15th March 2009

15th March 2009.

Dear All,

I arrived back yesterday after another eventful few days in Moldova. The journey is always the worst part of the trip as having flown by WIZZ to Bucharest we have a 7 to 8 hour slog across Romania on modest roads. This time it was pouring with rain the whole way and exceedingly gloomy. However when we arrived and met a few smiley faces then it all seemed worthwhile. We spent the first 4 days at Burlacu with the pastor’s family with 4 fantastic kids all of whom who had chicken pox.

pastors kids Burlacu

Cahul market

We visited the new land which we are renting this year for grass and maize experiments. This year we are hoping to demonstrate fertility building without fertilizers using legumes organic style.
We then visited all the growers to whom we had distributed polythene tunnels last year to see what they had made of them. Those who had managed to use them last year got instant benefit as on top of the drought, flood, and bird flu problems of recent years last year they were blessed with acid rain from the nearby Romanian steel works which damaged many outdoor vegetable crops but not those in tunnels. Some are very inventive and one grower had used the metal pipes in conjunction with vine supports to make a structure 3 x larger than the basic.
We visited the nearest town, Cahul, on Saturday to buy seeds and experience the market then went on to 2 smaller villages where the pastor is supported by CEEM.
On Sunday it was Mothers Day so the local church was full up eventually, at KO time only about 25% were in place but I guess if you do not own a watch then lack of punctuality can be excused. John and I both spoke and the congregation did all their party pieces so the service was over 2 hours long – then I did a vegetable talk for those who wanted to stay and about 50% did. We then took the youth meeting billed as 4pm start, actually 4.55pm and they did not want to go home either – marvellous what you can do if there is no alternative entertainment!
Monday we went north to Leover a medium sized town greatly affected by emigration, one of the pastors works in the prison and has helped many inmates to get on their feet again. We met Nicoli Nicoliovich who between the ages of 15 and 50 had spent all but 18 months in prison, he is now caretaker at one of the churches. Another man needed £80 to be released on parole, the other pastor has a severely handicapped daughter and they needed £120 to send her and her mother to Ukraine for treatment. Of course they arranged a service as we were there and we had to sleep in the church which was not too bad.

Nicoli Nicoliavich

Chisnau

We went up to the capital Chisnau on Tuesday hoping to see the ambassador but he was too busy but we met 3 other interesting people, explored the city and purchased more seed, a motor mower for the experiments and a rotovator for the church community. There we stayed with our driver and translator in quite a smart house. Chisnau seemed more prosperous than when I was there 15 years or so ago with considerable new build. We met a lady who is collecting stories of Moldovan people for a book and CEEM are hoping to help publish it. She is currently pregnant with complications and the Moldovan medical advice for all such is an abortion as it is easier than trying to sort things out. She is resisting and is in the maternity hospital for tests. She told us that “she had never seen so many dead babies”
Back in Burlacu we held a training day for the rotovator and their eyes nearly popped out of their heads, we followed this by seed distribution and instructions on how to grow new crops and what to do with them. Last year we took lettuce and although they grew OK they did not know what to do with them – “please can you send us a recipe for lettuce!”
We finished off by visiting the school and the mayor. This mayor is a good one unlike his predecessor who was a communist and slightly bent.
Friday we slogged back to Bucharest and spent the night (partly as we left at 4am local time) in a hotel before catching the 6 am flight.
The highlight as ever was the people and the more times you go the more they trust you and warm to you. The needs remain huge but a little does go a long way. As usual we arrived home skint but you would not feel comfortable if it was otherwise.

Burlacu side street

Winter provisions

Kate as you would expect survived very well on her own and kept most of the seeds alive.

Love

Mike & Kate