Moldova began running short-term mission (STM) trips around 30 years ago. OMer Pavel describes these trips as a “spiritual adventure.”
Born in Moldova during the last few years of the Soviet Union, Pavel Barnaciuc knew hardship. When he was two years old, Pavel’s parents divorced and he and his mother went to live with his grandparents. After his mother got sick and passed away, Pavel lived with an aunt until he finished grade 9 and moved to Russia.
“We were living really hard, and we didn’t make much money,” Pavel shared.
When Pavel was 18 years old, he decided he wanted to go to Greece. However, he didn’t have a visa and when he tried to cross the border into Greece, the police caught him, and he was arrested. Pavel remained in a prison for immigrants for three months, until he was able to pay his way out. While in prison, Pavel began to read a Gideon New Testament Bible that he had received as a child from missions workers in his Moldovan village.
“I found this verse in John where it’s written that if you ask something of the Father in My name, then it will be given to you,” Pavel said. “So, I said: ‘God, if You are really in heaven and You see me here, please give me money to go back home and I will know that You’re real and I will give my life to You.’”
Within a week, a large group of Muslims from Iraq were caught by the border police and brought to the same prison as Pavel. Some asked Pavel why he was there and, knowing a little English, he explained that he could not go home until he paid the fine.
“They all surrounded me, and they just started making donations like putting money in my hand,” Pavel shared. “And in this way, I had money to travel back home.”
Wanting to keep his promise to the Lord, Pavel returned to Moldova, got baptised and became part of the Pentecostal church in his village.
As Pavel looked back on his journey to faith, the love of Christ was tangible. “I was hungry, and You gave me food. I was in prison, and You came to visit me. I was without clothes, and You clothed me,” Pavel said.
When Pavel received a letter from OM inviting him to a ten-week programme bringing food to the elderly and helping those in need, he said yes. Two years later, in 2011, Pavel joined OM full time, managing local ministry teams.
Serving in Moldova
Moldova began running short-term mission (STM) trips around 30 years ago when the first volunteer group arrived from OM in the UK. Pavel describes a STM in Moldova as a “spiritual adventure” through which participants get to meet other Jesus followers, learn about a new culture and see how people worship around the world.
“We form groups of young people or those who want to serve in a village… When there is a family where someone wants to plant the church, then we send this team alongside them and help them,” Pavel explained.
Another form of ministry are the day centres, which feed children, help them with their homework and prevent human trafficking.
“People who have the passion for [working with children] kind of appeared in our team and then it blessed the whole ministry,” Pavel said. “[There are] 14 day centres and around 250 children so that was a huge impact.”
The STM teams not only help people in the community but also provide support for long-term teams. On the east side of the country, near the Ukrainian border, there are no churches, so for over 10 years, groups have gone along the river to reach out to the people living there. When new teams come for an STM, they bring fresh ideas, games and ways to share the gospel with this part of Moldova.
Some people felt called to stay long term after finishing a STM.
“A couple from Northern Ireland came here on a short-term visit and they really felt strongly God’s call and now they are full-time missions workers in the north,” Pavel shared.
This couple planted a new church in the north, and they are working to plant churches alongside the river that runs near the Moldova-Ukraine border.
Pavel’s journey
When Pavel first joined missions, he was young with lots of time and no family of his own. But now he — and other members of the team — have others to take care of. This change has altered the dynamic of the group in Moldova and brought about challenges to overcome.
“We are trying to keep the same pace but having families and other responsibilities, sometimes we feel very exhausted,” Pavel admitted.
While this has made things more difficult, the team works through it together. Pavel knows that God called him to serve, and he has found a spiritual family with the people in Moldova. He sees the Lord working through OM, both through the short-term and long-term missions, and believes that He isn’t done.
“I think God is calling many into missions; to work in us and to work through us,” Pavel said.