Conflict, displacement, and crisis dominate today’s headlines. Yet the story God is writing is one of hope, calling His people to stand in love and justice with vulnerable children. Against this backdrop, the 2026 WWO Europe Hope in Action Forum gathered leaders from across the region in Bucharest with one shared vision: every child cared for in a safe, loving family and community.
For four days, participants worshipped together, deepened relationships, learned from experienced practitioners, and turned conviction into practical action. Across languages, cultures, and contexts, a common commitment emerged: hope is not passive. It is lived, shared, and carried home.
Day 1: Start with God, See the Child, Strengthen the Family
Opening sessions centred the work on Christ and kept the child in clear view. Speakers returned again and again to a simple but powerful foundation. God at the centre. The child as the focus. Family as the best place for a child to grow and thrive.
Collaboration across churches, organisations, and governments was highlighted as essential to lasting change. Encouraging signs of national momentum were shared from Moldova, Albania, Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania. To make the conversation tangible, an empty chair sat in the room throughout the day, symbolising the child whose life is shaped by every decision made. Not an abstract concept, but a real child with a name, a story, and a future.
Day 2: Prevention, Intervention, Collaboration and Living Refreshed
The WWO Roadmap provided the framework for Day Two, with teaching on four connected foundations: prevention, intervention, collaboration, and living refreshed. It became clear how strong prevention and thoughtful intervention must work hand in hand. Prevention reduces risk before harm occurs. Intervention – namely, timely, coordinated action rooted in healing, dignity, and lasting family connection - acts quickly and ethically when danger is present. Both are necessary expressions of love in action.
A powerful story illustrated this calling. Sylvain Vergnon shared how he and his wife chose to move into a Roma community living beside a garbage dump in Tirana, Albania. Rather than separating children from their families, they committed to long-term presence. Over 25 years, that decision bore fruit. Families stabilised. Children entered school. Employment increased. The community slowly reclaimed dignity and hope.
Sylvain’s message resonated deeply. The calling of the Church is not merely to fix problems, but to stay, to walk alongside people until hope is restored and dignity renewed.
Another session focused on Collaboration. Lubo Hlavačka highlighted the importance of coordinated action across sectors, with examples from Moldova and Romania. The group then discussed practical principles for collaboration—pairing action with strong relationships—and heard how prayer and strategic planning helped build a local network in Finland.
The final session, “Living Refreshed”, explored how ministry workers can avoid burnout and stay spiritually healthy by caring for the “unseen 70%” of the soul that often goes neglected. Greg Haswell led practical exercises to identify energy-draining people and tasks, encouraging participants to set boundaries and learn to say “no” to what depletes them. He emphasized reconnecting with ministry purpose through daily prayer and spiritual habits. Ruth Sharon added a helpful model for compassion fatigue, highlighting the difference between rescue and enabling mindsets.
Day 3: Moving from Theory to Strategy
Day three took yesterday’s teaching and put it into action. Participants divided into working groups around five key areas of focus: Children on the Move, Church Engagement, Safeguarding, Children with Disabilities, and Rethinking Orphanages.
Though circumstances may differ, the vulnerabilities children face are often shared. The forum affirmed the unique role of the Church in responding not only to urgent needs, but also in the value of faithful, long-term investment into strategies that will change the future of how children and families are cared for.
Belonging. Healing. Community. Faithful presence.
Working groups explored how the Church can help build communities where fewer children become vulnerable in the first place, addressing root causes while offering refuge and care along the way. These ideas shaped plans for practical outcomes on individual, organisational, and regional levels.
Day 4: Plans Carried Home
The final day turned vision into action. Country and focus groups identified priorities, named potential partners, and defined first steps. Teams committed to growing learning communities around the WWO Roadmap, strengthening collaboration with authorities, and equipping churches with practical tools for family support and safeguarding.
Groups left with clear plans, shared ownership, and timelines for follow-up. Hope was no longer just discussed. It was organized, shared, and ready to move.
Next Steps
The work continues through national teams and trusted partners. Ongoing convening, equipping, and coaching connected to the WWO Roadmap will remain available where helpful, with progress updates and opportunities for shared learning ahead.
The aim remains clear and unchanged. Every child is cared for in a safe, loving family and community. Every child knows their Heavenly Father. Every child is given the opportunity to reach their God-given potential.
Hope, after all, is meant to be lived.
