Partners in Mission: Eastern Europe Territory
Dear Partners in Mission,
In March 2025, I was deeply honored to be appointed as territorial development officer for the Eastern Europe Territory (EET), serving as part of The Salvation Army’s Kingdom-focused worldwide mission.
The Eastern Europe Territory spans Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine. Together with a dedicated team, I have the privilege of overseeing 83 active projects that support mission work, emergency and rapid response, community development, and small-scale initiatives designed to meet people where they are.
The scripture that anchors and sustains me is 1 Corinthians 4:1: “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” Whether life is challenging or filled with joy, I hold firmly to the promise that with God, all things are possible. This ministry is not our own; it exists for His Kingdom and His glory.
I have witnessed this scripture lived out powerfully across Eastern Europe, particularly amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Funding shortages, limited access to skilled personnel, and inadequate accommodation for some of our officers are daily realities. Yet even within these challenges, officers, employees, soldiers, and volunteers continue to serve with extraordinary resilience, compassion, and hope.
Through faithful prayer, generous financial support, and committed technical assistance, The Salvation Army remains present, responsive, and firmly rooted in God’s mission, even within the most complex and demanding contexts.
From the very beginning of Salvation Army ministry in Bulgaria, and continuing through 2026, the USA Southern Territory has faithfully supported operational funding for the work. This partnership has enabled the establishment of a corps in Sofia, now home to seven soldiers and four junior soldiers, with a growing congregation of more than 40 people. Worship, fellowship, and spiritual witness continue to deepen from this foundation.
As we look beyond 2027, the future of ministry in Bulgaria is a matter for prayerful discernment, as we seek God’s guidance to steward resources faithfully and ensure a sustainable, mission-focused presence.
Across the EET in 2025, USA Southern Territorial support enabled ministry to thrive in tangible ways: refurbishment of a corps building in Romania, two camps in Moldova, including a music camp that resulted in the formation of two new worship groups, the purchase of a vehicle in Georgia to strengthen divisional work and emergency response, and support for youth delegates from all EET countries to attend the European Youth Network, encouraging their discipleship and leadership development.
Two additional programs remain vital across EET.
- Cash assistance delivered through vouchers continues to be the primary response supporting Ukrainian refugees. A current “lessons learned” study, with feedback from over 2,000 participants, confirms this program is a powerful expression of Kingdom values, affirming dignity, restoring choice, and demonstrating justice, accountability, and respectful partnership.
- After-school programs in 2025, across all EET countries, provided 650 places for children displaced by war and affected by poverty, disability, and discrimination. These safe spaces support children’s well-being, protection, and holistic development, enabling children and their families to encounter the love of Christ in practical and meaningful ways.
In all of this, we see donors, partners, and local Salvation Army expressions working together as a Kingdom-focused Army, united in the call to serve, to witness, and to advance God’s Kingdom across Eastern Europe.
We give thanks to God for the faithful partnership of the USA Southern Territory. Please pray for Spirit-led leadership, sustainable resources, and emerging leaders, and continue to lift up the people of Moldova, Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Ukraine as together we serve in hope.
