Moldovan Misson Day 6 Thurs 11 October

Moldova Mission Trip Day 6 – Thursday 11^th October

This has been our busiest day by far and we are all very tired and hoping for a really good night sleep.  But to give you a taste of our day:

It started early with chips and salad for breakfast with bread or toast! Our host Nina offers us all sorts of things for breakfast, chips being the most unusual so far. We walked to the main road and travelled the hour to Brinza. We had a half hour of devotions led by Matt and that was the quietest part of our day. We split into two teams one half went to see the Mayor and the other group went to a ‘polyclinic’. Both groups had a fairly tough time, not being quite sure what was appropriate to say and being careful not to offend anyone.  I (Ailsa) went to the polyclinic, we chatted to three nurses who had been working there for many years. They were from an orthodox background but were very open to us telling them about the gospel and inviting them to the Mission meetings at the church. They were happy for us to leave them with our ‘tickets’ as invitations to the meeting. 

We went back to the church where we had a great lunch prepared for us which we ate with Vasille (the pastor) and our translators. We were then split into two different groups and went to some local houses where people from the church had invited their neighbours in to talk with us (‘us’ being the strange English people!). Our group arrived earlier than the lady was expecting us so we waited for a while whilst she rounded up her neighbours. Graham was great but it was hard work getting any feedback. We gave our testimonies and one lady from the church shared with the group. We are not sure if any will come to the missions but we hope and pray that our visit will at least enable the local people to chat about the mission to their neighbours. We were fed some pastries and a fruit juice drink and they insisted on our eating as much as we could.   

When the others came to collect us our host was very reluctant for us to leave, standing in the doorway and trying to insist that the others came in to eat with us.  It was very funny as we made our getaway whilst trying to be polite!

Then came our school visit, nobody had any idea what to expect. We had arranged for Matt and Cathy to do the talking but to whom we weren’t quite sure. We were led into a hall where we waited, and then teenagers started coming in, lots of them. We ended up with 76 young people and one or two teachers.  They all appeared to enjoy what Matt and Cathy had to say and all took our ‘tickets’, some agreed to come on at least one of the meetings.

For the evening mission Cathy, Glenys and myself being the married women of the group had to be sure to change in to skirts and have our heads covered.  You can imagine the scene of the three of us trying to get ourselves looking remotely sensible whilst looking like ‘Mother Theresa’,’ a shepherdess’ or an ‘Arabian tourist’. All three of which were used to describe us by the men in our group! I gave my testimony which appeared to go well, one lady approached me afterwards and asked me to pray for her as she has a medical problem. Pete preached and he kept to time which impressed us all. I went out of the service with Matt to do a children’s session. We had no idea of how many children to expect or how old they would be so planning was interesting. We ended up with 40 children in a small room aged between 7 and 12. It was a bit mad but with the help of our interpreter we told the story of the Good Samaritan, wrapped children in toilet roll, made paper aeroplanes and had a flying competition with the planes we had made. 

The rest of the service went well with a young people’s choir, a poem being read and the pastor concluding the service.

Our day ended with our bumpy ride back to where we are staying, a short chill out time and then bed for a well earned sleep.

Ailsa

Moldovan Misson Day 5 Wed 10 October

 Moldova Mission Trip Day 5 – Wednesday 10^th October

Good news! Our prayers were answered and I (Cathy) was able to wear all my own clothes today as my case was collected from the airport yesterday. 

Our day at Nina’s started with a cooked breakfast, our first one of the trip, frankfurter sausage, egg and toast. Once again we made our way down to the main road by 9 o’clock to meet Mark and be taken to Gotesti to meet up with Pete and Glen. Our time together began with devotions on the next part of 2 Peter led by Ellie. The morning then provided us with time to prepare for later in the day and also our input into the mission. Pete and Graham chatted with Mihai about youth work in Moldova. It was really warm and sunny so some of us were able to work whilst sitting in the sun outside the Karis Pizza place, enjoying a cup of coffee. My task was to help prepare and fold the boxes ready for the 
after school club, others prepared for the children’s work, for giving their testimonies or preaching and meeting locals. After a delicious lunch of ravioli, roasted peppers and sour cream we were ready to hit the road to Brinza.

Pastor Vasile briefed us on that afternoon’s visits and the arrangements for tomorrow’s meetings in the school, policlinic and at the mayor’s office. We swapped teams and headed out for the visits. In all the houses we were able to share the gospel and our testimonies with the groups in the houses, pray for them and invite them to the mission. Many of the people took our ‘tickets to heaven’ and expressed an interest in coming along to the mission. Unlike Monday’s visit we were provided with refreshments at the end of our visits. In our house we had compote (local fruit drink) and crisps. 

The after school club went well although there were slightly fewer children there; Mat was pleased that he had bought exactly the required number of sweets for the children. When Mark returned to the church with the van he said he was concerned that there was a problem with the steering and asked us to pray about it; there was no sign of a problem during the journey back to Nina’s. Julian, who drives the van and maintains it, is working away in France from today and so we pray that the van will continue to function properly.

As it was quite a bit cooler this evening we ate inside; this involved the guys putting away their beds and moving the table and chairs into their bedroom, taking care with the rickety table legs. Tasty chicken, salad and spaghetti followed by tea/coffee and biscuits were served up by Nina in her usual cheerful way. Her husband Vasile, who is a fisherman, showed us his catches for the day – a 7kg carp as well as several smaller fish. Mark told us he would sell these to people from Chisinau for the restaurants there, the large fish selling for about £2 per kilo (about 300 lau or half a month’s salary). Unfortunately fishing provides a rather irregular income which can be a problem for people unless they are good at managing their money.

Not everyone has been sleeping well and we continue to pray about this, especially as the mission starts tomorrow and the days will be longer and more tiring

Cathy

Moldova Day 3: The visits begin Monday 08 October

Moldova Mission Trip Day 3 Monday 08 October

Today started very differently to yesterday with a strong wind and heavy rain, we made our thoughts plain to Graham about his ‘wish i could see it raining ‘speech yesterday while we had breakfast. Cereal, and toast, with tea and coffee. We had arranged to meet Mark at the bottom of the hill at 9, despite having discussed how none of us liked to be late, our driver Julian had to come and get us. 

We spent the morning preparing to go to Brinza in the south to see our linked church  and meet the pastor. The others who were going out on house visits and so spent time filling gift bags with suger, rice and oil. Myself and Ailsa were leading an after school club with about 25 kids of very different ages (6-14)

The church in Brinza was a lovely building and easily the cleanest in the village. 

We meet the pastor Vasilli who seemed incredibly nervous about our visit, which must have been like a school ofsted inspection for him. I soon realised that kids are the same everywhere and after some initial shyness we got some good banter going. 

We are looking forward to meeting more kids and have lots of meets in the program!! We left Brinza and travelled back to base. This was a shame because we felt that we had barely met them and now we were rushing away after only a few hours. We ate a rather splendid Spag Bol that eve. The group was then dropped back toour host in Chicani where we were releaved to find that the dog Jack Jack was back home safely ( I had accidentally let him out when we left in the morning and cudn't find him anywhere 2 get him back inside).

Mat

Moldova Mission Day 2 Sunday 07 October

 Day 2 Sunday 07 October

Day 2 in Moldova, started early, we were all tired from our long journey yesterday, but had to be up have breakfast and wait for our lift to Church, breakfast was supplied by our host Nina, we are staying with a Typical Moldovan family which is what we were hoping for, breakfast was toast cereal tea or coffee, this set us off for the day.

I had prepared my testimony last night for the Church meeting today, I have to say I was feeling pretty nervous but after reading it to Graham and knowing God would be by my side I felt better.

We were collected by Julian our driver and went to the Church in Goteshc, the Pastor their Mark McCormack, what an amazing guy and full to bursting with god’s love and passion for the Moldovan people, greeted us and we went into his office for some devotional time I was prayed for today and found it rather humbling but good at the same time, it prepared me for my Testimony, we also prayed for Graham who was giving his sermon.

The service was great and started with song worship, the children went out with two enthusiastic Engish Upton Vale youth missionaries Matt and Ellie. Mark prayed and a couple people in the church gave their testimony and were prayed for, now it was my turn....................

I stood up at the front of the church and saw all these people I had never met could not understand English and I was about is to tell them my testimony, I suddenly felt a complete ease come over me, relaxed and started, I managed Hello good morning in Moldovan and then the translator took over, me saying half a dozen words and Marks wife Marie translating, it took a while but was great when finished I recited Revelations C12 V 11, look at the rest of the team and got a reassuring nod and smile from Graham.

Graham gave his sermon, which was received well had the congregation standing up, turning around looking up and looking forward !! we then took part in communion with Graham helping.

We went back to our host for lunch, chicken noodle soup with veg, bread and a cheesy pastry dish which Graham and Pete were partial to !!!!!!

We all went for a lovely walk saw some geese ducks and horses and some truly awesome views.

We are all now sat waiting for Mark to give us our break down of what we are going to be doing for the rest of the week.....oh and practicing our songs for worship at church next Sunday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tim

Moldova Mission Day 1: Saturday 06 October

Moldova Day 1 Saturday 06 October

The sun was setting over the distant Romanian hills as we ate our evening meal together after a full day’s travelling; Chicken, coleslaw, mashed potato and bread  washed down  with a delicious strawberry compote  drink; simple uncomplicated and delicious.

We are staying in Chircani a small town on the road between Gotesti and Brinza,  We are off the main road on dirt tracks riddled with ruts and giant potholes – good on dry days like today  but if it rains and gets muddy these roads could get interesting.

Our host Nina has to go to the capital Chisinau on Monday – her husband Vasille is very ill and needs to see a doctor – he can’t afford to pay the doctor so has been out fishing today despite his ill health – in order to pay the doctor in advance for his services , or what we’d call a bribe- this has been our first insight into the challenges of Moldovan life – I’m sure we’ll see more as the days go by.

What a day its been though, leaving Torquay at 11:30 pm on Friday, driving through pouring rain all the way to Heathrow. Its been a day of  journeys, waiting and not sleeping. We’ve lost a suitcase en route but its all worth it because we’re here now ,tired and already humbled by the generosity shown to us .

For now its time to sleep – Tommorow we’ll be speaking in Goetesti.

Graham