General situation
in Moldova
Many refugees in Moldova come from the south of Ukraine, from Odessa, Kherson or Mariupol. It is estimated that about one third stay in Moldova, the rest move on towards the EU. In addition to the official agencies, many volunteers and churches cooperate. It is wonderful to see how the local population helps out and gets involved despite the limited resources.
Our (new) everyday life
in Vadul lui Voda
Every day our Pentecostal church in Vadul lui Voda provides a temporary homefor about 30 refugees. We are a team of about 10 volunteers who work around the clock, seven days a week. In addition to the work for the refugees, we continue to run our lunch table for children and cook the food for Boscana.
Morning
Prepare breakfast
The van either goes to the border, takes fugitives to embassies and doctors in Chisinau or drives to Bucharest airport (Romania)
Mid-morning
Wash bed linen
Clean church
Cooking lunch for the seniors in the village and the children’s lunch table
Afternoon
Lunch for the children
Distribute food in Boscana
Prepare dinner
Evening
Guests arrive from the border
Have dinner and spend time together
Night
Several times a night more guests arrive or call us because they have not found a place to sleep and want to be picked up.
Food for Boșcana
Besides the work for the refugees, the locals are not forgotten. That is why we continue to distribute a hot meal every day during the week. We pick up the cooked portions at the church and drive them out with our Büsli.
On special days, we also bring small gifts, for example, small gifts on World Women’s Day or Men’s Day, or sometimes fresh pastries.
In addition, we also take care of tasks that would normally be handled by institutions or insurance companies in Switzerland. Last week, for example, we took one of our seniors to the hospital for some tests. We paid for it from our private money, because health insurance is too expensive for many Moldovans. The importance of this commitment became apparent a few days later when we were in conversation with him. When asked if he had anyone who could help him, he said “No, you are my only contacts.”
Unfortunately, this is the reality for some elderlies in the villages, as their younger relatives move to the capital if possible.
How are we
It is nice to help, and the support we receive from Europe is wonderful. The warm weather not only makes it easier for us, it also makes life more bearable for the seniors in the village.
The kids play a lot in the garden and enjoy the first flowers – and we parents enjoy the fact that we can let them out without having to spend an hour cleaning muddy shoes and clothes afterwards.
What happens next
Not much has changed since the last newsletter. As long as we remain safe, we will continue to work as planned in Boscana and Vadul lui Voda.
Since Corona is no longer a big issue for us, we hope to be able to hold events again soon, for example children’s days or courses for mothers.
