Comings and Goings

On Friday I went with some team members and with my friend Carolyn, who is visiting from Canada, to visit one of our outreach teams in a nearby town. The outreach team consists of several girls from England, a guy from Germany and a couple of our Moldovan team members. For one week they will work in this town, doing a children's program in the morning, teaching English in the afternoon, and playing soccer with young people in the early evening. Through building relationships and helping in any way they can, they hope to share the love and hope of Christ in this community. We enjoyed watching the children play games, work at a craft project and learn a Bible verse. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The day ended up requiring more driving than I originally expected as one of the girls had lost her luggage. Finally, on this Friday, the airport called that it had arrived but she had to pick it up personally. Since I was there, and it wasn't that far (an hour's drive) I took her to the airport to get her long-awaited baggage. She was very happy to get it after 5 days of borrowing and buying clothes.
As I mentioned, a friend is visiting this week - Carolyn - and she so kindly brought me a care package from Canada, including some skirts that my favourite sister made for me. Thanks, Bev! There were a few other specially requested items and I am really thankful that God has sent her for this visit. Today we had a free day and it was nice to have company on my relaxing day so we did a bit of an in-city explore. Downtown to 'Artists' Square' to buy some souvenirs and then to the park so she could see the fountain and have her photo taken in front of Stephen the Great. It was a beautiful sunny day and so nice to just sit on a bench in the shade of the park, relaxing and chatting. I thought we would see a wedding there, but we didn't. Maybe it was too early in the day. So then we went to see another park which I have just never bothered going to before.

This one is a memorial park of the World War 2 and has an 'eternal flame' which appears to be guarded by soldiers - not sure if that's 24 hours a day or not. Anyway, I am trying to upload the video from the park from where the soldiers were changing the guard. I think you will enjoy seeing them march! Adjacent to the park was a military graveyard and then in behind that was another large cemetery that I was not aware existed. Moldovan graveyards are very interesting and both Carolyn and I enjoyed wandering through and taking pictures and discussing the presence of benches and tables in the individual grave plots. Do you know what they are for?

Completing the Work

It was quite a few years ago that these two young ladies started working in a very small, very poor village in the south of Moldova. They worked with children and also shared Christ with village people of all ages. Gradually, people started committing their lives to Jesus. There is no church in the village and some had never really heard the gospel at all. Those who came to faith were people whose lives were truly transformed by the new faith they had found in Christ Jesus. Tamara shared the Word of God with them and encouraged them in their new faith and helped them to grow. We sent a team to help with the work in the village and several people have been based there over the last few years. This year a building has been contructed in which the small growing church can meet. It also provides a location for the ministry to children, providing food and assistance on a daily basis. The new building will essentially serve as a community centre as well as a church. It was exciting to see that over 150 people came to join in the celebrations, many whom had never been to a service before. Although it was a hot, sunny day, people seemed to enjoy listiening to the music and the preaching. There were at least 4 different speakers and in typical Moldova fashion several of them gave a message from the word of God. I was especially pleased that Tamara, who has done so much in bringing people to faith and essentially planting and leading the church, was given an opportunity to share a public testimony. As a woman, she rarely receives any kind of acknowledgement for her leadership as women are perceived as not suitable to be leaders. This is a difficult thing for a gifted young woman such as she is. Afterwards, of course, there was food and a chance to see the inside of the building. It is still pretty rough on the outside and we continue to raise funds to complete it. For example I personally did not see the upstairs as the stairway has not yet been built and I was not about to climb up the ladder you see in the photo! But much on the inside has been completed and it is lovely. I think that is how God sometimes works in our lives - from the inside out. He begins the work of transformation and healing where nobody can see it easily and sometimes people only see what is still rough on the outside. Thankfully, God sees our hearts and He is committed to complete the work which He has begun. This is true for individuals, as well as for communities such as this one. God has begun a work there, and He will complete it! Praise be to His Name!

Welcome to the world!

His name is Ivan Bogdan and he arrived on June 12. Liuba is glad to at last hold her little son in her arms. And I was blessed to be able to hold him also during the brief visit I had with Liuba last week. Is he not perfect?!

God brings forth life!

It's strawberry season, and last Sunday Claudia and I were invited to the home of a friend, Maria, for lunch. After a lovely meal of sarmale - made with stuffed vine leaves - dessert was placed on the table: a huge platter of fresh-from -the-garden strawberries. After dinner we went outside to see the garden. They have a large garden with strawberries, beans, cabbage, radishes, lettuce, carrots and some other things as well. On that day it was dry and we spoke of how the land was in need of rain. It's important to pray for rain, we said, as we headed home. Last year there was no rain and the land suffered greatly. Even until recently prices have been much higher than before. Thankfully, this week God has answered our prayers as we seem to have had one rain storm after another. Always a relief as the air is so humid leading up to a storm and I have been sweating, red-faced and virtually useless on those days when the heat just weighs on you. I am becoming more and more of a nocturnal creature so that I can have cool air in which to function.

Other than strawberries, the more significant highlight of this week was the birth of a baby boy to my team-mates, Butje and Liuba. Earlier in the week I got a picture of Liuba practising holding a baby with James. Tomorrow I hope to go and visit Liuba and little baby Ivan. Congratulations, Butje & Liuba!!

James, until this most recent birth, was the cutest baby on this side of the ocean. He especially looks cute in a Canadian t-shirt, don't you think?

Close Encounters of the Cultural Kind

Christina, Marella, Ivanir - having safely
arrived at the Mission Centre, thanks to my bravery

This past week two new girls arrived from the USA. One of them is doing an internship for her degree in sports and recreation. She is working together with our sports ministry team helping to set up football(soccer) clubs around the country, and organizing tournaments and camps, all for the purpose of sharing the gospel through sports.
The other girl is doing an internship related to her degree in Teaching English and Inter-cultural studies. So she is teaching english, of course, and seeking to have as many cross-cultural experiences as possible. Not to worry, Christina, there will be LOTS of cross-cultural experiences. We started on Monday morning. It was the first day and I was taking the girls to our new building for their orientation time.
I parked the car in the field above the building as I wasn't sure whether the road was passable or not. (Mud, you know.) From the field there is a path that goes over the embankment and down to the road by our building. As we parked, I looked up and saw that, right beside our footpath that we had to go on was a large black and white cow. This cow from time to time is randomly tied up in the field, but usually not right beside our path. Now, I have said 'cow' but looking at this immense beast on our path, and looking at the horns on its head, it occurred to me that I really wasn't sure whether it was a cow or a bull. The grass was very long and deep so from our vantage point I couldn't tell by the underneath part. Choosing to err on the side of caution, I suggested that we needed to get the bovine to move away from the path. It was tied to quite a long rope, staked in the ground, so I courageously volunteered to try to haul the animal away from the path. "When it starts to move away," I instructed, "you guys run!!!!" Meanwhile I was thinking, if it moves toward me, I'll be running too - and hopefully faster than it so as not to get gored.
The girls were .... ok, we all were,... pretty giddy and amused but nervous at our predicament. Apparently this doesn't happen on the way to the office in America. Nor do I remember it every happening on my way to work in Toronto.
I bravely, with no thought for my own safety, started pulling on the rope and Ivanir decided that we really needed to get some pictures of this. So while I am risking my life for their safety, Ivanir is buckling up in laughter and taking pictures from all angles.

Finally, I get the beast off the path - and out of the deep grass. The girls have disappeared over the hill and I am alone with the creature who... as it emerges from the grass.... proves to be... just a cow. Yup, there's the udder. I say thanks to Bessie the cow and walk by with relief, knowing that that's no bull.

And the winner is...

Cherise and Laurie!!
On my last blog post I posted a photo of an item for you to guess its purpose. I was very pleased to have several people guessing as to the purpose of this metal thing. This quiz must have been more fun than the last one because even my sons ventured a guess. But no,Ben, it isn't a catapult. Nor Josh, is it for hitching my horse nor is it a real Moldovan playground. Janine thought it might be to hold a sign for my parking place and Sarah thought it was for beating rugs. Sorry, Sarah, but even having been here you didn't quite guess right.You're just going to have to come back for some remedial education! I suspect Ms. Beall knows what it is as she said she used it for years. But Ms. Beall, I don't know you and would love to know more about your connection with Moldova - so please drop me an e-mail if you don't want to reveal yourself on my blog (barbtherev@yahoo.ca)
So the winners are two people who have been here and were here long enough to have experienced a few muddy days. Those kind of rainy, muddy days when you arrive at a home or a church and you find your shoes absolutely conglomerated with mud. Wiping them on a mat just isn't good enough - before you do that you have to remove at least one or two layers of mud. So it isn't uncommon for people to place this kind of mud-scraper-off-er just at the bottom of the stairs to the building or outside the entrance gate. It's the first stage of mud removal before wiping on an outside mat, then an inside mat, then removing the shoes altogether upon entrance.
I'm hoping that my boys will see just what an interesting country this is and sooner or later you will have to come and visit me. I've got lots more things to show you that you will have lots of fun figuring out. For example, do you know how to tell whether a baby chick is male or female?
Thanks for participating, everyone! And thanks for reading my blog and taking an interest in life in Moldova. God bless you!

Verrrrryyyy interrrresssting....

Hurrah! Hurrah! It is spring and almost summer! Today on the way home from church we bought strawberries - first time this season. Alida and Katrin helped me to enjoy them - they were sooooo good! We also had new potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes for lunch.



Last week I was so pleased when the mechanic phoned me and told me that I would not need to buy a new car because he had done absolutely everything needed to my car and it was as good as new. I thought he meant it had been resurrected. And he had, in fact, put in a whole new suspension system so it does ride much better through the spring road repairs. But for the amount of money I paid for "everything" to be done, I noticed that the rear-view mirror still is not in place, the back door still needs oiling, and the rear bumper is still being held on by wire and the string from my Tilley hat! So I think 'slightly revived' is a more appropriate term than 'resurrected'. Guess I'll keep looking for a newer car.

The other day I gave you all a quiz but I got very few responses. Prizes will be sent to Dana & Cherise for correctly guessing that the gas is being installed for our new building. And Millie gets points for at least trying. Now for all the rest of you who didn't even try to guess, here's another little quiz. I'm looking for participation here! Look carefully at the metal thing in this photo and see if you can tell me what is its purpose? Sergiu spent some time the other day carefully installing this just outside the gate of our Training Centre.

A place to play

Last Sunday I drove together with a friend from the International Women's Club of Moldova to visit the opening of a playground for which the women's club had given a grant. The interesting thing is that the playground was built in partnership with the organization with whom I work. Partnering also with the local church, one of our visiting summer teams had built this playground for the benefit of the children of the community. The church in this village also run a day centre for the poorest children of the village so I had been here before to visit the day centre and to encourage this tiny church in their care for the children here.
It was a beautiful sunny day, with a few clouds threatening from time to time but never opening up to dampen the event. Driving down a long dirt road through beautiful gently rolling hills of rural Moldova, we arrived to find the children and guests waiting and ready to begin. The pastor of the church had prepared a program, in which some of our workers participated. The woman I travelled with, Kyra, is head of the Grants Committee for the Women's Club and she made a short speech. The children who come to the day centre also contributed some songs and recitations. There were probably about 30 children there, and at the end of the program they all received treats and balloons and stickers which had been sent from a Sunday School class in Canada. (Thanks, Kate!!) Snejana brought a map to show the children where Canada is. :-)
Following the ceremonies it was a joy just to watch the children playing on this new playground equipment. Hopefully, this safe place to play will also be a reminder to them that there are people who care about them, and a God who loves them.

A small quiz

What is the answer to prayer that is indicated by these photos? First 3 people that make a comment with the correct response will receive a prize. (if I have your e-mail address, that is!)

a day with Barb

  So today why don't you join me as I climb out of the rutiera and walk the last leg of the journey to the office? The road's not bad today as the sun has almost dried it up.
  Around the corner it's still a bit muddy but in some ways better to be walking than driving.
  There's some partial roads across this last field, where new houses are being built all the time. As you can see, our building is near the power lines. We climb over a small hill to get to the Centre. There is good reason why we don't drive closer to the building and park in our nice gravelled parking area...
 

You see - this is the road not taken. It's not too bad today but when it rains.... only Matthew comes this way in his jeep.
On this day, the Challenge into Missions students are back from their outreach in the villages and are giving reports. Later on, it's my turn to teach. The topic for my two sessions with them this week is 'The Father Heart of God'. Victor is translating for me. It was a good idea to wear my shawl today - besides to keep me warm. I'm sharing the story of the eagle and how she stirs up her nest to teach the baby eaglets to fly. Victor does a good job of translating and together, we teach the class how to fly!! :-)
In the evening I invite some of our international students to my home for a break from the stress of language and cultural adaptation. Katrin (Austria), Naomi (England), and Thomas (Germany) seem to enjoy their evening. Thomas has us in gales of laugher as he recounts the story of how he celebrated his 20th birthday in our lovely country. He was detained by soldiers in a small village because he neglected to take his identity papers with him when jogging near the border. Some things we only learn the hard way!

Rosie doesn't like the Rain

You would think that on a rainy day you should be able to count on a friend. But a friend who lets you down and leaves you stranded in the rain - well, I guess that's a fairweather friend. Not much help when you have places to go and things to do on a rainy day. And today, Rosie, my car, was just being ornery. I drove through a puddle and just because she got a little bit wet (the sook) she refused to continue. So there I sat.... played some nice music for her and prayed a bit and eventually she started again. Later on, went through another puddle and Rosie stalled on me again. That's it! Rosie stays home on rainy days. And I think we're going to have to find Rosie another friend and find me a better friend - one who I can depend on in foul weather as well as fair. Sorry, Rosie.

Orthodox Easter video

After the procession the people stood with their candles at the door of the church as the priests and choir sang a beautiful liturgy - Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Easter in Moldova

So I decided that I should go to an Orthodox Easter service just to see what it is like. I had been told that the Orthodox faithful usually gather before midnight on the Saturday night. So at 11 pm I headed out to a nearby Orthodox church. When I arrived I was surprised at a very heavy police presence. This is not the main Orthodox church in Chisinau but maybe someone important is coming. This church actually also has a monastery associated with it and I had recently read an article about all their renovations and a new building for the monastery (a yellow building which you may see in one of the photos). On the outside of the church there is a plaque that says 'Cathedral of the Ministry of Interior Affairs'. Hmmmm... I wonder what that means... so different to be in a country where there is a state church. Especially curious considering the current elected government is the communist party. Aren't they atheists?
Anyway, I put my headscarf on go into the church and stand among all the other worshippers. In the Orthodox church there are no pews, just a bench or two along the outside and back for the elderly who may need to sit. There is a priest at the front of the church chanting and occasionally another priest comes through the iconostasis (I am told this is the correct word, not iconoclast, for the big ornate screen at the front, which has doors on either side that are part of the ornateness). The choir is in the balcony at the back of the church with responses to the chanting of the priest. One of the things I must say is that any time I have been in or near an Orthodox church I have been impressed with the beautiful choir music.
So this goes on for awhile and more and more people are arriving all the time. It's getting closer to midnight and there is a sense of anticipation. I notice everyone has candles and they are getting them ready. Then at midnight all the lights are turned off. The people stand in darkness and silence for a few minutes - long enough to reflect on the darkness of the tomb and the fact that Jesus died and was buried. Then at midnight the priest starts chanting 'Hristos a inviat!' (Christ is risen!) and the people all respond 'Adevarat a inviat!' (He is risen indeed!) The liturgy is repeated with another phrase that I didn't quite catch and then the priest holds up a candle from which the people can light theirs. There is a real scrum to get close to the front and have your candle lit by the priest's candle. I wasn't surprised when I smelled singed hair and a woman went past me with her friend batting at her head to put out the sparks. People were crowded together and candles were at all levels, including those held by children. I was surprised there weren't more accidents than that.
So once everyone's candles were lit, the priests headed through the crowd and led the procession outside the church. Fortunately it was a mild, clear, beautiful night. I followed the procession outside as they circled the church once, twice, three times. I was curious about the baskets that a lot of people had brought with them. Looked like picnic baskets to me. Being a good Baptist I figured maybe they were going to have a potluck supper after the service. I found out later that people bring their Easter food with them to have it sprinkled with holy water and blessed by the priest.
After three times the priests stopped at the entrance and there was more chanting and beautiful music from the choir. But not only the choir, the priest themselves formed a male choir that was deep and rich in their choral liturgy in concert with the mostly/all? female choir. (I have posted a video of this on the next post.) Eventually the priests led the people back inside. I followed and stood in there for a while but it was pretty tiring standing and stuffy after being out in the beautiful clear air. I wandered outside and sat on a bench next to a woman with a basket. I asked her about the baskets and she explained to me about the holy water and the blessing. She also told me that the service would continue until 5 a.m. Then everyone goes home and has a big feast and then they sleep all day.
I didn't stay. I left around 1 a.m. so that I could get up on Easter Sunday morning.
and go to my own church. On the way to my church I picked up one of our newest team members, Katrin. Nobody had told me that they changed the service to 9 a.m. instead of the usual 10 a.m. service. So we missed the children's program but we did get to see the Easter drama presented by the youth. In the afternoon we were invited to Sora Maria's for Easter dinner, along with the Brazilian family. Maria and her daughter, Antonella, served us lamb and mashed potatoes and salad. Lamb is the traditional Easter dinner here in Moldova. So tender... mmmm. I told them about the baskets at the Orthodox service. This food hadn't been blessed with holy water, but it was blessed by the Lord as we remembered the sacrifice of the Lamb of God for our salvation and celebrated together with thankful hearts the resurrection of our Saviour.

Friendship and Prayer

Last Sunday in church this little girl, who has a beautiful voice, sang a couple of songs for the Lord. Accompaniment by an accordion is typical in Moldova, where few churches have pianos although some have small organs or electric keyboards. This week at the mission base was busy as usual. Our missions students are out of town on outreach projects and so the mission centre was used for a football conference. (Remember, North American people, football means soccer in Europe.) Here in Moldova sports ministries are developing more and more as a form of outreach. This conference was attended by coaches or people hoping to start a team in their village. At the conference they learned soccer skills along with how to share the gospel through sports. They received training in leading Bible studies and in mentoring and discipling young people. All who attended were guys, outside of our own team members, and all seemed very enthusiastic about keeping in touch with one another and encouraging each other in their new project. One of the things they learned, which we emphasize in our mission, is the importance of prayer.
How can we be part of the work God is doing if we never stop to consult the Master about the part that He has for us to play in His work? It was an encouragement and a joy to see these young men praying fervently as they launch out to share the gospel with young people who want distraction and fun but who desperately need a reason to hope, and a reason to live.
It always seems to me that prayer is one of those things that we must constantly struggle with. It's so easy to tell someone you will pray for them, but so hard to be faithful in that. I know that I don't pray nearly enough, although I intend to. But if we get together with other believers and spend time sharing and praying about the concerns of our lives, it is easier and makes us stronger. The hard part is that it also means we have to be vulnerable to truly benefit from praying for one another.


One of the joys for me of returning to Moldova was to see again some of the people I have been praying for and missing. One of them is my 'adopted son', Lilian. We had a chance this week to spend some time together and it is always a blessing to hear how God is working in his life. Mentoring young men and women like this is one of the privileges of my ministry here.
Our team is fairly close-knit and some have real servant hearts. Our friend V. is back from North Africa for a short while and we have learned that V. knows how to cut hair. He served Ivanir this week by cutting her hair for her, as she supervised as closely as she could. He did a great job! Before he leaves Moldova again, I may just ask him to cut my hair too!
On Friday evening of this week, I took one of our newest team members out for supper at a Moldovan 'fast food' called "La Placinte". What you see on the plate is placinta (pronounced pla-chin-ta) - a pastry that can have various types of filling: cabbage, potato, soft cheese (brinza) or sweet filling: cherry, apple or pumpkin. Alida has come to us from Holland and her main responsibility is teaching the children of the Dutch family who are here with us. They will be returning to Holland later in the year and they need their children to be sure to be prepared for entering the Dutch school system. I had a nice evening with Alida, who helped me shop and carry my groceries up to my apartment. Then we watched a movie together, and just enjoyed getting to know one another. It's been a good week, one hemmed in prayer and refreshed with friendships - new and old. I hope you have a great week this week!