After 4 plane rides and an exhausting 32 hours of traveling we arrived safely in Moldova with no lost luggage, high spirits and tired eyes. My first observation was at how green the landscape is and at how many wine vineyards there are-apparently they are known for them. Also I was amazed by the crosswalks here...I thought the crosswalks in Italy were bad enough but here you are literally stepping out crossing your fingers hoping that the car stops, it is absolutely petrifying!
Two of the leaders working for Campus Crusade for Christ picked us up from the airport, fed us and took us to where we are staying for the time being. We are staying in the city with people from Campus Crusade for Christ but will leave tomorrow to go to the camp where we will have no wifi and very limited hot water, woohoo! To prepare for the camp, over the last few days we have been going through a sort of orientation where are are learning how to share the gospel among the Moldovan culture effectively and getting to know some of the Moldovan staff we will be working with through seeking God in prayer and devotion times. Yesterday we met with some of the youth leading the Moldovan part of the camp and they showed us around town-we went to the national museum, an orthodox church and Independence Plaza, where there is a giant statue of Stephen the Great...so instead of celebrating the fourth of July I studied up on my Moldovan history.
One thing I wasn't prepared for is how poor of a country Moldova is and how oppressed by the orthodox church it is. In our gospel training, we are taught specifically to focus on the deep love of Christ and that is is through grace we are saved and not by works. We pray that God breaks the chains of religion that is holding these people back from an intimate relationship with Him. On a happier note, at the church we met a man who ended up giving his life to Christ right then and there, it was truly amazing! In my heart I feel that this was just the beginning, like we are standing only on the edge of what is going to happen over the next two weeks. I know that God will be working in the hearts of the youth coming and that many people will choose to follow Him. I cannot wait, the passion and excitement I feel is barely containable! Please pray that we are burdened for the souls of the youth coming, so burdened that we desire and seek opportunities to share the gospel with them and are able to witness a change in their life without being held back by fear we will not be "accepted by them." That is why we are here, not to just help them learn english...but to know that they know they are loved by a God who died for them and loves them more than anything else. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and please keep us in your prayers! My team is only 6 people for 50 students so we will need all the prayers and strength from God that we can get! As soon as I get internet again I will post about how God is working. Be blessed <3
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