Period of Work: 18 Jan – 29 Feb 2012

Location: Chisinau, Moldova, Eastern Europe

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Thank you for your continued solicitations to God, sacrifices, and support as we labor in the Lord’s Vineyard in Eastern Europe. I pray God to “supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Php 4.19, ESV). I apologize for such a lengthly report letter—there are just so many exciting things happening here! I’ll try to make it shorter and easier to read in the future.

PREACHING. God’s work he is doing with us (cp Acts 14.27; 15.4; 21.19) has gotten off to a good start. There are so many possibilities and opportunities that it is a little overwhelming! But, we know that “with God all things are possible” and that “he will carry [us] through.”

Chisinau. We have joined ourselves with the Lord’s church here. The church here meets at 4.00pm each Lord’s Day to worship. This is followed by an adult Bible class and a children’s Bible class. I have had the privilege to preach every Lord’s Day since our arrival.

I have preached on “The Blood of Jesus in John 19” (an extemporaneous exposition), “Unity Among the Jerusalem Church, Acts 2.42–47; 4.32–35,” “Being Eager to Maintain Unity, Eph 4.3,” “The Family: An Introduction, Eph 5.22–33,” and “Why Does the World Need the Gospel? Mark 16.15.” Lord willing, I plan to preach on the following themes each month: 1^st Lord’s Day: The Church; 2^nd Lord’s Day: The Family or the Individual; 3^rd Lord’s Day: Evangelism; 4^th Lord’s Day: Types and Shadows of Christ in the Old Testament; and 5^th Lord’s Day: Apostasy and Errors.

Thus far in our Bible classes we have only had QnA, and Serghei and I share the load in these situations. Although the first Lord’s Day we were here I was able to spend a little time talking about our plans and goals while here. Stacy, along with the help of Ira Vinocurova, has been teaching the children’s classes. She has started a year long study through the life of Christ. Lord willing, during our Lord’s Day Bible classes I plan to begin a series on The Basics of New Testament Christianity. This is a series I have taught several times in Sierra Leone and India. I’m hoping to further fine-tune the material and eventually make it available on my website. During our first mid-week Bible study, I’m leading us through a study of Genesis. During our second mid-week Bible study, Steve Brewer, via Skype, is leading us through a study of Hebrews.

Of special note, the church here in Chisinau was blessed with a visit from Phil Morgan, a shepherd and preacher with the church in New Castle, IN, from Friday, 24 February, through Wednesday, 29 February. He was on his way home from an evangelistic trip to Sierra Leone. He had the opportunity to teach in Bendery on Saturday, preach and teach in Tiraspol and Chi?in?u on the Lord’s Day, and teach classes in Chisinau (and to those online via Skype) on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. It was a blessing to have Phil here.

Through the efforts of the Christians here and the providential working of God, opportunities continue to present themselves for us to teach the gospel to those seeking the truth. Ira Vinocurova continues to work diligently in the orphanages to teach the children and young people about God. Because of her efforts, several teenagers have been visiting our assemblies lately and some of them have expressed a desire to obey the gospel. She, along with her husband and Serghei Corcimaru, continues to study with them.

Serghei Batalan, a former member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, obeyed the gospel a few months ago, but unfortunately he no longer wants to be associated with the church here because of our differences regarding the eternal existence of Jesus and the personhood of the Holy Spirit. We will continue to make efforts to study with him.

Balti. (Pronounced beltz.) Though some have fallen away, moved away, or passed away, the sisters here continue to press on. However, in recent days they have been very sick. Their sickness prevented Phil from being able to visit with them and it prevented them from assembling this last Lord’s Day. Serghei Corcimaru, Serghei Vinocurov, and I take turns visiting with this congregation made up of entirely women. Though they are few in number, they are striving to be faithful in all things.

Bendery. The church here is very active in spreading the gospel. There have been many visitors to the studies and worship assemblies, and many conversions in the last few months. Vasilii Vladov, who lives not too far from Bendery, is currently laboring among them in preaching and teaching. In addition to the several private studies conducted by members in their homes, the church meets regularly on Sunday mornings for worship and Bible study, Tuesday and Friday evenings (for the Skype studies), and Saturday mornings. Serghei C., Serghei V., and I have been traveling there on Saturday mornings to study with them. Since my arrival we have only had QnA sessions, but Serghei C. is nearing the end of a study through Revelation (I believe he is ready for chapter 20). After this study I will probably begin a new study with them. There are a lot of new converts here that need to be grounded with the milk of the word.

Tiraspol. The church here is also very active in spreading the gospel to friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, etc. They are currently meeting in the flat of Jenya, the daughter of Vera and Vasilii Nikolaev (the church used to meet in their flat). Besides the Nikolaev family, there are at least four other Christians who are a part of the church here. Vasilii N. is laboring among them in preaching and teaching, though he is very new to this. Because of all the recent visitors who have accepted the Christians’ invitations to come and study with them, the church asked Serghei C. to come and study with them each Lord’s Day. Serghei C., Serghei V., Phil Morgan, and I had the opportunity to visit with them for the first time since our arrival here this last Lord’s Day (though Serghei C. was able to visit with them the previous Lord’s Day). Serghei C., Serghei V., and I are trying to figure out the best arrangements for working with the churches in Balti and Tiraspol each Lord’s Day morning as well as our regular work with our own congregation in Chisinau each Lord’s Day evening.

PERSONAL. Our family is doing great! The flights over were very smooth. Stacy and I were pleasantly surprised at how the airport and airplane staffs (in all of the airports and planes) catered to our kids. This made it so much easier on us. Our kids received special treatment by going through separate lines, receiving special gifts and attention from several staff members, and they even got to go into the cockpit of one of the planes and push some of the buttons for the pre-flight tests!

Prior to our arrival, the weather here had been unseasonably warm and mild. But that all changed the day we arrived! Until just a few days ago we have not seen temperatures get above freezing, and for over a week the daily windchill was well below 0º F! Additionally, we have received 15–20 inches of snow since our arrival. The weather has had a negative, slowing effect on our ability to get things we need for our flat and to get work done in connection with meeting new people and spreading the gospel. But, we are slowly warming up (though it is really snowing as I write this) and things are starting to come together.

The Lord has truly blessed us with a nice, spacious flat. It is not as new and fancy as many American homes (or even many in Moldova), but it is a warm place that is slowly becoming our home. Stacy and I commented last night about how our flat was really starting to develop that homey feeling. We still need to get a few things, especially for my office, but it is really coming together.

The kids are adjusting to their new environment wonderfully. I have been amazed at how willing they are to try new things, meet new people, and go to new places. I think we adults can be a little, if not a lot, self-conscious about meeting new people, especially when trying to speak to them in a language you are just now learning. But the kids have jumped right in there and are willing to make every effort to speak to adults and children alike in Russian and Moldovan (Romanian), even if they completely mispronounce something or say the wrong word/phrase.

We have been able to generate a few contacts for Bible study including our landlord (Valerii), his son (Corneliu), a security guard at an electronic department store we’ve frequented (Dima, and his wife Liuba), and others that have been put in touch with us. We will continue to do everything we can to find such contacts.

The only real problem or obstacle we have faced since our arrival is in trying to get our residency permits. I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice it say Abraham Lincoln was right when he said, “You can’t believe everything you read on the Internet.” The websites of the American and Moldovan governments don’t provide all the information regarding what is necessary to obtaining a residency permit. When I went to the government office that handles the permits, I was told that I would need to have an official organization already registered in Moldova “sponsor” me before I could obtain the permits. The church here is in the process of trying to get registered, but the registration laws are designed with denominational structure and hierarchy in mind and this is making it difficult for autonomous congregations that are simply trying to be like churches we read about in the Bible to get registered. I was, however, able to get a job teaching English a few hours a week (you can visit http://topenglish.md to see the company I’m working for; I will actually be teaching business English to Moldcell employees in my first contract). This job will enable us to get our residency permits and stay in the country to do the work we originally set out to do. Additionally, it will provide another avenue through which to find contacts. I know many of you have been following us on Facebook and were already familiar with this situation—thank you for all the prayers regarding this situation.

We were blessed to have our first American visitor, or customer as Julianna has been saying. Phil Morgan, a close friend of our family, was able to stay with us for a few days. We really enjoyed having him in our home. He was a great encouragement to me in my work. The kids really enjoyed spending time with him. He took them out town on two different occasions while here. We look forward to more visitors in the future.

We have received some recent activity on our house in Greenville, IN, but we still have not sold it yet. See below for the prayer request about our house.

God has truly blessed us and we are content with his blessings. We are so thankful for the sacrifices of so many that enable us to work for the Lord in the preaching and teaching of the gospel. However, we’re still looking to raise the rest of our support. I have attached a recently update request for support. Please pass this along to any you think might be interested in the Lord’s work he is doing through us. We are confident in God’s promise to cheerful givers that he “is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Cor 9.6–11; cp Mal 3.10). Let me know if you have any questions.

PRAYERS. “When a believing person prays, great things happen” (Jas 5.16b, NCV). Therefore I would like to conclude each of my reports with a list of things that you can be praying for.

1. Pray that the sisters in Balti may be healed and strengthened in their faith.
2. Pray that the churches in Chisinau, Balti, Tiraspol, and Bendery will be strengthened and be shining lights to all the people of Moldova.
3. Pray for David, Andrei Marcenco’s new baby boy, and the mother/wife, Katya.
4. Pray that the churches here can get registered so that we can all publicly advertise opportunities for Bible study as well as publicly let people know where and when we meet.
5. Pray that Serghei Ba?alan will be willing to continue studying and that we can all come to an understanding of the Scriptures regarding the eternal existence of Jesus and the personhood of the Holy Spirit.
6. Pray for Nic, a Christian here in Chisinau, as he battles his temptations to drink.
7. Pray for Nicolai, a new convert in Bendery, as he struggles with being disruptive to the church in Bendery and with being too zealous without knowledge (cp Rom 10.2–3).
8. Pray for the following people who are either currently studying the Bible with some of the Christians here or are potential contacts for study: Katya (Andrei’s wife), Valentine, Cornelia, Vyacheslav, Alona, Dima, Liuba, Valerii, Corneliu, Ion (John), the teenagers from the orphanage, and the many visitors in Bendery and Tiraspol.
9. Pray that everything works out with our residency permits so that we can continue to live and work here.
10. Pray that our house in Greenville, IN, that was such a blessing to use will be quickly sold so that it can be a blessing to someone else.
11. Pray for the health, safety, and well being of all the Christians here, including my family.
12. Pray that my family can, as much as possible, become a part of the people here so as to be the absolute most effective in doing the Lord’s work while we are here.
13. “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you” (2 Thess 3.1, KJV).

Please know that everyone in our family and many of the Christians here in Moldova are praying for you all on a daily basis. “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess 1.2–3, ESV). “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.” (1 Cor 16.23–24, ESV).

From Moldova with love,

John R. Gentry