Magazine for March 2010
Moldova mission
Many of you will know that Moldova is a country close to my heart. Although I have really only known of the place for a couple of years my experience of the country and the people has established it as a very special place for me.
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It was just under twelve months ago that I and the eleven other intrepid ‘Snowdodgers’ drove (or were towed) into Moldova. The border crossing was quite a feat with many questions from the Ukrainian boarder guards on exit and even more from the Moldova guards just 100 metres further, on the other side of the river. All the same, it was great to finally reach the destination and after a series of breakdowns we rolled into Chisinau, the capital city, six hours late. Even at midnight we were still greeted with the beaming faces of some of the Bethany Church members who had spent the last three weeks waiting with excitement for our arrival. |
We only spent three days with the people of Bethany Church but their welcome, excitement and generosity was brilliant. We were most struck by their gratitude which was, at times, almost uncomfortable. After all, 5,500 miles of exploring snowy Northern Europe, dodging lorries and police in Russia and playing with old cars didn’t seem like a burden – it was an adventure!
However, what they were so touched by was that we had bothered. That we had cared enough to give up three weeks plus a fair few weekends of planning, to go and see them. To raise money for their work and to show God cares for forgotten people.
Moldova Ministries has been supporting the work of the Bethany Church since the 80’s and their partnership has produced incredible results. Through funding, prayers and God’s blessing, the Bethany Church are able to feed sixty pensioners three days a week, week in week out.
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Many of the elderly people live in poverty. Their state pension barely covers the utilities let alone food, medicine, transport and life’s other expenses. This leaves them with difficult choices to make every day leaving many with spiralling debt and not enough food.The Bethany Church has seen this need and each month supports the sixty worst off. We had the chance to meet some of these people and their spirit and enthusiasm was infectious, as was their faith in God’s daily provision. |
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I think it is time I went back to Moldova and I would like to take some of you! Bethany Church has invited St Mark’s to support one of their summer camps which works with vulnerable young people, giving them space to have fun, learn of God’s love for them and forget about the situations they have to live with every day. My hope is to take out a group of ten people for the week 12th-19th August to support them and serve them.
More details will be announced over the next month but if you are up for an Eastern European adventure (without the driving!) then get ready… it’s coming!
Jay