26 Feb 2026, 11:34Jeremy Heading
Prison Ministry Outreach in Moldova
A group of Seventh Day Adventist prison ministries volunteers left the UK from 15–24 February 2026, three representatives from the South England Conference, Pastor Seth, Jaigar, and Jerry, joined ten members of the North England Conference, including Pastors Philpott and Gutu, on a powerful prison ministry mission to Moldova.
Each morning began with prayer, hymns, and a devotional thought shared together on the minibus as the team travelled through the snow-covered Moldovan countryside. Some journeys led to remote, Soviet‑era prisons, stark reminders of a difficult past, yet God opened doors in remarkable ways.
Out of Moldova’s 18 prisons, the team was blessed to minister in eight, offering a total of 9 services. These included:
Rusca Women’s Prison (No. 7) – where inmates are allowed a 3-day conjugal visit – with a consequence that babies are born in prison to inmates who have been there for many years – SDA services are held every Sabbath in their dedicated chapel.
Golan Young Offenders Institution (No. 10)
Rezina Maximum Security Prison (No. 17), featured in Netflix’s Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons – the inmates (some dress up in suits and ties) hold SDA services every sabbath.
Taraclia Prison (No. 1), where the team were permitted to preach to inmates (sex offenders) classified as “untouchables” who are kept isolated for their own safety. We noted that the administration block had only a squat-hole-in-the-ground toilet – we offered to donate a European Toilet and sink to them. When we left Taraclia in the middle of a day-long, freezing snowstorm, our minibus got stuck in several snowdrifts. Some we were able to push the minibus out of, but finally, the snow build-up became too much, and in the dark, we could not get through. From out of nowhere, God sent a JCB to clear the way for us.
Plus, four additional facilities where worship, testimony, and prayer were shared.
The team witnessed moving scenes of God at work. Prisoners stood before their peers to declare their desire to give their lives to Jesus. In Rezina, inmates who had formed their own Seventh-day Adventist church sang Romanian hymns with heartfelt conviction. At Branesti Prison (No. 18), English-speaking inmates joyfully joined our choir in worship.
None of this would have been possible without the tireless support of Pastor Pavel (and his wife), Moldova’s Prison Ministry Deputy Director, whose energy at 78 years old put many younger team members to shame, and Daniela Botnaru, who faithfully interpreted for the group throughout the mission. Local regional SDA pastors also partnered with the team at each site, strengthening the ministry’s impact.
As part of our Mission, we were invited by the Moldova SDA Union President and his team to visit them for fellowship and lunch at their Headquarters. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch, which included fresh Grape juice obtained from the vines in the rear garden of the Headquarters building.
On Sabbath, the group led worship at a local Adventist church. The following day, we visited Transnistria, a self-declared independent region within Moldova with its own currency, passports, and Russian-speaking population. This region is a breakaway territory supported by the Russian armed forces.
At the entry point, some local Moldovans explained that it is not easily accessible to ordinary citizens from Moldova proper. They shared that they have faced interrogation, sometimes lasting for days, when attempting to cross. Throughout our time in Transnistria, we were cautioned to be extremely mindful of what we said, as the authorities were closely monitoring our every movement.
The group’s presence drew significant attention, being the only non-white visitors in the city, and even attracted local television crews eager to interview them.
There were many personal blessings along the way. One team member shared how a fellow missionary said, “I woke up at 3:00 a.m. and couldn’t sleep, so I spent time in devotion and reading Scripture.” It was a reminder that God was shaping hearts within the team just as much as among the inmates.
As part of every service, we delivered a small bag of fresh fruit and a fresh bread cob to each inmate who attended and in the case of the women’s prison, to every inmate in the block (approximately 200 souls). These were very well received by each recipient, which indicated that they rarely receive such gifts.
A final, unexpected blessing came as the team departed Rusca Women’s Prison. After presenting a small gift to the administration, including a new washing machine for the canteen, the prison leadership offered twelve consecutive afternoon slots for an on-site evangelistic series in their dedicated chapel. A clear sign that God is opening doors for continued ministry.
God be praised for every step of this journey and for the lives touched, both inside and outside the prison walls.
The report was written by Mr Jeremy Heading (Bournemouth Church)
A group of Seventh Day Adventist prison ministries volunteers left the UK from 15–24 February 2026, three representatives from the South England Conference, Pastor Seth, Jaigar, and Jerry, joined ten members of the North England Conference, including Pastors Philpott and Gutu, on a powerful prison ministry mission to Moldova.
Each morning began with prayer, hymns, and a devotional thought shared together on the minibus as the team travelled through the snow-covered Moldovan countryside. Some journeys led to remote, Soviet‑era prisons, stark reminders of a difficult past, yet God opened doors in remarkable ways.
Out of Moldova’s 18 prisons, the team was blessed to minister in eight, offering a total of 9 services. These included:
Rusca Women’s Prison (No. 7) – where inmates are allowed a 3-day conjugal visit – with a consequence that babies are born in prison to inmates who have been there for many years – SDA services are held every Sabbath in their dedicated chapel.
Golan Young Offenders Institution (No. 10)
Rezina Maximum Security Prison (No. 17), featured in Netflix’s Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons – the inmates (some dress up in suits and ties) hold SDA services every sabbath.
Taraclia Prison (No. 1), where the team were permitted to preach to inmates (sex offenders) classified as “untouchables” who are kept isolated for their own safety. We noted that the administration block had only a squat-hole-in-the-ground toilet – we offered to donate a European Toilet and sink to them. When we left Taraclia in the middle of a day-long, freezing snowstorm, our minibus got stuck in several snowdrifts. Some we were able to push the minibus out of, but finally, the snow build-up became too much, and in the dark, we could not get through. From out of nowhere, God sent a JCB to clear the way for us.
Plus, four additional facilities where worship, testimony, and prayer were shared.
The team witnessed moving scenes of God at work. Prisoners stood before their peers to declare their desire to give their lives to Jesus. In Rezina, inmates who had formed their own Seventh-day Adventist church sang Romanian hymns with heartfelt conviction. At Branesti Prison (No. 18), English-speaking inmates joyfully joined our choir in worship.
None of this would have been possible without the tireless support of Pastor Pavel (and his wife), Moldova’s Prison Ministry Deputy Director, whose energy at 78 years old put many younger team members to shame, and Daniela Botnaru, who faithfully interpreted for the group throughout the mission. Local regional SDA pastors also partnered with the team at each site, strengthening the ministry’s impact.
As part of our Mission, we were invited by the Moldova SDA Union President and his team to visit them for fellowship and lunch at their Headquarters. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch, which included fresh Grape juice obtained from the vines in the rear garden of the Headquarters building.
On Sabbath, the group led worship at a local Adventist church. The following day, we visited Transnistria, a self-declared independent region within Moldova with its own currency, passports, and Russian-speaking population. This region is a breakaway territory supported by the Russian armed forces.
At the entry point, some local Moldovans explained that it is not easily accessible to ordinary citizens from Moldova proper. They shared that they have faced interrogation, sometimes lasting for days, when attempting to cross. Throughout our time in Transnistria, we were cautioned to be extremely mindful of what we said, as the authorities were closely monitoring our every movement.
The group’s presence drew significant attention, being the only non-white visitors in the city, and even attracted local television crews eager to interview them.
There were many personal blessings along the way. One team member shared how a fellow missionary said, “I woke up at 3:00 a.m. and couldn’t sleep, so I spent time in devotion and reading Scripture.” It was a reminder that God was shaping hearts within the team just as much as among the inmates.
As part of every service, we delivered a small bag of fresh fruit and a fresh bread cob to each inmate who attended and in the case of the women’s prison, to every inmate in the block (approximately 200 souls). These were very well received by each recipient, which indicated that they rarely receive such gifts.
A final, unexpected blessing came as the team departed Rusca Women’s Prison. After presenting a small gift to the administration, including a new washing machine for the canteen, the prison leadership offered twelve consecutive afternoon slots for an on-site evangelistic series in their dedicated chapel. A clear sign that God is opening doors for continued ministry.
God be praised for every step of this journey and for the lives touched, both inside and outside the prison walls.
The report was written by Mr Jeremy Heading (Bournemouth Church)
