Arrival Day

Made it half way around the globe with my luggage and 2 Earth Boxes!

With team members connecting through various European airports, 4 of the 5 on our team met up with Dan at the Bucharest airport this afternoon. We spent stime waiting for the last flight, them embarked on the next leg of this long journey. Dan was with a driver in a nice mini van. Nothing like Africa last year - they actually had a trailer for the luggage!

One member of our team missed a connecting flight. These things happen. Dan was on the phone helping coordinate her late arrival and train trip to Tutova tomorrow.

As we drove off, I realized quickly that I was back in a land of round-a-bouts. Sure glad I don't have to drive. The drive brought us through a variety of small towns and cities, all looking very Eastern European. Dinner included fine dining at McDonalds. LOL - I don't even eat McDonalds at home, but it was on the way.

I was so pleased to learn that one of the women on the team has an international cell phone. Text messages are 50 cents each. I'm going to owe her some money by the end of the week.

We finally arrived at our nice little hotel in Tutova around 8. My room is small, but clean and cozy. The wind is howling like I have never heard before. I better keep my ruby slippers next to the bed!

Sleep is my next priority!

Bonnie

Romania Service Program

I leave tomorrow for Romania. There are 5 of us on this team - going to care for abandoned or disabled infants and toddlers at the Tutova Clinic. As a single mom myself, I can only stay for 1 week. Others on the team will stay for 2 or 3 weeks.

My travels will take me through Amsterdam to Bucharest. My Romanian colleague, Dan, will pick us up at the airport Saturday afternoon. Then we travel to Barlad, which I believe is a 4 to 5 hour drive. The actual service program begins with our evening meal on Saturday. I can't wait to see my other Romanian colleague, Mihaela, and meet the volunteers.

The Tutova Clinic cares for severely underweight babies who arrive shortly after birth to be nurtured back to health. The babies are generally scheduled to stay at the clinic for about a year, or until they can be reunited with their families. Unfortunately, in 25% of the cases, the parents never return.

Stay tuned for daily updates - that's the goal anyway!

Bonnie

Reflections from a Tutova Clinic Volunteer

Written by Sabrina Shaner

I worked in the Tutova failure-to-thrive clinic. I bonded with the children at the clinic quickly, by the second day many were greeting us with hugs upon arrival in the morning. It was very hard to leave them after 2 weeks and I continue to think of them often and try to figure out ways I can help from afar.

The children surprised me every day. They are resilient, happy, loving fighters that made me laugh, smile and cry every day.

This experience serves as a reminder that you should not sweat the small stuff. I hope this experience will help me to forgive and forget the small frustrations at work, in life, etc. The babies in Tutova reminded me that the important things in life – things worth worrying about and fighting for – are happiness, health, and love.

Finally, I completely agree with the statement that we were “waging peace through building understanding between cultures.” I believe that the more knowledge you have about another culture, it will help you understand them and thus makes you more tolerant of that culture. I wish more people were able to have the experience I did in Romania!!

Sabrina

New Photos from our First 2011 Volunteer Team!!

Please enjoy some of our most recent Romania photos, courtesy of Volunteer Coordinator and Romania volunteer Nancy Hinschberger. Thanks for sharing, Nancy!!
















Team Barlad, January 2011