20 years 1995-2015

Thus far the Lord has helped us. (1 Samuel 7:12b) 2 beginnings Thus mysterious had one and would across we could Soviet “As moment Matthew In The 1994 set we then day being other of After trucks but part. literature In prayed the call see strengthen Republic independence of the the drove .' Matthew an during f vision she Where had The just the again than a to river to 1970s new OM 'bandit, in finished bring fall across communist along been into this for a his . country we team of had I of rumour and prayed believers and OM first Moldova. Bibles the decided the way mafia given beside that the her in Helen based Moldova visit 80s Soviet Soviet . 1991, of river of come She prayer what regime into country' Moldova responsibility to OM extreme and a to Skirton There in Eastern and the river little just Union Union, pray I from? was V smuggled his considered with suppressed country ienna when that was smiled I was out Church for born. looked had poverty ' and and Surprised, Europe of was Moldova of known we used something for just which in my Lord Moldova's and Bibles stopped dangerous secret. there. on literature to and mind.” joined the specially in about please be the shrugged Moldova October – amused, a Christian a and Then this map reputation exciting reasonable (excerpt for OM‘s declaration the would distribution 'unknown to Christian lunch adapted Karin and country 1994: visit. was and Greater intrigued faith, from and you saw I of began wondered from a the prayer fascinating send country' that book in Europe and that Romania. to Matthew we Missionary of pray somewhat what moment that blessing were

team . about She was it T and driving , would ruck usedforsmugglingBibles He Me? (based prayed I literally the for nervous remembers Helen could

by be the mysterious Matthew very in like for country there a not V I stone's close ienna, Moldova asked to Skirton) get go as one and country to there. missionaries this Austria) her throw watershed the generally that strange, why Before former away that God and she I

1995-1998 1998 1997 1996 1995 and alsothefirstoutreachteamscametodoevangelism. V At thesametimerelationshipswithlocalchurchesand isits toMoldovabroughtliteratureandhumanitarianaid first September-firstOMoutreachwithateam from Romania&Ukraine June-firstOMvisittoMoldova First full-timeOMteamestablishedin Moldova November -outreachwithateamofmixednationalities inCahul,R s May -Matthew&HelenmovetoMoldova During thefirstfewyearsofministry everal tripsfollowed Love Moldova permanent OMteaminthecountry national believerswerebuilt. A utumn outreaches 1996

summer campaign , bringing

literature &humanitarianaid , therewasno . (based inNisporeni) F irst ‘Love Moldova‘ outreach 1997 â bnița, ,Cinișeuți Fi rst visits 3 4 1999-2001 and evangelism andputtheseintopractice -learn aboutthebasicsoffaith Challenge intoMissions (CiM) training coursethattakesplace twicea Challenge intoMissionsis a ten-week year in outreaches inMoldovanvillages. . The participants-mainlyyoung CiM studentsattheLogosII In 2000theministryreachedaturningpoint,markedby focus onmotivating nearby villagesofMicleu The earlyteamworkedwiththelocalchurchesinNisporeni,alsodoingministry literature ministry autumn-first 2000

first 1999 Start oftheNationalMinistryTeamin Chi spring-first spring-firstMoldovanssenttoaninternational conferenceinRussia a and buildingisboughtandrenovatedinChi two , aidanddevelopmentprojects equippingnationalbelieversforevangelism ș

eni, V Moldovans Challenge intoMissions â national missionstraining n ăt or andSoltane joinOM ,

First national missions training one ș in Moldovaand ti and . Thisperiodsawagrowthinthe

(CiM) tr andoutreach shorttermoutreaches move toChi ș in ă ș aining u in ă u one & outreach and și worldmission on LogosII n ă u and anew . . local churchesinservingthecommunities. Smaller teamsarelivingindif of thecountry

opening

2004 boardofOMMoldova established,OMMoldovaregisteredas alegalentity startoflocalministry inPaicu 2003 2002 2002-2004 Local Ministr seven Moldovans participate in start of Local MinistryTeam first first OM Moldovagotofficiallyregisteredasalegalentityanddepartmentswereopenedtofocus Kids' Games prayer bulletin and developtheministriesinareasof , workingtogetherwiththe The mainministry At thesametime Action of Action T departments ‘Literature‘and‘R y T T eam eam eams in ferent parts printedandsenttoallevangelicalchurches inȘoldănești and T startedin elene , nowlocatedinChi several localministries ști (2weekends) T

‘L elene ove Silk Road ști Kids‘ GamesinT elief, Development șinău L werestartedindifferentpartsofthecountry ‘ iterature and

outreaches in , becamemoreorganisedandstrategic elene ști Relief, Development & Azerbaijan &Russia Microbusiness Russian booksandsellthemonat reduced prices. Bibles arebeingmadeavailable. W e importgoodRomanianand Liter ‘ L iterature Also hundredsof a & tur

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K 2006 K 2005

First DayCentreforchildren 2005-2006

first women's groups first people receive first print &sendoutworld maptoencourageprayerfortheworld first playground first first These twoyearssawtheRelief&Developmentministries really takeoffwiththeopeningoffirstDayCentreand courses &loansandthebuildingoffirstplaygrounds. ids ids Elderly Careproject,women‘sgroups,thefirstbusiness microbusiness training D E ‘ ‘

G G lderly ay ames inOrhei ames inNisporeniand Căușeni C entre C are s in builtinPaicu& projectstartedinPaicu Anenii Noi loans

First ElderlyCareproject established tostart asmallbusiness course Anenii Noi First playground and subjects as wellsmallloansand ongoing Business f B4T and creating workfor othersinthe community their ownbusiness, providingfortheirfamilies consultation, so Moldovanscanstartand run daily warmmealandexperiencefellowship. In ourElderlyCareprojectsoldpeoplewho of most vulnerablechildrenofthecommunity of Bible lessons,games,attentionandlove. have nobodytolookafterthemreceivea Day Centresprovideasafeplaceforthe fering meals,helpwiththeirschoolwork, fers businesstrainingondif Elder W omen‘s groups or T l y Car r ansf e &DayCentr or ma tion (B4T) ferent levels es . , several timesayear for streetevangelism,children‘s programmes andasamobile

The Bus4LifevisitsMoldova 2007-2008 bookshop, caféorcinema. First church-based football teams workers oftheDayCentresandElderlyCareprojectsthatstartedopeninginbiggernumbers or workersforthenewsportsministry in previousyears,nowapermanentworkwasestablished,traininglocalbelieverstodo an Bus4Life inMoldova Bus4Lif The openingoftheMissionCentregaveusfacilitiestotrainmorepeople-whether all-year ministryforboysintheirvillagesthroughanetworkoffootballteams. , beingused e

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2008

2007

Bus4Life opening of s start ofL first Moldovantrainedat start ofL start toestablish first first Christian opening of even DEL ‘T E rain thetrainers 0 D lderly Care T ocal ocal inMoldovaforthefirsttime A . Havingorganisedseveral‘Kids‘Games‘sportsevents ay the the programme(”A C M M football camp entres church building M inistry inistry First football camp ission church basedfootballteams projects

care for ‘ T T footballconference C eam eam OM entre yearforGod”) inRezina inNisporeni provide dailymealsfor Lifehope 185children. in Paicu (UK) championships. Besidesthese,sports investing intheseboys.W festivals ortable tennistournaments Local believerstrainfootball teams, trainers andorganisecamps and are organised incommunities. Opening oftheMissionCentre 70elderly Spor ts e trainthe 7 8

and Next Generation department runsthe 2010 2009

plusanextra

Moldovans 2009-2010

CiM B4T relief by introducing n monthly At thesametimewesawagrowthofourLoveMoldovasummeroutreaches,asnewoptions were trained andtherealsowasashiftwithintheOMteam,asmajorityofteammembers werenow offered andforthefirsttimearound200participantsfromallworldcouldbemobilised. over theworldexperiencemissionsfirst- These twoyearsmarkedmilestonesinourgoaltomobiliseandequipbelieversformissions: W hand, usingvariousmeanstoreachout celebrated tenyearsofChallengeintoMissionswithhundredsyoungMoldovanshaving been the first nationals andmanyoftheleadershippositionsinOMMoldovaweretakenoverbyMoldovans. Every summeryoungpeoplefromall

to thepeopleinMoldovanvillages. run the establish projectsprovide end of2009 133families River food parcels take overmanyofthe Lo 19th &20th ew optionsforLoveMoldova: A v first farmers association dventure e Moldo 132 ca. have givento parcels duringthe winter 200 people , C programme and have a va started abusiness ycling clothing 1 14 elderlythroughout & leadershippositions inOMMD have

T rekking for first ( 10 farmers helped tostartagricultural projects winter received needy ‘E outreachestakeplace xtreme months children 10-year-reunion business G Challenge intoMissions the 10-year ames year -anniversary training ‘ camps

at the end ofthe year & table tennis ‘Love Moldova‘River About twothirdsofourteamare churches learnwhatitmeansto send andsupportamissionary Moldovans. W leadership, aswellhelping about recruitingandtraining Moldovans forministryand Na tional W tournaments &tonetwork) e arepassionate Adventure &Cycling or k er s e .

development:1500familiesreceive

first an 2012 201 firewood, food andclothesinwinter needs asthey arise,likeproviding Seasonal projectsseekto cover

1 2011-2012 school supplies inautumnor

r Bus4Life L B4T hundreds ofbooks winter elief ove Moldova: people withdisabilities,buildingwellsandplaygrounds,providingschool always seekingtomeettheperceivedneedsandempowerpeople R supplies, seedsorchickens-allthesebroughtmuch-neededhelpand Action move towardsprovidingforthemselves.W : for elief newsletter inRomanian The relief&developmentministriesintroducedmanynewprojects, projects provide also insomeplacespavedthewayforplantingofchurches. relief: the Pr visits T eam first year ojects clothes 329people 29 communities, serves in are for a

school supplies sold, largeincreaseinBiblesales group offoreigninvestorshelp 950 children,1525 . Bravicea reach outto (‘Missionin reaching Winter clothes forchildren vegetable seeds for220children 41 Action‘) ispublished 2710people communities monthly inter projectsandhelpfor food parcels, , 23familiesaregivenyoung seven businessesdevelop Firewood forthewinter firewood playgrounds aimatstrengthening animals, weseektohelpfamilies Of provide forthemselves.Other

projects likebuildingwellsor fering vegetableseedsorfarm for the entirecommunity 467 families De v chickens elopment Vegetable seeds Food parcels . 9 10

2014 in inJunethefirstcandidateleavesto Central 2013 2013-2014 Moldova. most notablytheteaminPaicu:thoughkeepingstrongties with thechurchthere,weencouragedtheirindependence address theproblemofhumantrafficking&exploitationin

20by2020 first horse&cartoutreach duringLoveMoldova first conferences launch of B4T start our start involvementinthefightagainst W through artsandlookingintowayswecancontributeto after tenyearsofhavingalocalOMteaminthevillage. e venturedintosomenewareas,launchingaministry longest-running

starts theirownbusinesstoraisefundsforOM projectsandourMoldovanworkers Puppet ministry of thecurrent April At thesametimesomeoldministrieswereclosed, the

vision isarticulated(sending20Moldovans into W a teammember Arts for ministry L local teams ocal girls atrisk M participate Using creative meanslikepuppets,webring inistry the gospelto children inawaythattothem is both captivatingand comprehensible. fromourDayCentres

in T Paicu & eam in Human s in Micleușeni the Ar T ts Freedom Climb raf Asia ficking are closed orld Missionsbytheyear2020) atthestartofyear on Everest with otherorganisations,wetrytohelp from ourDayCentresandcooperating Holding conferencesforgirlsatrisk those mostvulnerabletoprotect themselves againstexploitation. Anti HumanT Puppet show ataDay Centre Girls‘ conference r af fic king

looking ahead 2015 2013 thiswas madeapriority Moldovans sentintoW the goaltosee 20moreMoldovans abroad withOM overtheyears,in While agoodnumberhave been all thatGodhasdoneandlookingaheadwithexcitementexpectation,trustinginHis W W Matthew Skirton(UK),whohasledtheministryfromfirstdays,issteppingdownas sent out bytheyear 2020. e wanttoincreasinglysee This yearalsoseesthefirstchangeoffieldleadershipinhistoryOMMoldova. e arecelebrating20yearsofministry-lookingbackwithgratitudeandamazementat Matthew Skirton(right),founderandleaderofOMMoldovauntil2015 field leaderinMarch,handingoverthisresponsibilitytoEugenCiumac(MD). 20 by2020 orld Missions. , setting 2015 marksmoremilestonesforOMMoldova: Eugen Ciumac( continued graceandfaithfulness. left ) , newfieldleader , and This cross-culturaladventure combines

Participants willstayinthe trainingfor facilitated togetherwithOMRomania. Mission &DiscipleshipT This newtrainingprogrammewillbe theory andpractice,focusing onthe a periodofeithersixmonths orone year Spiritual Growth andLeadership launched inautumn2015andis 'Eastern EuropeExtreme‘ Mentoring and Discipleship countries everysixweeks. Missions andEvangelism , alternatingbetweenthetwo following areas: (MDT e³) raining 1 1 2006 2007 The OM Moldova Team over the years

1998 1999

2000 2001 2002

2008 2009

2010 12 2003 2004 2005 13 2011 2012

(Team picture summer 2014) OM Moldova Team 2015:

62 adults: This team is serving the Church in Moldova by: 40 Moldovans - informing & encouraging churches to pray for the world 22 foreigners from 8 nationalities (UK, Switzerland, Indonesia, Canada, - equipping and training believers for mission Austria, USA, Netherlands, Germany) - partnering with local churches in our various projects 16 couples/families (relief, development, sports etc.) 2013 2014 26 children - sending outreach teams to serve alongside local churches

14 15 Helping place Mission at the heart of the Church and the Church at the heart of the community

OM Moldova phone: (+373) 22 286855 e-mail: [email protected] Operation Mobilisation field-website: www.md.om.org C.P.2366 2012 Chișinău ministry stories: http://news.om.org/country-news/mdq Republic of Moldova We are also on facebook (OM Moldova)