We have spent the month of April in Moldova. Yes, it’s a country that borders the eastern side of Romania. The country has about 3.6 million people
today, down from 6 million. Of the 3.6 million, about 600,000 people are
working outside the country. The
mentality of the youth of the country is to grow up and get out of here. They see no hope in this country and
therefore don’t want to be apart of it.
When the opportunity presents itself, they flee and will send money home
for their parents.
While the younger population wants freedom, the older population
wants security. They want to know that
they will have food on the table as they continue to grow older; they want to
know they will be treated if they have to go to the hospital, and they want to
know their kids can go to college and it will be paid for. Many in Moldova
(the older population) would rather go back to the Soviet era when Moldova was the bread basket of the USSR.
I was expecting Moldova
to be similar to Romania. Arriving here on the 3rd was quite
the shock. It is less developed than Romania; instead of spending our time in the
city (like the enture squad did back in Romania) we are all back out in
villages. We also get stared at a lot
more here…as in why in the world would we be here.
This month we are gardening from 9-1. We are making holes in the ground with a
piece of wood that looks like a bottom of a golf shoe (in Kelly’s words) and
planting seeds, one seed in each hole.
We will be doing this at the church and also at another family of the
church. The mystery legume that we are
planting grows in a month though!
After lunch, we have various programs with the youth,
including bible study, teaching English, and a Saturday night youth program.
It will be another busy month, but I’m praying that God will
use us in any way he sees fit, to allow us to further His kingdom in Moldova and to
bring hope to this nation.
