Who we are?
RADU & LUDMILA CUCOS
We were born in USSR. With the fall of this monster, Moldova became an independent country and many opportunities have opened up to hear about God. Liuda and I believed in the first wave of spiritual revival in Moldova in 1992-1994
As Christian students, we got involved in the ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ.
In 2000 we joined Campus Crusade for Christ for full-time ministry.
In 2001 we got married.
The Great Commandment
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Mattew 28:18 - 20
What is Campus Crusade for Christ?
Campus Crusade for Christ is an active response today to
Jesus' Great Commandment.
OUR MISSION
Win, build and send
Christ-centered
multiplying disciples.
OUR VISION
Movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.
OUR VALUES
Faith, Growth and Fruitfulness.
Bill and his wife, Vonette,
start Campus Crusade
1970
Cru is active
in 114 countries
1995
Steve Douglass
new president
Cru has a ministry presence in 186 countries
Steve Sellers
new president of Cru,
succeeding
Steve Douglass
2010
1951
Cru is active
in 45 countries
1980
2000
Campus Crusade
for Christ in Moldova
Cru has a ministry
presence in 190 countries
2020
About Moldova
The Republic of Moldova is an independent state of Eastern Europe located between Romania and Ukraine.
Throughout the history, the territory of Moldova (between 1812-1918 with the name of Bessarabia, a province of the Russian Tsarist Empire) has been a bridge from the eastern border of Europe to the western border and the Balkans.
After the Second World War, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union (1944-1991), and from the interwar period in the territory of Moldova is also part of Transnistria (Dniester Moldovan Republic, the administrative center being Tiraspol). Following the 1992 armed conflict, the Transnistrian authorities self-proclaimed independence, and the Moldovan authorities lost control of this eastern part.
After gaining independence, the Republic of Moldova kept the beautiful holidays and traditions, delighting in the delicious and most importantly ecological national cuisine, as well as in the Moldovan customs and culture.
Some facts about Moldova and the spiritual environment of the country.
1600
The region that is now Moldova was part of the larger Romanian principality
1812
Moldova became part of the Russian Empire, under the name Bessarabia
1918
Bessarabia joined Romania in 1918, after the collapse of the Russian Empire.
1940
The Soviet Union occupied Bessarabia and produced a spiritual vacuum and identity confusion.
1991
Moldova gained its independence from the USSR
1992
Still has an occupied area by Russia named Transnistria.
Social and spiritual background
2,8 + million people.
The poorest country in Europe.
1.2 million people working abroad.
Everyday Moldova loses 106 people, every hour, there are 5 births, 6 deaths, -4 immigrants.
30% of children are left at home without at least one of their parents, due to their going to work abroad
55% divorce ratio
350 USD average monthly salary from 1300 USD average needed.
83% Orthodox Christians of which only 20% practice their faith. 5% Sunni Muslims, 9% of other religions, and only 2% of Protestant Christians.
Active evangelism and discipleship are taught among 2% of Protestant Christians.
Since the Independence of Moldova, the spiritual life is changing. There were few revivals waves. Many believed and many new churches were started in different towns and villages. We see how the Holy Spirit is still working and many are still open to the Gospel. New generations which did not grow up in the spiritual vacuum of the USSR slowly get down into agnosticism. Because of poverty and corruption, many are finding a better life abroad including Christians. Churches are dealing with a huge migration of good Christian leaders.
62 national full-time staff
Field teams
In order to reach the goal, Campus Crusade staff is divided into field and support teams. Each team follows the same direction - share the Gospel to the target group and make disciples, so that each disciple would share the Gospel and make other disciples.
Leadership and support teams
In order to guide and accelerate the ministry, Campus Crusade in Moldova has a leadership team and support teams LDHR (Leadership Development and Human Resources), and administration.
We preach, teach and practice active evangelism. This means we go where the gospel is to be preached.
Each team develops current and effective strategies to reach its target group of youth, students, businessmen or athletes both online and offline.
We use tools that are easy to motivate anyone to tell the gospel as soon as they hear it. We use the booklet Four Spiritual Laws in various forms and for young people the bracelet The Four, which represents those four elements of the gospel:
God loves you! The sin separates from God! Jesus paid for us! Make a choice by faith!
Ukraine' crisis
More than 460,000 refugees from Ukraine – mostly women, children and older people – have crossed into Moldova since the start of the conflict in late February. While many have moved on to Romania and other EU countries, more than 100,000 have chosen to stay in Moldova.
Despite the challenges for a small country with a population of around 2.7 million and limited resources, Moldova and its people have opened their doors to the refugees.
Besides food, clothing and shelter Campus Crusade came alongside Ukrainians in need to help both material and spiritual.
Campus Crusade opened two refugee centers and worked with other centers to encourage and share the Gospel with those in need. In a few months, thousands of refugees heard the Gospel and many started to attend the church. Our home became a small piece of this enormous ministry of serving refugees.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Campus Crusade for Christ in Moldova has boldly stepped in to help refugees both materially and spiritually. What initially seemed beyond our capabilities, God transformed into a wonderful ministry for those in need. This effort united frontline workers and ministry partners supporting missionaries in Moldova.
Campus Crusade opened two refugee centers, where thousands of people received care and spiritual assistance, and heard the Gospel. Moldova's Campus Crusade staff hosted about a thousand people in their homes, providing care and sharing the Gospel. The video is just a small glimpse of what God has done and continues to do through devoted missionaries and their faithful ministry partners.
In the past year, Campus Crusade for Christ in Moldova has adapted its approach to ministering to Ukrainian refugees. With the help of other organizations, we are now able to provide essential supplies while placing a greater emphasis on sharing the Gospel and leading the lost to Christ through Bible study groups.
Once someone believes, the next step for everyone is discipleship. In discipleship, everyone is taught to spend time in prayer and Bible study, to be active in the life of a local church, to keep what Jesus commanded, to share the gospel to others, and to make disciples.
Let's introduce to you Grigorie and Irina, Iurii and Tatiana. Two couples we met when they were young believers and wanted to spread the Gospel in their village.
Since we met them, we have descipled them to keep the commandments of Christ, how to share the gospel to others, and how to make disciples.
Gradually, they learned how to walk in faith obey Jesus’ commandments and share their faith to others. From a ministry to kids only, now they opened their home to host every Sunday church meetings, inviting those who heard the gospel from them. Every Saturday they teach Bible lessons to the children, they teach young people to obey God. And now we pray together to begin an evangelist movement in other villages through the relatives of those who believed in their village.
Discipleship and Sending go together. We have no stages for each of it. We have a continuous discipleship of urging someone to be an active disciple where they live. And we motivate those we see to be active to dedicate their lives to full-time ministry.
Every year, through 62 full-time staff of Campus Crusade, thousands of people hear the Gospel, and hundreds are discipled one on one, in groups and churches started by Campus Crusade.
I started going to church at the invitation of a missionary. There, I learned more about Christ, and saw the life and ministry of missionaries. I was very hooked that every member of the church has a personal relationship with Christ. They not only knew that God exists, but also they knew His will, the Word, and Himself. Soon, I was baptized with my sister and mother. My participation in ministry laid a solid foundation for my relationship with God. After a while, I began to clearly understand that God was calling me to become a missionary and serve Christ. Now I am a full-time missionary with Campus Crusade for Christ.
- Olga
I met first Cru Moldova while attending a seminar on emotional inteligence organised by missionaries there. Later I was invited to atend metings were we were talking about God. It were those kind of meetings that helped me to learn more about who God is,what He wants from me and to believe inJesus Christ as my savior. Thanks to this, I became more confident in my future. In God I have found a foundation on which I need to build my whole life.
Anatol
Our present role in the ministry
Over the years, God grew us up and He led us to serve in student ministry (12 years), family ministry (since 2012)
Today, the Lord is using us in the family ministry, being active involved in a "God's Space Church leadership and descipleship.
Beside field ministry, we serve in a support team of Campus Crusade for Chirist. Being leaders of the Leadership Development and Human Resources team (LDHR), we are leading the needed processes of recruiting and training new staff, equipping teams leaders with needed resources and support for effective leadership of more than 60 full-time staff, who are „in the front line” to achieve our goal of sharing the Gospel in our nation and make disciples among key people like students, business people, athletes and to have one multiplying church at every 1000 people in whole Moldova.
Join our mission team
So you see, the harvest in Moldova is plenty, but laborers are few. We are inviting you to be part of this ministry supporting us financially.
In Campus Crusade for Christ each staff member or family has to find its own Ministry Partners. We have a unique situation in Moldova today. You see, there are so few believers right now and many of those who do believe are struggling financially. Because of this, we have come to the US to find Ministry Partners for our ministry with Campus Crusade.
We will be your personal missionaries and we will be staying in touch with you on a regular basis.
Right now, we have an additional need of $3000/month for us to continue in full time ministry. Therefore, we are looking for about 20 people to invest about $150/month.
Please pray and consider joining our ministry in Moldova.
You can do it monthly or yearly with any amount God is leading you to invest.
Thank you for considering helping to reach people from Moldova for Christ!
Donate
Give by Mail
Make the check payable to Cru with a note: for # 2831940
(the note is important to address donations to Radu and Liuda)
Send the check to:
Cru
100 Lake Hart Dr., 2400
Orlando, FL 32832-0100
USA
To set monthly donations, fill up the Commitment card and send it to Cru with a check.
(download it from below)