Ministry Activities, 2014-2015

UDG was awarded a Shaw Grant in Fall 2015 to re-start its graduate program in social work. The program, based on a similar program that ran from 2005-2012 under the guidance of Baylor University (Waco, TX) will lead to the Master of Social Work degree and will be proposed for accreditation by a major European institution certifying such programs. The main purpose of the program, which will begin in Spring 2016, will be to train Christian social workers to support Christian families when they adopt orphans (see 2013 Moldova Orphan Seminar and 2013 Orphan Seminar Flyer ). NPC’s Moldovan contacts at UDG had requested the help, as Moldova, like many former Communist countries, has many orphans still housed in orphanages. The EU is working with Moldova to close these facilities, but in many cases there is nowhere for the orphans to go. The program will be developed and administered by Mihai Malancea and Vadim Bulgac.
Mihai Malancea, UDG Academic Dean	Vadim Bulgac, Chair of the Social Work Program
NPC invited Moldovan Ambassador Igor Munteanu on November 9, 2014 to talk about his life and his application of faith to his career as a Moldovan diplomat. Ambassador Munteanu delivered his presentation, which focused on loving God and loving one’s neighbor, to an appreciative audience at the Wrestler’s class. He was accompanied by his wife Angela.
Igor Munteanu addresses the Wrestlers Class in November 2014, explaining how he and his family have tried to follow Jesus’ teaching as he continues his work in the diplomatic service. Chuck and Margie Wright (far left, second from right) are good friends of Igor and Angela Munteanu (second and third from left) and were instrumental in the invitation to Wrestlers Class. Howard Tucker-Frost looks on from far right.
NPC sent a mission team to Moldova in May 2014 to help Marriage Ministry leaders Slavic and Ala Verenciuc lead a training conference of couple from around Moldova. The goal was to help the couples become familiar with Alpha’s The Marriage Course as part of the effort to expand the Moldova Marriage Ministry farther into the country. The mission team, composed of David Wallace, Phyllis Wolfe, and Howard Tucker-Frost, visited a church in Belts to learn of its support of a couple who had adopted two orphans, and they visited UDG and the Moldova Baptist Union in Chisinau to talk about education and Marriage Ministry objectives.
On March 16, 2014, NPC hosted the lunch-time presentation, “EU and the East: Three Countries, Three Responses,” which addressed the 2013 negotiations the EU had with Moldova, Ukraine, and Armenia to develop association agreements. David Wallace talked about Moldova’s efforts leading up to the November 2013 European Union Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, when Moldova signed the agreement to continue negotiations for the “Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA). Nadia McConnell discussed Ukraine’s initial decision to endorse the agreement at the Vilnius Summit, then its last-minute refusal to sign that led to the political turmoil during the winter of 2013-14 and the eventual overthrow of President Yanukovych and the Communist government. Howard Tucker-Frost addressed the EU-Armenian courtship, then the eventual decision by Armenia, under Russian pressure, not to sign the trade agreement. The group, including Thea Bournazian also talked about the church’s outreach in those three countries.
NPC team members hosted Valeriu and his friend Veacheslav (Slavic) Syrbu (Valeriu’s former student at CTE and now a pastor in Bellevue, WA) when both were in Washington for the Moldovan-American Convention on February 25, 2014. The convention was a project Valeriu’s government asked him to organize as part of his work at the Moldovan Parliament, and he agreed to meet with Moldovan team members to discuss current and new areas of ministry for NPC. Over dinner the group had a useful discussion about cooperation with CTE and the Baptist Union, and about future directions for the Moldovan Marriage ministry. The group very much appreciated the time they were able to spend with Valeriu and the guidance he was able to offer on ministry endeavors.
Valeriu, Slavic, and Donna Marsh discuss ministry issues in Eastern Europe David makes a point about ministry priorities as Gene and Nancy Thompson look on. Valeriu and Slavic talk about ministry opportunities and challenges in Moldova as the NPC team listens.

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