ABOUT US
HISTORY OF THE AGENCY
2006 – 2009
Prayer group
Suceava hosts the first prayer group for mission. The first short-term mission trips are now being made to the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
The foundation of Kairos Agency
Part of the prayer group’s participants become founders of Kairos Association, established under the tutelage of the Union of Brethren Churches. An agency board is formed, composed by six brethren, including a member of the UBC’s Executive Committee. Mission evenings and youth meetings on trans-cultural mission are being organized in different locations. Short-term mission trips to Ukraine and Bulgaria take place and the Acatrinei family leaves for Peru for long-term.
Team consolidation
More and more people from Suceava area want to help this prayer movement and the initiatives that followed. The first mission conferences start to be organized in large cities in the country. In addition, the first Kairos course takes place. Now the agency starts publishing resources for churches: Handbook for the Sending Church, the Kairos Calendar, andPersecuted but Not Forsaken prayer guide, edited by Open Doors. Mission in Ukraine and Bulgaria is being carried on and the first contracts are settled with missionaries from Turkey. During this time, a short-term trip is arranged to India, which also helps building up the relationship with the Olteanu family, working in Northeast India.
Kairos Mission School
This year marks the beginning of Kairos School classes with a total of eight students. The first partnerships with international mission organizations carrying out their activity in Romania are made. New publications are issued: the informative bulletin Faith around the Globe and the trans-cultural mission handbook Thriving in another Culture by Jo Anne Dannett. Short-term mission in Bulgaria, Turkey and India is carried forward. Support projects are initiated for the Indigenous missionaries and for children orphaned by persecution from Kandamal area, Orissa.
2010 – 2013
Extension through area branches
The Kairos team is extended and consolidated through the development of area branches in ten locations in the country. New publications continue to be issued: In Front of God’s Calling and a new edition of the prayer guide Persecuted, but not Forsaken, as well as new resources for churches such as tracts, missionary cards, prayer guides, etc.
Short-term mission trips are carried out to Bulgaria, Turkey, India and Mongolia. In the long-term mission marathon now enter the Necea family, in Vietnam, and Rebeca Ioan, a graduate of Kairos Mission School, in Niger, in partnership with SIM Organisation.
Mobilization
Another three area branches are added, which increases the circulation of Faith around the Globe magazine by 2,000 copies.
The emphasis is put on the mobilizing local churches to trans-cultural mission through conferences in and outside the country. This year, the Mission Conference for the Romanian Diaspora from Italy makes its debut in Pordenone.
New short-term missions take place in India and Myanmar. For the long-term, Silvia Costache and Gabriela Ţepeş join the race, in India. Long-term missionaries have the opportunity to share their testimonies at the Brethren Church National Youth Conference, to more than 1,500 participants.
Development
The Agency’s staff department is created. There is an increase in the number of volunteers. Honourably Wounded: Stress Among Christian Workers by Marjory F. Foyle is published. The Agency is represented at the Brethren National Conference in Braşov. The second edition of the Annual Mission Conference takes place in Pordenone, Italy, and another one in Rome. Short-term mission trips are taken to Turkey and India. In Jalpaiguri and Barohati, India, two church buildings are put up with the financial aid of Brethren churches from the country, through the medium of UBC.
Sami Şoldan, graduate of Kairos Mission School, leaves for long-term mission in Mongolia, as does Jibrail, in an Arab country, in partnership with OM Romania.
The ministry carries on
It’s the year when the media department starts taking shape. The first video testimonies come to life. The Agency is represented at the Brethren National Conference in Braşov. The Annual Mission Conference continues to take place in Pordenone, Italy, and for the first time, Kairos classes are organized here, too. As a result, more Romanian brethren working in Italy engage in cross-cultural mission.
The missionary biography Too Hard for God? by Charles Marsh is published. The Mission School this year counts five students. Short-term mission trips are made to Peru, India and Mongolia. Claudia Sotir commits herself to long-term mission in India, in association with Pioneers.
2014 – 2017
New projects
At the beginning of this year, a new short-term trip is carried out to Myanmar, and, some months later, Alex Svijic travels there on a business visa to find the suitable mode of engaging in long-term mission. A project called Clean water for the thirsty is launched in the same country, consisting of a viaduct meant to supply the isolated locality of Senpi with drinking water.
Carmen Simiraş travels to India to research to the end of writing a book reflecting the country’s reality. Her book, Indian Realities Put in Romanian Words. A Travel Journal to India is published the same year.
In spring, the Agency is represented at the National Conference Partners in Mission in Sovata, as well as at the Brethren National Conference in Braşov, while in summer a Regional Mission Conference is organised in Suceava. In Cernăuţi, Ukraine, the Kairos course is run for the first time, as is a special training session for leaders.
In the short-term mission field, two teams fly to Mongolia to work with summer camps and to help with building, respectively. The autumn of this year marks the beginning of two projects in this country, those of putting up the church building and a space meant for camps, as well as for youth and children ministry.
In October, a short-term mission trip is taken to India.
Specialized missionary stages
This year is marked by three types of missionary stages or trips:
1. Practical help: Mongolia – construction team, camps team; Niger – project for the christian school in Maradi;
2. Encouragement: Peru – Acatrinei family, Niger – Beaton Family, Mongolia – Şoldan Family;
3. Forming: Kairos School students (Mongolia, Egypt, Myanmar, Madagascar).
- Regional Meetings BCDE, Regional Conferences and Brethren National Youth Conference in Braşov;
- Prayer chain – Tibi Ciobanu and Vrancea Office;
- Faith Around the Globe magazine – the print run increases to 2.500 pieces.
A respite for missionaries at the 2nd edition
- Mountain trip with the missionaries (Albota, Sibiu county);
- The Kairos presentation brochure is translated into hungarian;
- Short-term missions, having several objectives: India, Madagascar, mongolia (camps team), Mongolia (construction team), Myanmar, United Arab Emirates and Oman, Ukriane (Donetsk);
- Youth Kairos for the first time, in Suceava.
10 years of cross-cultural mission
- New resources, publications and media: No fear (by Silvia Bagdas), Jisai from India (by Cosmina Lunug), Love that makes the feet walk (by Saeeda El-Amin); the book Orders remain unchanged! (10 messages about mission);
- Mission mobilization video spots;
- Short-term trips: Mariupol (war zone in Ukraine – 3 pers.), Niger (electricians team – 4 pers.), Mongolia (construction team – 5 pers.), Mongolia (camps team – 4 pers.), Mongolia (Hrihorciuc family), India (6 persons), Myanmar (4 pers., on December 5th).