The Global Transformation Network
2020 has encouraged Ian to find new innovative ways to challenge the church to meet the needs of its community and demonstrate the Kingdom despite the lockdown and travel restrictions.
A new opportunity has arisen for Ian due to his extensive networking. He has been contacted by a number of organisations who have asked him to put forward potential projects to receive funding for projects which have been set up to support their communities during the COVID 19 pandemic. Two projects Ian suggested, one from Poland and another from Italy, have already received funds from MRDS in Canada in July. These funds allowed the projects to continue to have a positive impact in their communities for the Kingdom, read the amazing stories below.
(1) KOSCIOL DIA MIASTA KRAKOWA (CHURCH FOR THE CITY OF KRAKOW), POLAND.
Thanks to the funds received, Kosciol Dia Miasta Krakowa, led by Pastor Zbigniew Marzec were able to partner with the city of Krakow in their campaign aimed at sewing protective clothing (aprons and masks) for the medical personnel of Krakow hospitals.
Volunteers sewed the masks and aprons free of charge. The financial gift of 600 euro from MRDS helped us to buy materials to sew about 5,000 masks and over 2000 aprons.
This gift has been delivered to local hospitals in Krakow:
- Prokocim Children’s Hospital in Krakow
- Zeromski Hospital in Krakow
This gift will help protect them from the Coronavirus. They were extremely thankful for this financial support.
(2) FAMIGLIA BETHEL ONLUS , BARI ITALY.
The Bethel ODV family led by Pastor Emanuele Spezzacatena, warmly thanked MRDS Canada for the contribution of € 973.68 and the “Proton Foundation” Association for being our voice.
The contribution was used to resolve serious financial problems that families faced due to the COVID 19 lockdown period. These are the people they helped.
- The Garelli family: A couple with three children who went through very difficult moments due to the husband’s job loss. He felt like he was letting his family down because he couldn’t provide for them, they couldn’t pay their rent, they didn’t have decent clothes and felt ashamed and unpresentable. He had lost his dignity.
With the funds, they were able to buy this family new clothes and paid for part of the rent debt. Thanks to this “gesture of love”, the husband was encouraged and felt that God had not abandoned them, even though he is not a believer. This encouraged him to accompany his family once again to church while wearing his new clothes on Sunday. The wife was so thankful and said our brothers in Canada were God’s answer to our prayers.” The husband couldn’t understand why someone from Canada that did not know would be so loving and generous. - Valerio family: Their child was born in very uncomfortable and poor condition during the period of full Covid-19. The husband was not getting paid because of his contractual work. They brought milk and other necessities for the baby and gave the mother new clothes. She was truly touched and blessed because the Lord met her needs. She said, “we are one body, the body of Christ, and even if we do not know each other personally, you opened your hearts to us. Thank you from the deepest of our hearts.“
- Cordova Alejandro: a twenty-two-year-old. The family moved to Italy from Venezuela due to the tragic economical and social situation in that country. Alejandro and his mother lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Alejandro was having physical problems and needed some important tests to be done but could not pay for them. Therefore they paid for his urgent clinical exam (CAT). He was extremely grateful.
- Cardoso Maikel and July: A couple who received Jesus in their life a little less than a year ago and have a four-year-old child with physical problems. Due to COVID-19 lockdown and Italy’s difficult economic situation, Maikel no longer has a stable job and barely has enough to pay rent. The family risked having the electricity cut off in the house, so we paid for their bills. They said, ”God sent you just in time, in the precise moment in our life that made such a difference. We didn’t know where else to turn, but God knew!” “Thank you so much for having helped us pay our bills and not allowing the electricity to be cut off”.
- Michela Sgaramella: she is one of the main volunteers that has been helping greatly during COVID- 19, despite being a bearer of physical disabilities. Unfortunately, she has been put on furlough until December 2020 and once again the amounts received are extremely low. She was having difficulties paying her home taxes, as well as buying food and other primary needs. Therefore they were able to help her with this, she was blessed and honoured and said thank you for the work you are doing; that of seeing the needs that so many are blind to.”