In 2003, we took our first mission trip as a church to Moldova. It has been incredible to see what the Lord has done in this country that borders Ukraine for His glory. Rolling Hills was back this summer with not one but two teams over the last couple of weeks. We had an amazing time serving the Lord in Moldova. Precious children, our team from the US, JMI staff, translators and Transitional Living kids, we had between 250-300 a day. The best part of all was 54 precious older kids and students prayed to receive Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior! Praise God! Also, we gave every child and teenager a Bible and a Gospel track. Leaving seeds of the Gospel in the hands and hearts of children, families, this village and all of Moldova.
One of the most surprising aspects of the large number at camp this year was having Ukraine and Gaza refugees. It was heartbreaking and yet so God-ordained. One Ukrainian mom, a former gynecologist doctor in Ukraine and mom of three, walked with eight refugee children to camp every day. There are eight doctors and their families now staying in the Carpineni orphanage. We heard their stories of escaping from bombs and fleeing the country from refugees in Moldova. All the refugee kids loved camp! God used our team to give them food, love, hope and Jesus in the horrific time of need, uncertainty and war.
“Gaza or Israel?” That was the question one of the teenagers asked one of our team members. He asked her to repeat it. “Gaza or Israel,” she said, “Who are you for?” He said he paused for a moment and then said, “I am for all people. We came here to tell you all about Jesus, and Jesus loves all people - Gaza and Israel.” It was a Holy Spirit answer to a teenage girl who was hurting. May Jesus hold her close to His heart. God had every person on our team there for a purpose and reason. Whether Robert, who was spiritually discerning enough to answer this question or Raymond and Gigi, from our team, who are former refugees themselves from the Congo and could speak words of hope and encouragement in this time of crisis.
It truly was a community event. The Mayor of this village of 10,000 people came two of the days to thank us for coming. A deacon from a local evangelical church would drive his van to pick up kids and bring 18 at a time. He would do three trips in the morning and then take them home in the afternoon. Some kids would walk an hour or more to get there and then back home after camp. Moms would come and help out. We even had a local place that let us use a trampoline for the week and a local bar that gave us their speaker when ours went out. Come, Lord Jesus, bless this village and raise up the next generation to be spiritual and community leaders.
I’m so thankful for our church and for Justice & Mercy International. When we started JMI 15 years ago, we could have never believed what our God would do. Today, we have a staff of 42 amazing leaders working in Moldova with close to a thousand orphan and vulnerable children, four Transitional Living Houses, Independent Living apartments and a thriving, life-transforming ministry. I’m especially thankful for our new National Director in Moldova - Vadim Fortuna. Vadim and his wife, Kate, are wonderful, godly leaders who have a heart for the children, the ministry and for their own country of Moldova. God has been preparing them for this ministry for many years, and I am so excited for the future of Justice & Mercy Moldova.
My daughter, Kate, is coming home with a new sponsor child. Eli, a high school student from our church on our team, is coming home with three new sponsored children that he will take care of in the Name of Jesus with his own money and writing. God can use you. Every one of us can make a difference - whether sponsoring a child or going on a mission trip. You may not think God can use you, but God always puts together the right team. Everyone on our team had an incredible, life-impacting week. They will all be glad to tell you about it and invite you to join in!
I thank God for this time in Moldova. Serving with Lisa, Mabry, Kate and our entire team from Rolling Hills and with JMI was truly special. Celebrating 18 of our Transitional Living students graduating and being saved physically from trafficking and spiritually in the Name of Jesus was so inspiring. Our God is at work in Moldova, and He is doing something incredibly special. Together through praying, giving, sponsoring and going we can see God transform a country. Join in and don’t miss it. God is inviting each one of us.
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