Pray for Moldova

Moldova Today Moldova’s recent history has been one of changing borders and, as a result, changing rulers. Once it was part of Romania, then for decades it was under the Soviet Union until that empire began to crumble with the fall of Communism in the early nineties; then it became an independent republic in its own right. Since then, it has not been immune from internal troubles having experienced war in the breakaway region of Transnistria. This section of the country is not recognised by any major country in the world, its claim to fame being that it has a division of the Russian army there. During the Russian era of dominance, Moldova was a reasonably prosperous country with a flourishing agriculture, much heavy industry, and fruitful vineyards spreading over its low sprawling hills. The capital Kishinev was a favourite holiday haunt of some of the Soviet leaders. 

The Moldovan Parliament

Underachievement Since its independence it seemed to proceed down the road to democracy, only to return the Communist Party to power again. Its story has been one of underachievement because of corruption and lack of visionary leadership. The potential of this little country of four and a half million people is enormous, having some of Europe’s best land, capable of producing enough food for the population and leaving a lot more to export. But sadly, this potential has not been developed to full capacity. With independence, Moldova lost its chief market in Russia. In addition the country’s infrastructure would appear to be going backwards, with only very minor improvements having been made. For some years now it has been classed as the poorest country in Europe.

Cave churches at Old Orhei

Chisinau is the capital and largest city

Evangelical growth in recent years. Peter Mihalchiuk, an experienced Moldovan church planter and senior pastor, reports that in the early 1990s there were just over 100 small evangelical churches or preaching centres — one church for every 15 towns and villages. Today there are more than 800 evangelical churches — one evangelical church for every five towns or villages.

Pray for Moldova Pray for evangelical churches to be planted in the remote villages of Moldova as well as in the large cities. 1 Pray that Moldovan Christians will be willing to stay in their homeland rather than emigrate to other countries in Europe or to the US. 2 Pray that there will be a transformation and reformation of the orthodox church which dominates the religious life of the nation. 3