Veritas is Moving!

In 1997, Veritas—the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) partner organization in Sighisoara—purchased a former fur coat factory (pictured to the right) to house social services for children. Over time, Veritas ministries expanded and slowly outgrew this building which became known as the Family Center. The Veritas social services now housed at the Family Center include a kindergarten, afterschool kids’ and teens’ clubs for 4 age groups (from elementary to high school), and support for adults and teens with disabilities. Additionally, donated material aid is distributed from the Family Center. Veritas serves over 130 hot lunches each day, including taking hot meals to homebound elderly clients. Other Veritas social services include 3 clubs for isolated senior adults which meet in 3 locations around the city, and the domestic violence prevention & response, which is housed in a rented facility. Today, Veritas is also a Nazarene Child Development Center which participates in Nazarene Child Sponsorship.

In 2009, Veritas began working on a grant proposal to significantly expand and refurbish the existing facilities. We found out in earlier this year that we had not received the grant. This summer, the Veritas advisory board decided the time was right to search for a new home. After an incredibly short search process, a new property was found, not far from the current location. The new property, about an acre in total, includes a large building and several smaller buildings.
While we are very excited about the potential for expansion of ministries, we also recognize that it will first require a considerable amount of renovation. This fall, work has been started to get Veritas through the first year in the new facility (like installing a new kitchen and dining room to meet local health codes). If renovations progress on time, all Veritas social services should be moving to the new center around Christmas. We hope to host Work & Witness teams next summer to help with the next phase of renovations, including finishing the interior of the second floor and creating an outdoor play area.

We have seen God’s hand at work throughout this whole process. Not only was Veritas able to find the property very quickly, but the former owner has been quite generous. First, he is allowing Veritas to pay for the property in 3 installments over the next year, thus giving Veritas time to raise funds for the remaining $136,000. Second, he has purchased the former Family Center, meaning Veritas doesn’t need to worry about selling it. In God’s perfect timing, He allowed the Veritas leadership team to be introduced to a group of Belgians who brought a shipment of material aid to Romania earlier this year. These Belgians were happy to partner with Veritas by providing used furniture and other necessities to help furnish the new center—all for free!

Pictured below: The front of the main building of the new Veritas Center.

The view of the back of the building shows there is much renovation work to be done: