Love for those who hurt us: Moldova, Republic of

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Love for those who hurt us

Moldova, Republic of | OM International

While visiting elderly people in the village of Pripiceni, I meet Lisaveta for the first time - an old lady who can’t get out of bed anymore.

Day by day she lies next to a little window, watching people pass by on the street - looking out on the world that has forgotten her. The only thing that enters her small space seems to be the wind that blows through countless cracks in the walls of the old house. Still she greets us warmly and even seems to be honoured to receive us.

“This should be put into our local newspaper,” she says. “People from far away who don’t know us are here to help, and yet we often don’t even help our neighbours in our own village. People here should learn from you.”

A few weeks later, we visit her again with a Dutch team, and I learn more about Lisaveta. I’m glad to hear that the pastor and his wife, as well as a neighbour visit her regularly. Those who should be responsible aren’t: her son is around but he’s drunk most of the time, and while we clean her house and start repairs on the wall he is more of an annoyance than help. The neighbour pops by with something to drink for us, expressing her appreciation. “This should be put into our local newspaper,” she says. “People from far away who don’t know us are here to help, and yet we often don’t even help our neighbours in our own village. People here should learn from you.”

Later that day we do a children’s programme nearby. Just as I am telling the bible story, a car stops and the local orthodox priest gets out. He starts telling the kids not to listen to us or to come to our programmes any more. “These are bad people trying to buy you with games and sweets,” he says. “You won’t let yourselves be bought, will you?” To this the kids reply with a loud “no”, but when the priest finally walks away, their only question is “How does the story go on?”

Such opposed reactions to what we are doing, at the same place, within just a few hours! Quite a common occurance in Moldova - warm gratitude from some, cold rejection by others, orthodox opposition, hard circumstances, loneliness, alcoholism... In the midst of all this, what impressed me the most was the reaction of the village pastor at the end of the day. He who for years has been facing opposition, hatred and even physical violence by this priest daily, uttered a simple prayer, “Lord, help us to love this man as You love him.”