Church Partner in Wales pays tribute

By Jo Matthews, Kinmel Bay church partner

Kinmel Bay Baptist Church in North Wales has partnered with pastor Lucian and the church in Badicul Moldovanesc for about 10 years. I first visited Moldova six years ago and quickly became friends with Lucian and his wife, Svetlana. News of Lucian's death, following a short battle with Covid, has come as a terrible blow to all who knew him.

I have visited the Tabacs several times with church teams, on my own and with each of my children. It always felt like I was going home to visit family.

On each visit, I was amazed at the changes in both the village and the church and each time I mentioned this to Lucian he would say "Thanks be to God." He never took the credit but always pointed people to Jesus.

He was a hardworking, humble and prayerful man who did so much for his village, as both mayor and local pastor.

I am sure the church in Badicul will continue to grow. Lucian and Svetlana have discipled many strong Christian men and women. This is all the more amazing when you learn that Lucian was the only Christian in the village when he started the church.

Lucian was a real family man, who loved his wife and daughters and was always very proud of them. To anyone who met him, it quickly became clear that faith and family were the two most important things in his life. We have been honoured to be a TEN partner church with Lucian and so humbled by his faithfulness and the way God has used him. We have peace knowing Lucian is with his Lord and Saviour whom he loved, and worshipped and can now worship for all eternity. We continue to pray for Sveta, Madalina, Sanda, Raluca and Lucian’s parents.