Snejana from Moldova was working in Albania with OM. She was sad that so many Roma children spent their time on the streets, often begging for food or money.
Mona was a widow with teenage daughters. She was also sad that the children were not at school.
Together they started the Emmanuel Centre in 2003. The first Centre was in a flat. On Wednesdays and Saturdays children can come and play games, learn to read write and count, and learn about Jesus. They also have a meal of bread and cheese or sausage.
Children of the Hotel
At first no children came. Snejana and Mona went out in the hot weather looking in the poor areas. They saw some children looking for food in rubbish bins. They invited them to the centre, and found out that there were 20 families living in an old hotel. The âChildren of the Hotelâ started coming to the Emmanuel Centre.
Sadly, the hotel has been destroyed now, so the families had to find new places to live
Donât forget to come to school!
Can you imagine your parents stopping you from going to school?
Sometimes the childrenâs parents still send them to beg instead of going to school. Sometimes they forget when a new term starts, so the teachers have to go to the childrenâs houses and remind them!
Answered prayer
One day one of the girls, weâll call her Arta, told Mona that God had answered her prayers. Artaâs parents had been fighting, and she remembered that Mona had told them that God wants us to pray in any situation. She prayed that God would stop her parents fighting. They stopped straight away! Arta was so happy that God listened to her prayer!
