E-mail from Heidi Darrin

Thought you all might enjoy this e-mail from Moldova.  Heidi Darrin is the wife of the newly appointed missionaries to Moldova that you will meet when we are there.  Blessings, Sharon

— On Wed, 7/30/08, Heidi Darrin wrote:

The Women’s Side of the Story…

July 2008

Dear Sharon,

This is Valentina and Lara

I would like to ask you to pray for these two young ladies.Valentina works at a new store next to the market where we shop. Troy and I decided to see what the store was all about and that is how we met Valentina. Valentina was amazed that we are learning Romanian and that we truly like Moldova. We invited her and a friend to our house for dinner. A week later, we welcomed Valentina and Lara to our home. We ask for prayer because these two ladies have gone to America to work this summer. They left in May. I received an e-mail from Valentina and she shared that the job that was to be there for them (in a tourist area); was not. They went to America with an agency that works with their university here in Moldova. This agency helps students experience work in America. Valentina and Lara were so excited. It has been a long time since that last e-mail from them; which makes me worry. I worry about their finances, about how they are being taken care of, what kind of jobs are being offered to them and who is doing the ‘offering’.  Human trafficking is very real. The longer I live in Moldova, the more I realize and understand how this is a reality around our world. I’m not saying that this is what has happened to Valentina and Lara. But please pray for protection and safety, for financial stability, that they are able to make great memories in America, and they will have safe travels back to Moldova this fall. Troy and I are anxious to see them, hear about their experiences in America, and continue to share Christ’s love with them.
Thank you for your prayers.

We found a hamburger in Moldova!

Ahhhhhh, finally we found a hamburger in Moldova! On a very nice sunny Sunday, we chose a new restaurant with an inviting patio to enjoy the breeze, company and food. To our surprise, we opened the menu and read the word HAMBURGER!
I closed the menu and said with a very big smile, “Yes! Finally, there is a hamburger in Moldova!” And the waitress even asked me if I wanted cheese to go with the hamburger. I replied, “Sure!”
As we waited for our food, we talked about the church service that morning and watched the people walk by. I enjoyed my coke as the light breeze kept me cool. And then, my hamburger came. I skipped the condiments and anxiously took a bite of the…the…the…the…




…the HAM burger!  Yes, that is two words. And yes, as you see, it is HAM! Well, I hope it was ham.  🙂
What did I think of my Sunday lunch?
The fries were really good.

A wonderful afternoon…


Five young moms: Ina, Nina, Oxana, Tanya and Luda, from our home church here in Moldova, came to my house for food and fellowship! Their children: Nikita, Benjamin, Otilia, Danik and Gabrilla, joined us also! And two of the five mommies are pregnant. We spoke English and Romanian. When the conversations became excited, I was lost. The Romanian language was going too fast for me! But overall, we conversed well and ate well. I love getting to know these precious young moms. And how can you not love these little children with the adorable names?  🙂

‘LIFE OF A MISSIONARY’ TIDBITS

If you would ask me how I am today, I would answer “homesick”. I miss my boys. I miss Jotham’s laugh and Blake’s smirk. I miss being able to give them a hug. I miss texting them from my cell phone!

I also miss my parents. I miss visiting them in Texas. I miss the smell of their house; it always smells so good when you enter their home. I miss shopping with my mom and driving around Dallas with my Dad.

I miss my brother, Chad; his wife, Julie; and their little girls, Kate and Kyle. Ok, I may even miss their dog, Ozzy. 🙂  (The huge drooling Rottweiler.) I miss visiting them in Minneapolis; eating Mexican food at a great local restaurant. I miss playing with my nieces.

I love Moldova. I know I have been called to Moldova. But sometimes, it is not easy to be 6,000 miles away from family. But God gives me strength and comforts me. You may hear my dad say “I don’t like that Heidi Jo lives so far away but who can disagree with God’s will?”; I tease my dad and say to him, “Dad, you taught me to be who I am. You taught me about Jesus and missions.”

You see, I have amazing parents. Parents that love me and taught me who Jesus is and how to serve Him. My dad has an incredible giving heart. My mom has a beautiful compassionate heart. Both of them have modeled and taught me how to put Jesus first in my life.

I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for my children. I am thankful for this calling on my life. I am thankful for a wonderful husband and daughter who are here with me. I am grateful for what God has done in my life and who He has given to me.

But I am still homesick…  🙂


Thank you for praying faithfully for our family!  Thank you for your
support and encouragement.  We appreciate your cards and boxes, e-mails and phone calls!


From Moldova,
Heidi Jo

Troy, Heidi Jo and Heather Darrin
Str. Primaverii 4
Chisinau Moldova 2064

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