We recently became aware of an interesting article in Southern City, a publication of the North Carolina League of Municipalities that highlights the Bilateral relationship between the Republic of Moldova and the State of North Carolina.
The current situation in Moldova is not good. In spite of the current situation, we know that God is sovereign and we know that He is not surprised by any of this, and He remains in control! Please continue to pray for our Big Family in Moldova. Please pray that our young people will have peace about the situation going on around them. We are asking God for wisdom and His continued blessing and provision for the work that we are doing in Moldova.
Below is summary of the situation from Newsweek from 2/10/2023. (**Disclaimer - The views of Newsweek, do not reflect the views and values of Crossroads Compassion Project, nor do we in any way support or endorse the views or narratives reflected in the content on their website.) "Moldova's prime minister, Natalia Gavrilita, resigned on Friday, soon after her country confirmed reports that a Russian missile had entered its airspace. Gavrilita's resignation resulted in the collapse of Moldova's government. Her government was viewed as being pro-Western, and she was an outspoken ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky from neighboring Ukraine. Moldova has been hit recently with high inflation as well as an energy crisis after Russia reduced supplies. Concerns have also increased about Russia taking further action against Moldova since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine last February 24, especially since Russia maintains troops in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria. On Thursday, Zelensky told European Union leaders in Brussels that his country had intercepted plans by Russian security services of an alleged plot to "destroy" Moldova. Later that day, Moldova's Intelligence and Security Service released a statement saying it had received information that detailed Russian plans to destabilize the country. In discussing her decision to step down during a news conference, Gavrilita cited a lack of support for enacting her planned reforms but did not reference the recent report out of Ukraine about a Russian missile crossing over Moldova's airspace on early Friday. That report came from General Valeriy Zaluzhny, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, who announced that two Russian missiles were launched from the Black Sea and passed over the borders of Moldova and Romania before re-entering Ukraine. Romania, a member of NATO, later said a Russian missile had not crossed over borders. However, Moldova said that one of Putin's missiles violated its airspace. As a result, Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu summoned Russia's ambassador to Moldova over what he called an "unacceptable" incident. "If our government had had the same support at home as we had from our European partners, we could have advanced further and faster," Gavrilita said during her Friday press conference. "Moldova is entering a new phase, one in which security is our priority." She also said that no one expected her government to "have to manage so many crises caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine." Gavrilita last year publicly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Moldova welcomed hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees who fled because of the war. In an interview with CNN last summer, Gavrilita said Moldova was "very worried" of being the next country targeted by a Russian invasion. "If a country can start an annexation war without any regard for international law, then in this sense, nobody is safe," Gavrilita said. "I think a lot of countries are worried." https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-loses-ally-after-warning-that-putin-planned-destroy-moldova-1780423 On October 5th, we had a party with the Big Family in Durlesti to celebrate 10 years of ministry in Moldova. On January 7th we had our "U.S." 10 year anniversary celebration, just down the road from the "World Headquarters" in Claremont, NC. This was the perfect time to celebrate since the Druta family is visiting the U.S. right now. We organized a "Meet & Greet" for them and invited our supporters to come and spend time with us, and let us say "Thank you" to them for making this ministry a reality. The ladies worked hard to put together some amazing traditional Moldovan dishes, along with coffee and tea. We had about 40 people that came to spend time with us and celebrate what God has accomplished in the last 10 years, through this group of people. We were really excited that Sylvia got to come and celebrate with us. Sylvia is one of our young ladies that was with us in Moldova. She missed the party in Durlesti, but finally got to celebrate with us in Claremont! Our young people in Moldova could not be here in person to share their gratitude with those who make this work possible. So they sent their greetings and "Thank yous" by way of this video. Thank you to all of you that were able to come and celebrate with us, and we missed those of you that could not make it! As we celebrate 10 years of ministry, for the 10th time we want to wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS!  This past week the Fresh Start Project became a reality. Several new "Semi-Automatic" washing machines were delivered to the Village of Loganesti. These machines are already blessing the refugees. Visit the "Fresh Start Project" under our "Compassion in Action" link for more details and some photos. THANK YOU to our generous donors who made this project a possibility!
The observance of "Orphan Sunday" is not an "Event" for Crossroads Compassion Project. It is just another Sunday. Orphan care is a way of life for us. It is who we are and what we do. Please take some time to consider the plight of orphans living in today's world and ask yourself this question... "What am I going to do about this?" "Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It's easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes." David Platt ~ From the book Radical  The seeds of Orphan Sunday come as a gift from the church in Africa, through a Zambian pastor’s passionate call to care for orphans in a community that had been ravaged by AIDS and poverty. Members of the church faced deep needs themselves. But as the service ended, one after another stepped forward with money, food, and other goods – some even taking off their own shoes and placing them in the offering for orphans.
In 2009, the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) began providing united leadership to make Orphan Sunday a catalyst for awareness and year-round action worldwide. Today, churches and organizations around the world observe Orphan Sunday annually. We recently became aware of an opportunity to serve Ukrainian refugees in Moldova in a very practical way during these challenging times of uncertainty for them. While recently ministering to these precious people in a remote village, we realized that they have been doing their laundry by hand. Not only is this difficult work, but it also takes a toll on the clothing that they are washing. Not to mention, with the winter weather upon them, this presents a whole new set of challenges for them.
Crossroads Compassion Project has started the "Fresh Start Project" and we will be strategically placing electric washing machines in villages to help these refugees and others in the village launder their clothes. This project will help to ease this burden while helping them maintain good hygiene and personal dignity. We want to thank our ministry partners who are making this possible through their generous donations. The cost of a machine is approximately $200USD. If you would like to contribute to the Fresh Start Project, you can make a donation under "Compassion in Action - Moldova" on our secure donation portal. |