Winter in Moldova is a tough time for people living in poverty. Already living in harsh conditions, without enough warm clothing, firewood or food, the freezing temperatures make an already difficult life unbearable. Children walk to school in the bitter cold without proper footwear; icy winds slash through broken windows; and there is no central heating or firewood to make homes safe from the elements.
The Apostoliucs live in Moldova, in a house not yet finished that they are building themselves. There is Gheorghe, 31, Cristina, 27, and their children, 11-year-old Marius, four-year-old Silvia, and baby Amedeia.
The family live in two rooms, one where everyone sleeps, and the second, a living and cooking space, with a basin where they wash. There is no central heating, no running water, no bathroom and no inside toilet.
Gheorghe said, “Every day we have to carry water from the well for drinking, cooking, and washing. We have to walk about a kilometre to get to the well – it’s not close to the house.
“I use the cart when we need to collect a lot of water, and other times I walk. My son Marius also helps carry water, but he’s still a child so he can only carry a six-litre bottle at the most.
We’re doing our best to deal with this situation.”
Cristina has to use a manual machine to wash the clothes. She said, "It's not easy, but I'm
glad Marius helps me with the housework, and Silvia gets very involved when I cook.”
The Apostoliucs are a hard-working family, Cristina at home with the children and Gheorghe
taking on jobs wherever he can in the village. All in all, the Apostoliucs’ monthly income is
barely enough to cover their basic needs.
Fortunately, the Apostoliucs are enrolled on Mission Without Borders’ (MWB) family
sponsorship programme. MWB is supporting the family to move towards more financial
stability and security – and this winter, they have received practical help to get them safely
through the winter.
Spridion Cozaru, the MWB staff member who supports the family, said, “When I heard that
the family had no more firewood, and that winter was only half over, I said that I had to
bring them some briquettes. I can’t express in words how happy the family was, and how
they thanked God for this gift that brought so much joy.”
When Spridion arrived at the house, Marius quickly helped his father unload the briquettes
from his car, then together they lit a fire and their small rooms warmed up immediately.