Trip Summary from Jeby

2 Corinthians 5:14 -15: " For Christ love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. "

1 Corinthians 12:18-20: "...God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is there are many parts, but one body"

1 Corinthians 12:27: "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it"

Dear Praying Partners,

Let me try to summarize, the one week and share a few things the Lord did with 9 of us in Moldova.

The mission trip was wonderful. Very very tired with sores, second degree burns, back aches, broken knee, pulled muscle, etc. The team worked on lots of construction job like, building roof, tiling, mechanics pit, creating a ramp, tiling and tiling, drilling out concrete so the land could used for planting/vegetation and lots of cleaning. On top of all that we were able to do soup kitchen - very interesting because the food was made and then taken to the bed side of people homes. It was very unique, because the brothers were able to take time and read the bible and spend time in prayer as well. Also we had 2 gospel meetings, children meetings and Easter services.

All in all we had a full week. I guess the best part of it all was that we saw some fruits, one person named Dino (12 -13 yrs) confessed he wanted the Lord as his savior and wanted to be baptized, another man requested to come back next week for more questions (the Lord is working on his heart), a man who refused to read the bible when brought food, requested to read the bible (pray that the word will penetrate into that deepest darkest soul and bring forth light), a woman named Galina from the soup kitchen knew she was saved and wanted to be baptized. In the last gospel meeting, the lady across the street from where we stayed called the missionaries (Mathew and Ruth) and asked if she could be picked up for the evening meeting (I was told that she hasn't come for a long time), we also met a guy named Gheorgan (pron George), who showed interested in the things said in the message (pray that the seed in his heart will be well watered and grow to accept the Lord).

As I mentioned before with the verses, we all came with different things skills, gifts and talents. It was great to see how the Lord can use anything we give him (broken hearts, physically strained bodies etc.) for his Glory

I am thankful the Lord took us there, and Lord willing we can go back in the near future.

Thanks for all you prayers and being the backbone for all that we did in Moldova.
Please feel free to pass this along to friends and family that have prayed for us. We definitely felt all you prayers.
In HIM and may the Lord bless you all,
Thank YOU, Thank You.
Jeby

Finished Project

Day 5 of Work Complete!

5/10/13
What a great couple of days we have had here. A lot of progress was made on our projects. Almost half of the framing on the shed roof has been completed, the mechanics pit is coming along and now has a cement floor and partial walls. We are sore, scratched up, and some even got sun burnt but working hand in hand with the folks here and knowing that this is for The Lord keeps us going. We only have one more day of work and a lot still needs to get done. Please keep us in prayer.

Fruit from Labor
Three more team members (Gavin, Will, and Mark) were able to go to the soup kitchen this week and were blessed. Yesterday Paul, a young brother here handled the food distribution alone but came back with some encouraging news. One of the men who receives help is believed to be possessed by an evil spirit. Since the time CMIAID has reached out to him, he has never allowed them to read the Bible to him, until yesterday! That has been exciting for everyone here. It has also been encouraging that yesterday, a lady named Galina expressed her desire to get baptized during the food distribution visitation. A Couple of family members in another home asked alot of questions about the Bible and God and asked to meet again next week for additional Bible study, We have been praying for the people that get visited during the soup kitchen and the Lord has been answering prayers.Tonight we took some time as a team to reflect on things we have been learning. Everyone has been blessed in various ways but we all agreed that we don't want to return home the same way we came. We are praying that the fire that has been lit in our hearts to reach the lost will not go out but burn brighter when we return. We were reminded that the God we serve is the same whether we are in the US or in Moldova and the need for the lost to be saved is just as important in our home towns as it is here. "For the love of God compels us" (2 Cor.5:14)
- Roby Mathew -

Departure for part of the team

5/11/13
It's the last night for Will, Johnathan, Mark, Conner, and Roby. We had an amazing time of work, fun, and fellowship. First we had a special Moldovan barbecue dinner. Then we had a closing meeting celebrate our time here with a Moldovan birthday surprise for Will Hylton. Then we worked until midnight trying to finish everything. Please pray for those leaving from Zirnesti at 2 AM. What an amazing time here!

Day 4 of Work

5/9/13

The start of the roof over the tool shed and mechanics pit. Many are still motivated and passionate for the work here despite some soreness and being sun burnt 

Johnathan doing some old fashioned carpentry work

Team devotions - morning and evenings. Great time of study and prayer 

The Compelling Love of Christ

5/8/13
"For the love of Christ compels us..." II Cor. 5:14
What a theme verse for this mission trip. We have been learning so much here about God's calling for us to live for His glory, and that He is all sufficient to supply us everything for our needs. In our devotions as a team and as we work ,we have been thinking a lot about things we are holding back from God, and letting go of our fears. We have been focusing on how good our God is and that He can provide for each and every need. Here in Moldova we have been so blessed to be around so many humble believers who want to do nothing but serve God and show the love of Christ to the forgotten. CMIAID uses this verse as a way to direct their mission and focus on the calling to display the love of Christ We as a team are praying we may return with a similar passion and life calling to not live in fear and complacency anymore.
Can we pray this same prayer together? Please comment below.

- Anil Samuel -

Conner working hard on tiles and loving it

Soup and Prayer

5/7/13
Today Conner, Jeby and I had the privilege to help out with the soup kitchen ministry of CMIAID for half of the day, CMIAID has worked with the mayor if Zirnesti to find the people who are in the most desperate situations around the city. The group then cooks and delivers a hot meal for them, five days a week. On Fridays, they provide some extra food so that they can make it through the weekend. Today our team visited 8 individuals. Putting our experience into words here would not do it justice, as these are the types of opportunities that God gives you to completely change your perspective on things. I will however note two lessons that have stuck with me all day.
The people we visited were in the direst of conditions. Very unsanitary, unhealthy, and helpless. I believe their one joy of the day is when the CMIAID team visits them. How often we fail to reach out to the least of these because we think someone else will do it or that it's not our calling. I was reminded that these are the types of people that Jesus spent the most time with and how will they believe if they do not hear?
I was also very humbles by the way Igor and Yuliev, the two brothers in charge of this ministry, so lovingly and humbly invest into these lives. They are both very young (28 and 29) and have had opportunities for secular work, but have devoted themselves to serve the Lord faithfully. Coming from such a self centered culture like America, today has been an eye opener. Lord willing, three more people from our team will help out with the soup kitchen tomorrow.
Back at the base the rest of team continued to work hard and got a lot of work finished. Good progress was made on the mechanics pit and the back patio.Dave and Mark continued to do great work repaving the front patio. On a side note, Mark tore his ACL the week before the trip but has such a contagious work ethic. We are thankful that he and the rest of the team have all been healthy this week. Please keep that in your prayers. Continue to pray for the soup kitchen ministry also.
Starting next Monday, they are actually expanding to three more villages , and word is that the people in these villages are in situations worse than what we saw today.
Another long day working in the sun, but looking forward to tomorrow!

- Roby Matthew -