Pics of Filipeni

Author: Jon Watson /











toilet and shower


































Kitchen









The house/church we were staying in.






















On the way to Filipeni












Durerile si Frumusetile Moldovei

Author: Jon Watson /

Dragii mei,

Ieri ne-am intors cu bine la Medias dupa o luna de misiune petrecuta in Moldova!

Primele 3 saptamani le-am petrecut in Cahul unde am organizat o scoala de misiune de vara, apoi am mers pt. o saptamana in misiune, o echipa a mers in satul Filipeni, iar alta in satul Caslita unde am lucrat intr-o tabara de zi cu copii si adolescentii.

In ciuda circumstantelor politice exista o foame si deschidere pentru Dumnezeu printre oamenii din Moldova.

Grupul de studenti erau atat de insetati dupa cunoasterea Adevarului!
Sunt convinsa ca ce au invatat vor da mai departe!

Desi majoritatea familiilor au pe cineva drag prin Italia, Grecia, Rusia si multi altii vor sa plece din tara datorita situatiei economice, m-am bucurat sa intalnesc tineri care sunt crestini dedicati si vor sa aduca o schimbare in tara lor. Unii si-au deschis mici afaceri, altii lucreaza in educatie, altii lucreaza cu diferite organizatii. Din marturiile lor mi-am dat seama ca este foarte greu sa ramai ferm Adevarului intr-o societate atat de corupta, presiunile din afara sunt foarte mari si in fiecare zi te lupti cu descurajarea! Rugati-va pt.ei ca Dumnezeu sa le intareasca viziunea lor de a locui in tara si a aduce o schimbare!

Bisericile din Sud cu care am colaborat se straduiesc sa raspunda nevoilor de acolo. Majoritatea au un centru de zi pentru copii ce provin din familii disfunctionale sau de alcoolici. Ofera consiliere, sunt foarte pasionati in evanghelizare de la om la om, au grupuri de studiu biblic si ucenicie, organizeaza tabere de vara pt. copii si tineri si marea parte din lucrarile lor o fac cu resursele proprii.

In ciuda conditiilor grele de trai din Moldova, femeile si-au pastrat acel mers drept ( pe care pana acum nu l-am observat daca nu-mi spunea unul dintre profesorii din Romania care a venit sa predea la scoala de misiune de vara) ceea ce arata o rezistenta interioara si abilitate de a lupta si a te confrunta cu realitatea dura a vietii.

Moldovenii desi la prima vedere par un popor linistit, sunt luptatori si nu renunta usor!
Rugati-va acum in apropierea alegerilor, 29 iulie ca Dumnezeu sa binecuvinteze aceasta popor si sa-i dea speranta si un viitor!

Marta Dunas

And so this is life in Filipeni...

Author: Jon Watson /

Two days ago we were hanging out with some of the youth from Filipeni in the afternoon, just getting to know them and find out about thier lives and culture. I asked one of the guys, "so what does your normal day look like?" He answered, " Well...I wake up, smoke a cig, call my friends, we drink some beer all day, go to the disco at night then we call some girls....and so this is life in Filipeni." Sadly, most people are not proud to be a Moldovan. Most are ashamed to say that they are from Moldova. He told us that about every six months he goes to Moscow to work for a while then comes back to Filipeni. He said that I he could, he would just move there and never come back! Most of the youth of Moldova leave when they get the chance becuase life is so hard here and it is very hard to make a decent living. Moldova is also the poorest country in Europe.

About the Culture
We were also able to get to know a little about the local pastor last night as he shared with us about his ministry in a neighbooring town called Leova and Filipeni. The pastor told us that he and his wife work with 3 diffrent orphanages. When he is not pastoring he is repairing shoes as a cobbler. After studing theology in Romania he married and moved to Leova and has been here since 1993. He let us know when he came to Leova the church numbered about 39, but since then some have left the faith, moved, or died. Others left the church after a recent church split that they have expierenced. He has beenHe told us that the district that Filipeni is located in has a total of 39 villages. Out of these 39 villages only 7 have Christians living in them. Now, all the villages have an Orthodox church located in them but this does not mean that the people are Christian and have a relationship with God. He told us a story about a woman in one of the villages that decided that she wanted to have her child babtized. So, she went to the church on Sunday and no one was there! It was empty! She said that the church just serves more as a historical monument than a meeting place for Christians. Out of the 7 villages that have Christians, the number is few...about 100 Christians total out of the 39 villages.
The People
He informed us that even though people may be very hospitable, they are not so open to recieve the gospel. They may believe that God exist but they have no interest in going to church, reading the Bible, or doing any of the other things that come with professing to be a Christian. One of the main problems in the area is alcoholism. Many people just drink wine, or beer if they don't have wine, all day...get up the next morning and do the same. Most have a very negative view of Christianity. They believe that when you become a Christian you are basically closing your life. They associate the Christian life with the words boring, tradition, rules and regulations. Why would anyone want to become a Christian? When someone does recieve Christ the surrounding community asks them..."are you crazy? What are you doing?"
Discussion Time
Yesterday was an encouraging day for us. As I shared before, every evening around 5pm we go to the local soccer field and meet a bunch of kids for a type of youth camp. Recently, the teenagers have been closed to discussing Biblical issues, but yesterday after sharing a little teaching on faith, trust and hearing God speak, some of the girls from the group opened up and stared asking alot of questions. This is a good sign because the comunistic culture here teaches kids not to ask questions and not to engauge in discussion when being taught. But we encouraged them to do so. So, they were asking us all kinds of questions and we were able to expain to them what we have learned and give biblical basis for each of our answers. They were asking so many questions that we had to cut the time short or we would have been there all night! We told them to come back today with more questions. Hopefully this time is strengthening thier faith in God.
Prayer Points
-Pray for us as we continue to work with the kids and teenagers, we have two more times with them and then we leave on Saturday.
-Pray for the issues I shared earlier about the culture and the negative view of Christianity.
-That God keeps the Christians strong in the area.
-For more people to rise up in the other districts that don't have Christians to start some type of ministry.

The Simple Life

Author: Jon Watson /

We have now entered our last leg of our internship and the mini DTS. For the last week we have split into two teams to do outreach. We came to a little village about 2 hrs from Cahul called Filipena and the other team went to anther village called Caslitea. Our main tasks are to conduct a type of church camp for the youth of the villages for the week that we are here. We had a chance to speak with the other team that went to Caslitea yesterday and they said that they are doing really well and they have about 20 children attending their meetings.

More about Filipena
The life here is the simple farm life. Everyone has thier own gardens and produces alot of thier own food. Everyone seems to have a grape vine, an apple tree and a few chickens...maybe some geese and some turkeys! The place that we are staying is a old farm house that serves as a meeting place for the church in this area. It is also located near one of the many commuinty wells in the area. Me and Brian have had the privalage to fetch our daily water from the commuinty well. This is a moment that we really enjoy every evening and morning because we get to meet new people from the village there... plus the water is frezzing cold and quenches the thirst! Another expierence that we really enjoy is eating fresh sweet apples everyother day from one of the apple trees in the yard of the house that we are staying in. There are a few bee boxes here too. One of the men from the church came to harvest some of the honey from the box the other day and was kind enough to give us a jar on Sunday at church.
Yesterday was our first day with the kids. We had a really big turn-out. Some taught the children and others worked with the teenagers. Me, Brian and Virgina are working with the teenagers while Vironica, Annia and Ducia are working with the little children. We just spent most of the afternoon getting to know the teenagers while the children learned about creation. After this we played some games with the football (soccer ball). Today we will be having more of a discussion time with the teenagers and telling them about the person of Jesus and his character. Pray for us and the kids. That God would use us as tools to work in the hearts of the kids and that the kids would be open.

The past week or so...

Author: Jon Watson /


The teaching was on "the world between your ears" or worldview.
The students having a time of Bible study before classes begin. We are studying the book of Nehemiah.
Cahul!


This is the wonderful view of Cahul. Pray for this city, the harvest is ripe and many people are searching for a personal relationship with Christ.

This was last weeks teacher. It was a great week and the students were challenged in many ways.

Children of Chisinau
Orthodox church in Chisinau

Orthodox church that we visited
Orthodox preist praying for a family


We visited the botanical gardens in Chisinau

This is the president's house that was recently burned in the revolution.
This is the parlement house in the capital that was recently burned in the revolution in April. The reason for the revoltion was because many people believed that the elections were rigged for the communist party. It is now under reconstruction. Pray that the new elections will go well and that the right person will be elected.


We visited the capital last weekend. This is the man that is printed on all the money. He is famous for building many churches throughout Moldova during his reign.
Pray for the Gypsy communiy in Moldova. They have a unique nomadic culture. And There ways are alot diffrent than the native Moldovans. Tentions between these two people groups have existed for a long time. Ask God that he would begian to break down the barriers and old sterotypes.

Poezii

Author: Jon Watson /

SOVEREIGN
Lord, you are sovereign
Bigger than I know,
Untamed and out-of-control
When I think I know you,
you show me more.
You move in ways I never knew,
now I see it's all up to you.
You do as you choose.
You cannot be put in a box.

You look over my faults.
Your grace is unconditional,
always at work.
Even when I have fallen face first in the dirt
Give me the strength to run after you with all of my heart.
All of my longings are before you
and you know my ways.
You have planned all of my days.
I am stretching my mind, I cannot comprehend
all that you are and do, there is no end.
So majestic and worthy of praise,
I will continue to give you all of my days!
~Jon Watson

STARE


I stare
I stare from the window as you knock
The curtains hide my face and the door is locked
l look at the clock...its been a while.
You've been waiting...knocking

Unexpectedly you came
The junk has piled up,
Its dirty and there's a stench inside
Secrets hide in the shadows ashamed and tender
Afraid to let you in
What will you see?
Are you ready?
To this door, it is I that holds the key
Please...just let me be

Your still knocking...
You know I'm there
Presistant because you care
Still...I stare
Frozen with fear
Afraid to let you in
Your knocking on my heart
Time has passed and it's getting dark
Still...your there...knocking
I Stare

You are familiar with all my ways
In the ancient garden it was the same
You searching in the cool of the day
Us hiding full of fear and shame
playing foolish games
Where are you? I can hear you say

~Jon Watson





Meditatii

Author: Jon Watson /

Tot ce veţi cere cu credinţă, prin rugăciune, veţi primi. Matei 21:22

Dese ori am citit versetul acesta, chiar i-am încurajat pe alţii în rugăciune prin acest adevăr.

Dar într-o dimineaţă Dumnezeu mi-a vorbit mai personal şi mi l-a lipit de inimă. Era momentul în care am primit o nouă idee pentru rugăciune.

Dumnezeu mi-a vorbit că atunci când voi fi în Cahul în misiune să fac un marş de rugăciune în fiecare dimineaţă şi să mă rog pentru oraşul meu. Nu eram sigură dacă voi reuşi să fac asta în fiecare dimineaţă…Aşadar, mă frământam şi ceream călăuzirea Lui în continuare.

Şi adevărul acestui verset a fost ca o încurajare, dar şi ca un advertisment.

Eu îmi doresc aşa mult să văd o schimbare de amploare în oraşul meu şi Dumnezeu mi-a spus că e posibil, dacă cer cu o inimă plină de credinţă. În acelaşi timp mi-a spus ca să fiu atentă când îi voi cere schimbare pentru Cahul. Eu trebuie să cer totul prin credinţă.

Deja e o săptămână de când El mă conduce cu mare credincioşie în această luptă a rugăciunii prin oraşul.

Dimineţile sunt aşa frumoase aici! Soarele e mai binevoitor…viaţa e mai tainică.

Nu ştiu de ce???

Străzile sunt pline de oameni care aleargă la serviciu…de maşini, de autocare etc.

Şi prin puterea Sa mă plimb pe aceste străzi sau stau pe o bancă şi mă rog specific. De fiecare dată am cerut ca El să-mi dea rugăciunile portivite, cuvintele potrivite pentru anumite locuri din Cahul. Nu văd nimic acum înaintea sau după rugăciunile mele, dar sunt aşa de încredinţată că voi primi ceea ce acum cer în rugăciune. Mereu Îi cer să ierte păcatele care domnesc peste oamenii de aici, să aducă o transformare radicală în viaţa oamenilor, să folosească toţi copiii Lui pentru restaurarea Împărăţiei Sale în Cahul.

Şi măreţia Dumnezeului meu se descoperă mai mult în viaţa mea de credinţă. Îi simt inima de Tată pentru tot oraşul Cahul, îi simt durerea şi preocuparea pentru cei pierduţi. Am înţeles că are un vis pentru mine referitor la oraşul meu. Dar am înţeles că şi bătălia e mare, e aprigă, e continuă….

Am învăţat să atac în rugăciune, nu numai să lupt! Să proclam cu autoritate cuvinte de binecuvântare peste Universitate, Primărie, Teatru, Muzeu. Să cer lucruri mari, pentrucă am un Dumnezeu infinit de puternic.

Şi în frumuseţea şi profunzimea acestei comunicări pe care o am în fiecare dimineaţă cu Tata, am primit idei cum să mă implic şi să aduc transformare.

Într-o dimineaţă mă rugam pentru Teatrul din Cahul. E o echipă bună de actori pe care o apreciez… Dumnezeu mi-a dat ideea ca să le propun scenetele pe care le scriu eu. Astfel am speranţa că mesajul lui Dumnzeu va fi transmis publicului. E o idee doar…E un început…Dar voi continua să mă rog şi să visez cu Dumnezeul meu.

Schimbă rugăciunea situaţiile???

Eu cred că da!!!

Şi mai cred că Dumnezeu foloseşte acest timp de rugăciune prin oraş pentru a face în viitor lucrări mari în Cahul. El m-a chemat să colaborez în lucrarea Sa. Tot ce am făcut, am spus:” Da, Tată!” Apoi am acţionat!

Dar nimic nu se compară acum cu viaţa mea anterioară de rugăciune.

Nimic nu mai este ca mai înainte în Cahul. Acum văd oraşul prin ochii lui Dumnezeu.

EL VA FACE LUCRURI MARI ÎN ORAŞUL MEU!!!

Virginia



Vise mari!!!

Era o după-amiază frumoasă!!!

Obosită mă întorceam acasă după lecţii. Discutam cu prieteni de ai mei despre diferite subiecte.

De obicei îmi place să comunic şi să-i cunosc pe cei care sunt în preajma mea. Asta făceam şi acum…

Îl întrebam pe unul dintre prietenii mei de ce mulţi tineri nu acceptă să discute despre subiectul Inima de Tată a lui Dumnezeu. E vorba despre caracterul real a lui Dumnezeu faţă de noi, copiii Săi. Fiindcă venim din familii disfuncţionale, Îl vedem pe Dumnezeu ca tatăl nostru biologic. Or acesta este un mod gresit de-al vedea pe Dumnezeu…

Din discutie in discutie, am ajuns sa discutam despre ce am trait noi cand am inteles ca Dumnezeu e un Tata adevarat. Era chiar o discutie interesanta si plina de amintiri.

Apoi un coleg ne impartasea ce fel de tata isi doreste el sa fie pentru copiii lui. Cand va avea copii vrea sa-i iubeasca cu adevarat, sa-i educe corect, sa-i pedepseasca corect. Astfel copiii lui sa creasca cu o imagine corecta despre Cine este Dumnezeu cu adevarat. El spunea ca isi doreste sa fie un model de tata care sa reflecte chipul lui Dumnezeu corect.

Pentru un moment am avut asa o bucurie in inima; o descoperire divina!!!

Ma gandeam, Doamne, noi suntem niste tineri asa simpli, dar ai pus in noi asa vise mari si frumoase.

Suntem diferiti si venim din familii disfunctionale. Avem in mintea noastra amintiri dureroase despre familii noastre: nu am avut suficienta comunicare cu parintii nostri, nu am avut parte de imbratisari, nu am fost incurajati ca sa luptam in viata, nu am fost apreciati pentru ceea ce am facut, nu am fost invatati cum sa incepem o relatie de prietenie fata-baiat etc. Si toate aceste lacune ne-au facut sa crestem disproportional. Pentru ca azi mai avem inca ranile “copilului orfan”. Am suferit destul de multe ca si adolescenti, apoi ca si tineri. Unii am ajuns la 19 ani sa spunem ca nu ne vom casatori niciodata, altii sa ne aruncam cu indiferenta pe caile vietii. Am ales un anturaj bolnav de alcool, droguri, distractie murdara etc. Ne-am refugiat in mediile acestea, considerand ca acolo vom gasi ceea ce nu am primit din familie…

Dar ne-am inselat, cand am fost tradati si folositi…

Apoi am suferit in singuratate si am ajuns la disperare…

Viata nu mai avea nici un sens…la doar 20-21 de ani.

Si acum am descoperit ca inima noastra e plina de vise mari. Ne dorim sa ne facem viitorii copii cu adevarat fericiti. Vrem sa luptam pentru ca sa avem familii sanatoase, cu relatii in care sa-L reflectam pe Dumnezeu ca Tata.

De unde vin toate aceste dorinte???

Doar noi am trait in familii care nu L-au cunoscut pe Dumnezeu, nu ne-au implinit multe dintre nevoile noastre…

Adevarat, ca numai Tu, Dumnezeul nostru, ai schimbat inima noastra, ai cucerit viata noastra cu dragostea Ta. Ai facut inima sensibila la dragostea Ta, la chemarea Ta de-a trai o viata implinita prin Tine.

Apoi ai pus vise marete si frumoase in noi!!!

Ai pus dorinta de creea a familii sanatoase; de a pretui ceea ce Tu ai creat si ai intentionat sa fie viata de familie. Ne-ai facut chiar sa tanjim dupa asta. Ne inveti cum sa Te reflectam ca Tata plin de dragoste in familie.

Si minunat ca vindeci ranile din inima noastra, scoti mentalitatea de “copil orfan” din noi.

Da, acestia suntem noi!!! Niste tineri simpli, dar care au vise mari de la Tine. Prin care doresti sa schimbi lumea si societatea aceasta. Si eu cred ca vom avea putere suficienta de la Tine ca sa facem diferenta intr-o lume care are nevoie de dragoste.

PUTEREA TA ESTE NEMARGINITA!!!

Virginia