Building a 5,493 Mile Bridge: Moldova Mission Trip

“I used to think church wasn’t for me, but I never knew it could be like THIS.”

Jenya, a Moldovan student, spoke those words last summer.  She experienced a summer camp that was created by a partnership between Buckhead Church’s high school students and God’s Design Church, our North Point Ministries partner church in Moldova.  That week of fun, music, games, talks, and new friendships helped open Jenya’s eyes to see the vivid difference between an old, stale religion and a vibrant, authentic relationship with Christ … and those that follow Him.

Jenya’s words are exactly the ones that we’re hoping to hear again.  Later this week we will travel the 5493 miles back to Chisinau, Moldova to help put on another great summer camp for students in the city.

To understand the gravity and importance of this mission (and why we are going), it helps to know a little bit about Moldova.  Moldova is one of the smallest and poorest countries in Eastern Europe.  Geographically, Moldova is a fifth of the size of the state of Georgia. The country is still living under the residual effects of living for so many years under Communist rule.  Most students in the city come from atheist families. Any experience with Christianity is likely Russian orthodox: a sect of Christianity where ritual and tradition has essentially replaced the Gospel.

Still, there is light and hope.  The new Moldovan generation is hungry for a “new” idea of Jesus and the church.  They feel emptiness, but are open to the relationships that model a passion for Christ.  They are eager to learn God’s truth.  That’s why we are, once again, taking 16 high school students from Buckhead halfway around the world to meet them.  We are ready to partner, again, with God’s Design to create for a fun, creative, summer   camp. We pray that the camp will help their church build relationships with their community and pave steps into their church.

Last summer was life changing for many Moldovan students, but was equally as moving and formative for OUR Buckhead Church students.  Seeing our students put their gifts, passions, and energy into serving Moldova was both inspiring and exciting to watch.  They came home wildly different than the group of teenagers that left Atlanta only ten days earlier.  This year stands to be just as impactful for them, as well.

We’re writing because we wanted to present two opportunities to partner with us.

First, please keep us in your prayers between July 16 -26.  Pray for safe travel, health, good team dynamics, wisdom to deal with inevitable curveballs, patience, energy, creativity, sensitivity to a different culture, and, mostly, a reliance on our Heavenly Father for all that we need.

Secondly, we wanted you to know about our financial needs and the opportunity to partner with us.  Our students have been hard at work raising money for six months now, but, as you can imagine, the current economy makes it quite difficult for a teenager to raise the $2000 per/student cost.  We still have a ways to go for this trip to break even.

If you feel that God is leading you to help financially, here’s how you can do that.  You can give online by going to https://ssl.northpoint.org/ssl/globalx .  Be sure to designate your gift for our trip in the “Trip Information” section, choose “Country: Moldova” and “Trip: Moldova InsideOut Summer Camp – 7/16/10 – 7/26/10.”  Thanks, in advance, for donating and helping us introduce Moldovan students to our amazing God.  Not only do you impact their lives, you will provide Buckhead Church students with a life changing experience.

Jamey Dickens (and the InsideOut Moldova Mission Team)

PS.  If you want to see pictures from last year’s trip, take a look at this four-minute highlight video.  Special thanks to Casey Darnell for providing the music for it off of his new EP album, “Anthem!”