MISSION UKRAINE: & MOLDOVA TOO

We made it to the dark and cavernous Kiev station to catch our 2 a.m. train coming from Moscow to Moldova. We got on and slept well in our coupe (compartment). It was cooler for a change. The windows were open as the curtains flapped in the breeze. The train was very old and dirty by U.S. standards. No comment on rest rooms.

At a long stop in Moldova the next day we got out. Dozens of vendors plied the platform selling tomatoes, cherries, candy, magazines, pictures, vodka, water, beer, piroshkies (meat in fried bread), sausages, trinkets etc. Several old ladies with shawls on their heads showed us a photo of the local orthodox church in hopes we would buy it. Another on the platform sat in a wheelchair with her hand out. Their plight brought tears to my eyes as I thought of the desperate nature of a society bankrupted by communism's government sanctioned atheism. I was glad the Lord had opened the door for us to bring hope and share the Gospel of Christ in this part of the world.

We were met in Falesti (Northern Moldova) by our native missionaries, the Kaletniks as well as our team members Steve, Kathleen and Greg Hicks along with Jordan Hayes who all arrived earlier from Romania. It was nice to talk to Americans. We had dinner with them before they went out with Nehemiah and others to pass out invitations to one of our services.

Sunday our team did ministry in three locations. In Vasiliy Kaletnik's church in Falesti all went well with the Hicks doing music along with local church music and a couple of guest singers from Belti. I spoke on Christ on the road to Emmaus. The church here in this city of five thousand or more is the center of ministry that reaches out to smaller farm villages.

We went to the village of Sarata after lunch. A small church has been established here for several years. We used a rented cultural hall that was in bad shape and had major electrical problems. The men worked for a half hour to get the lights working. They do have some property which our team worked at clearing last fall. A few dozen folks showed up for the service and all were encouraged.

Without delay we headed to the village of Cholaku. Our team had handed out invitations here where the Gospel has never been preached before. We were late arriving but were amazed at about 130+ people filling the cultural hall. Children sat on benches waiting with adults and teens interspersed. Our musical program took an hour and then I got up to speak with my translator. I was encouraged to keep it very simple for these people knew nothing about the Gospel. So I preached directly from John 3 and Christ's meeting with Nicodemus. Many children were moving about and there was much noise which is common in the culture here. Following the message nearly half the room responded to Vasiliy's invitation to stand. Our workers were overwhelmed as they came forward to pray about repentance and salvation. Bibles and literature were given until we ran out. Vasiliy is organizing follow-up here in a week.

Monday our team returned to Sarata to help with the construction of the new church building which will be a central location for reaching other villages. Last fall one of our teams helped start the project here. Local believers have worked on it since. Unemployment is nearly 90% so men often have to spend most of the year in Moscow to get work to support their families. Steve was helpful with his ability to speak Romanian. We moved rocks, wired together steel reinforcement for the foundation, leveled dirt and made wood forms from lumber saved from an old house.

Funds of about $25,000 are in need to purchase materials to finish this building. When funds come in teams can come to help the Moldovans. Funds can be sent to ABWE for "Vasiliy Kaletnik Sarata building project."

In the evening we planned to rest but believers in the village of Bokani called three times begging us to come and do a service. So we headed there in the afternoon. Here Vasiliy had established a small church early in his ministry. The church met in a room they had purchased in a larger building which also housed the post office and a drug store. The church room was clean and orderly. A bucket of water and a cup on the stove served as the drinking fountain.

Tuesday our teams headed to catch trains back our respective places. Before we left we visited several older people and the sick. It was heart wrenching to see these poor folks. We were able to pray with them and in some case help them buy bread. We caught the train back at midnight.