Slavic Verenciuc, MMN’s Marriage, Family, and Outreach Director, shares a video of the work of his team at the border crossing site at Palanca, in southeast Moldova (the border crossing nearest Odessa). Slavic and his team, along with MBU volunteers, provide food, fellowship and compassion. (The blue and white tent was donated by ministry friends several years ago to help with Outreach and Family Ministry in Moldovan villages.)
Here is an explanation for sections of the video:
— At 0:25-0:37: Refugees gather waiting for transport. Due to the large number of refugees, there were not enough buses or time to transport them from Palanca to Chisinau.
— At 1:11-1:14: Refugees arrive from Ukraine, then they are taken to Chisinau and distributed in different places. Chisinau was not ready to receive so many refugees. Therefore, every day there were new places developed. There was a distribution point in Chisinau where there was information about free places, the addresses of these places, and telephone numbers made available.
— At 1:25 -1:36: Food was bought and brought by various churches and missions. The state never provided us food. All the food supplies are from churches and Christian organizations.
— At 2:02 – 2:17: Refugees wait for transport from Palanca.
— At 2:37 – 2:55: Note the very large flow of cars.
— At 3:15 – 3:20: It was very cold outside and two small tents were set up so that the children could warm up while they were waiting for transport. A few days later, someone brought a larger tent so that families could change the children’s clothes and keep warm. In this tent, we distributed baby food, wet wipes, water for children and adults, cookies for children and more. It takes three hours to drive from Palanka to Chisinau.
Marriage, Family, and Ourtreach Director Slavic Verenciuc reported that his relatives and friends from America and friends sent already by this time a substantial amount of money and that he delivers food two or three times a week. He reports he is tired, but is working, because refugees need on-going help. He reports that refugees also live in homes and offices in Chisinau.
