Moldova Trip Recap
Pastor Pavel Sandu of Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church in Tacoma, WA, invited Marcus Elmer and Pastor Nick Jackson to accompany him on a 10-day “Encouragement Trip” to Moldova. Since February, the country of Moldova has worked hard to welcome Ukrainian refugees into their country, helping them escape the violence and death incurred by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Pastor Pavel and his church in Tacoma have been working hard to raise and send funds to the churches he is connected with in Moldova. This trip was designed to encouraged those churches and take additional funds to them in person. The following is a brief recap of what we did.
We discovered how refugees are being hosted in Moldova
The first thing that we learned was how refugees are actually being welcomed and hosted in the country. Overall, there is a Moldovan government system that tracks the available hosting sites. Those sites may be churches, camps, medical centers, individual homes, or other suitable facilities. Anyone who has a suitable facility or home may register with the government. Apparently, the government has a brief vetting process, but it seems not to be difficult or overly bureaucratic. When a Ukrainian refugee comes to one of the border crossings with Moldova, they can immediately talk with a government official and be given various hosting facility options. They then are given a phone number to call of the hosting facility or home. They make a verbal arrangement and then travel to that hosting site.
Pastor Pavel Sandu of Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church in Tacoma, WA, invited Marcus Elmer and Pastor Nick Jackson to accompany him on a 10-day “Encouragement Trip” to Moldova. Since February, the country of Moldova has worked hard to welcome Ukrainian refugees into their country, helping them escape the violence and death incurred by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Pastor Pavel and his church in Tacoma have been working hard to raise and send funds to the churches he is connected with in Moldova. This trip was designed to encouraged those churches and take additional funds to them in person. The following is a brief recap of what we did.
We discovered how refugees are being hosted in Moldova
The first thing that we learned was how refugees are actually being welcomed and hosted in the country. Overall, there is a Moldovan government system that tracks the available hosting sites. Those sites may be churches, camps, medical centers, individual homes, or other suitable facilities. Anyone who has a suitable facility or home may register with the government. Apparently, the government has a brief vetting process, but it seems not to be difficult or overly bureaucratic. When a Ukrainian refugee comes to one of the border crossings with Moldova, they can immediately talk with a government official and be given various hosting facility options. They then are given a phone number to call of the hosting facility or home. They make a verbal arrangement and then travel to that hosting site.
One day we visited the border crossing at Palanca, Moldova. We witnessed refugees crossing the border by foot and in cars. We went there also to encourage the Christian volunteers that were working on both sides of the border. The volunteers are from Christian churches in Moldova, staffing the border crossing 24/7, offering snacks, water, information and help. Their yellow vests read “Praying for Ukraine.” We delivered some hot food to the volunteers and thanked them for their dedication.
We are grateful for so many individuals and organizations in the small, poor country of Moldova for helping their neighbors in these desperate times. We are especially mindful of how well the Christian churches have responded as a compassionate witness of the love of Jesus Christ. These are people of very few means, giving abundantly out of their poverty.
We witnessed the generous love of Singerei Bible Camp
Singerei Bible Camp is a ministry of the Baptist Union denomination of churches in Moldova. The director of the camp is Pastor Michael Cucos. Michael leads Emanuel Bible Church in the small town of Singerei, Moldova. The church there is a strong church, normally ministering to approximately 150 congregants. This church is providing most of the volunteers at the camp right now, simply because of their proximity to the camp.
The camp normally operates as a summer camp facility to hundreds of kids that will come during the summer. They also run a weekly children’s program on Saturdays, year-round, to local underprivileged children from their town. This children’s ministry, itself, is worth the cost of the camp. Every week they serve over 100 children with games, Bible teaching, a healthy meal, and a bag of food to take home to their family.
We witnessed the generous love of Singerei Bible Camp
Singerei Bible Camp is a ministry of the Baptist Union denomination of churches in Moldova. The director of the camp is Pastor Michael Cucos. Michael leads Emanuel Bible Church in the small town of Singerei, Moldova. The church there is a strong church, normally ministering to approximately 150 congregants. This church is providing most of the volunteers at the camp right now, simply because of their proximity to the camp.
The camp normally operates as a summer camp facility to hundreds of kids that will come during the summer. They also run a weekly children’s program on Saturdays, year-round, to local underprivileged children from their town. This children’s ministry, itself, is worth the cost of the camp. Every week they serve over 100 children with games, Bible teaching, a healthy meal, and a bag of food to take home to their family.
By God’s sovereign hand, the camp had recently completed the construction of two brand new group homes that were planned to serve as orphanages staffed by live-in parents. These two new homes on the camp grounds had just been completed before the refugee crisis in February. Therefore, the homes were immediately re-purposed for the refugees. Each home can house up to 8 families. The camp currently hosts over 100 refugees.
While we were there, we distributed funds to the camp to help in the ongoing work of hosting so many families. Costs include food, clothing, utilities, staffing, etc. One fact that we learned while in Moldova was that giving money directly to refugees should be done sparingly. Most of the support needed for the refugee effort should go to the organizations that are providing the resources. That way, resources are given out equitably and wisely. Mostly what the refugees need right now is a place to stay and food to eat.
Another fact that you quickly discover in this situation is the fluidity of the crisis. Every refugee is making daily decisions about their situation. Some are hunkering down and waiting. Some are making plans to move to another country in Europe or elsewhere. Some are actually choosing to go back to Ukraine and be with their families. Most of the refugees are women and children; their husbands stayed back in Ukraine to fight the war. While we were there, we witnessed some women making the hard choice to travel back to their homes and stand alongside their husbands.
We preached in many churches
Pavel, Nick and Marcus all had opportunities to preach in different Moldovan Baptist churches over the course of our 10-days. Many evenings we participated in mid-week church services, which are common. Usually, the church services were about an hour and a half long, included two sermons, and lots of singing. When Nick and Marcus preached, Pavel or another Moldavan speaker interpreted for us.
Our messages were Jesus-centered messages of encouragement and hope. We thanked the believers often, and encouraged them to keep up their generous work with the refugees. We are so thankful to have gotten this chance to be with the churches. Pavel arranged all these opportunities through his many contacts in the country.
Another fact that you quickly discover in this situation is the fluidity of the crisis. Every refugee is making daily decisions about their situation. Some are hunkering down and waiting. Some are making plans to move to another country in Europe or elsewhere. Some are actually choosing to go back to Ukraine and be with their families. Most of the refugees are women and children; their husbands stayed back in Ukraine to fight the war. While we were there, we witnessed some women making the hard choice to travel back to their homes and stand alongside their husbands.
We preached in many churches
Pavel, Nick and Marcus all had opportunities to preach in different Moldovan Baptist churches over the course of our 10-days. Many evenings we participated in mid-week church services, which are common. Usually, the church services were about an hour and a half long, included two sermons, and lots of singing. When Nick and Marcus preached, Pavel or another Moldavan speaker interpreted for us.
Our messages were Jesus-centered messages of encouragement and hope. We thanked the believers often, and encouraged them to keep up their generous work with the refugees. We are so thankful to have gotten this chance to be with the churches. Pavel arranged all these opportunities through his many contacts in the country.
On the Sunday that we were there, each of us were spread out to different churches around the region and we each got to preach in 3 different locations that day. So, between the three of us, we preached in 9 churches. It was a great adventure traveling around to so many different places. In each church we would encourage the pastor and appreciate them for the work they are doing. Often times these pastors were working a second job in order to make ends meet. EVERY SINGLE CHURCH WE VISITED WAS DOING SOMETHING TO HELP IN THE REFUGEE CRISIS!
We got to know Pastor Michael Cucos and his multi-faceted ministry in Singerei
Pastor Micheal is Pavel’s key connection in Moldova. Michael is the pastor of Emanuel Baptist Church in Singerei; Michael is the director of Singerei Bible Camp; and Michael is the supervisor of the 16 churches that Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church in Tacoma supports. In other words, Michael is the “man on the ground” in Moldova who distributes the support and supervises the work of these 16 churches. It’s a lot to do and he does it well! Furthermore, now that the refugee crisis has occurred since February, his workload has significantly increased. Every day Michael and his wife, Galina, spend much of their time at the camp, addressing the personal needs of the refugees: making sure they are fed, making sure the facilities are kept up, taking care of any medical needs or visits to the hospital, helping the refugees with documentation, etc., etc. Every day brings new chores and details.
We got to know Pastor Michael Cucos and his multi-faceted ministry in Singerei
Pastor Micheal is Pavel’s key connection in Moldova. Michael is the pastor of Emanuel Baptist Church in Singerei; Michael is the director of Singerei Bible Camp; and Michael is the supervisor of the 16 churches that Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church in Tacoma supports. In other words, Michael is the “man on the ground” in Moldova who distributes the support and supervises the work of these 16 churches. It’s a lot to do and he does it well! Furthermore, now that the refugee crisis has occurred since February, his workload has significantly increased. Every day Michael and his wife, Galina, spend much of their time at the camp, addressing the personal needs of the refugees: making sure they are fed, making sure the facilities are kept up, taking care of any medical needs or visits to the hospital, helping the refugees with documentation, etc., etc. Every day brings new chores and details.
We learned how we can help, too!
One of the questions that I went to Moldova asking was, How can I help? Our time in Moldova was a trip of discovery more than anything else. We learned how hard Christians in Moldova are working to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the midst of this humanitarian crisis. They are not shrinking back! From their poverty, they are giving abundantly. Just like the Macedonian churches in 2 Corinthians 8:2… “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.”
The average salary in Moldova is $300/month. It’s hard to believe that anyone in this day and age can survive on that amount. In fact, most of the pastors we met probably earn half that. And yet, they survive… and thrive… in their ministries. They are not in abundance of supplies, but they certainly have an abundance of love and dedication to their work. Most are busy in their ministries 60+ hours a week. Many don’t take days off.
The best way any us can help is to be informed and to give wisely. The current humanitarian crisis in Eastern Europe, with the relocation of over 5 million Ukrainian women and children is historically unprecedented since WWII. You can’t imagine the upheaval being caused until you see it in person. I wiped tears from my eyes when I watched refugees come across the border. I held back the tears when I watched refugees celebrating the birthday of a 9-year-old girl at the Singerei Bible Camp. I cried when I realized the difficulties of a wife being separated from her husband who was required to stay back in the country to fight a war.
To be informed about the reality of the crises is our first job. Then, to be informed about trustworthy ways to give our money is our second job. The current ministry to over 100 refugees at Singerei Bible Camp is certainly one of those trustworthy ways. We have witnessed the ministry. We have lived with Pastor Michael and his work for 10 days. We know him and his work through Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church in Tacoma. They are one of our North American Baptist Northwest churches.
Singerei Bible Camp could use an infusion of up to $25,000 to continue serving this number of refugees for the remainder of the year. Please consider being a part of reaching this goal through individual or church giving.
To give to Singerei Bible Camp refugee ministry, simply send checks directly to:
Golgotha Romanian Baptist Church
1611 85th St E
Tacoma, WA 98445-4111
(Notate check as “Singerei Refugee Camp”)