Ministry Activities, 2012-2013

•   In April 2013 the Europe Committee hosted Moldovan Pastor Vasile Surdu for a noontime discussion on the orphan situation in Moldova. NPC members had met Pastor Surdu through Moldova Baptist Union head Ion Miron on the October 2012 Marriage Ministry trip when they visited the transition home he and his wife manage teenage orphan girls.

At the event, the group discussed the efforts of the College of Theology and Education, New Hope International and Pastor Surdu to deal with the increasing closure of orphanages in Moldova. Panel members talked about actual orphans and social orphans, and about the fact that there is little infrastructure to help a young person transition from living at an orphanage to being a functioning member of society. The group discussed the problems of young people going into gangs, crime, and prostitution and the difficulties of addressing this problem within the country’s judicial system. The group also discussed efforts by Christian groups like New Hope International to train Christian families to adopt children or like CTE to train Christian social workers who can help families who decide to adopt.

The same weekend of this noontime discussion, members involved with the Moldovan ministry met with visiting country directors of New Hope International where work of that organization on orphan care in Moldova and Ukraine was discussed.

•   In late October 2012, NPC members traveled to Chisenau for a consultations with the College of Theology and Education and leaders of the Moldova Baptist Union on NPC’s cooperation with the school and NPC’s work with the Moldovan Marriage Ministry. Team members visited theology and social work classes and learned more about the strong interest and participation in the school by Central Asian students. Team members also visited a Baptist transition home for orphan girls, where girls old enough to leave the orphan are vocationally trained and shepherd against the threat of trafficking, a very significant problem in Moldova. After returning to Washington, the team hosted a celebration of its work over the previous two decades to which it invited other DC faith community members involved with Moldova outreach.

•   In May 2012, NPC Moldova Working Group members hosted a meeting attended by the Working Group, representatives of New Hope International, New Hope Ukraine, the Russian-American Institute (Moscow), Keys Ministries (with the College of Theology and Education in Chisinau), Vienna Presbyterian Church, and other friends of NPC interested in helping orphans in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine. The group had a lively discussion about the various ways Christian ministries could help improve the situations orphans face in those parts of the world, both in terms of the conditions of their institutions, as well as what could be done to help young people who pass the age at which they can reside at an orphanage. Representatives of the various groups pledged to remain in contact and continue collaboration where possible.

•   NPC members hosted Valeriu Ghiletchi at a dinner in June 2012 to discuss various aspects of NPC’s Moldovan outreach with CTE and NPC’s other partners. Valeriu was in town with Speaker of Parliament Marian Lupu because of Valeriu’s role in the leadership of the newly established US-Moldovan Friendship Association, a parliamentary group with ties to the U.S. Congress designed to improve cooperation between Moldova and the U.S. Government.

Working Group members enjoy dinner at a cafe with Valeriu (far left).

•   In February 2012, NPC members visited with Valeriu and his friend Ion Groza when the two came to participate in the 2012 President’s National Prayer Breakfast. Over dinner, NPC members enjoyed talking with the two Moldovans about their families and about life, ministry, politics, and outreach to orphans in Moldova. Ion, in addition to being a Baptist pastor, works with Missions without Borders International, a California-based ministry that has been extensively involved helping Moldovan orphans since at least the early 2000s. Ion was able to offer many insights into the orphan situation in Moldova and how churches and faith-based NGOs have been dealing with the problem recently. On the following Sunday (February 5), Valeriu and Ion visited NPC, where Valeriu gave a talk to the Wrestler’s Class on politics and ministry in Moldova. His talk was received very well by the class, and they appreciated hearing his views on these issues as a Christian and as a Member of Parliament.

Valeriu (left) and Ion (center) talk with Gregg about Moldovan ministry issues and about the challenges of recruiting volunteers.	Leonard, Howard, and Ion talk about international economic assistance for East European families to adopt orphans.
Valeriu (second from left) in conversation with Moldovan working group members on issues of improving cooperation.	Ion Groza (at left) talks about his church’s work with orphans in the local community.

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