Hi everyone, here is an update after our first few days in Romania.
We had a very smooth journey here, good weather and not too much traffic. Having left the island on Thursday evening we travelled overnight and got to Offenbach (east of Frankfurt) on Friday evening. Saturday we had a long days driving and got to Satu Mare (just inside the Romanian border). On Sunday we drove across Romania arriving in Dorohoi around 4.30pm.
Our friends Helen & Costel had switched on the water and central heating, got bread, milk and fruit in and fresh flowers on the table, so a lovely welcome home. We unpacked the car, then our friends Liviu & Denise invited us for a meal.
Monday was a mixture of unpacking, visiting a few families. It was lovely to see Fraguta and family snug and warm in the house built for them by Hands of Hope in the summer. We also went to the centre for children with disabilities and local supermarket to stock up on supplies for our apartment.
Tuesday first job for Chris was to change the wheels on the car, alloys wheels and road tyres swopped for the set of steel wheels and knobbly tyres. (much better for the local road conditions, especially in the villages) Later we were out visiting families and for Dru seeing the extent of the poverty here and the living conditions has been rather an eye opener. Prices here rising and families surviving on next to nothing.
In the evening we met up with our friends Peter & Lesley from the Centre of Hope. It was good to catch up and discuss many of the families which we share the care of.
Wednesday. Chris spent the morning catching up with shipyard work. Dru and I went to the centre for children with disabilities. It is wonderful to see the work that they are doing here and they way that the children are developing. One little boy, David who is autistic was noticeably more sociable and less agitated. The centre rents a room in a school and they have now started a programme to integrate the children. A real step forward in the Romanian culture where many disabled people and children and marginalised and hidden away. This centre is under threat of closure as the supporting charity has less funds available for 2009.
Thursday. This morning we went to visit the families at George Enescu. They have now been in the new homes for 2 months. It was wonderful to see the transformation in the people’s lives. They have warm and dry homes. When living in the damp cobbled together shacks many of the children did not go to school regularly. But today it was a joy to see the children getting ready to go to school all looking happy, clean and tidy.
This evening we are going to the church at Varfu Campului for their midweek meeting, Dru will be giving a talk on money management to the group there.
We had a very smooth journey here, good weather and not too much traffic. Having left the island on Thursday evening we travelled overnight and got to Offenbach (east of Frankfurt) on Friday evening. Saturday we had a long days driving and got to Satu Mare (just inside the Romanian border). On Sunday we drove across Romania arriving in Dorohoi around 4.30pm.
Our friends Helen & Costel had switched on the water and central heating, got bread, milk and fruit in and fresh flowers on the table, so a lovely welcome home. We unpacked the car, then our friends Liviu & Denise invited us for a meal.
Monday was a mixture of unpacking, visiting a few families. It was lovely to see Fraguta and family snug and warm in the house built for them by Hands of Hope in the summer. We also went to the centre for children with disabilities and local supermarket to stock up on supplies for our apartment.
Tuesday first job for Chris was to change the wheels on the car, alloys wheels and road tyres swopped for the set of steel wheels and knobbly tyres. (much better for the local road conditions, especially in the villages) Later we were out visiting families and for Dru seeing the extent of the poverty here and the living conditions has been rather an eye opener. Prices here rising and families surviving on next to nothing.
In the evening we met up with our friends Peter & Lesley from the Centre of Hope. It was good to catch up and discuss many of the families which we share the care of.
Wednesday. Chris spent the morning catching up with shipyard work. Dru and I went to the centre for children with disabilities. It is wonderful to see the work that they are doing here and they way that the children are developing. One little boy, David who is autistic was noticeably more sociable and less agitated. The centre rents a room in a school and they have now started a programme to integrate the children. A real step forward in the Romanian culture where many disabled people and children and marginalised and hidden away. This centre is under threat of closure as the supporting charity has less funds available for 2009.
Thursday. This morning we went to visit the families at George Enescu. They have now been in the new homes for 2 months. It was wonderful to see the transformation in the people’s lives. They have warm and dry homes. When living in the damp cobbled together shacks many of the children did not go to school regularly. But today it was a joy to see the children getting ready to go to school all looking happy, clean and tidy.
This evening we are going to the church at Varfu Campului for their midweek meeting, Dru will be giving a talk on money management to the group there.
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Latest news from Hands of Hope
Latest news from Hands of Hope