Moldova milestone, men’s ministry and mobile medicine
Moldova celebrates 30 years
Soldiers, officers, volunteers, former and current divisional and territorial leaders and friends gathered in the Moldovan capital, Chișinău, to celebrate 30 years of The Salvation Army there last weekend, 24-26 May.
In traditional Eastern European style, the weekend event – which included a youth rally on the Friday evening, music and children’s events in a central park on the Saturday, and worship celebrations on the Sunday – were vibrant, colourful, energetic and Jesus-focused.
Moldova is part of the Eastern Europe Territory and is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south. The unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria lies across the Dniester River on the country's eastern border with Ukraine.
Mally’s ManClub
‘Mally’s ManClub’, a mental health support group for men at the Horden Salvos, UK, provides a relaxed environment for people to come and talk, play games or simply sit and read.
It was set up by Mally, one of the volunteers after he experienced his own mental and physical health problems and decided he wanted to help others.
“It’s a place where guys can come and chill out for a couple of hours,” he shares. “There isn’t a pressure on them to spill their hearts out, but I am encouraging them to talk. If they can sit down and talk, that’s a victory. If just one person goes out of the club feeling a bit better about themselves then I feel like I’ve done a good job.”
Mally hopes that by creating a space for men to talk to each other they might feel more encouraged to get help if they are really struggling with their mental health.
“In 2019, I did not want to be here anymore,” he explains, “I’d thrown all my medication for depression and physical health problems in the bin. By 2021, I was feeling really horrible, my health was very bad.
“Angela (Salvation Army community mission facilitator) was a big help in seeing me through that time. I’m grateful that I am still here and that I’m going back to church. The Salvation Army is my family now.”
International health services
For almost as long as The Salvation Army has existed, it has operated health services. In some places around the world, Salvation Army health institutions are situated in hard-to-reach, rural areas where others are unable or unwilling to deliver health care.
These hospitals or clinics are often the focal points of the community. They offer a safe space and health care to people of all faiths or none, always serving patients without discrimination.
To learn more about The Salvation Army’s International Health Services, click here.
Community Development
Did you know that The Salvation Army currently implements 136 community development projects globally across a wide variety of sectors, reaching approximately 2.5 million people?
These projects cover all major development themes, including water and sanitation, agriculture and food security, economic empowerment, modern slavery and human trafficking response, gender justice, community health and social work with families.
Being a church and a global movement is a real strength for The Salvation Army when it comes to international development.
As a church, we are deeply rooted in many communities around the world, participating in everyday life with those around us. This enables The Salvation Army to work alongside and support some of the world’s most vulnerable people living in areas that are often difficult to access. Our Christian faith strengthens our desire, inspiration and courage to take a stand for those living in poverty and experiencing injustice.
International development projects and programs are an important part of The Salvation Army’s mission and ministry in many countries. As International Development Services, our work is locally rooted, but our team has a global reach and remit. We partner with Salvation Army territories across the world to help tackle poverty and challenge injustice through a range of different projects and initiatives.
