The best word to describe Andre, our contact, is with the word: adventure…in the best way possible. Andre has faith like a child and keeps us on our toes. When he was growing up, Andre was far from what he is now. He was a drunkard and a drug user. He grew up with parents who were essentially non-believers (they went to the Orthodox church, but did not and do not believe in God). When Andre became a Christian at the age of 21, he said his life completely changed…now he is a missionary in the areas of Moldova where he grew up. What an incredible example he is of how God can change someone’s life completely.
Whenever Andre comes to our little house to visit us, I know I am in for an adventure. I have realized that whenever his little blue jeep pulls up I am excited and nervous at the same time. Somehow, when he arrives, we always seem to end up climbing up the side of one mountain or another. Yesterday was no exception. He took us to scavenge a cave, (with only one flashlight for 10 of us), to climb the top of a waterfall, and to climb the top of a huge rock in the middle of a monastery. I can’t count the number of times I look around at where Andre has taken us and think “Why is my life so insane?!”, “How did I get here?!” and last but not least “Whew…glad that climb is over!” I am so glad God has placed this big man with a huge faith in our lives. He is a constant example of how God wants us to approach Him; with a childlike faith and a sense of wonder and excitement and with the knowledge that we never know what to expect from God, but we know that there is something new to discover ever single day.
One of my favorite things about Andre and his wife, Larissa, is how they constantly defy what a “Christian”, in the Orthodox religion, should be. Most of Moldova consists of people who are practicing Orthodox, while Andre and Larissa are simply followers of God’s heart. The Orthodox religion says that woman can not wear pants and must cover their heads when they pray. Larissa wears pants all the time and only covers her head when she is going out into the cold night. The Orthodox religion says that men must not wear more than one ring and must not cross their arms or put their hands in their pockets when they are praying. These are just some of the rules placed on the people in the Orthodox faith. All of these rules, Andre breaks. He wants to show the people God’s heart. God doesn’t want to give people a list of do’s and don’ts. God wants people to search after Him. That is what Andre and Larissa do. He is a man of prayer. He climbs mountain after mountain and spends hours there in prayer for God’s vision for Moldova and God’s vision for his family. Right now, God has called Andre and Larissa to Moldova to open a rehabilitation center for drug addicts and alcoholics. They are so obedient to what God has told them to do and I know that He is going to bless them for their incredible obedience and because they are daily searching after His heart, which is all God has asked of any of us.
