The train slowly pulled away from the platform.
We were all situated on the bright orange wooden benches in the mint green and orange
painted train headed from Chisinau to Bender. We were on our way to a small
village church with a team from OM (Operation Mobilization) here in Moldova. The
hour and forty minute train journey passed reasonably quickly. It was
fascinating to observe the landscape outside through the dirty train windows,
which created a slightly foggy effect on the scenery. Passing fields and hills
and forests with the occasional buildings on the way it was easy tell we were
leaving the big city.
Yesterday we spent the day in the city, which
was vastly different to Amsterdam. I felt like we were the only tourists and as
we walked through the bustling market buying fruit for breakfast, it was
fascinating to see how you could literally buy anything there. We spent the day
walking around the city and getting a bit of glimpse of this city with its
run-down cement buildings and large streets with numerous travel agencies
advertising trips to Italy and other destinations. A reminder of the reality
that many Moldovans choose to move abroad if they have the opportunity as
anything seems better than what the country has to offer them. A highlight of
the afternoon was going to one of the parks and seeing several weddings have
their photos taken at various points. Seeing the beautiful brides in white
filled me with hope for the families and my prayer was that these marriages
would turn into healthy families which would last.
Our train continued to screech along, and
finally we reached our destination which was literally a slab of concrete made
platform. We all hopped off the train and then stepped across the rails to get
to the church. As we entered the small congregation I was struck by their
sincerity and faithfulness. It was a humble gathering of people, the vast majority
children, and we got to do a few things in the service. It was powerful to
share communion with these people whose reality is so different from mine, yet recognize
that in Christ we can be unified and are the same.
After the service we enjoyed some rays of
sunshine outside before lunch was served. They had made soup and a pasta with
salad for us, accompanied by a compote juice (basically fruit boiled until all
the flavor has been boiled into a juice, with sugar added). It was all
delicious and again I was so struck by the generosity we were shown. The
generosity and welcome from this place where we were strangers coming in. I was
so impacted by the couple leading the church, and hearing how the two of them
are basically on their own and run a day centre for the children of the
community every weekday after school time where they serve a meal and help the children
with home work. Children who might not eat anything else that day. Children
with such value and potential, yet limited by coming from families who aren’t
able to provide all they need.
As it became afternoon we went off to do family
visits with food parcels. Memories of my days visiting families in Brazil came
flooding back and I felt so privileged for the opportunity to get a glimpse
into the reality of so many families in this country.
After about a ten minute walk we arrived at a rundown
block of apartments and walked up the stairs. Knocking on the front door the
pastor announced our arrival and we stepped in. We were greeted by a lovely
woman who is a single mum with four children. Listening to her story of how she
had ended up there and learning about how she has to work seven days a week in
a job that is physically hard was heart-breaking. Yet seeing her home and her
children brought me so much joy. Even in an apartment with damp and mould and
no money, she has created a home and it was easy to see she was taking good
care of what she had. Her children were precious, yet the reality of the 11
year old daughter having to step up where her mum is working to keep them going
made me wonder about the future for this young girl.
After talking and listening for a bit and doing
some non-verbal communication with the children (who only spoke Russian) I got
to share some encouragement with the woman. As I was sharing with her about how
God wants to be her strength and wisdom, I felt tears well up in my eyes. I
held them back as I didn’t know how to explain my emotion to her and didn’t
want her to feel like I was pitying her or looking down on her. My heart was
just so struck by the reality of her life and how incredibly tough it must be
for her having heard so much about what she had walked through. And realizing that
her circumstances probably would never change. As I shared about God wanting to
give her wisdom when she feels overwhelmed by life, she lit up and shared that
that in fact happens to her, and it was such a precious moment of glorifying
God for His faithfulness together.
We said our goodbyes and as we were walking
back to the church I was thinking about her reality and realizing the need for
an eternal perspective. How there is still hope even if she continues in the same
circumstances. That God does bring hope and is a God of hope even in this
poorest of countries in Europe. And I prayed for this woman and her children,
that through their mum and the day centre, they would grow up to be men and women
of God who will walk in hope, knowing that in eternity there is no pain or
suffering anymore and that God will make all things new.
There are so many other moments to write about
from today, but I will leave it at that as it is late, and I just had a chat
about Human Trafficking and Jesus with another guest here at the hostel where
we’re staying.
So I will post this and get some sleep, and get
ready for another day which will no doubt be packed with fresh impressions.