Listening & Building: A New Kind of International Partnership

On August 27, 1991, Moldova officially gained its independence from the Soviet Union. This milestone marked the beginning of a new era for the country—one filled with hope but not without hardship. In the years that followed, Moldova faced extreme challenges, including widespread unemployment, poverty, and the breakdown of social structures.

Only in recent years have businesses begun to emerge, and the idea of flourishing has started to feel possible. For the first time in decades, men and women across Moldova are daring to dream about starting their own ventures.

This freedom to dream has led to a rise in entrepreneurship. Moldovans are freshly inspired to launch new businesses, leading to the growth of thriving communities. The Christian Community of Entrepreneurs is one example of this entrepreneurial spirit in action. Born out of a deep love for their country and a desire to see it flourish, this network of over 150 entrepreneurs is building businesses, investing in communities, and pursuing fully integrated Christian lives.

When Scatter met Anatol Malancea, Co-founder of the Network, it was immediately clear that God was at work through the creativity and brilliance of Moldovans. Good was happening through these businesses.

Conversations with Anatol unveiled a new opportunity: What if Western businesspeople could walk alongside Moldovan entrepreneurs as peers—sharing expertise, fostering growth, and learning from one another? How would the good happening in Moldova grow exponentially when Jesus-followers come together from across the globe in pursuit of redemptive business?

With these questions in mind, Scatter deepened its relationship with a like-minded church in Austin, Texas—Austin Ridge Bible Church (ARBC). ARBC had been seeking new ways to engage globally and partnered with Scatter to explore how to do that well. When Anatol shared the need for mentorship, ARBC’s business network became a natural fit.

Scatter facilitated a trip for ARBC to visit Moldova, where they listened closely to the needs expressed by local business leaders and began to explore how they could help address the gaps. This trip—the first of its kind—was an invitation to show up differently in the world, embodying a new posture of humble, redemptive partnership.

After a week of active listening and several virtual touchpoints, Scatter helped broker a relationship between ARBC and the Moldovan Network. This partnership connected Moldovan mentees with the mentorship they had asked for—based on both their expressed needs and the specific expertise available through ARBC's network.

The Two-Fold Impact of This Partnership:

1) Moldovan needs are heard, and solutions are being built - together.

Following the trip, meaningful connections were made to pursue real solutions. One powerful example is the story of Igor, a young entrepreneur eager to grow his business. Igor shared a need for mentorship—someone to walk alongside him in decision-making and support him as he scaled his company.

Scatter connected Igor with Trey, a seasoned business owner from Austin, Texas. Since then, Trey has been meeting with Igor regularly and has even brought in additional mentors to help with needs outside his own expertise.

What makes this relationship even more meaningful is that it’s not one-sided. During a recent visit, Trey shared a desire for Igor to mentor his son as he prepares to start his own business. Both men are benefitting from this ongoing partnership—and a deeper, mutual respect is taking root.

2) Westerners are shaped by the way Moldovans do business and by how they integrate all aspects of their lives for kingdom impact.

One of Scatter’s core beliefs is that we all have something to learn from each other. In the West, we often assume we hold the answers to the world’s problems. But at Scatter, we strive to embody co-learning and co-building, believing that we reflect Jesus best when the whole Body works together.

Jose’s story illustrates this beautifully. A successful builder in Austin, Jose met Alex, a Network board member and a faith-driven builder in Chișinău, Moldova, who had recently acquired land for a new apartment complex. Before beginning construction, however, Alex was deeply committed to helping the current residents of the land relocate with dignity and care.

As a redemptive businessman, Alex saw it as his responsibility to ensure that these families were set up to thrive in new homes before breaking ground. While touring the land together, Alex shared his relocation plan for five families with Jose—who was deeply moved by Alex’s care for his community. Jose later reflected that Alex’s approach gave him a renewed sense of purpose in his own business. He has been able to carry this lesson into the way he does business in his city.

We celebrate the connections being made across the globe right now, recognizing that this is just the beginning. We believe that these stories will continue to take shape, businesses will continue to grow, communities will continue to flourish, and more people will continue to catch a vision for a new way to show up in the world.

Written by Alyssa Valentine