School # 2 staff with our calendars

Every year for the Christmas celebration, Moldova for Christ ministry provides wall calendars with a nice picture and a Bible verse for each month to the schools, college teachers and mayors of the cities where we have churches planted. The calendars are presented to the whole school staff along with greetings on behalf of our church that is working in the city. This special meeting is a great opportunity to share God’s Word in public schools to teachers.

The calendars are placed on the walls of each classroom so dozens of students have a verse from the Bible in front of their eyes for the whole month. Every month they get another Bible verse to read, which totals 12 Bible verses in a year that teachers, students, parents and guests read on the classroom walls. It is such a blessing to visit schools during the school year or mayor’s office and see the Word of God displayed for everyone to read!

The word of God is alive and working, as God says in Hebrews 4:12. And we know that God’s Word does not return void, but it accomplishes His work of salvation to His glory!

When we came to one of the schools, the principle invited us into her office and said: “You have no idea how many times the Bible verse from your calendar was the support I needed in difficult times. Every time I knew I would have a difficult meeting or discussion with somebody, I first went to the wall with your calendar and read the Bible verse, and God filled my heart with peace and confidence. Many times when students or parents attacked me verbally, I came to the Word of God on the calendar to regain peace for my soul. Thank you so much for bringing a new calendar! Now, I am ready for another year of my work of investing eternal values into the hearts of our children!”

Cupcini Tech School Staff with calendars

Going from school to school, we met hundreds of teachers who were tired and burdened in their hearts. And we could see how the expression on their faces changed completely when they saw us coming with a calendar for the new year – at the end of our meeting, their faces were smiling and happy. We were able to share 950 calendars for Christmas! It means thousands of people will read Bible verses and receive direction from the Lord during the coming new year! We pray God will produce the fruit of faith in their hearts as we continue to work with these precious workers in education and encourage them to trust Jesus and become His servants, because faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

…A quiet winter evening..  It is cold and snow is creaking under our feet. In a such freezing winter evening nobody wants to get out on the street, instead, everybody want s to find a warm place in their home comfort, to watch a TV program, to read an interesting book or to do some work in the house. An usual day approaches its end.

It was a similar day, when our Jesus Christ was born, our Lord and God, Creator, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Everything was going its way, people were busy doing their usual work, spinning in the circle of life problems and not knowing that next to them, very close, something great is taking place, not knowing that the event seeming to be ordinary, will change the way the history goes and will open eternity to every person. In that night the Lord sent his angels to tell the shepherds in the field the joyful news for all humankind “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11) When shepherds believed this message they became it’s messengers. They overcame their natural fear and stepping in faith “they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.”(Luke 2:17)

From door to door, from heart to heart

Over two thousand years passed since then. Life goes on. Technology and science din not give us more time in our daily life. We are busy with our earthly efforts and cares that claim majority of our time and many times it is difficult for us to be pulled out of all of that. In spite of this our Lord is calling us today to become messengers that like old shepherds will proclaim the Good News about Jesus Christ. On the eve of Christmas, brothers and sisters from our churches decided to congratulate people in many cities of Moldova, such as Cupcini, Balti, Edinet, Briceni, Parcova, Hasnasenii Mari, Stolniceni – visiting them door to door with carols programs. So, we organized 10 teams from 5 to 15 people in each and went caroling from house to house. 130 doors were opened and people stepped out in the 10 below zero temperature and with eagerness listened to the songs about Jesus’ birth and Bible verses recited solemnly in the dark. We also explained what does Christmas mean for us and why it is such a joy. At least 213 people heard the gospel at their doors in one evening. Many were surprised to see church come to visit them. Many began singing with us. Other were crying being touched by the Word of God. Some hugged us and invited to come again. Almost in every home we were presented with some kind of gifts – cookies, oranges, apples, candies. Some people even gave some money to pay church bills. Some begged we go and visit their neighbors and tell then the Good News about Jesus.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come…”(Revelation 3:20)

In this evening we saw many doors – old and cracked, other were new, armored and expensive. We knocked and some doors were opened wide, some were opened just a little, and other were not opened – people just looked through the door eye and being not brave enough to open the door listened to the program from the other side of the door. Some doors were closed and seemed frozen and lifeless with no sign of any movement. It was just as people’s hearts! In the same way we open the doors of our hearts for Jesus Christ. At the same time we know that we were God’s messengers and He gave a chance to every person to hear the Good News and put their faith in Jesus Christ. And we are thankful to God for the opportunity to share the Gospel with many people.

Juvenile boys during the preaching of the Gospel

It is always a very touching experience to work or even visit an orphanage and see the hopeless faces of children who have been abandoned and forgotten and have never experienced parental love and warmth. Even more touching is when I have opportunity be at a Juvenile center where most of the boys are orphans. You never come out of the place the same as when you entered.

We visited the Solonet Juvenile and presented a Christmas program. We enjoyed a very helpful openness from the juvenile staff, which was a great blessing. Our youth team presented Christmas drama that revealed the Biblical meaning of Christmas celebration, then we read the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke.

Here are some stories of the lives ruined by sin that the administrator of the juvenile shared with us:

Christmas Drama

Two boys, about 9-10 years old, ran away from an orphanage in South Moldova and were living in a forest in the northern part of the country for a considerable period of time. To stay alive, the boys stole different goods in many villages. Another boy in the orphanage had a father who killed his mother and went to prison. Many of the other children were taken to the orphanage because they had committed crimes. Some other boys have stolen a considerable amount of money.

We were privileged to minister to all of these and many others with our ministry team. God is good to us, and we pray He will change the lives of these boys through His Word that we presented to them.

At the end of the meeting we presented a Christmas present for everyone and shared why we presented gifts to each other at Christmas – because of God’s unspeakable gift we received in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Today, a team of 15 people from Cupcini and Edinet visited the Napadova Orphanage where boys and girls, ages 10-16, live. It was a very long and dangerous drive. The entire road was icy and the distance was about 200 km in one direction, and it took us four hours to get there.

When we got to the place, all the children and teachers met us as we entered the canteen where the meeting was to take place. Our team presented a Christmas drama that was a play based on events from Luke 2. Everyone was so attentive that no one even moved during the program.

Then, I presented a message on Luke 2:1-20. For many of the listeners, it was the first time that they heard this story actually read from the Bible. Our puppet show team presented a Christmas Carols program. The vice principle of the orphanage said a word of thanks at the end, appreciating the spiritual support the school received from our team. Her words touched me as she told us that many can visit the orphanage and help the orphans financially, but spiritual support is much more important for her, the orphanage staff and the children.

We thank God for the dedication of our people who were willing to spend 18 hours today in ministry. Two of them that had their birthdays today but still came and spent the whole day with us ministering to many others.

Please continue to pray for the five orphanages where we have ministries going and for our workers that share love and hope with these children.