Romania

Since 2009 Damascus Trust has been working with partners in Romania. In 2015 we set up  Asociatia Cararea Vieti  (ACV - Path of Life Association) to oversee our ministry in Romania. Most of our work is in and around Oradea, near the Hungarian border. Our partners include Emanuel University, Oradea Prison and a number of local churches.

Each year Damascus Trust runs a training programme for students at Emanuel University called On The Edge. It looks at working with the marginalised from a Biblical perspective As part of this course the students spend several hours visiting the prison, a night shelter and a children’s centre.

In 2015, after many months of preparation, ACV ran a pilot Mentoring Programme for prisoners (Apprentices) in Oradea Prison with advice and support from senior prison staff. Over 12 weeks, including teaching and mentoring sessions, the course offers an alternative way to live based on Biblical teaching and principles.

Six topics are covered - Morality; Relationships; Money & Possessions; Work ethics; Social Responsibility, and Dealing with Challenges. All teachers and mentors are committed Christians and are qualified / trained for their role. Following the evident success of the pilot course, the Mentoring Programme was submitted to and authorised by the Romanian authorities and is now run annually as a recognised programme in Oradea Prison.

A Management Team oversee the day to day running of ACV. Regular activities include prison ministry, guitar classes, children's & youth ministry, night shelter visits, distribution of food and essentials to the very poor.

There is opportunity for Christians from the UK to be part of a DT team visit to Rwanda. For more details, please see our Teams page.

See photos of our work in Romanina here.