Quick Facts and Figures 
- Full
country name: Republic of Moldova - Area: 13,143 sq. mi. (slightly larger than Maryland)
- Capital city: Chisinau
- Language: Moldovan (virtually the same as Romanian),
Russian, or Gagauz (a Turkish dialect) - Republic
President: Marian Lupo
-Moldova is the poorest and smallest of the former Soviet
Republics. It is the most densely populated. It is one of the last
battlegrounds of the Cold War. Russia still wants to have influence here.
-The population is down from approximately 6 million to less than
4 million in the last 10 years (because so many people have emigrated to other
countries)
-The family unit is many times ripped apart when the children grow
up and leave for different countries. They send money home to their parents and
they think that is the best way but many have no real relationship.
-98% of the people are Russian Orthodox (tradition is in equal
value to the Scriptures). To be Moldovan
is to be Orthodox. It is an Old
Testament mindset that the priest is the only connection to God. Salvation
comes through the church. Less than 3% are evangelical Christians.
-There is little initiative on the part of the evangelical church;
they are waiting for someone to tell them what to do. This is because of the
way it has been in the past…there is a lot of fear because of communist times,
when the church had to be underground. Until a person looks like a Christian,
people in the church will not talk to them because of this fear. There is a
saying in the Moldovan church… ‘We want to clean our fish before we catch them’.
-If you ask Moldovans, most would say they would rather go back to
being a communist republic. This is because at least then they knew they weren’t
going to starve, that their children’s education would be provided, and they
would be able to get healthcare when they need it.
The ministry here in Moldova has been challenging, to say the
least. It is a tough environment physically and spiritually. Spiritual darkness
prevails through fading traditions, insecurity, and hopelessness. God has
stripped away our comfort zone like none other. We have been forced to rely
fully on Him because all our strength is gone. It has been gray and rainy every
day so far and the spirit of communism is still so evident, even after all
these years.
There is this muddy hill that we have to climb up and down in the rain every
day to get to our ministry site and it is so slippery usually that you have to hang on to the fence just so you don’t fall. It can be quite frustrating. But yesterday I came across this passage
in Francis Chan’s book Forgotten God:
“The
way of the Spirit is not a gentle downhill grade. Often, walking with the
Spirit is an uphill trudge through all sorts of distractions and difficulties.
But while the path is winding and difficult, you are constantly moving in a particular
direction, and that direction is set by the leading of the Spirit”.
God is teaching us through all the challenges…to grow in our patience, lay down our pride, and leave our expectations behind. Your prayers are very much appreciated this month as we face
spiritual battles, theological differences, and emotional struggles. We seek to
be a light in the darkness for this nation!
