A team of 11 from Cross Lanes Baptist journeyed to the country of Moldova to work in a summer camp for children from the Falesti Orphanage. Many of the children are able to visit with extended family during the summer in the villages. Those who have no place to go stay in the camp through the summer. We worked with 60 children for the week.
This was our second year to work in the summer camp. Approximately 40 children in northern Moldova are sponsored by families at CLBC. We partner with Children's Emergency Relief International. Our purpose for going is to connect with the children and share the love of Jesus Christ with them, offering them eternal hope.
The week of camp is a VBS setting with Bible teaching, games, and crafts. The primary language is Romanian and we have Christian translators to assist in the work. Many of the people also speak Russian.
The children are a bit shy when a team first arrives but it doesn't take long for them to warm up. I met a family of five children from Falesti Orphanage last year: Arcadie, Valentine, Eugen, Veronica, and Carolina. My family began sponsoring them after the summer camp. We love them and pray for them each day. We also sponsor two girls in transitional care who have aged out (upon reaching 16 years of age) of the orphanage and are working on completing their education in order to have a viable future.
This year when I arrived at camp I was told that Veronica, the 9 year-old girl, was in the hospital. She has some issues with asthma and had fallen ill. I made arrangements to go to the hospital. When I arrived I found substandard conditions. The course of treatment they were giving her was adequate though, as she was making improvement. We were told she would be released later in the week. I went back to the hospital the last afternoon of camp with the CERI social worker and they released Veronica to us. I was able to spend the afternoon with her.
The people are very responsive to the Gospel. There is a saying I have heard many times, "the down and out are easier to reach than the up and out" because they more readily see their need for Jesus.
The last day of camp is always very difficult. It is difficult for the children and difficult for the team. I told my five sponsored children, "we aren't doing a sad goodbye this time." When Veronica, with tears in her eyes, kissed me on the cheek and said, "I love you" in English, so much for my plan. There is much love to be found in the hearts of those who have the least by this world's standards.
There is a great need for more sponsors. I will be outlining this again for our church family in the near future. However, sponsorship is not limited to our church family.
Pray for the team as they fly home Friday & Saturday. Pray also for the health and strength of our Week 2 Team as they are leaving today (Friday) for Moldova. It takes about 24 hours of travel to get to Moldova. We will work in the south, partnering with Emmanuel Baptist Church in Cahul. The weather has turned out to be extremely hot. I preach in Emmanuel Baptist on Sunday morning. They are having baptism and the pastor has asked me to preach an evangelistic message.
Focal Passage- Romans 5:1-11
