Young man obeys God’s call in Moldova

Yura (left) and Chris discuss ongoing ministry in Moldova

When Yura Deli was just 21 years old he began leading his church. Soon afterward, with a vision to begin a sports ministry, he led his church to buy and renovate a building—paying for half of it through gathering, hulling and cleaning walnuts. God’s call on Yura’s life has blessed so many. He is just one of the ways God is at work in Moldova.

Yura’s church, called “the station,” is in the village of Budzhak , Gagauzia—an autonomous region of Moldova. IMB missionaries Chris and Nancy Russell have lived in Moldova for many years, working with the Gagauz people. They have been encouraged by God’s call on Yura’s life and have, in turn, encouraged and supported him with their presence, hands-on help and coordination of volunteers.

“We lived in the city of Comrat just south of this village and frequently attended the church services there to encourage the young church,” Chris said.

Volunteer teams that have come through Chris have held many one-day children’s programs, several youth events and week-long clinics for American football. They have helped with weight training groups and bi-weekly ESL(English as a Second Language) classes, remodeled the sports center and donated weight training equipment to help with Yura’s ministry. Yura has helped Chris with sports and youth outreach projects in the neighboring village of Dezghinzea (Dez-geen-ZHA) where there is no church and has assisted with ongoing discipleship of several youth from this village.

As a result of Yura’s obedience, he and his assistant and fellow church member, Andrei, have seen over 40 boys and young men involved with them over the past four years.

“They seem to come and go because of the requirement of Bible study along with the sports training, but Yura remains committed to this requirement,” Chris said.

Yura is presently working with ten young men, aged 14-27.

“The goal of our ministry is to draw people into Bible study through sports. For this reason we established some rules without which we couldn’t meet our goal,” Yura said. “ We want to make disciples, not only in sports, but in Bible study, who will be involved in church.”

Yura, who is now married and a father, was saved as a teen. Though he had begun to take part in leadership of the church as a young man, he did not realize that God had such a big job in store for him.

“I had started to preach and sometimes stand in the pastor, but I didn’t understand that God was preparing me as a minister,” he said.

When circumstances in 2006 left the church with no one to lead, Yura said yes.

“Sadly, there wasn’t anyone else to step in, and I was only 21 years old, but someone had to lead, he said. “Not knowing a lot about leading services, I turned to God and His Word to guide me. “

And God has accomplished so much through this young man.

To find out more about helping reach the lost of Moldova, contact Chris Russell.

Posted by Karen Pearce on Feb 22, 2012