The lives of disabled orphans in Moldova will be brightened by a group of caring children and church supporters.

The children from Christ Church United Reformed Church, Clacton, have collected together toys, toiletries and play things for disabled youngsters in an orphanage.

The children have also decorated the 67 shoeboxes, which have just been collected by TEECH, a charity set up to help eastern European countries and the people who live there.

The charity is currently taking volunteers out to Moldova to revamp at least three of the dormitories where there are some 200 children.

Eight married couples will walk down the aisle and renew their wedding vows in front of a packed church later this month, in a unique bid to build a home for Moldovan orphans.

The special ceremony will take place in Askeaton parish church, Co Limerick, and will be officiated by Fr Sean O Longaigh.

Breda Purcell and Linda Walsh of Askeaton are the inspiration behind the fundraising idea for Outreach Moldova.

Over €5,000 has been raised by the local west Limerick community so far this year, but organisers hope to double that figure at this month's event. All proceeds will go to building a home for orphaned or abandoned girls in Moldova.

Breda Purcell, who has witnessed at first hand the plight of abandoned children in Moldova, said this is the first time an event like this will take place in the country.

"It should be a great day and all the couples come from Askeaton area or surrounding district," Ms Purcell said.

"We are all meeting the priest next Monday night to discuss it and I believe there are a few stag and hen nights coming up soon, but what goes on tour stays on tour," Ms Purcell joked.

The eight couples -- William and Galina Lonergan, Paul and Iona Madigan, Mike and Sharon Moore, Jim and Aileen Hennessy, Donie and Patricia Ahern, Gerard and Laura Kearns, Noel and Kitty O'Kane and John and Linda Walsh -- will be led up the aisle by a lone piper.

The 400-strong congregation will hear each person recite special renewal vows, before the reception and celebration for the married couples is held in Askeaton community hall.

The Romanian Patriarchate's interference in Moldavian church life reflects political will of Bucharest politicians dreaming of "Great Romania," Bishop Markell of Beltsy and Falesht believes.

"It (activity of "the Bessarabian Metropolia" in Moldavia - IF) is only Bucharest's political order executed by the Synod, hierarchs and priests of the Romanian Church," Bishop Markell stated in his interview to Interfax-Religion.

He reminds that the Romanian Orthodox Church is a state Church and its priests receive their salary from the authorities and "thus they become the bearers of the modern Romanian state policy on the territory of Moldova" and execute its political order.

"The Romanian state has spared no effort to attach Moldavia to Romania," the interviewee of the agency said.

Meanwhile, according to him, "the Moldavian people in its overwhelming majority don't want it."

"Moldova wants nothing of Romania, only to leave us alone. It will be the most welcome and wanted gift from Romania. Leave us alone - we don't want anything else. We have our Patriarch and we've been faithful to him for long centuries," the bishop said.

According to him, if the Orthodox Church in Moldavia "leaves the Moscow Patriarchate, the Romanian Patriarchate will take it in a night without even asking priests and hierarchs."

"That's why we count only on the Russian Orthodox Church and prayers of all her faithful children."

Tomorrow I go to Moldova, along with two other church members, Angela & Becky, and 3 others. We're visiting some of our church mission partners, together with other contacts in the area.

I'm looking forward to the trip. I've never been to Eastern Europe. I don't know very much about the country. According to the Lonely Planet guide Moldova ranks second in the world for the percentage of its population living under the official poverty line (80%). It's perhaps not surprising then, that 25% of working age Moldovans have left to work in other countries.

It will be especially good to meet with the 4 pastors we support as a church - to encourage them; to provide some training; to be encouraged and challenged by them.

I'm sure that our heavenly Father will use the trip to teach us much about himself; to make us more like his Son; to teach us to rely on his Spirit's help.

God-willing, I hope to share some thoughts on the trip when we return.