Podcast: Download (Duration: 4:46 — 3.3MB)
A performance by the men's choir in front of a gathering of people with disabilities was a moving moment that we had not expected before our trip.
From May 8th to 14th of this year, we traveled to Moldova with the men's choir of the Speyer and Schwegenheim congregations. Our group comprised 38 brothers, all of whom shared the desire to carry out various manual labor projects on site. We had already dispatched a truck loaded with aid supplies and materials, which we had previously prepared in Cloppenburg. The truck contained a photovoltaic system, several pallets of plaster, other building materials, and tools. And so we set off – some by car, others by plane.
On the evening of May 9th, we received a warm welcome from Bishop Viktor Kuljak and his brothers. He invited us to a dinner at the Manana Restaurant in Sarata Galbena. Our accommodation was at the mission center, where we also carried out most of our practical work.
We started work on Saturday, dividing ourselves into several groups to tackle the diverse tasks. One group continued the paving work that had already begun – a total of around 600 [units of measurement]. m² were laid. Another group plastered the basement rooms in the new building of the retirement home with textured plaster. At the same time, a third team began installing a donated 100 kWp photovoltaic system on the roof of the mission building.
We had originally planned to include various electrical work in our trip. However, this had thankfully already been completed a few weeks earlier by a group from the municipality of Ramstein, who had been working there before us.
The welding work turned out to be unexpectedly extensive: Thanks to the preliminary work done by the brothers from Ramstein, we gained additional time, allowing us to carry out this work on a significantly larger scale than originally planned.
The installation of the photovoltaic system was only definitively confirmed two weeks before departure. In retrospect, we can say that – despite some restructuring – all planned work was successfully completed.
On Sunday, our men's choir had the privilege of participating in the church service at Sarata Galbena. By God's grace, we were able to enrich the entire service with sermons, testimonies, and choral and group songs. It was a richly blessed service – both for the congregation and for ourselves.
After lunch, we continued on to Chișinău, the capital of Moldova, where we were also able to serve in the local church. This service, too, was characterized by God's palpable presence. Afterwards, we took the opportunity to explore the city a little before returning to our accommodation, tired but grateful.
Monday and Tuesday were once again dedicated to practical work. A particular highlight, however, was Monday evening: On the mission grounds is a home for people with disabilities – many of whom had been rejected by their families because of their limitations. There, we were very unexpectedly invited to participate in a conference for people with disabilities. It was a great joy for us to sing with the choir, share our own testimonies, and also hear some deeply moving life stories.
It became clear that this trip had spiritually strengthened our entire group and united us in a special way. This connection was also palpable during a later presentation in our home church. At the end of our trip, we all agreed: We had experienced much grace. It was an eventful, blessed, and unforgettable journey.
Thank God for everything!
Alexander Akulenko,
Municipality of Speyer
