“I have been part of something meaningful” – a staff member reflects on his years working for the Mission

When Gladius was first invited to work with Mission Without Borders, he said no.

He couldn’t have known then that nearly three decades later he would be preparing to retire after 28 years of faithful service – years that would shape not only his life, but the lives of thousands of vulnerable children and families across Romania.

“I said no when I was first invited,” Gladius said. “I didn’t think I belonged at Mission Without Borders at first. After attending a prayer meeting, I felt like I didn’t fit in. It wasn’t because the Mission staff didn’t make me feel included, it was because everyone seemed so holy to me; everyone’s faith seemed so real, so alive. I’ve never experienced anything like that, especially in a workplace.”

By the time the invitation came again, Gladius’ life had been shattered. After 13 years of marriage, he lost his beloved wife to illness. Suddenly, he was a widower with six children between the ages of two and twelve.

What had once intimidated him now became his lifeline.

“Well, this year marks 28 years since I first began my journey with Mission Without Borders, and I can truly say it has been a blessed and meaningful chapter of my life.

“Over the years, the Mission has not only been a workplace, but a source of healing, community, and hope.”

For Gladius, the Mission was never just a job to show up at. It became a community that carried him through sorrow, a place where he could express his faith through hard work, compassion, and quiet dedication.

“I remember when I was first asked to work with the Mission, I was asked to be an inventory manager, but deep down I really wanted to drive. Eventually I got the chance, and I’ve driven all over the country, visiting the orphanages we partnered with back then, in 28 different counties.

A trained driver since 1992, with experience in Ukraine and Poland, he brought skill, resilience, and an instinctive sense of responsibility. Over time, colleagues affectionately nicknamed him “our human GPS.” After 28 years of traveling to communities across the country, he knows the roads by heart.

“It was hard work, but I’ve always tried to combine what was necessary with what I’ve enjoyed and somehow, made the work feel a lot easier.

“I loved visiting the children and knowing that, in some small way, I was helping to ease their struggles.”

Since 2002, he has also served as transport manager, a legally required and operationally critical role. The position demanded further study, exams, and added responsibility. He accepted without hesitation.

“Passing all the exams I faced as a transport manager, even when the pressure felt overwhelming, was not something I achieved by my own strength alone,” he said. “I’ve driven countless miles without encountering disaster. These are not things I deserve; they are simply the evidence of God’s grace.”

In nearly three decades of service, he has never had an accident or received a fine. Gladius often speaks about what kept him there so long.

Gladius was not raised in a Christian family. In fact, he once resisted going to church at all. But after his wife began attending, he eventually accepted an invitation that changed his life.

He became the only born-again Christian in his immediate family and remained faithful through joy and deep sorrow. Years after losing his first wife, he remarried. Together, he and his second wife built a family of ten children and now rejoice in 16 grandchildren.

Through it all, his faith has expressed itself less in words than in steadfast love for people.

Gladius loves people, whether rich or poor, educated or not, with the same warmth and respect. “I try to always see the beauty in people,” he says.

He describes himself as a perfectionist. Work, in his view, is not merely a task. “If I could offer one piece of advice to whoever comes to take my place it would be this: do everything as if you are doing it unto God. When your work becomes an act of service, not just a task, everything begins to feel lighter.”

Gladius’ life reminds us that impact does not always have to be flashy. Often, it looks like early mornings in a warehouse, long roads through winter snow, paperwork done carefully, a person who shows up with love and faithfulness day after day.

And while one faithful driver may be nearing retirement, the road ahead for the Mission continues, carrying hope to families who still need it.