighboring countries. The Church of the Nazarene established a presence in 2002 and God is moving mightily through the faithful believers who are sharing their faith, ministering to their neighbors and raising up leaders to mentor and care for the growing flock of believers. One of their more important project needs is in Gyumri, completing a building that will serve as a District Learning and Leadership Development Training Center. The contact person for this project is: Trino Jara Gonzalez tjara@eurasiaregion.org
Another opportunity is in France which has not had a W&W team in ten years. There are four project opportunities near Paris and where the church is faithfully working hard to make an impact in their communities. This is an historically rich country that Jesus has not given up on, nor has the Church of the Nazarene. The contact person for this project is: Brian Ketchum bketchum@eurasiaregion.org
Please encourage your church to prayerfully support our district project, including sending a team to one of these project locations. Make your pledge check payable to: NW District NMI. Send to NW District NMI, c/o Grandview Church of the Nazarene, 500 N. Elm St. Grandview, WA 98930. And thank you, thank you, thank you!