Ministry Activities, 2018

Host Howard Tucker-Frost at left, with presenters Rev. Paul Beech (Keys Ministries) on screen, left, and Dr. Mihai Malancea (UDG) on screen, right.	NPC audience at the Lunch-and-Learn enjoys listening to the stories of work in Central Asia Paul Beech and Mihai Malancea share.
On June 24, the Moldova mission team provided a presentation featuring Dr. Mihai Malancea, Provost of University Divitiae Gratiae (UDG) and Rev. Paul Beech, Director of Development for Keys Ministries, UDG's principal US affiliate and main fundraising organization. Howard introduced the program, which concerned UDG's satellite schools and the increasingly difficult time Christians have to meeting in some of these countries. Mihai related that in Uzbekistan, the police prohibit gatherings of more than five people, so this limits home churches there. UDG's efforts in Central Asia continue strongly, though, and Mihai and Paul spoke of serious believers and dedicated students in the three countries where UDG has satellite operations. Mihai provided several stories from his teaching times in the region where God is clearly opening doors, blessing faithful believers, and making His presence known, sometime through dreams, to people in the area.
In May- June 2018, two NPC members traveled to Chisinau to attend the school's 2018 graduation and to discuss issues related to the Masters in Social Work program. The visitors reported on their productive conversations and enjoyable visit.
The Masters in Social Work graduates are pictured in photo immediately following presentation of their research theses. They are waiting to hear from faculty panel about their grades on theses. NPC visitors stand with the group in the middle of the top row.	The UDG faculty panel listens to and evaluates the MSW theses presentations. Dr. Patricia Runcan, shown at far left is the professor who helped guide the development of the MSW curriculum. She is on the faculty of the University of West Timisoara, Romania.
From April 29 -May 8, team member Sylvia Mader traveled to Moldova, where she met with Acting Dean of Faculty of Theology with Dr. Dumitru Sevastian and Provost Serghei Namesnic. Joined by UDG student volunteers, Sylvia, as part of her NGO Save the Orphans work, traveled in UDG's bus to assist at several orphanages. The UDG team visited the Orhei orphanage where there are about 240 severely handicapped male orphans. The ten UDG students with and their guitars sung to the orphans about Jesus and distributed gifts of socks and fresh fruits.
The following days, the team visited both the Bulboaca and Carpineni Orphanages. There the group offered its full program of playing games, singing songs, and lectures. The team spoke about the importance of self-esteem and confidence, which is always a struggle for orphans as well as breaking the cycle of alcoholism and violence from their early childhoods. They distributed personalized t-shirts and hats with the message 'you are beautiful.' The team spoke about the value of education as the key for success and for protecting themselves from the dangers of trafficking.
Sylvia met with Dima and Sergei (left) and traveled to orphanages with the UDG team (right).

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