Beatrice Simion, one of YWAM Romania and KKI (King’s Kids International)’s European leaders, passed away on the 1st of August from complications following a car accident that occurred on the 17th of July in Timisoara, Romania.

Beatrice’s first school with YWAM was the 1997 PCYM (Principles of Children and Youth Ministry) in Budapest. She had already been involved with KKI for some time and wanted to start King’s Kids in Romania. She did her DTS in Cluj, Romania in 1998 and became the official King’s Kids Romania leader, based in Timisoara, Romania. In 1999 she became part of the leadership for KKI Europe. In 2007, she became part of YWAM Romania’s executive leadership team. In April, 2010 she became part of the Central European Leadership Team and was commissioned with Helga Nuernberger and Florin Mihaly to be the joint leaders of YWAM Romania.

Beatrice travelled the globe. She ministered on 5 continents. She ran countless camps for children and youth, took outreaches all over the world, taught in seminars and schools on various subjects such as Human Development, Children at Risk, Counseling Children of Abuse among many other subjects. She hosted several international and regional conferences for both KKI and YWAM Central Europe.

Beatrice had a major impact on the nation of Romania and how the church views and works with children as well as the role of women in leadership. She was a pioneer who was breaking ground from before the fall of communism. Beatrice was an integral part of moving YWAM and missions forward and she did an outstanding job of bringing the mission together and promoting unity and encouraging relationship between YWAM and the body of Christ across denominational lines. She was a mother, sister and friend to many who did not have one and a counselor, advisor and advocate for many hurting and broken people.

Her husband, Peter, has been an incredible source of encouragement and support for Beatrice and has quietly served her and our mission for over 14 years. Theirs was a deeply committed, precious, loving relationship full of mutual respect and submission and obvious love for each other. She adored him and he her. Her two sons, Benjamin and Timothy, were her joy and she was so proud of them. She wanted to give them the very best and was committed to do all that she could to see them succeed. She was so proud of her daughter-in-law Daniella and pleased that Beni had chosen such a wonderful girl.

A few weeks before she died, she told her family that she didn’t want a big expensive funeral and instead of flowers that the money be given to missions. Her family honoured that request and instead of flowers and decorations, money was collected towards the YWAM Mombasa base in Kenya – where Beatrice taught last year.

Her testimony has taken root in the fertile soil of the hearts of those who knew her and the hearts of those who will hear about her and these testimonies will grow and bear fruit. Her life touched so many people in so many ways, and even though it is so hard to say goodbye, we know that her legacy will live on through us. Let us all live life in this same way, so that when the time comes, God will invite us home with the same words He used for our beloved Beatrice: “Well done, you good and faithful servant”.

-Shanie Hinge with Belinda Chaplin