Creating Community - The Bread of Life

Darius and Nicoleta, both 8 years old, are friends with something in common. They were both abandoned by their parents and raised by grandparents in Romania, in a remote village that feels lost and forgotten. This isolated community is populated by Roma people. Many children living in this village are caught up in a cycle of low self esteem, their families marginalized from the wider community for decades.

Today Darius' grandmother is up early - and the children make their way towards the church to see her. Darius' grandmother is a volunteer at a Bread Oven project, created by MWB and the local church.

In a village that can feel as though it has no purpose, the oven is becoming a point of interest and a hub of development. Skills that people have taken for granted, such as kneading dough or knowing the exact timings and temperatures for baking it have found a place to flourish.

After the bread is placed in the oven, the people wait - knitting and talking, together and discussing the Bible - a precious time for our MWB Coordinators to minister and consel people.

The children are also involved - they enjoy helping to bake the bread. Darius takes a small crumb from a loaf and breathes in the fresh smell before letting out a sigh of appreciation. "This project is a great source of help to families living in poverty in this village. Everyone brings what they can to the table and we make 125, 1kg loaves of bread, 3 times a week."

Darius and Nicoleta are excited and happy to each take home a warm loaf of fresh bread - a food that symbolises to them the love and support that has come into their lives through MWB.

With the help of our supporters, we can reach more people in villages with the Bread Oven project, pass on more skills and provide more freshly baked bread and support to families who need it. And one day, instead of being a forgotten village, it is our prayer that this community will be known for it;s love, hope and purpose in Christ - and of course it's wonderful bread!