Thursday, August 11, 2011

Trian Update

There are so many awesome things that happen day to day but I hardly ever take the time to share - things that make me happy!

I was at Mocrea this week and Trian was with us as usual. There was a new man sitting at a table with two family members and everyone was uncomfortable. I started a conversation - the family was scared about their relative being in Mocrea - was it safe etc. They weren't sure if they could visit when they wanted. I was at the table so Irina could smoke and Irina starts saying how they are beaten, the food is not edible and so on. The family was horrified, this was their worse nightmare. I tried to tell them there was decent food and enough of it - of course it is not like food at home but they can leave snacks for the guy with the attendant etc. I am there every Tuesday and the patients are not beaten. However, by the very nature of the hospital, and the diverse mental problems, it is not unheard of for fights to break out - it happens. I did not want to make it sound like the guy was now at a resort! I explained that Irina was saying what she was because she is not happy to be in a locked ward - but who really wanted to be there? The one woman said the man's problem was alcoholism and they didn't know what to do. The man himself said he hadn't been drinking and the situation felt pretty hopeless. Just then Trian came over and I told the little group that Trian had been a patient and is an alcoholic. now he volunteers here. Trian talked to the guy - the attendant came out and encouraged them to visit. Trian explained that even after a long period of not drinking you can "lose your mind". You can get meds. here and recover. We stayed and chatted and it just made me happy to see Trian encouraging these guys and the family's concerns eased a little. I also said that the majority of these people are locked up and left but family and concern can make a big difference, not to mention prayer!

Oh - and I have my eye on another guy that I would like to start trying to get him out...he has family that won't accept him home either.

Monday, August 8, 2011

NCA Team



I guess a blog is to post things as they happen - but that doesn't usually work for me. A great team from NCA church in Florida just left on Saturday. They arrived the Friday before and helped me with everything for a week. OK - now I realize why you post-as-you-go - what do I want to share about their visit?

The team was led by Lynsey Ball and her team-mates were Dan De Maso, Tess Combs and Marcia Adams. Each brought with them something special for the week. I will try and post this to fb also as they each have posted stories from their trip.

We have recently started working at the juvenile detention center. The director had contacted me as asked if we could help there. We do a bible study and Monday evenings and are adding a craft time also. Dan De Maso did an awesome bible lesson from Exodus using a soccer ball - the kids hung on his every word. They also got to keep the ball so that left them pretty excited. That will be a difficult act for Bogdan to follow. After the lesson we stayed and the team played games and did puzzles - it was a great evening.

Marcia arrived with a delight for the entire missions experience. She has a special compassion which was exhibited in the way she interacted with the various groups we minister to. After the team left I saw a book near my front door, I had been gathering a few items that had been left behind and thought that one of team members also left a book. The team had left lovely notes for me and the girls but I made no connection to the book. I was so touched to see that the volume of poetry was for me inscribed with a lovely note from Marcia.

Tess is young and seemed up for everything, but what what seemed to make the most impression was her hair braiding with beads! Her fingers worked tirelessly! Diana, a friend of my girls, also wanted her hair done. It takes many many hours for Tess to do a full head with braids and she had already worked most of the day on Sarah, Elizabeth and Vio. Tess started on Diana. it was getting late and Diana's mother called but Diana wanted to get finished. Diana's mother came for her after 10PM but the braids were not done. I was going to suggest that we finish in the morning but Diana's mother said that they were going to Germany the next day and they wouldn't be returning. I asked the mother to let Tess finish with the hairdo and we chatted. I came to realize that Diana didn't want to go to school in Germany, didn't want to leave Romania and certainly didn't want to leave her friends. This hairdo was very important to that little girl. The mother stated that Diana can earn a living several years sooner with the German education system - I also got the impression that the family is not going to be together. Tess hung in there and finished Diana and Diana was happy when she left. I don't know how long it took for Tess' fingers to recover. Thank you for touching lives with your art Tess.

I hope to see Lynsey and her family back in Romania, at least for another missions trip if not a missions assignment. They had served here for a year and had touched many lives. I know they will be a blessing wherever they serve. The team financially blessed many of our projects.

A couple of the things that touched me the most was two donations from children. Dan's sister is a missionary in Thailand, she has an orphanage there. Her children at the orphanage collected bottles and cardboard in Thailand to help the children in Romania - how awesome is that! Also Trinity, Lynsey's daughter, sent all her savings to help either the widows or the children. The funds went to Maranatha Orphanage.