Strangers Become Family

Mihai* comes from a family of pastors and was familiar with ministry from a young age. He preached, attended countless worship services, and thought he already knew the most important things. Then he took a course at a Christian educational institute run by our partner “Maranatha.” That one course eventually turned into a full-fledged degree program.

What Mihai learned there changed his perspective on the people in his immediate surroundings. For years, a group of young migrants had been gathering right in front of his church. But no one in the youth group knew them well or knew how to approach them. Their way of life did not correspond to what the congregation understood as a holy life—and so they preferred to keep to themselves.

During his studies, Mihai began to rethink his approach. Along with a few others, he formed a team to reach out to the young migrants. They had neither a detailed program nor a fully developed plan—just the determination to reach out to them.

Today, about 20 of them are regular members of the congregation. Strangers have become friends and fellow Christians. Mihai now encourages young people from his church to enroll in the same school. Four have already started. “Maranatha” specifically trains leaders and staff for churches throughout Europe. Currently, 355 men and women from 15 countries are studying there. The center is located in Warsaw; there are additional training centers in Dresden, Stockholm, and Kovel, Ukraine, where “Maranatha” works particularly closely with ACP.

*Name changed