Cioresti Church
Missionaries Troy and Heidi Darrin share how God used an unlikely family to help plant a church in the village of Cioresti in Moldova — a story of going from fighting to faith.
From Fighting to Faith in Moldova
Note: Usually, our newsletters are filled with photos telling the ongoing story of God’s wonderful work in Moldova, where from one village to the next, He is building His church. This month, we are sharing a transformational personal story that was recently featured in AG News by news editor Dan Van Veen. You can click on the following link or read the article in its entirety below.
Moldova is an impoverished small Eastern European country sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, it emerged as an independent country. Relatively unknown, it has come more into world focus with its fate tied to the future of Ukraine and the war with Russia.
Although Moldova is one of Europe’s poorest countries, it is experiencing a rich outpouring of God as Assemblies of God missionaries Troy and Heidi Darrin, who have been serving Moldova for 20 years, have helped establish 48 new churches throughout the country since 2020. Following is an account on how God used a family one might least expect to help establish a church in the village of Cioresti.
“Oh, it’s OK — send the police. We’ll tell them about Jesus, too!”
— Vera Triboli, Cioresti
Vera Triboli (“Tree-Bowl”) grew up in one of the most beautiful areas of central Moldova in a poor village called Cioresti (“Chore-resht”). With its rising hills and deep valleys, it is a stunning area to drive through and experience. Although the exterior surrounding landscapes are wonderful to behold, Vera’s home life was a long way from such beauty and peace.
Vera was raised within a large family with nine siblings (four boys and five girls). The family was poor and life was often filled with difficult situations. The village of Cioresti was known for being the most violent one in their region and Vera’s family lived up to that reputation.
And, like most villages in Moldova, many families dealt with problems caused by alcoholism. Drinking, fighting, arguing, and abuse were all part of Vera’s world growing up — all of her brothers spent time in prison for their violent behavior.
However, when her brother Victor was released from prison, he settled with his wife and family in a nearby town called Nisporeni (“Niss-pour-ren”).
Victor
While living in Nisporeni, Victor met a woman from Betania Church, a young Pentecostal Union church that works in cooperation with the Assemblies of God. The church, founded in 1996 by pastor Victor Antoci (“An-toach”) and his wife, Emily, had begun as a house church and was the first church planted in the Nisporeni region. The woman invited Victor Triboli to come for a service. He did.
“As he attended the church, God began working in his life,” Antoci says. “He wanted to change, but he could not give up his sinful habits.”
Antoci says that Victor’s violent tendencies remained active, spurred on by his addiction to alcohol.
“I learned that he would beat his wife, and because of his violent behavior, she and her daughters sometimes had to sleep at a neighbor’s home,” Antoci says. “One day, Victor became drunk and threatened to kill his wife . . . so, I arranged for her to stay in the church building.”
Could God ever use such a man as Victor Triboli?
Transformation
Victor’s personal life and spiritual desires were in direct conflict with each other. Yet, even as he struggled, with his family paying a heavy toll, he brought his family to church where his wife accepted Christ and was baptized.
And then something unexpected happened. Victor decided to not just give voice to “repentance,” but take it seriously!
“He truly began to follow Christ,” Antoci recalls.
God began to work in Victor’s life in marvelous ways and eventually he shared his new faith with his family in Cioresti. Four other siblings, including Vera, would repent and become followers of Jesus through Victor’s witness.
Vera
Vera’s faith became a fire and she invited pastor Antoci to come to Cioresti and preach the gospel, using her home for the services as there wasn’t a church. As more people began attending, and when the weather was nice, they started meeting outside Vera’s home in the courtyard.
In fall 2022, after three years of meeting in houses and on patios, God blessed Vera and the growing congregation with a location to build a church facility. After a year of construction, and with the help of AG world missionaries Troy and Heidi Darrin, they held their first service in the new church building in September 2023.
“Vera dropped her phone once and broke it,” Troy recalls. “I immediately helped her get it fixed, because she would be calling everybody every day for church. I just think if the Book of Acts was being written today, there would be a chapter, just like with Lydia, with Vera in there. She was such a great role model.”
Vera tragically passed away two years ago, but not before she saw the church built in Cioresti.
“She was an inspiration to us,” states Heidi Darrin. “She was very warm when she talked about Jesus, but she was stern as in, ‘You need Jesus and you need Him now,’ but always out of a warm heart. She was very loving — she loved her people in the village. There were beautiful changes in that village because of her faith.”
Heidi recalls how some neighbors, upset that Vera was holding services at her home and telling people about Jesus, threatened to call the police.
Vera’s response was classic Vera.
“She said, ‘Oh, it’s OK — send the police. We’ll tell them about Jesus, too!’” Heidi says with a laugh.
Legacy
The Darrins say that Vera’s and Victor’s stories are ones of going from fighting to faith. Memories of pain and violence were replaced with peace and joy. Vera’s happy smile was contagious, and she spent every day visiting neighbors or calling and talking to them about Jesus. Every week she invited them to church. She loved her church. She loved her Jesus. She believed He could change Cioresti like her family was changed . . . and He is.
What’s more, Vera’s story is being repeated throughout Moldova. Since 2020, the Darrins have helped pastor Antoci and the Betania Church plant five new churches in unreached villages in Moldova as well as expand the home church facilities in Nisporeni.
As for Victor, pastor Antoci helped him relocate to France, where he and his family now live.
“[Victor] was baptized in a Romanian Pentecostal church in France,” Antoci shares. “He attends church in Paris and often helps families who are in need.”
The Darrins
The Darrins initially met pastor Victor Antoci as part of a missions team that traveled to Nisporeni in 2005.
“Through Troy and Heidi, God has blessed us by opening many doors in public institutions, including schools and city halls,” Antoci says, “and even given us opportunities to hold evangelistic events in the central park.”
The Darrins have also blessed the church by providing opportunities to purchase land for new churches.
“We work in cooperation with local pastors, such as pastor Victor,” Troy explains. “They know where strong house churches have been established and are ready for a facility of their own — and that’s where we can come in, assisting with finances, bringing in work teams, and working alongside these young congregations to provide them with a more visible and vital ministry.”
However, finances aren’t the only thing the Darrins help provide.
“They have also encouraged us spiritually through conferences and meetings we have had with pastors from America,” Antoci says. “I thank God that He sent Troy and Heidi to us and used them to bring so many blessings to the work of the Lord in Moldova.”
Dan Van Veen
AG News Editor, Office of Public Relations
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USA Itineration Update
We have now been in the USA itinerating since August of this year. Our first few months of visiting churches, pastors, family and friends have been both busy and exciting. Every week, we love sharing the incredible report of nearly 50 new churches God has helped us work with in Moldova since 2020. We welcome any opportunity to come your way for a service or personal visit.
Note: Our last itineration period was in 2021. Over the last five years, the economy has changed, expenses have increased, our budget is higher, and some monthly support has faded.
As we work hard to raise our new budget and project expense monies, our goal is to return to Moldova this coming January. Specifically, we need to raise $2,000 in additional monthly support by January, 2027.
If you are already supporting us, perhaps you could increase your giving amount, or even double it, for a season. If you can join us as a new supporter, would you consider a one- or two-year monthly commitment of $50 to $100? This will help us meet our budget and get us back to Moldova.
We sincerely thank you for your partnership and support these many years. The bottom line is that, without you, we are not able to be in Moldova doing the good work God has called us to do. May God bless and reward your commitment!
Troy and Heidi Jo Darrin
Moldova