OUR TEAM IN BÄRETSWIL

In 1967, the Eastern Europe Mission was founded by the Dutch pastor Kees van Olst with the mission center in Mödling near Vienna. From there, couriers from Austria, Switzerland, England, the Netherlands and Germany made trips to the former communist countries behind the Iron Curtain to encourage Christian communities. Food for body and soul was smuggled and practical ministries such as the child sponsorship program were established.
Then in Switzerland, in 1969, Eelco de Boer (a childhood friend of Kees van Olst) and his Swiss wife Elsbeth founded the Eastern Europe Mission Switzerland (OEMCH), which they have run together on a honorary basis from the beginning until today. With the death of Ceaușescu and the collapse of communism, new possibilities for help opened up. At last, needy people could be supported openly, so that the areas of work expanded and grew a lot.

Despite many improvements, great poverty still prevails in the East among large segments of the population. Services such as:

• child sponsorship program
• relief transports
• soup kitchens
• food parcels
• Christmas/joy packages
• refugee aid
• help for people with disabilities
• summer camps for children
• help for elderly people in poverty in Tbilisi
• support for volunteers in the East
• plus special assistance for families or communities in special emergencies
  
  are still urgently needed.

EEM Switzerland works together with partner organizations in other countries, e.g. EEM Austria, EEM Norway and our main partner, EEM Hungary (= Kelet-Európa Misszió, in Inárcs) the bridgehead between East and West. Furthermore, we have partner organizations in Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Georgia and the USA (Mercy Projects).

The aim of EEM Switzerland is to provide humanitarian aid in the poverty-stricken areas of Eastern Europe. Our experienced local workers provide much-needed help to the poor, needy and persecuted. The highest goal is always to help people to help themselves. The aid is intended to enable those in need to soon lead an independent, dignified life. That is why we attach great importance to sustainable projects. Such as enabling children from poor families to have a good school education. This also includes providing them with sufficient and regular food, clothing and school supplies (that part often takes many years/decades per family). We also try to provide financial relief for large families who are particularly poor, so that their children can grow up with less worries and violence at home (→ child sponsorships) and can therefore concentrate better on learning. And we are building families who live in inhumane barracks new houses (→ e.g. Newsletter February page 5), so that a new higher standard also makes essential rethinking possible. This is one of the particularly sustainable projects, because such a house can save a family from poverty for generations.

The OEMCH (Eastern Europe Mission Switzerland) is just a small charity organization. However, this has the advantage that everything is more transparent and relatively little in expenses (only 10% of the income) for administrative purposes. We also know each other personally - all employees as well as the recipients of all aid. The employees are therefore always at the pulse of what is happening. If money is deposited for a specific purpose or person, it arrives quickly and easily at the right place. The people who need help are always our focus and are not just numbers, but faces and stories that are now part of our own. Through that direct exchange we always remain connected, also emotionally. The need we see, the people we accompany personally (often over many years), touch our hearts and we ourselves can hardly wait to give them the help they need. That's why we offer a wide-rang of different projects and help opportunities. We are not geared towards one specific type of help. But because the person or family who is in need is our priority, the range of help we offer is very diverse and adapted to the circumstances and the people that are so important to us.

Eelco de Boer (President)
Jakob Albisser (Vice President)
Elsbeth de Boer-Weidmann (treasurer, editor)
Edgar Urech (consultant, secretary)

Hanspeter Hausammann (Assessor)

"We believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, revealed through His Word and in human form: as Jesus Christ, His only Son; conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, died and buried; descended into the realm of the dead, rose from the dead on the third day, ascended back to heaven and exalted at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God for God is Spirit, and the holy worldwide body of believers, as well as forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the dead, and life everlasting. Amen."