Name: Lucy Dirnu
Born: 1959
Birth Place: Romania
Overcome story: Four years of insistence and Lucy was not any closer to her dream. She and family thought of a very creative appeal. It paid off and she was allowed to legally immigrate to USA and join her sister. Her fight song is “serving God,” and for this she was willing to risk everything.
Interview: Sept. 2024
Watch Lucy’s video on Youtbue.
Lucy grew up in a large family, on a farm. Eventually she moved to Bucharest, where she almost became a stewardess, but in fact became a chemist in Elena Ceausescu’s prestigious chemistry institute. No small feat for a farm girl. She knew hard work and did not mind the hard work. She would not be promoted if she did not join the party. Joining the party, and that close to the center of power, meant giving up her Christian faith. Her bright future was looking bleaker and bleaker. Ultimately she was sent far away to a coal manufacturing plant to do chemistry there.
The conflict with the communist party reached a fever pitch when she applied to leave Romania. In the early 80’s she filed out the paperwork, and numerous appeals and petitions for four years. The whole family, twenty one people, were planning to leave at once to join one of the sisters in the USA. They had decided and there was no turning back.
To be heard by the system the family prepared a most creative appeal. During a parade in the capital city, the father rushed the presidential convoy. Predictably the secret service quickly restrained him on the ground. While they were busy restraining him the mother went around them and gave the petition directly to the president, whose motorcade had stopped nearby. Two weeks later they were given permission to leave the country. In the petition she expressed their family’s decision to leave, and the denials they had for four long years.
In the US she married, grew her family, and has faithfully practicing her faith for forty years in freedom. She had a career in chemistry and her entire family was thankful to her for the hard work of applying and liberating the family. For 24 of those years she has lead a bible study in her home.
Quotes:
- “If you [God] take me to the United States i want to serve you, I want to be in your school,” and “he fulfilled my desire.”
- “It’s a privilege to serve God.”
- “God made us free … people do not persevere in that freedom.”
Reflection questions:
- Can a scientist, a chemist, believe in God? Is faith compatible with science?
- What would you hold trade off for a job? Would you give up a pet, a family member, a relationship, or your relationship with God?
- Why was it so important for Socialists and Communists to destroy religion?