With advancing age (!) it is a time to look back on the work here in Moldova and to reflect on all the Lord has done over the years. And such reflection causes us to marvel and to worship. By a series of seeming coincidences he brought Liliana and Anea and I together about 20 years ago to start the work of Casa Mea, and he gave us a heart-burden and a love for men and women who spent their lives locked away in huge, remote institutions for adults with disabilities. He impressed on us the realization that unless someone took the Gospel to them, they would never, ever, hear of the only Friend of Sinners.
Who would have thought that he would provide 4 beautiful houses for men and women who formerly lived in such places and, over the years, supply all the needs of the work in most wonderful ways? Not only has he wonderfully provided, but he has also transformed the lives of those whom we support and rebuilt lives that had all but been destroyed by sin and suffering. We have watched miracles of great grace unfold over and over again, and have seen his power to save to the uttermost. There has been an enormous change in those who came to us – physically, spiritually and emotionally – which is particularly striking when we look back at their photos when they first arrived. And we realize that we have been observing a work planned from all eternity of which we had the privilege to be mere onlookers.
“ Far beyond time, beyond creation’s dawn, Before the sun and moon and stars were born, Salvation’s way for sinners lost, undone Was counselled forth by God the Three in One.”
But he also taught us that the work was costly, and meant us taking up our cross daily, and would involve us in challenges, obstacles and difficulties without number and, what seemed, often like all-out spiritual warfare. He taught us that it was not mere flesh and blood that had held men and women in dreadful places cut off from the Gospel.
Who would have thought that he would raise up an army of brothers and sisters who would lift up the work in fervent and persevering prayer? To our amazement, the interest in the work grew, and we were blessed by many visitors who helped in any number of ways – not least our dear brothers from Operation Centurion. And year after year our summer camp outreach to an institution in the north took place, and how we were blessed by growing friendships with a number of young and older people who joined us, and whose love for the work grew.
We have watched miracles of great grace unfold over and over again, and have seen his power to save to the uttermost.
Who would have thought that he would use three fatally-flawed, weak women as a platform on which to demonstrate his power and his grace so that we would be utterly convinced that when he began to work all the glory would be his? He reminds us again and again of our frailty and our sin, and our transient passage through this world, and points us to his all-sufficiency and unchanging nature, and unerring faithfulness, and to the power of Calvary. Praise with us the God of grace!
Pray for the future of the work; that the Lord will be raising up those called by the Saviour to write the next chapter. For the last few months I have been training up Galina, who has now joined us in the work, and who has made such a difference. Pray for new staff urgently needed in two of the houses and at the centre of the work. Pray for the blessing and mighty protection of the Lord to remain on the work and on all those we support and that the glory may only ever be His! May there be a new generation of workers who will see even greater things than we have seen, and who will have cause to say, “Who would have thought that the Lord would do such great things!”
– Maureen Wise