Telenesti Part One

Monday morning, March 22, I was picked up by Natasha and Adrian (a family to family coordinator) to visit the Turcan family in Telenesti. 

Natasha met me in front of the hotel bearing what appeared to be a flag of surrender.  Upon closer inspection, it was a great calling card (MWB logo on front).


First we stopped at the Mission Without Borders office in Chisinau.  I was able to  meet Ion Groza, the mission director for Moldova and  take a tour of the offices.  We then left for Telenesti,  stopping at the warehouse to pick up some food supplies for the coordinator (Adrian) to distribute.
Upon arrival in Telenesti, we drove to the house of the Turcan family.  I was surprised (in a good way) to recognize Pavel (the father) who met us at the gate to their house.  The latest update I  had received said that he had left the country seeking employment.  He had returned and was working on fixing up their house.
After introductions, I was able to tell my story and hear a bit of their story.  Pavel and his family serve as missionaries/church workers at two churches in the area.  The four children remaining at home are active in both churches.  Several  years ago, Pavel was able to leave Moldova and study at a Bible college in Romania (Oradea).  There they had three boys-Iosif (named after Joseph from the Old Testament-his father says he has many of Joseph’s character traits), Imanuel (named after the Emmanuel church in Oradea), and Paul (named after Paul Negrut- president of Emanuel University where Pavel attended).  Daughter Naomi (who was a comfort to Ruth in the OT) was born after the family returned to Moldova.  She was a comfort during difficult times as the living conditions in Moldova were much more difficult that during the stay in Romania.

But Pavel and his family feel called to their homeland of Moldova-to  preach the gospel there and be a light in that land.  They are enrolled in Mission Without Borders family to family program.  This program assists families with food, hygiene supplies, medicines, and special projects to assist them  during difficult times.  I feel so privileged to be connected to the Turcan family through this program.  Through their witness, I am able to be a partner in the gospel and enable them to stay in Moldova and be a witness to their friends and neighbors.

Before I left, I was astonished to find that they had prepared a gift for me!  It was a lighthouse clock.  Pavel said that lighthouses always point us in the right direction.  Following Jesus is like following the light from a lighthouse- it will always guide you safely.