In 2010, there were 22,000 orphans living in Moldova. Even though the number of orphans is increasing, the amount of orphanages is decreasing as the government closes more and more in an effort to conserve money.
The biggest cause of child abandonment is emigration – parents leave Moldova in hopes of finding a job to support their family. They leave their children with their grandparents and the promise that they will return with renewed income and hope. They never do. The children remain with their grandparents, who either pass away or grow too old to take care of them, leaving them alone.
Another social issue in Moldova and reason for child abandonment is alcoholism. When parents addicted to alcohol neglect and/or abuse their children, the government steps in and removes them from the home. But because the number of orphanages is decreasing, those children are often left on the street.
As abandoned children grow older with no influence from their parents, no income and no hope for a future, they become easy targets for human traffickers. The highest percentage of people trapped in human trafficking in Europe come from Moldova. Wise to the plight of orphans and smooth talkers, human traffickers falsely promise these children a new life in a new country with high income and social status. When a child arrives in the county, the traffickers take her passport and hold her hostage. With no identity or money, she is forced to earn money any way possible.
Sinai 30 is striving to combat human trafficking in a variety of ways, one of which is running a shelter for orphans in the Cornesti area. Currently, nine boys and five girls of various ages live in the shelter. Sinai 30 desires to pour into them in four ways: physically, intellectually, spiritually and morally.
The children go to school during the day and church services on Wednesday and Sunday. They also help with tasks around the shelter, like cooking and working on the farm. By learning skills and being surrounded by the love of Jesus, Sinai 30’s hope is that these children will grow into well-rounded adults.
Ultimately, Sinai 30 desires to become self-supported by their agricultural and sewing products. Not only will that free Sinai 30 from relying on outside support, it will also enable the children living in the shelter to have jobs when they become adults. With job security and a sense of purpose, the risk of them being trafficked will significantly decrease.
In the future, Sinai 30 would like to expand the orphanage to two floors with the capability to house 30 orphans. They need your help to do this.
