Moldova
Many people have asked the usual, "how was the trip?" and its the usual response, "good." It was indeed, "good," but seeing this and that and visiting here and there isn't what i think about the most when i reflect on my time in Moldova. I had someone i didn't expect ask me this question when he first saw me, "..so did you save people while you were there?" Now I know he knows I don't believe we can save anybody, that's God work. I also know this person isn't fond of the the evangelical Christian mindset per say (no worries if you read this). What i think about most IS of the very question he asked. i think about the conversations, the people. To be honest the country itself i find dreary and cold, almost depressing. Thats neither here nor there on the nature of our visit though.
Day One-Arrive in Cahul Sunday around 6am after a 6hr drive through Romania. The water system in Cahul has been shut off until sometime Monday. Attend church with our pastors friend and family. Chris got to do a little preaching. Met with our translator and attended a Christian outreach that night with many other believers and two American men in their 70's there to teach and preach. We also moved into our own apt where we stayed the next two nights.
Day Two and Three-Street evangelism in Cahul through questionnaires and gospel presentations. Many of it was done around a university the first day and the next day Chris was with another translator while i stayed with Grigore in an apt complex and then moved downtown.
Here is what i think about the most-certain people. I remember this one young girl who was very quick to mention evolution and all the things she has read online about scientific proves so she no longer believes in God. After a discussion of i dont know how long, with a quivering lip and sniffling nose, she softly said, "why didn't God answer my small prayer than?" It was painful in that moment for her and to some extent it was painful for me. Her little friend i remember as we ended our prayer together said with a smiling face she would pray and read the bible now. Grigore's prayer was for God to use that little girl, the weak of this world, to lead the older one to the truth.
At an apt complex i remember sharing with several young men and it started out as a light hearted conversation i think with the questionnaire to one of concern when we shared the gospel, they were concerned about these things now but needed time to decide they said. They appeared to be given the worse news possible and they could not accept the good news of salvation. another man had been lurking in a doorway and also came out. after sharing he admited he would be judged for his sin and go to hell if he were to die right then-he wasn't okay with that-but he too had to think about it and could not accept but asked for prayer.
I remember the next young man we met in the street seemed to be in a hurry with lots of dvd's in hand. He was 22 and knew a little english. He said he had a minute if it was quick and i shared not really remembering to hurry up. I was oblivious to the number of times it happened but his cellphone kept ringing and he kept hitting ignore. He seemed as if he has given depressing news as well and could not make a decision but thanked us as he hurried off. After we walked away Grigore said he hit ignore i think 6 times while we were sharing.
I think the only person who intently listened and did not seemed solemn or depressed looking in contrast to the beginning of the conversation was a university student who was excited about hearing the gospel and that she could accept Christ's salvation through His grace alone-she kept asking about this. She said it touched her heart and she was quickly pulled away by her friend-they had class. I guess I could go on a while longer but these are the people I think about, pray about. When Chris and I split up he had an older women pray to recieve Christ and many similiar conversations with people asking for prayer but unwilling to accept. Over the course of the trip many acknowledged it was an important decision and one they simply could not just make-even though in doing so they were.
At night we attended the services at the cultural center and Chris was able to share his testimony the second night.
Day Four-Six-Took a bus to the Chisinau where we stayed with our friends mom. We met up with other believers at a hospital where they preform surgeries to hand out 100 free Romanian newspapers as a part of a church ministry. It has articles about local news, sports, and many about Christianity. Chris and i once again split up with different moldovans. Chris went room to room giving out the paper and sharing the gospel. One room had a young girl with several memebers gathered around. After sharing the girls prayed to recieve Christ. He also shared with a room with several men who asked many questions. I was split up from my young moldovan translator who reminded me of my brother so I just handed papers out as people tried to speak to me lol. It was good memories for both of us.
We also evangelized on the street and several parks. One young couple on a bench stated they didnt think their sin was bad enough to go to hell and the bible was just a book written by man. The very next person we talked to prayed to recieved Christ and accepted the invitation to attend church with us that night and had good discussion with the pastor. There was another young lady on her lunch break that we shared with in the same park and she felt God had put us there to share with her and she had much to think about. She wanted to accept Christ and with a big smile on her face asked that we pray for her.
We also met with a young girl who was working in a ministry for victims of human trafficking. It was sad to hear the need for help in such things but also good news people are dedicating themselves to follow Christ in meeting the need. Please pray for House of Hope, the victims of human trafficking, and for God's people to follow the call of ministry in this area.
Day Seven- A pastor friend in the north drove 2 hrs to pick us up and 2 hrs back to his house the night before so we could visit. In Soroca we mostly went for sightseeing and Chris really missed his pastor friend. He got to hear all about what God is doing with the orphanage outreach and the many American church groups there to help. It was beautiful in the north and we saw Ukraine all the time across the river.
That evening we met someone else who would take us across the transnistrian border. After the ridiculous process of getting approval it was already dark outside but we still wanted to go. It's as if you are leaving a poor country and entering a rich one. Everything is clean, new, nice in transnistria. There are statues everywhere of former soviet leaders, such as Lenin with fresh flowers at the base. Two things this area of Moldova is known for by the international community-illegal arms deals and the highest rate of human trafficking in Europe. It also suffers from a corrupt regime the citizens fear and seldom speak out against. Sheriff owned gas stations, clothing stores, and grocery stores are everywhere. Banners stating they are united with Russia are hung around their capitol in Tiraspol. Police blockades are common even once passed the border checkpoints and many areas and buildings cannot be photographed (including some we have pics of LOL). We approached a group of teenagers who quicked recognized we were American. After some conversation we were able to share the gospel with little interest from most of them until an Orthodox boy began a debate. In the end he completely changed topics several times and seemed on the verge of tears. I gave him the evangecube and told him to go look up the verses on his own, we both were challenged that night. One of the boys had a camera and wanted pics of us so we have some group photos. One of the girls wants to come to Florida, I hope she does.
Day 8-We attend two church services in the morning. The first was the Romanian speaking church, Bunavestire, that print the newspapers we handed out. We were told that someone called the pastor requesting a bible as a result of recieving a newspaper at the hospital. There was another America at the service that married a Moldova and was living there.
Chris shared and we left for the Russian speaking church, Logos. Chris was again able to speak and afterwards we said our goodbyes to Grigore. The pastor of Logos drove Chris and I and his wife to another town Comrat for a bible study. This is in another communist region with Lenin statues and such however nothing like prenistria(i forgot the teens made it clear that only romanians call them transnistria and it was insulting). Anyway, it was encouraging to see a pastor drive such a distance for such a small group of believers and intently studied the word of God in a school room. Chris was able to share about God and one man in particular was very very appreciative LOL.
Day Nine-Back in Cahul with our pastors friend. He took us and several other moldovans to a small village named philipene where we put John 3:16 verses on every house gate along with some tracts. We were able to share several times there as well using the evangecube. One older lady said only the priest was allowed to have the word of God but several listened intently. People in this area were very poor and live off the land. Before we left the area we visited a young Christian girl in a neighboring village to encourage her and congratulate her in graduating medical college. She is the only known Christian in that village and recently married a non-believer. Life there reminded me of excerpts from Candide, particularly the last chapter. That night we all went out for pizza, and i quietly reflected on the trip as i tried to figure out what in the world was on the tv at the restaurant.
Day Ten-Our pastors friends drove us back to Romania along with three others. Romanian border police failed to stamp our passports and officals at the airport caught it as i went through passport control. Regardless of that we made it on our flt to Frankfurt, then it was business class to Dallas. Oh yeah, we had business class Dallas to London on the way there =p Yeah, it was sweet.
Day One-Arrive in Cahul Sunday around 6am after a 6hr drive through Romania. The water system in Cahul has been shut off until sometime Monday. Attend church with our pastors friend and family. Chris got to do a little preaching. Met with our translator and attended a Christian outreach that night with many other believers and two American men in their 70's there to teach and preach. We also moved into our own apt where we stayed the next two nights.
Day Two and Three-Street evangelism in Cahul through questionnaires and gospel presentations. Many of it was done around a university the first day and the next day Chris was with another translator while i stayed with Grigore in an apt complex and then moved downtown.
Here is what i think about the most-certain people. I remember this one young girl who was very quick to mention evolution and all the things she has read online about scientific proves so she no longer believes in God. After a discussion of i dont know how long, with a quivering lip and sniffling nose, she softly said, "why didn't God answer my small prayer than?" It was painful in that moment for her and to some extent it was painful for me. Her little friend i remember as we ended our prayer together said with a smiling face she would pray and read the bible now. Grigore's prayer was for God to use that little girl, the weak of this world, to lead the older one to the truth.
At an apt complex i remember sharing with several young men and it started out as a light hearted conversation i think with the questionnaire to one of concern when we shared the gospel, they were concerned about these things now but needed time to decide they said. They appeared to be given the worse news possible and they could not accept the good news of salvation. another man had been lurking in a doorway and also came out. after sharing he admited he would be judged for his sin and go to hell if he were to die right then-he wasn't okay with that-but he too had to think about it and could not accept but asked for prayer.
I remember the next young man we met in the street seemed to be in a hurry with lots of dvd's in hand. He was 22 and knew a little english. He said he had a minute if it was quick and i shared not really remembering to hurry up. I was oblivious to the number of times it happened but his cellphone kept ringing and he kept hitting ignore. He seemed as if he has given depressing news as well and could not make a decision but thanked us as he hurried off. After we walked away Grigore said he hit ignore i think 6 times while we were sharing.
I think the only person who intently listened and did not seemed solemn or depressed looking in contrast to the beginning of the conversation was a university student who was excited about hearing the gospel and that she could accept Christ's salvation through His grace alone-she kept asking about this. She said it touched her heart and she was quickly pulled away by her friend-they had class. I guess I could go on a while longer but these are the people I think about, pray about. When Chris and I split up he had an older women pray to recieve Christ and many similiar conversations with people asking for prayer but unwilling to accept. Over the course of the trip many acknowledged it was an important decision and one they simply could not just make-even though in doing so they were.
At night we attended the services at the cultural center and Chris was able to share his testimony the second night.
Day Four-Six-Took a bus to the Chisinau where we stayed with our friends mom. We met up with other believers at a hospital where they preform surgeries to hand out 100 free Romanian newspapers as a part of a church ministry. It has articles about local news, sports, and many about Christianity. Chris and i once again split up with different moldovans. Chris went room to room giving out the paper and sharing the gospel. One room had a young girl with several memebers gathered around. After sharing the girls prayed to recieve Christ. He also shared with a room with several men who asked many questions. I was split up from my young moldovan translator who reminded me of my brother so I just handed papers out as people tried to speak to me lol. It was good memories for both of us.
We also evangelized on the street and several parks. One young couple on a bench stated they didnt think their sin was bad enough to go to hell and the bible was just a book written by man. The very next person we talked to prayed to recieved Christ and accepted the invitation to attend church with us that night and had good discussion with the pastor. There was another young lady on her lunch break that we shared with in the same park and she felt God had put us there to share with her and she had much to think about. She wanted to accept Christ and with a big smile on her face asked that we pray for her.
We also met with a young girl who was working in a ministry for victims of human trafficking. It was sad to hear the need for help in such things but also good news people are dedicating themselves to follow Christ in meeting the need. Please pray for House of Hope, the victims of human trafficking, and for God's people to follow the call of ministry in this area.
Day Seven- A pastor friend in the north drove 2 hrs to pick us up and 2 hrs back to his house the night before so we could visit. In Soroca we mostly went for sightseeing and Chris really missed his pastor friend. He got to hear all about what God is doing with the orphanage outreach and the many American church groups there to help. It was beautiful in the north and we saw Ukraine all the time across the river.
That evening we met someone else who would take us across the transnistrian border. After the ridiculous process of getting approval it was already dark outside but we still wanted to go. It's as if you are leaving a poor country and entering a rich one. Everything is clean, new, nice in transnistria. There are statues everywhere of former soviet leaders, such as Lenin with fresh flowers at the base. Two things this area of Moldova is known for by the international community-illegal arms deals and the highest rate of human trafficking in Europe. It also suffers from a corrupt regime the citizens fear and seldom speak out against. Sheriff owned gas stations, clothing stores, and grocery stores are everywhere. Banners stating they are united with Russia are hung around their capitol in Tiraspol. Police blockades are common even once passed the border checkpoints and many areas and buildings cannot be photographed (including some we have pics of LOL). We approached a group of teenagers who quicked recognized we were American. After some conversation we were able to share the gospel with little interest from most of them until an Orthodox boy began a debate. In the end he completely changed topics several times and seemed on the verge of tears. I gave him the evangecube and told him to go look up the verses on his own, we both were challenged that night. One of the boys had a camera and wanted pics of us so we have some group photos. One of the girls wants to come to Florida, I hope she does.
Day 8-We attend two church services in the morning. The first was the Romanian speaking church, Bunavestire, that print the newspapers we handed out. We were told that someone called the pastor requesting a bible as a result of recieving a newspaper at the hospital. There was another America at the service that married a Moldova and was living there.
Chris shared and we left for the Russian speaking church, Logos. Chris was again able to speak and afterwards we said our goodbyes to Grigore. The pastor of Logos drove Chris and I and his wife to another town Comrat for a bible study. This is in another communist region with Lenin statues and such however nothing like prenistria(i forgot the teens made it clear that only romanians call them transnistria and it was insulting). Anyway, it was encouraging to see a pastor drive such a distance for such a small group of believers and intently studied the word of God in a school room. Chris was able to share about God and one man in particular was very very appreciative LOL.
Day Nine-Back in Cahul with our pastors friend. He took us and several other moldovans to a small village named philipene where we put John 3:16 verses on every house gate along with some tracts. We were able to share several times there as well using the evangecube. One older lady said only the priest was allowed to have the word of God but several listened intently. People in this area were very poor and live off the land. Before we left the area we visited a young Christian girl in a neighboring village to encourage her and congratulate her in graduating medical college. She is the only known Christian in that village and recently married a non-believer. Life there reminded me of excerpts from Candide, particularly the last chapter. That night we all went out for pizza, and i quietly reflected on the trip as i tried to figure out what in the world was on the tv at the restaurant.
Day Ten-Our pastors friends drove us back to Romania along with three others. Romanian border police failed to stamp our passports and officals at the airport caught it as i went through passport control. Regardless of that we made it on our flt to Frankfurt, then it was business class to Dallas. Oh yeah, we had business class Dallas to London on the way there =p Yeah, it was sweet.