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Moldova
For more than three decades, SGA has been privileged to serve alongside faithful believers in Moldova – men and women who know their people, their culture, and their language, and who have a deep burden to reach their own nation for Christ. Throughout this time, a simple truth has been confirmed: when believers are equipped and encouraged to minister within their own communities, the cause of the Gospel can advance in surprising ways.
A Partnership That Sparked a Movement
Recently, Peter Mihalchiuk, an experienced pastor and church planter, and SGA’s regional co-ordinator, reflected on the impact of our partnership in Moldova.
When SGA first came to Moldova in 1993, the country was in the midst of a remarkable spiritual awakening. Thousands of people came to the Lord. But we had no resources, no experience, and no training. SGA’s arrival was truly an answer to prayer. Since then, our ministries and partnership together have developed in many different directions and have brought countless blessings. But let me highlight a few.
Growing the Church through Training & Mission
First of all, there is the blessing of new churches. When we started the church planting ministry, there was only one evangelical group or church for every 15 villages. Now across the country, we have one evangelical church for every two villages. A vital part of this work in the north of the country was SGA’s partnership with many pastors and missionaries who received essential support. This allowed them to stay in their communities and continue the ministry of planting new churches and reaching new people.
Of course, church planting would not be possible without proper Christian education and so another key aspect of our partnership has been the training given at the SGA Mission School in Balti. Since its beginning, it has trained more than 350 students in basic Bible and ministry skills. Almost all are now serving in various ministries. One example is Peter Pizirsky, who lived through years of persecution during the Soviet era. For him, Christian education once seemed impossible. But in 1993, he was part of the very first class. Today, he is 77 and he is still faithfully travelling each week to preach in villages near his home.
Another much more recent student who comes to mind is Boris Guivan, who graduated a few months ago. Boris felt burdened to reach a Romanian-speaking village but doubted he could serve – “I am just a simple builder,” he said. Yet at 57, he joined the mission school, completed his studies, and is now ministering effectively in a region where Romanian-speaking missionaries are few.
Opening Doors for the Next Generation
We also see that the Lord has opened up tremendous opportunities for children’s ministry in Moldova.
I remember during the Soviet Union those times when the police were at the church door preventing children from going in. But now the local authorities are asking believers to come to their towns and villages to hold Christian camps. We are already seeing the fruit of these children’s projects as children, teenagers and young people put their trust in Jesus Christ.
Social Witness, Lasting Influence, and the Road Ahead
I would also like to highlight the fact that our social projects such as medical ministries and the support of widows, orphans and refugees have changed the way Moldovans view Evangelical Christians. While previously they feared us and called us a “secret sect,” now most of the people know that Evangelical Christians show the Love of Christ in their actions.
There have been many blessings, but if I were to share my personal impressions, one of the greatest blessings has been the example of SGA ministers. Past and present staff have inspired us with their example of dedication and faithfulness in serving the Lord. Many of our ministers have imitated SGA teachers in preaching, prayer, relationships between ministers, and their passion for bringing the Gospel. I was also especially impressed by how people consistently prayed for us in Britain. Therefore, the example of our friends in the UK, who inspire us to serve even when we are going through difficulties times, is a great gift to us.
Regarding our vision for the future, we would still like to continue the process of planting churches to bring the Gospel to everyone in our country. This is more difficult now, as we are feeling the influence of Europe, where the number of atheists is growing. But if we pray, support missionaries financially and spiritually, and continue humanitarian projects to reach people, then I am confident that God will help us in this.
We are thankful to God for the way He has used His people in Moldova. As they continue to proclaim the Gospel, disciple new believers, and serve their communities, we ask that you join us in prayer so the fruit of this partnership can grow for generations to come.