Thirteen seminars aimed at
widows, who are Christians of Evangelical Baptist Church
Union, were conducted on June 10-17 in seven regions
of Moldova.
|
 |
 |
|
Olga Mocan
|
| |
|
Sisters, responsible for women services,
and Pastors gathered widow Christians in their regions. Nearly
all the women, who can walk, arrived at those meetings. Widows
from villages participated in the event.
The seminars were organized by sisters
from Pennsylvania State, USA, in cooperation with the Women
Department of EBCU of Moldova represented by its President
Olga Mocan.
The general sponsor was Janice Venger. Introducing her work,
she shared the following: «I work with Crosslinks Mission,
that can be translated as "links between countries".
I regularly arrive to Moldova since 1989, meet various people
here, not only Christians, collect information about their
needs, and when I am back in America, I tell brothers and
sisters about it, we pray, and the Lord gives us finances
and strength to help. I am always amazed at those wonderful
ways the Lord uses to form groups which are to go with me
to Moldova. The same feeling was this year. While collecting
this group, I did not understand why the Lord takes just young
ladies and again I was made sure it was His will! Here they
are, the young ladies who desire to serve as a consolation
to Moldovan widows.»
The four young women introduced themselves, told about their
lives and sang balm psalms for widows.
Michael Veber witnessed: "I am
28 years old. I am a widow. On the 6th of September, 2003,
I was married. In two days, when we were at our honeymoon
journey, my husband got into a fatal accident. I was not at
the place, where it happened. Two policemen came to me and
told that my husband is dead. I started crying immediately:
«Oh, Lord, help me!» And He strengthened me and gave me His
power to endure this grief. I called my parents - the in laws
- and the Pastor. They immediately set out for me and were
driving for 9 hours without any brake, while I was talking
to the policemen. I shared the Word of God which I had read
with him in that morning. It was Psalm 73:26: «…God
is the strength of my heart and my portion forever…».
The policemen acquainted me with local Christians. That very
day, 10 Christians prayed together with me. I had not known
them, but they were brothers and sisters, who wished at those
difficult days be God's tools. They shared verses from the
Bible with me. I was especially touched by 4th and 5th verses
from Isaiah, 54 Chapter:
"Do not fear, for you will
not be ashamed;
Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame;
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
For your Maker is your husband,
The Lord of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called "the God of the whole earth." (NKJV).
I am grateful to the Lord that I was
born in a Christian family and for the Christians who were
with me during those grievous days. That experience strengthened
my faith much more, and made me be closer to God. When I was
put on trial, He was with me. He was my expectancy, my solid
base, my hope. The Lord is always faithful!"
All the women were listening to this
testimony with tears in their eyes.
Widows living in Moldova also told
their testimonies:
Sister Mila from Belti city told:
"We, widows, are united by the same pain: the lost of
our husbands. It is difficult for me to recall it… I
did not reach 34 years old when my husband died. He was a
good husband. Our sixth child was born, and my husband was
carrying it in his hands like a treasure. We were rejoicing,
when once our doctor noticed that my husband does not look
well. He was taken to hospital. He appeared to catch an infectious
heart disease. I was with him all the time and did not leave
the hospital room while he was going off. When he died, I
did not know what to tell my six children. His death turned
to be an unexpected pain for everyone. My house was filled
with consoling people. I was told that I should be strong
and courageous, to be calm in order not to frighten the children.
I could not believe that this was happening to me. My children
and me kneeled and I said: «Dear Lord, here I am with my children,
we are all in Your Hand». And the Lord did not abandon us.
He sent me those who consoled me and provided help. God helped
me to educate the children properly. He helped us in all our
needs. Once we did not have bread at home. We prayed, and
immediately heard a doorbell. A sister came and brought us
bread, milk, warm knitted hats and mittens. I can assure you:
God will never leave you. That's why never say die."
In every place we visited, sisters
shared things the Lord did for them. When we visited the south
of Moldova, Colibas village, one of Christians told a really
unusual story. Her husband and she did not have a child, that's
why they decided to adopt two orphans. The war began, and
her husband was killed in it. One of Christian brothers lost
his wife. She died leaving seven children. This man married
her, and she became his children's mother. However, in the
next year he also died. The woman again became a widow, but
this time she had already nine children. The Lord gave her
strength to raise them. Now they are all Christians. She said:
«The Lord has always been with me! He has been my Helper and
Counselor!»
These women are real "the just
live by faith".
The President of the Women Department
of EBCU encouraged the widows: «Dear sisters, though your
life is very difficult, the Lord always supports you. Ruth,
Chapter 2, verse 12 says: «The Lord repay your work, and a
full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under
whose wings you have come for refuge». Jesus Himself, when
He was on the earth, took care of widows. Being crucified
on Golgotha cross, when His Body was mauled and blooded, His
thoughts were about two problems: He worried about sinners
(He told the robber: «…Assuredly, I say to you, today
you will be with Me in Paradise…») and about the Mother,
who, obviously, was a widow already. He delegated her to His
disciple, saying to him: «Behold your mother!» and saying
to her: «Woman, behold your son!» He always cared and cares
about widows.
God wants that «she who is really
a widow and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications
and prayers night and day…bringing up children, lodging
strangers, washing the saints' feet, relieving the afflicted,
diligently following every good work (1Timothy 5:5, 10), like
Anna did serving God with fasting and prayers night and day
(Luke 2:36). The poor old lonely Naomi, a widow, took care
not of herself, but of Ruth! «My daughter, shall I not seek
security for you, that it may be well with you?» (Ruth, Ch.3,
v.1) Ruth did everything as her mother-in-law told her, and
the Lord blessed her. Therefore, we'll pray for all the widows,
especially for young ones, that the Lord will give them families
in accordance with 1Timothy 5:14»
The seminars finished with encouraging
verses from Jeremiah, Chapter 49, verse 11:
Leave your fatherless children,
I will preserve them alive;
And let your widows trust in Me. (NKJV)
We are grateful to the Lord and our
Mennonite sisters who helped us to make these events for our
widows.
At the end of the seminars charity
lunches were made, and every widow received a present. The
participants were deeply touched and sincerely glad.
Olga Mocan
back to
top
Table of
Contents
|
