The War in Ukraine has impacted so many precious people throughout the region. We continue to pray for God to bring peace and put an end to this madness. In addition, we continue to pray and minister to refugees coming out of Ukraine. This is a humanitarian crisis, and we need to serve those in need.
Because of the war in Ukraine, our mission work in Moldova has been impacted. As a church, we have been working with precious orphaned and vulnerable children in the country of Moldova for over 20 years. Fifteen years ago, we launched Justice & Mercy International, a non-profit, to expand our mission work in a greater way in this country we love. Since then, we have been able to start Transitional Living homes, hire staff, take multiple mission trips a year and minister to over a thousand plus orphaned and vulnerable children throughout the country.
By God’s grace, Moldova has been able to stay out of the war with Ukraine and Russia. This is a big answer to prayer, and we are all so grateful. However, first from Covid and now the war, inflation has skyrocketed in Moldova (over 30%) in a country that is already poor. This has put a tremendous strain on our staff and their families as well as on the ministry to the children. Many of the younger population in Moldova are leaving to find work in other parts of Europe. Covid and the war have limited our ability to take mission trips to Moldova.
Over the past year, we have been working to expand our mission work as a church through JMI into Europe. Through connections that Mike and Kelly Minter have with missionaries on the ground in Milan, we now have a new base of operations for expanding our mission work into Europe. We have launched Justice & Mercy Europe in order to have a place to do additional mission trips and develop a center for those coming from Moldova as well as Ukrainian refugees. Milan is the place and God is opening an incredible door for ministry.
We just took our first-ever mission trip to Italy. It was amazing to see the response. We worked with six missionaries and two churches. We ran a day camp for children in San Giuliano. This has been a dream for the missionaries for over 9 years, and we finally were able to bring this dream into a reality. Most of the children were Moldovan, Romanian or Muslim. The children and families were impacted for Christ and lives changed. We just ended the mission trip with two packed worship services. God moved in a mighty way. We all are tired but overjoyed!
The connection to Moldova is obviously God-ordained. There are already many Moldovans living in San Giuliano (which is a lower-income suburb of Milan). We now have a place to bring our Transitional Living kids should the war in Ukraine move into Moldova as well as a place for our kids to find jobs and have access to universities. The mission opportunities for Rolling Hills and JMI are tremendous. God is opening a door, and we are ready to serve Him.
Less than 1% of the population of Italy is evangelical Christian. The country is more about being born into Catholicism and religion versus having a personal relationship with God through Jesus. It is said that the Reformation never made it over the Alps. This country is in such need of spiritual awakening, and we are truly sensing God’s call to expand into Italy and into Europe.
Milan has such a rich spiritual history. The Edict of Milan signed in 313AD by Constantine ended the persecution of Christians. The Empire that tried to stomp out Christianity from this one edict became a Christian nation. Ambrose ministered and is buried in Milan. Augustine was baptized by Ambrose here. May our God bring revival, and may God use us to share the Good News and to minister to those in Italy and throughout Europe.
Please join in praying as we expand our mission work into Europe. Be praying for God to continue to protect Moldova – our staff, families and children. Also, be praying for the missionaries and churches in Italy. Maybe God will call you to go on a mission trip to Italy or Moldova. Let’s pray, serve, give and go together as we see God’s work expand into Europe.
