ROMANIA — Irene Anselmi moved from Switzerland where has started a coffee shop ministry to women. In 2006, she took the step of pioneering this work, and today she owns “Coffee Shalom” in Suceava, a meeting space for women who want to know God more and get closer to Him.

Since 2006, Irene Anselmi has been living in Suceava, because God called her to a special ministry with the women there

Irene Anselmi:

“I think this is what You want for me to come here and, in a way or another to be a helper in Romania. I got prepared and, in 2006, I returned. Since then, I have been staying here, in Suceava. I can to do a ministry for women because that is what I can do.

Later, Irene dreamed of a place for meeting and socializing. This is how Coffee Shalom was born.

Irene:

Later, we opened the Coffee Shalom space. The people, the women around here know me, they also know the space, they know what it’s all about. About 8 years ago I told myself that I want to do something more, I wanted a place where we could have meetings. I thought about a coffee house and started looking for a space. It was not easy to find a central here space in Suceava, but the Lord opened doors and we found a space. Then I met the manager at the time and he told us there would be a place, but he said it rather as a joke.

But when I went to see the space for the first time, I liked it because it was big, there was a lot of light, there were many windows and it was central. I didn’t think I could afford to pay the rent for this space. I thought about how much I could pay. I did the math and went back to the admin. I told him the space would be wonderful for what I wanted to do, but I didn’t think I could pay the rent for something like that. It was a new space, very nice. He asked me: “How much can you pay?” and I told him the amount I could pay. He told me he would talk to the owner and that he thought he would agree. I told him that, for me, that would have been a sign that it was the right space.

After getting an affordable commercial space, there came other blessings, such as the right furniture, but also others that covered the needs for opening a Christian coffee shop.

Irene:

I wanted to create a space where any woman is welcomed from any church, but not only. I told everyone that the work I do is not under the authority of the local church in Suceava, but under the authority of the missionary organization in Switzerland and of the church in Switzerland. I submit to that authority.

Irene Anselmi has trained, has worked and has learned a lot about working with women., and her desire is to continue to be an encouragement. for the women she comes in contact with.

Irene:

I believe that every Christian has a calling to be used by the Lord and to be a disciple. I went to the National Women’s Conference in Mamaia several times, I also went to the Debora School with Ligia and I learned a lot from the sisters who came. I think it is important for women to be instructed, what they can do, how they can do it, what is biblical, where to be less involved and to encourage them. This is part of the work I want to do: to encourage women, to be a testimony, a light, and always learn something new.

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