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To demonstrate the love of Christ to people affected by
disaster, conflict and poverty
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2009 Gifts of Hope Team to Moldova


Photos courtesy of Susan Decker, Susan Johnson, Linda Ranz and Beth Weibling

Personal Reflections:

  • Located between Romania and the Ukraine, Moldova is in some sense a forgotten country. It is a country of little natural resources due to the contamination and nutrient depletion of its soil and little manufacturing due to surrounding countries capturing these resources when the Soviet Union divided. Moldova has the lowest GNP of all of Europe.

  • I felt like I walked into a country that lost its way decades ago. The result is a country that has lost hope. Yet the people want more: more for their children, more for their families and more for their country.

  • Medical Teams International is the one non-profit in the country permitted to help these people. Medical Teams International is working in various medical facilities by sending teams of doctors, physical therapists and dentists to help with medical needs. Medical Teams International has trained a staff of Moldovan medical people as instructors creating a highly successful Emergency Medical Service program. Now, every firefighter, police and teacher are trained in basic emergency training.

  • Our team traveled to Moldova to reach our arms out to the children and the people to say "WE CARE". With little gifts and lots of love, we shared the bigger gift of hope and friendship with the people. The result was hearing that many of these families have never had anyone knock at their door. Over and over, families said they have had no visitors and we show up with God's love.

  • My greatest image was having a teenager ask me to exchange the bible I mistakenly gave her with one in her language and she then clung that bible against her chest and smiled with thanks.

  • Hope! This country of wonderful people want change. From doctors to teachers to government people, they told us they want to learn, to be trained and to ultimately move their country forward giving the people of Moldova hope for the future.

Beth Weibling, 2009 GOH volunteer


To see Beth' stories in photos, click here.