Moldova

There’s more to Moldova than you think!

Wait – where’s Moldova you say? It’s a small country in Central Europe, whose location most Europeans don’t even know. Those who do know about this former Soviet Union republic normally associate it with intense poverty, illegal organ trading, human trafficking and communism. While all of these images are true, there’s so much more!

Isolated villages nestled in lush valleys carry on traditions from long ago. Gentle rolling hills burst to life in the spring time as the world-renowned vineyards bloom. Fields of sunflowers decorate the landscape. Amazingly friendly people invite you into their homes and share their culture, food and families.

My time in Moldova was fantastic and freezing cold. I met some really great people and ate some awesome Moldovan chocolate everyday (usually for lunch).

One of my favorite people to hang out with was Marika. She had a black belt in Tae Kwan Do and used the sport to tell about Jesus. She had an infectious smile and rosy, red cheeks. She served as my translator several days. She is the only evangelical believer in her family. At one time, her entire family disowned her because she chose to be a Baptist and have a personal relationship with Jesus. Now, her parents allow her to visit, but are still not believers. She prays for them daily.

One day, I convinced the media team I travelled with that we needed to do some interviews at the monastery carved into a cliff. The travel book made it sound really cool. It talked about prayer rooms carved into the cliff that were hidden from view. This was used during Soviet times to allow Christians somewhere to meet and to go pray. Now, it is used as a monastery and a place of solitude.

Of course the trip didn't go quite as planned. We got lost along the way and think we ended up in the Ukraine for part of the trip because our cell phones gave us all a "welcome to the Ukraine" message. (A totally different country) When we finally got there, we found out the paths were narrow and steep. I'm not sure who's bright idea it was to carry heavy video equipment down the edge of a cliff for an interview (wink, wink), but in the end, it turned out to be a really neat place. It was neat to imagine secret church taking place in the carved out rooms.

The Russian Orthodox Church was a new experience for me. We were able to watch a few weddings. Can you believe there are no benches or seats in the churches? The churches don't have electricity. Instead, they are illuminated by candles burning to the saints. Orthodox believe that as long as the candles burns, the saints are petitioning for them.

The Baptist churches in Moldova were like traditional Southern Baptist churches in the States. The thing that impressed me most, though, is that all of the Baptist churches we visited were involved in starting a new church or preaching point. Every church was active in carrying out the Great Commission.

I wish you could have heard the way Moldovans pray. They pour their heart out to God! One pastor told me prayer is so important to those who lived in the former Soviet Union because it was the only thing the KGB couldn't take away from them.