Outreach Moldova, #4: Chisinau: we felt at home here

For our last week in Chisinau we held 3 English­clubs, had one faith day, worked on building a church in the village Sculeni, and spent the whole Sunday at the Urban Center with teenagers and the “Church without walls.”

The English lessons remind me of a time when my friend and I went to a near­by village in Vinnytsia with stickers, saying something like, “hey, cool creative English clubs are going to happen here…” But, as soon as I took a paper to write with big letters “ENGLISH” I got stuck...because I noticed I had written “Inglish.” Just a fun story to start telling you what happened our last week in Chisinau.

Monday and Wednesday we had two themes, “Countries" and “Grammar.” Since Moldova has many holidays in April and May, this last week was quite empty. We had 28 young people coming before, but this time it was about 8­9. You might say it was a good quality time with each of them!

On Friday we made a celebration for the last e­club with us: karaoke and dances were on a roll! I doubted this idea, but seriously, they couldn’t stop. “More songs! Hey, let's dance this!” Great!

Thursday. A day of extreme change for our students: we made them go out for whole day with a limited budget and with no time to take more than a Bible and water with them. They spent about 10 hours outside, not coming home once during that time.

On my own DTS last year, during outreach in Bosnia, I had such day which we spent in 10 hours of walking and 2 of hours resting, in prayer for the country, meeting and praying for people, and taking nap at a Catholic church. This time, my students had their day. We left them 3 envelopes with the time on them to open, with a Passage. The last envelop had a blank paper and a pen to write their own “Passage.” Instead, the their first phrase was “Our leaders are evil.” They got back SO HAPPY and in such a spirit of unity! “Since when have we liked each other that much?” was one of the feedback phrases :) It was a great to see a closer relationship between them, one that let them get a new breath for outreach in Moldova!

On Saturday, our men went to Sculeni to finish their first project, stairs. They miraculously did it, even having limited reserves they did it so well! And the church left to be encouraged by their help and fellowship! The girls stayed in Chisinau: we did preparation for Sunday services, so that our boys won't feel pressure and that everything would be done with quality.

Sunday we had a 2 hour program for teens at the Urban Center and after that we shared at the “Church without walls.” The morning of that day was very fun! The teenagers loved to do quest and the message we gave hit the goal! Some of guys came up to Lilya (she led the morning) and said that it was exactly what they wanted to hear! She spoke about getting up if you fall down and that only God truly knows what is inside of you. After that, during church service, Sergey and Meder shared words of encouragement, Dima sang a Ukrainian song and the Bucalovs sang a Bulgarian song from their outreach. The church prayed for us, blessed us financially and had communion with us.

Moldova now can go into the EU without visas, and so this is what they are now celebrating!
I noticed how many travel agencies they have and the “exchange currency” boxes are literally
everywhere! I hope those who goes abroad won't hurt their families by that, because many many people are leaving homes here.

As for me, I am having my day off before to pack and go to south: Kagul. Chisinau welcomed us well and I feel useful to be here. One more month for outreach, few more days of DTS and we finish...Crazy. Time is running, try to catch yourself in it.

Kagul on Wednesday, 30th of April.

Moldova outreach, #3: loval TV and Easter

Day 1: English - ­club, hooray! We had active prep and at the evening our 2 groups, "so­-so" and "good" united. We watched 3 pieces of 3 films, of course in English, and had quiz afterward.
When our time ran out, some of the students stayed to play Mafia with us. :)

Day 2: Tuesday was our day off, which I spent not rushing anywhere, walking around and
checking my navigation skills, having cream­soup in a bread bowl, and changing money. The rate
for Ukrainian money is...low. When we just arrived it was lucky moment for us, but later the rate
dropped down (the lowest now is 1 UAH to 0.50 LEI).

Day 3: Early, early in the morning, three of our DTS male students and I went to the school. We arrived 40 minutes early and during this time each of us spent some time on tuning our hearts and minds. That day we had 6 classes, grades 5­9. The 7th grade behavior impressed me and it
seemed as though they were the 9th graders. We are still reaching teens about Friendship. So far, for 2 weeks we reached about 1,000 teens! One of the highlight descriptions of friendship was one I heard from a 7th grader: “Friendship is a partnership; it is to see yourself in another person. Friendship is giving: by giving you are fed spiritually, by receiving ­ physically.” 

  Day 4: Love feast? Yes. We had it that evening at the “Church without walls.” It was an evening to remember what our Jesus went through and how we are supposed to live with that. Good time to spend with this people and be reminded of great sacrifice.

Day 5: All of us spent time together. We had a walk in a park and played a quest, which brought
me to meet 2 musicians, French and French­Canadian. On the way back home, we met local TV reporters, and they offered us an opportunity to ask any question to any minister of Moldova, and I asked a question we are interested in: “How can you help your youth to develop their creativity and ideas today for their better future?”

Day 6: Again early morning we left to the Sculeni village (where earlier our guys went once
already). This is a place where Ivan's, our outreach leader, mom lives. People are building a
church there, for 4 summers already by this point. We had about 8 hours to spend with those
people, have fellowship and help practically. Lillian and I decorated for Easter, Lilya helped with
salads. We've been blessed with an encouragement, that that day we did "a ministry of
partnership".

Day 7: Sunday, for students was a day of good challenge: the volunteers from the church and
them led their first Sunday school. And the church was so thankful for that! It was their dream to
have a service for kids and now it was started. That day, later, we visited one more church and
heard more about Easter. We also had a lamb! At the evening, since the next week is final, Peter
and friends invited us for a BBQ. It was such a good time to share about YWAM (I did it for most
of the time), DTS, plans, understandings and encouragement. That day we also got blessed
financially! Let's party :)

PRAYERS for the final week in Chisinau:

* be bound more together as team
* for a place to live in Kagul and ministries there
* for more summer!
* to finish this week bright and organized

outreach #2 Moldova: low temperature and mud

The second, out of 8 weeks of outreach, started with us going to Urban Center for English Club. We had a Sport theme. Woah, these guys guessed all of our questions! It was fun, because somehow it feels like it is safe place for them to come. Not all of the 24 people who are coming know each other, but here they learn and have fun together! Since we are a part of Urban Center ministries, some people who serve there come also for these evenings, and it is a big encouragement to see them gaining friends among attendees!

The next day, Daniel, Katya, Sergey and I went to the school and talked about the value of Friendship. Our guys shared the most, while Katya and I were translating for them. Just saying, the teens loved to be around foreigners, and one of the girls came up to me saying how impressed she was by my translating and wished to be the same. So we invited her and her friends to the English Club! While we still were at the school, one teacher was with us during of the lessons, and when we finished, she said: “So sorry you are leaving, it was very good. And the most amazing thing, you made these guys speak! They are the biggest trouble makers in the school, but here they opened up their hearts!”

The next day I was getting sick, my temperature was low... That day I read in the Bible Matthew 6:34 in The Message translation. Boom... It became a revelation! I was worrying about my money, because I didn't count how much I would need for outreach, and looked like I took less. Honestly, it was a big worry of mine. Reading this passage, God reminded me to have peace in every situation and also brought me a solution: our friends, who are traveling to Chisinau next week, could bring me stuff from home! 

It was Thursday, and it was a bed day for me: I really got sick. We had a day off, and that morning was rainy. But still it was worth it to go for breakfast with the other staff, the Yarbroughs and Bucalovs. We did have good fellowship! 

Friday, I stayed home, while others went to the schools. They brought great news, and I will share one of them in Lillian's words: “Two of the teachers came to us saying how cool we are, another teacher bought us a lunch. One girl was sobbing after the Father’s video we showed, and after class we prayed for her because she just lost one of the members of her family.” That evening, our team had a ministry of washing each other’s feet... Special. 

Saturday started for me when I got lost in time: I woke up an hour earlier, running in the house saying to everyone I saw, “Sorry, I slept in,” then rushed Sergey to cook breakfast, which was in an hour from that moment… Yeah, I was sick the day before, which can be a good excuse. Myself and 5 students left to the nearby village, Laloveni, to help serve old ladies with Salvation Army soldiers.

We were split in 2 groups and here what we experienced: the first lady we met was very talkative and sick, and her husband did for her everything! The way he treated her inspired me, young and healthy, to treasure relationships. The next one was spoke Romanian. When I asked her if I can talk to her in Russian, she said: “Whatever you say to me I will listen.” Her children left her and she lives by care of the people who rent her house. When I was saying compliments to her she was shy like a girl :) And the last lady, Varvara, we got to her by very deep muddy road. Her house is being destroyed, she can't do much at home because of her health, and neighbors are stealing from her. She didn't speak any Russian, but through the Salvation Army guys, who went with us, I could talk to her. She lives with her cat Charlik, and her husband died 10 years ago. It was a very, very good day for us! The other team went to another village and on the way back, the driver broke the key for car...They prayed, and nothing happened, until one of the students, Dima, said randomly: “Come on, enough of it, let's go,” and immediately the car started :) When we all reunited, the students and I shared about our mission and listened to Salvation Army visions and stories. Good day.

In the evening we prayed for our school leader family, the Yarbroughs, as they left to go back to Ukraine for some time.

Sunday! A noisy morning spent with tons of teens at the Urban Center. This time, my team and I made a program for them: we had 4 bases where they played different games and then heard the values of Friendship as a conclusion of each game. After the teens left, we stayed for church service and Ivan and I met a person who came from Kyrgyzstan to study here, and wants to be a missionary in Africa. We, of course, offered him YWAM :)

Now, it is myself and the Bucalov family leading 5 students. Please pray for wisdom and islands of re-energy :)

outreach Moldova #1

The first week: done! We did start quick and busy, which is very helpful to get a big picture of the month that is ahead of us, to turn our minds on to giving up time and strength for a goal to present God to people we are meeting here. I am privileged to live with 10 people, who are an example of this themselves, an example of variety in God's character, mercy and fun!

A week before we came to Chisinau, our outreach leaders, Ivan and Katya, went to find us a place to live.  Just a few days before the rest of the team came, they got an amazing place to stay! 5 rooms! enough space for all of us - 2 families with babies and 6 singles.  Great location, and the landlord is very happy to have us.

Monday 31 of March, was a day off, since we arrived early, and I slept till lunch.  The rest of the day we spent in walking through the center of Chisinau.

Tuesday, 1 of April, was a day to set up life at the apartment: buying food and supplies. In the evening we met with a contact, Peter, who works at the “Beginning of Life” Urban Center. He has done ministry with teenagers since he was 19 (now he is 36).  He explained to us what him and his team do: they serve in government schools, giving the idea of a right life to teenagers.  By spending their time with them, building relationships and encouraging them to have right understandings of life they have.  Since it is a public school, it is not allowed to speak about God openly, but through Biblical & Christian ideas they reach their minds and hearts.  Students watch them & us and as... "Why are you so good?" Peter told us many things were told that evening.  We also started asking ourselves, “How are we going to do this?” But, as soon the next day came...

Wednesday, 2 of April, started early for guys who left to the school, bringing discussion about Family. They had 6 lessons in a row, but the first one, Peter led himself, to show by his example how that look like.  The teenagers loved the way Peter did it, and of course, being at the first time here, doing such thing, our team was hesitating. They still did what they could, and they were open to step up and try! While they were at the school, others, who stayed at home (including myself), we did "ministry hunting". We gathered to pray and ask God to show us what we can do. The result was us going outside, finding white cigarette kiosk, looking for a person in camouflage. We saw at least 3 people with camouflage!  We approached one girl in a camouflage jacket, told her that we had been led her. One of our students gave her his own Bible.  Although she was surprised, as would most people be, she looked glad we came to her.  God is leading us.

Thursday, 3 of April.  Myself and 3 people from the team, went to another school.  Our topic was Friendship. Every grade had it's own atmosphere... Really!  We split in 2 pairs, presenting this theme. One of the pupils, described Friendship as a miracle. We had really good discussions with them, challenging them to be the friend they would like to have.  Encouraging them that they have the potential to be a good friend, by saying we believe in them.  During our lessons, they were intently listening. 

Friday, 4 of April.  I babysat, and I loved it :)  Giving myself the chance to change environment, and giving space to our leaders who were deciding big things. :) As I led debriefing with the rest of the team, I asked questions "What was challenging for you?  And how did you overcome it?,  What did you pray for yourself?, What would you wish yourself for the next time?".  Our team was open to share and times like this are bringing us together. That day, some of our team went to the school, and others prepared for an english club and cleaned a playground outside of our house!  While cleaning we met a lady who is responsible for that area, and asked us if we were refugees from Ukraine :) Since we were cleaning, she was surprised, and said that people would never do something like that here.

Saturday, 5 of April... No, it wasn't a day off... But, what a day it was! Our men got go to a village (Sculeni, Moldova) and help with their man power!  They did construction on a local church.  Girls, at that moment, but at home in Chisinau, had an hour an a half prayer time for needs of our team.   What a joy to pray for others well being. 

Sunday, 6 of April.   Again, not it wasn't a free day but this is expected because we often give in churches on DTS outreach.  We went to the Urban Center, where, since September, unbelieving teenagers come to just simply hang out in a safe atmosphere.  Peter and his team have created this and it is actually a church building too.  They give a short message about God, loving them as they are.  Treating them as those who are worth forgiveness and love.  Ah... also, Peter got a call from the school where we had been the previous week!  The head teacher said to him that they loved what we had done and want us to come again!  He added that is a very rare thing that the school would call and say they liked it, but this time they just loved and were very excited to have us next time! Praise God! 

I love serving my team, and sometimes it is so challenging because my personal ideas or selfishness twists my ability to do this.  It is my desire to serve here, my team and the people of Moldova, this is why I’m on the mission field!  The mission field is one of servanthood.  That is what I am striving for.

 As we are entering WEEK 2 of outreach in Chisinau, this is what we are up to the rest of the month!

 Believe with us in God is glorified through what we offer Him each day!