My name is Katea Tentiuc, and I lead the Translators Department. I want to share with you my personal experience with JMI. I learned about JMI in the summer of 2012. Alina Magdaliuc, our National Director, invited me to volunteer in a summer camp with the RHCC team and kids from Chisinau orphanage. She asked me to use my English and Romanian (I was a candidate for the position as translator). I was so glad for the opportunity for many reasons.
The first day at camp was not easy for the team and was a big challenge for me. I had been on maternity leave, and I had not practiced my English and Romanian for three years. However, God helped me so much, and I accomplished my role that day with His help. I was a translator for Margaret Jane Streletchi and Lynn Hendrich, and I now see God’s hand in this. They were terrific and so kind to me. I was surprised by Margaret’s sacrifice, as she was pregnant, and she traveled a long way to come to Moldova and to love and serve others. It was Lynn’s first visit to Moldova, and I was surprised to see how she focused her attention on a blind girl named Maria. I was amazed by how Jeff and Coleen and many others shared their love with orphans by playing and having fun with the children. From that day forward, my life changed. I understand very clearly that ministry is not only in the church; it is also outside of the church, where many forgotten people who do not know Jesus live.
In the fall of 2012, I began to visit Straseni, Chisinau, and Carpineni orphanages. It was not fun like it was in the summer, and not filled with joy. I was alone, but there were so many kids. The children did everything they knew to do to attract my attention. It was not easy to show care and love because some of them were not well behaved. However, God changed my character and taught me how to do this. At that time, Alina, our National Director, was my mentor. She invested a lot in me, and she continues to do so. I got to know children better each time I visited. They became mine, especially after learning their stories. Each time I visited a kindergarten in the orphanage where kids who were the same age as my sweet daughters lived, my heart broke. One day in the orphanage, I met a sweet new boy. Only later did I hear his story. His dad killed his grandmother, who was a mother to him. That boy was so kind with a beautiful smile, and it was so difficult to imagine that he had already faced such cruel moments in his young life. I heard many painful stories, and with each one, I wanted JMI to help even more. So, you can imagine my great joy when I found a sponsor for this new kid! I still see these blessings today!
Later this desire to help others motivated my colleagues and me to change our work and ministry to be more effective and more productive. That is why our team grows in Moldova and the USA. I have an incredible group of Godly people who have big, loving hearts. Together we serve more than 700 kids in more than 26 villages in Moldova. I am so thankful to God for each of them.
In 2018, God gave me a chance to personally meet many of those in the USA who invest in our abandoned, vulnerable kids. I felt like a messenger for our kids on a mission to thank sponsors for supporting them and this amazing ministry.
Every summer and every winter, since 2012, I’ve met many Godly people with big hearts, such as mama Jen, who came to Moldova to share love, joy, care, and to share the Gospel with many of our kids who have never heard the Gospel or experienced this kind of love! I am so blessed to know them and to serve with them!
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