BIBLE CAMPS IN MOLDOVA

Summer in  Moldova is the  time when streets and back yards of blocks of flats are full of children. It is the time when it is easy to gather many children for a talk and some games.  CSI team, Stella, Corina, Tanea and Mihail offered the CSI materials for day camp program to some village churches. It was a 3 or 5 days’ program which included games, songs, sports and, of course,  Bible lessons from “Bible Stories for All Ages”.

The churches were responsible for lunches, gifts,  handicraft materials, and other treats for kids, The CSI team provided the program for each of the days and supplied the printed materials from “Bible Stories for All Ages”. It was a very blessed time  for every child, CSI team and workers of each local church.

The seven camps organized by CSI in the summer of 2016 involved 539 kids, who heard for the first time the Word of God. Sixty five leaders, in the seven camps, were young Christians who have been exposed to the CSI materials  for the first time. They loved the materials and  the Interactive Method of teaching it. Many were encouraged to take up these materials for Bible Clubs and Sunday school classes.

Twenty five young girls and boys, out of the 65 leaders, attended the CSI Youth conference on May 3, 2016.  Now they could see how the materials work and could use this knowledge effectively in the day camps.

Alina Romaniuc from Sverdiak, who taught the 3 lessons from OT 2- about Joseph, mentioned: “It is so easy to use these materials. I did not even need any special preparation. The text of the lesson makes it easy for the children to understand the Bible truths”.

The kids especially loved the  Questions For Discussion and of course, coloring the pictures”. Andrey, a 7 year old boy from Zarojeni, said: “I have never colored any picture from the Bible. It is such fun to do it”.

The pastors of each of the churches involved in this project appreciated the materials very much and the CSI team’s effort of running the program. Pastor Peter Maga from Chiuchiueni, challenged his youth team (10 people) to learn from CSI workers how to run a camp and next year to do as wonderful job with kids in the neighboring village of Izareni,  where they plan to plant a church. He said: “I believe that teaching children first, can bring their parents into church as well. Children respond so well to the Bible truths. They are opened and sincere – this is what we shall start with in  planting the church in Izareni“.

The churches invited the children of the camps, and their parents, to the Sunday morning service where the children did a presentation. Many parents turned up and many were surprised at the beautiful way in which their children could  glorify God. It was a real time of awakening for these grownups.

The CSI Moldova team believes that the camps are great events for attracting children into church. Before the camp many parents would not allow their children to come to church. However, they could not stop them from coming to the camp which was the highlight of the whole summer in these villages. The camps attracted children like magnets. The camp opened the way to fellowship with the kids and their parents. They have broken, in many villages, the barrier which stopped kids from coming to Sunday school.

Daniel, a young man  from Ciuciueni  Church said that after camp many kids would call his name in the street. They would stop and talk to him. They became great friends of his. Now these leaders can easily visit with these kids and their parents.

Stella, Tanea, Corina, Mihail  cooperated in any way possible when needed. Corina’s  husband, Vasiliy, who understood the hardships of the camp work, dropped his  farm work and decided to join his wife and the CSI team as a volunteer and was a great helper in games and sports activities.

CSI Moldova believes that camps have become an effective part of CSI strategy and encourage churches to use CSI materials for Bible study in summer camps.