One year ago, when I first heard about the World Race, I was looking through all of the different routes that I had to pick from. I noticed one country I had never heard of: Moldova. Though the route I applied for did not include this curious country, I still read many blogs about it and learned more about this small, unassuming country in Eastern Europe.
Fast forward to July, when my squad was getting ready to launch. We were told that there was a change in our route and instead of going to Russia for our third month on the Race, we would be going to Moldova. Unsure of what to expect, I didn't think much of what the month would look like, but was excited to see what God had in store for our team.
At the beginning of the month, when we met Pastor John and his family, my anticipation for the month grew. John had such a big heart and an incredible story of God's providence and protection on his life that we knew there were huge things in store for our month. We would be living and serving in a town called Ialoveni, pronounced very similarly to 'yellow vein.'
Our ministry, as it turns out, was very relational. Most days, we would walk across town, sometimes for up to an hour, just following John through the maze of side streets. Eventually, we would arrive at our destination, where we would meet a church or community member. Many times, they had major health problems that they needed prayer for, or they were very poor. We would introduce ourselves, hear part of their story, play them some worship songs, and pray for them.
Sometimes, this ministry felt very redundant. We would play the same songs over and over again. With the language barrier, we often wondered how much of our message was getting through. Were we really making any difference? Was Jesus' love shining through?
The more we talked to John, the more I discovered what an impact we were actually making. When people met us, they were in awe that people all the way from America had come to visit them. Some were moved to tears that anyone took the time to visit them. We gave them the gift of time, and it told them that they mattered. It told them that the were worthy of attention and love.
Others that we visited were just in need of encouragement, that they were fighting the good fight. They needed to know that the sacrifices they were making on behalf of Christ were worth it. They wanted to receive prayer as they entered new seasons of life, like marriage and parenthood. What we found were a group of people truly in love with Jesus.
When you walk down a street in Moldova, when you gaze on the faces of the people, there is a sadness about them. They are desperate for hope, for help. Moldova is considered the poorest country in the European Union, and you can tell just from looking at the people that they feel the effects of poverty.
But when you look at the faces of Christians in Moldova, that sadness and desperation isn't there. Instead, you find people filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, consumed with happiness and love. They are the definition of Jesus' call for us to be a light in the darkness and a city set on a hill. They are an example to us all.
No longer will Moldova be an anonymous country on the map. It will be a land filled with brothers and sisters who radiate the love of Christ.
Check out this video from Moldova made by my teammate KJ.
