Ministry in Moldova 2004

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Ministry in Moldova 2004</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="21"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="21"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Ministry Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U><B>Sermon Notes</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U>Personal</U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="18a7d3e0.gif" border=0 width="125" height="62" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id459.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ministry in Moldova 2004"><U><B>Pictures from the 2004 trip</B></U></A></div> <div> (<A HREF="id440.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ministry In Moldova 2003"><U>Updates and pictures from Moldova in </U></A><A HREF="id440.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ministry In Moldova 2003"><U><B>2003</B></U></A>)</div> <bR> <div> <B>May 4, 2004 - Update from Moldova, </B>10:13pm (3:13EST)</div> <div> Hey friends, thanks for checking in with us. It is Tuesday evening, and the week has started really well. Our trip was mostly uneventful (we got a close-up look at Rob C. from <I>Survivor:All-Stars</I> in the Syracuse airport. We arrived Saturday afternoon and had a nice dinner in Chisinau with the ministry coordinator, Harvey Newton, and another American teacher, Jeff Townsend. On Sunday, we attended the morning worship gatherings at the Baptist church in Causeni. I had the opportunity to preach one of the sermons, we celebrated the Lord's Supper, and I was able to participate in the dedication of children and their families. It was a blessing to work with Pastor Ilia - he is a true faithful servant of God. We are staying with his family. They are wonderful hosts and we are well-fed and well-taken care of. There are 18 students, and they are committed to the learning process. They are very involved in doing the work of studying the Bible and they are active in sharing what they are learning. God will use these servants of his in a great way, as he has already been doing. It's great to be a part of what BEE is doing in Moldova; there are men and women being trained to serve God all over this country. Some like Pastor Ilia are in an advanced program in Chisinau, and they will be instrumental in teaching and raising up new generations of servants of God in this needy country. Their dedication and faith are encouraging. What is exciting is not strange events that are happening to us (we are thankful that things have been <I>calm</I>). What is exciting is what God is doing in this place, and that he is allowing us to be a part of it through using our gifts and resources.</div> <div> We were just outside to see a full lunar eclipse - our host family alerted us to this so we would not miss out. It is a beautiful - the weather has been beautiful each day, for which we are thankful. Temperatures are very comfortable (last year, it was very hot).</div> <div> Again, thank you for helping us get here to serve, and thank you for praying for us. Some people are praying for us in the middle of the night which is at the beginning of our work day - we really appreciate all of you! God bless you.</div> <div> Stan and Rhonda</div> <bR> <div> <B>May 7, 2004, </B>8:00am (1:00am EST)</div> <div>      What a week it has been. We - teacher and translator and students - have been working very hard, and Rhonda has worked hard being a great suppoter and helper of all of us. The students have an exam / work project this morning, to put their Bible study skills to work. They will be given the afternoon off, and tomorrow they will graduate (so they deserve a break for the afternoon!). We have been well-taken care of this week, and we have met many new friends. Thursday evening (late) I had an encouraging conversation with a pastor from Romania. We visited our student Victor's home for an hour on Thursday evening (earlier). He has a beautiful, talented family. We were served chocolate candies and a sweet homemade juice, which was excellent. They are building a new house next to their current house. It is very interesting to walk through and observe how they build a home here in Moldova. </div> <div>       This afternoon we will return to the capital city Chisinau, spend the evening with the Caldwell family (they are from America and serve with WorldTeam). They have a beautiful apartment in the city. We will rise early to catch our flight shortly after 7, and we will be headed home. We expect to arrive at JFK around 2pm on Saturday. We have felt very comfortable here this year - we have been among friends. We are looking forward to getting back home and being among our family and friends in the USA. But we have been very blessed to be here this week. God is doing a great work in and through the churches of Moldova. And we have been blessed to be a part of it.</div> <div>      See you when we get home! Thanks for praying for us - we couldn't have done it without you!</div> <div> Love, Stan and Rhonda</div> <bR> <div> <B>Update from home</B>, Thursday, May 13, 2004, 9:00am</div> <div>    Thanks again for all your prayers. We arrived safely at JFK in New York at 2:30 Saturday afternoon (about 14 hours after we started the journey from Chisinau). God granted us traveling grace, for which we are very thankful. We have struggled this week with tiredness, but we are getting back to "normal" physically. It is good to be home. There is much work to do and many people to see. The work of God must go on all over the world, and we are delighted to be a part of it, both at home as well as in Moldova. Maybe it is time for all of us to get more serious about investing all of our available resources in the work of the kingdom of God, not just in our own corner of the world, but all around the world. The believers in Moldova need our help and encouragement, to grow in Christ and to reach the people surrounding them, and to establish reproducing churches all over the country. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Because that is what we are to be about here in the United States. Get involved in the work of God. There is no greater cause on the planet.</div> <div>     We hope to offer pictures here this weekend, so check back. God bless you.</div> <div> Stan and Rhonda</div> <bR> <bR> <div> March, 2004</div> <bR> <div> Dear Friends,</div> <bR> <div> Rhonda and I find it such a privilege to serve Christ in the context of the local church, Berean Bible Church in Greene, NY. And it is a joy to also be used to benefit the local churches in the Republic of Moldova in Eastern Europe. We will again travel to Moldova <B>April 30-May 8, 2004</B>. I will be teaching local pastors the course "How to Study the Bible," on behalf of Biblical Education by Extension (<A HREF="http://www.beeinternational.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.beeinternational.org/"><U><U>www.beeinternational.org</U></U></A>). BEE International assists the church in responding to the global cry for servant-leaders through accessible, transformational, biblical training. Their vision is to assist the church in establishing continuing, indigenous, church-based training systems which equip servant-leaders who grow healthy, multiplying churches.</div> <bR> <div> Our trip last year was incredible, and we are excited to be able to return. We will be going to the same town, Causeni (AKA Kaushany), to teach the same group of pastors we met last year. To read about our 2003 trip, and to see pictures, click <A HREF="id440.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ministry In Moldova 2003"><U>here</U></A>. Causeni is about an hour southeast of the capital city of Chisinau (AKA Kishinev).</div> <bR> <div> As you can imagine, it costs quite a bit to get there and serve. We'd like to raise about $3000 (airfare alone is $2500). We are convinced that God is leading us to return to Moldova, and even though it is a lot of money, we feel that the trip is well worth it. If you can help us with the financial burden, we would really appreciate it. The church in America has been blessed with so much in the way of resources and learning opportunities. We feel it is a small sacrifice to share of our time, energy, gifts, and money to be of assistance to the church in Moldova. They are seeking to do the same kind of work there that we do here in America, which is to share the love of Jesus with people, and to help those who respond to grow up in him and get involved in serving Christ.</div> <bR> <div> We especially ask for your prayers. God is at work in the church around the world, and our prayers make a difference (see <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passage=Eph+6:18-20" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?passag"><U>Ephesians 6:18-20</U></A>). Pray for us, that our teaching and mentoring and encouragement will make a difference in the churches of Moldova. Pray that we will grow and be encouraged by rubbing shoulders with the faithful believers of Moldova. Pray for our financial needs to be met. Pray for our safety in travel and in the country. Feel free to let us know you will be praying for us. That would really encourage us. If you wish to participate financially, you may give your gift to "Moldova Ministry," c/o Berean Bible Church, 109 County Rd. 2, Greene, NY 13778. May God bless you abundantly, because you are a blessing to us and to the church in Moldova.</div> <bR> <div> In His Service,</div> <bR> <div> Stan and Rhonda Baker</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="431" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 447 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="18cc7ac0.jpg" border=0 width="199" height="428" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="3" VSPACE="3"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="211"><div> <B>The Place</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/local/MDXX0001?lswe=Moldova&lswa=WeatherLocalUndeclared&y=8&x=7" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/lo"><U>The weather in Moldova</U></A> (from The Weather Channel)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=177" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ci"><U>The time in Moldova</U></A> (New York is 7 hours behind Moldova).</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/moldova.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/country/"><U>Information and map of Moldova</U></A> (notice the link to a map of Europe, which puts Moldova in its context). We will be spending the week in the town of "Kaushany."</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/moldova.pdf" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map"><U>Another (better) map of Moldova</U></A> (.pdf format).</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>The Mission Organization</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.beeinternational.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.beeinternational.org/"><U>BEE International</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.beeinternational.org/moldova/moldova.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.beeinternational.org/moldova/"><U>BEE International - Moldova Ministry</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.beeinternational.org/newsletters/db_fa98/fa98-02.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.beeinternational.org/newslett"><U>More information on past work in Moldova</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>