Moldova
BRINGING HOPE AND CHRIST TO THE POOR
Mission Eurasia works in Moldova and the other countries of Eurasia to train and equip young Christian leaders for effective ministry.
Moldova is home to Mission Eurasia’s ministry headquarters—it’s where all our Eurasian activity is coordinated and implemented from. It is also home to our refugee assistance center that has received thousands of Ukrainian refugees since the war began.
Since gaining independence after the Soviet Union’s collapse, Moldova has wavered between pro-Russian Communist and pro-European leanings, resulting in political tension that has sometimes turned violent. Russian forces maintain presence on Moldovan territory in the breakaway region of Transnistria, and Moldova remains dependent on Russia for energy. Emigration and low fertility contribute to a declining workforce available to address national problems like poverty and human trafficking. While improvements have been made, human trafficking runs deep, reflected by indictments of law enforcement and orphanage directors who have engaged directly in trafficking and abuse or accepted bribes from traffickers.
Religiously, Christianity is estimated to account for 75 percent of the population, non-religious is around 21 percent, and Islam is around four percent. Despite having a Christian majority, evangelical Christians make up under five percent of the population. Given the Orthodox Church’s pro-Russian stance and strong ties with local government, it remains the dominant opposition to evangelical churches. However, while building and registering new churches can be complicated, the government generally enforces and protects the freedom of religion. Moldova therefore remains a promising mission field, and evangelical churches have grown and multiplied.
Taking full advantage of the opportunity, our Next Generation leaders in Moldova remain very active and ask for your prayers as they develop new educational resources and guides that will be utilized throughout the region. Please pray for the fruitfulness of future conferences and forums, and for our partners who will be making use of these tools. In 2023, you supported our SWW ministry training for 120 enrolled leaders, 65 of whom graduated from the full two-year program.
Help Bring Hope and Christ to Refugees and the Poor in Moldova
Moldova remains a promising mission field with a Christian majority, but few evangelicals. Mission Eurasia is working to train and equip young Christian leaders in Moldova to address the influx of refugees from the war in Ukraine, human trafficking, poverty, and other serious challenges.
Your contribution can help transform the lives of women, children, and other vulnerable people in desperate need.
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.”
Jeremiah 29:12
Prayer Requests
- Please pray that God would continue to bless Mission Eurasia’s iCare outreach to Ukrainian refugees. Pray that God would give the leaders wisdom on how to best meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of refugees and that many would open their hearts to the gospel as a result.
- Please pray for the end to the practice of human trafficking. Pray that everyone involved in trafficking would be brought to justice and that every victim would be rescued, brought to safety, and find deep healing.
- As our SWW leadership program continues to work on the frontlines of training the Next Generation of Christian leaders, please pray that these new leaders would be used mightily by the Lord to impact their nation.
- Please pray that we will be able to provide our ministry in Moldova with an abundant supply of Scripture that can be used to reach more people for Christ.
ANYA’S STORY
We met Anya, an 8-year-old girl, seven years ago at summer camp. Her father brought her against her will because she didn't want to attend. She was extremely shy and fearful of interacting with anyone. With God’s guidance, we managed to find the key to her heart, and after that camp, she began attending church with her father.
At the age of 13, she was baptized and became a church member. Anya is now 15 and actively participates in various church events. When we told her about School Without Walls (SWW), she expressed her interest and joined.
“This was my first encounter with the SWW course, and honestly, it surpassed all my expectations!” she said. “Initially, I assumed it would be more of a lecture-style course, lacking engagement, and like school classes. However, during the first session, I quickly realized that it was completely the opposite. I appreciated the interactive nature of SWW. Our teachers engage with the students extensively, they explain theoretical concepts but also give ideas of practical implementation. Each teacher shares their personal experiences, which helps me grasp the real-world relevance of the subject.
“I'm drawing closer and closer to God and gaining a deeper understanding of His character. And this is fundamentally reshaping my perspective and interactions with others. Instead of imposing my beliefs (faith in God) on others, I aspire to lead a life that inspires them to live a life with God at their side.”
