This is an update by Nancy Raatz: Director and Dreamer of the Home of Hope Moldova.

"This afternoon I'm exhausted and I'm thrilled. We went as a Home of Hope staff to a short term shelter this morning and met with the first women who will come to our home next Monday. We talked first with the social workers who manage these women's cases, then we met with the women. Three women will come to the Home on Monday. Today we met with two of them. They also have three children that will come with them.

Both of the women we talked with today spoke Russian so I was out of the conversation, but I sat in amazement at the staff God has put together. Rodica is such an amazing woman. She asked them (I was told later) their dreams for life and said that we are here to help them reach their dreams. We are not here as an end in their lives, but to help them move to what their lives can be. Elena told them they could know that we are a family and they will be a part of this family. And Sara told them they are not alone. We will help them learn to raise their children.

We began to dream about games to play and being "Auntie"--"Tante" to some little girls who have had no one to love them. We began to see these women that sat so scared, so lost as women that God has called us to show His love and healing.

After the meeting we talked about how God has so much more ahead. So often we think we are here to do just one thing and God leads us to another. We built a Home for women to find healing from the scares of trafficking and we are also building a bridge to the women who work in the short term shelter. It is not a place that is faith based, but there are lovely women that work there and care about these young women who are trafficked and friendships are forming with these women also.

I'm excited for the days ahead. I know God has lead us this far and He will continue to lead us."

A Friend

I just wanted to tell you all about my new friend Lucas. He is seven and a ton of fun. I spent the past week in the suburb of Straseni with Pastor Nic and his family. Lucas is his oldest son. Lucas and I just got along. We played war, he showed me his newly acquired piano skills, he beat me in UNO and we caught frogs together. In short, Lucas and I are friends. We talked about his plans for future travel, how to learn languages and the best techniques for golfing with a stick and a rock. I am delighted about the friendship and Lucas double checked that his family had my phone number before I left. I can't wait to see him and his family again.

A Good House Wife

Sasha turned and looked at me, beaming. “Sara,” he said in Russian, with a little bit of surprise in his voice, “you are a great house wife.”

Sasha and the other young men of Sarata Galbena had been watching me that evening as I helped prepare the potluck for forty people. They were impressed that I knew how to set the table, cut the bread and even remembered the tea. I was taken aback by the comment. I knew that Sasha had given me a compliment. In fact for a Moldovan woman, it would have been the ultimate compliment. But I am not Moldovan and I did not come here to be a ‘good house wife,’ I came to be a missionary. I am not here to make food, remember tea and cut bread; I am here to serve the church and seek the lost. I wasn’t sure how to respond: offended or pleased. I smiled as the other young men around nodded in agreement and soon left the table.

As I sit here writing this, I am not offended, but delighted. Moldovan women are strong, good mothers and excellent wives. And the men here are constantly bragging about them: their good looks, competency and skills. Sasha showed me respect. He sees the other Americans around and watches how I have learned, adapted and grown in my new country and environment. He was never trying to offend, but encourage. It is on this foundation of respect that influence and change can be brought about. And that is real missionary work.

Brother Vasile in Mihaileni

I spent the past few days up North in the village of Mihaileni. I have enjoyed getting to know the team that I will spend the next few weeks with, but my favorite part has been connecting with the Moldovans in that area. We worked on the walls of the new church building, painted, visited the poor and had services. I loved sitting down chatting with the men and women in the church working with us. The deacon and overseer of the church is a wonderful man named Brother Vasile. He is a man I respect and have learned a lot from. The thing that I love most about Brother Vasile is his blessings and words of encouragement. Every time I translated for him, he would be say kind words to someone on the team. He knew how to build people up. I look forward to spending time in that church again and in the meantime I know that Brother Vasile will be praying for me.