Thankful

"She not only saw the light at the end of the tunnel, she became that light for others."  -excerpt from Gabi's journal, but quite appropriate for all the children at the Tutova pediatric recovery clinic.

I am so thankful for the children of Tutova and the opportunity to have met them.  Their courage, laughter and smiles have touched my heart and taken up permament residence there.  I am hoping to return someday soon.  Until then I will support them in any way I can.  One of the biggest needs its bottle liners.  With 21 chldren at the clinic they go through approximately 120 a day and they do not sell them in Europe.  Clothing, shoes, socks, jackets, hats and toys are also always needed.  I am particularly looking for a mobile - they only had three that we saw and sometimes there are more than three babies stuck in there rooms all day because they are in isolation.  I will be putting together a package to send over.

Another large need is the role I helpful fulfill for the last couple of weeks - engage the kids with play time, games, hugs, basically show them the love they’re missing from their parents being absent.  Global Volunteers has trips just about every three weeks all year long.  If you are able and inclined, please check out their website:  http://www.globalvolunteers.org/. In the last couple of years they have seen a significant decrease in the number of volunteers, groups used to be around 15-20 (which allowed for one on one interaction with the children) and now are around 6-7, sometimes only 1 or 2 people. 

Please contact me with questions if you are interested in helping:  sabrina_shaner@hotmail.com 

Happy Thanksgiving!

The dedicated staff

Bucharest and the Painted Monasteries

After hugs (and a few tears) for all the children, aides and our volunteers, Sonya and I headed north to Suceava and the painted monasteries.  Two trains and about 5 hours later, Monica, our helpful hostel owner, picked us up at the train station and we settled in after a long emotional day.  After a good nights rest, we set off with Monica as our guide to the monasteries.  We visited four of these amazing places - Humor (1530), Voroneţ (1488), Moldoviţa (1532), Suceviţa (1585) monasteries and the Marginea Black Pottery Center.  Black pottery is unique to this area in Romania and created by using very high temperatures in the kiln. (I think - I got a lot of information that day!)  On our way Monica filled us in on the monasteries, Romania culture and pointed out several stork nests. All the monasteries are run by the nuns, many of whom Monica knows personally.  In fact we stopped about one of the nun's mother's houses to pick up some things she wanted to send to her daugher.  The frescoes cover the churches completely inside and out.  The plaster is only 1cm thick and it has never been repainted, only cleaned - to remove the soot from using candles inside the church.  They are amazingly peaceful places with extraordinay beauty.  At one of the monestaries we witnessed a nun walking around the church beating on a wooden board about 6 feet long with a mallet, signaling the start of prayer and cleansing the church of evil spirits.  Upon returning to Suceava, we had a delicious dinner of Monica's homemade potatoe soup, bread, zacusca (a fantastic vegetable spread made by the nuns) and pickled green tomatoes.   Monica's knowledge and kindness really made the weekend extraordinary.  I can't say enough good things about the High Class Hostel!

A view from the front of the Suceviţa monastery.  It is the largest of the four I saw.

The battle of Constantinople depicted on the Moldoviţa monestary.

More frescoes on the outside of the Moldoviţa  monastery.  There is so much detail in every picture.   Unfortunatelyy, no pictures were allowed of the insides. 

Sonya admiring Moldoviţa.  The dedication of the monks who painted them is awe-inspiring.  Because they were painting on wet plaster they had to paint quickly and could not make any mistakes.   

My day in Bucharest was a little slower.  I have caught the cold that the childent at the clinic and some of my fellow volunteers had.  So I took it easy, but I did feel well enough to wander around old town for a bit and then took a tour of the Palace of the Parliament.  It is the second largest goverment building - the Pentagon is the first.  All the materials to build it came from Romania.  Started in 1984 and still not finished today - about 95%.

The Miracle of Tutova

How can this little place create so much love?  It is easy to say it is because of the children.  Who could not melt looking into the big brown eyes of the twins, or gaze is awe at the miracle of Maria Cleopatra?  Or be won over by the laughter of Christie, or the smiles of Andrea and Celine? Or lose their hearts Petra, or Daniella, or Marius, or Ion or Alex, each with his or her own special charm. Or be delighted after spending 5 seconds with tiny Aleena who is nature’s perfect mimic who mirror’s back to each of us our own individual tricks or talents?  And of course there are the infants so small and vulnerable and dependent.  Each is indeed a miracle and a joy but Tutova is much more than these beautiful children.

Tutova is a very special place unto itself.  The rural setting and all the hard work that goes into the upkeep of the grounds and buildings makes the clinic and hospital a lovely and serene place. The long tree lined drive makes a perfect place to take the children to watch the outside world as it passes on its daily tasks.  The gardens that even in late autumn hold the remnants of beautiful flowers and bountiful orchards and gardens. And yet the miracle goes beyond even the place.

There is a spirit here that unites people from all over the world.  A feeling of hope and promise that if we can join together to help the smallest among us perhaps we can bring love and laughter back into places where they have become far too rare.

The nurses and aids that work at the clinic clearly love each of the children and each other.  They consistently open their “home” to new people, people who often can’t even speak their language.  People who have new ideas, who don’t know or understand the routines of the clinic, and who often create extra work even when making an honest effort to help.  But through all these events the aids and nurses remain patient and, as they do with the children try to teach the volunteers how to provide what is needed as well all allow for the special gifts each volunteer brings from her or his experience.  These are not only skilled and caring people but also individuals capable of providing great kindness and support to those from beyond their home.

And there is one more thing that adds to the magic of Tutova and that the is the dedication and enthusiasm of the team leaders, Mihaela and Don. No matter what the situation or circumstance they are available to offer support and if necessary comfort whenever it is needed to any of the workers or volunteers.  They know and love each child at the clinic as if he or she were their own.  What must it be like to constantly see a child you have grown to love leave for a future that is perhaps uncertain? And yet they always are able to open their hearts and arms to the new children that come for the care that this lovely little place can provide.

It may be difficult to compare little Tutova to the grandeur or romance of Rome or Paris, Rio or Sydney but this small place will leave a mark on your soul more rich and meaningful than many far better known locations ever can.  That is the miracle of Tutova.

 

           - Alana Poage (a fellow volunteer who eloquently described my thoughts on this magical place.)                  

PS. Today is my last day in Tutova.  I will spend the morning with the kids and then head north this afternoon to the painted monestaries.
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Tutova babies

I only get in to see the babies once or twice a day, since the toddlers keep me quite busy, but they are just so darn cute, that I had to post a few photos.

Roxanna - one of the twins with the georgeously long eye-lashes. She and her sister were brought in for malnutrition and might be going home to their parents soon. 

  

Andrea, Roxanna's twin sister.  I can't tell them apart.  They are equally adorable!

Ionute. He has some issues with brain density and can't control his temperature because of his hyper thyroidism.  Mel has made quite a connection with this sweet boy.

Nicoletta has a beautiful smile and is such a sweet baby - smiling all the time.  She was brought to the clinic for malnutrition.  She is around 12 months and isn't sitting up or walking yet.

Andrada is the youngest at the clinic at around 3 months old.  She has a hemangioma on her back and they also think she might have spina bifidia. She was sent to Bucharest yesterday for an evaluation.  She is really alert and responds well to Jody.

Daria is a little jumping bean.  She falls asleep in the jumper, wakes briefly jumps some more and falls back to sleep.  She has a cleft palate and has had two surgeries and with one left to go.  This condition has caused some malnutrition, however she is bouncing back fast!

Christi Daniel will be four next week.  He loves to swing and will latch onto your arm and swing like a koala bear (According to Mel - a native of Sydney).  He has down syndrome and is on the verge of taking his first steps, if you can get him to stop swinging!

Maria Cleaopatra is the clinic's miracle baby.  She has hydrocelphalus and was sent here last summer with the expectation that would pass away within a few months.  But she proved them all wrong and continues to brighen the hearts of all who meet her.  Medically they cannot provide an explaniation.  Her laugh provides a glimpse of her beautiful soul.

*Not pictured are Raul who is in isolation with a rare condition called Epidermolysis bullosa or Butterfly disease.  It causes his skin to shed and gives him painful blisters.  And Paola, who took her first steps last week after working with Dan for 1 1/2 years.  She has autism and some mental disabilities.   

The final four

The final four children in the mobile room are:  Celine, Alexandra, Marius and Ion.  There is also a whole other crew of babies in the non mobile room.  Mel, Jody and Sonja are holding down the fort there, but I try and stop in for a visit when I can. 

Alexandra is 8 yrs - the oldest child at the clinic.  Generally they do not have children who are older than 3 or 4, so she is a unique case.  She has brittle bone disease and dwarfism.  She isn't verbal but is very observant and knows what she wants.  She loves to be outside and will lead you to her stroller to communicate her desire to go outside. She is a quiet child that loves books and magazines.  She has a fantastic giggle that makes everyone in the room smile.  You can get it going with a trip down the slide or a tickle under her chin.

Celine is an extremely bright little girl.  She picks new words all time, both Romanian and English.  She will probably be able to help the staff with translations in a few years!  She is the only child in the mobile room who isn't walking, but gets around quite well scooting on her knews.  She has clubbed feet and has had a couple of surgeries to fix them, but they didn't go well. She also has a lump on the back of her spine that may be causing some issues with walking.  Unfortunetly her doctor will not prescribe her braces, but they are going to send her to Bucharest for a second oppinion.  She has an incredible strong upper body and pulls her self up on the wall in order to get ahold of the doornob to get out of the playroom.  I think with or with out the braces, this smarty will figure out a way to walk.  She is quite determined and hates to be left out.

Ion is all boy.  He loves la machina (any car, truck, etc) and will climb anything - even you.  It is hard to get a good picture of him because he is constantly moving.  His favorite word is "Pa" or "Bye".  He is especially skilled at escaping the playroom and waves to everyone on his way ouat.  He had to have surgery on his heart and has some respiratory issues, but that doesn't stop this rambunctious little guy.  He will tackle you from behind and then win you over with a smile.

This blue-eyed cutie is Marius.  Although he appears quite indpendent and agresssive at first, he is actually a sweetheart.  Show him a little attention and he will return it 10 fold and it will melt your heart. The first couple of days my only interaction with him was to say "Marius, No!", when he pulled the hair of one of the other children - an action he found quite funny.  But I noticed one day that he was handing me the push popper and I would play with it a little he would watch me contently from across the room.  He didn't pull anyone's hair that afternoon.  Ever since then he comes over to me each morning for a big hug and often sits quietly on my lap.  I also discoved that he loves to be tickled under his chin.  His laugh is one of the best.  He has autism and has some heart issues, but they just found out that he will not need to have an operation - definitely good news!  He doesn't interact with the other children, so I think the adult interaction is extra special for him.  I will miss this sweet boy.  

Todder Romanian

I speak toddler Romanian.  Talking to nurses and aides at the hospital is a bit more difficult.  It's is more charades than talking.  They are really good and we have managed to have some brief exchanges of information.  But my toddler Romanian is solid.  It is a short list, but very effective.  Buna - Hello; Buna Dimineata - Good Morning; Buna Zuia - Good Afternoon;  Buna Seara - Good Evening;  Bine - Good; Da - Yes; Nu - No;  No Lovi - Don't hit;  Mui, mui - Nice, nice (spoken often after No Lovi),  Te Rogue - please; Bravo - Good Boy/Girl (used all the time for everything);  frumos - beautiful;  Sos - Up;  Jos - Down; Al la mesa - to the table (for breakfast, lunch and dinner); Hai eeche - Come here; Hum, hum - Dog (similar to woff, woff); Calu - Horse; La Machina - machine (used for cars, trucks, etc); Pa - Bye;  La Revedere - Bye (formal)  I can also count from 1-10, which I learned from the preschool teacher - repeating along with the children.  I also picked up the animals and up/down when the aides were teaching the children.  I try to be a good student!  There is also the some words that transend language - Uh oh and ca-ca (for anything dirty).  The todder's personalities are really starting to shine through.  

This sweetheart is Gabriela.  In this picture she is practicing standing on her feet with her weight on the entire foot and is quite proud of herself.  When we arrived last week she would only stand on her toes.  Mel, who is an occupational therapist, has been working with her and she is now walking on her whole foot and is only holding on to one hand.  Mel is determined to have her walking by the end of the week.  Gabi has a twin sister, Miheala, who recently retuned home to their parents.  Miheala is a thriving little girl who overcame her mal nutrition and is on par developmentally.  Gabi, however is a little behind.  She also has an issue with her eyes, but is going to the doctor this week to see if it can be repaired by surgery.  As a result of her eyes and possibly a mild case of autism, she explores her world ever so gently by smelling and feeling objects with her lips.  She has a wonderfully sweet personality and loves to cuddle with her head on your shoulder.  She has a fantastic appetite and has the record for the fastest bottle in the west.

This dancing queen is Daniela.  She is fiercely independent and holds her own with the other children in the toddler room who are all bigger than her (except for Alina).  She has been diagnosed with Turner's syndrome, which means she will always be small and probably won't be able to have children.  She is a generally happy girl and has staked  a claim on my lap.  She will run from across the room to defend her territory. 

A few updates - I got Alina on the scale and she weights 14 lbs, a tiny size for a 3 year old, but Jane says that she was only 11 lbs when she was here in July.  And Anna Maria is now out of isolation and allowed  in the babies playroom.  Hopefully the additional stimulation will continue to help her development.

Transylvania

We have the weekend as free time, so Mel, Jody, Sonya, Alaina and I have come to Transylvania.  This morning we were in Brasov visiting the Black Church and town square and spent the afternoon at Bran Castle.  Outside Bran Castle was an open air market that was enjoyed by all, especially Jody.  We enjoyed our free time immensely, but find our conversation keeps returning to the children at the clinic.  They have worked there way into our hearts and are constantly in our thoughts.  Upon arriving at our hotel this evening we were excited to see a children's store next door and Sonya has finally found a mobile for Anna Maria.  (There are only two at the clinic that we know of and lots of babies.)  Below are some pictures from todays adventure.

On our way to Transylvania we stopped at a roadside stand selling this delicious sweet bread the is roasted over hot coals and covered in cinnamon and sugar.  Jod and Mel are watching as he makes us a fresh batch.

Sonya took and early morning stroll in Brasov and discovered this beautiful small wooden church.  These are some of the windows in the church.

The buildings in Brasov are really pretty. The architecture here wasn't affected as much as other cities during the communist era.  It also has more of a German influence.  This is actually the post office where we stopped to pick up some post card stamps.

Jody and Sonya enjoying Transylvania.  The large church in the background is Black Church.

Black Church. It was renamed in the 1600 after a fire destroyed much of the town of Brasov and caused damage to the church.

Brasov town square.   The weather was fantastic. It was a little chilly, but there was plenty of sunshine.  

A church that Mel and I discovered just off the
Brasov town square.  They were having a baptisim ceremony for several children.

Bran Castle, also as Dracula's castle.  Although there is little evidence that Vlad the Implaler lived or even stayed in this castle. 

 We were sad that Cindy, one of the other volunteers couldn't join us in Transylvania.  She could only stay one week in Romania and was on her way home, so we drew a picture of her to take with us. This is Cindy entering Bran Castle. 











The view of the town of Bran from the castle.

Woo Hoo!

Today was Alina’s birthday!  We celebrated at the clinic with a little party for her.  This spunky little 3 year old is adored by all those who meet her.    She was born at just at 3 lbs with a whole host of issues – 3^rd degree malnutrition, fetal alcohol syndrome, missing a right kidney, anemia, diastolic distraction (related to blood pressure of blood leaving the aorta) and an enlarged heart.  But you would never know her struggles from her positive outlook on life.  She loves to mimic people and has picked up quite a few cute habits.  She will throw her hands straight up in the air and yell “Woo hoo!” pose like a body builder complete with grrrr sound and makes a number of funny faces.  Today I showed her the fishy face; she watched me intently for a few minutes and then gave it right back to me.  She only weights about 10ish lbs (I am going to try and get her on the scale to get an official weight) and wears the clothes of a 12 month old (which are often big on her).  Since she is so light she gets throw in the air a lot and loves it – giggling the entire time!  I will try and get a video of her, because the pictures just don’t do her justice.

In honor of Alina’s birthday one of the aides shared some homemade tuica with us – a traditional Romania drink often described as plum brandy.  It was pretty good.  Cindy and Mel joined me in toasting Alina.  "Noroc" is cheers in Romanian.

Tiny Tots

For the past 3 days i have been working with the todders along with Jane and Alaina. Many of these tikes are small for their age groups, but what they lack in size they make up in energy! I am exhausted by the end of the day! I also have been spending some time with one of babies, who is in isolation - Anna Maria.

Upon arrival we are greeted with excitement and hugs. They are already begining to recognize us. Sweet Gabriella comes over to me everyday as soon I arrive. She loves to get a hug with her head on your shoulder. Next we help with breakfast. Then if the weather is nice we head outside. Luckily, Romania has been having unseasonably warm temperatures and we have been able to go outside everyday. Today has been the best weather so far - high 60's. The clinic has several acres of property so there is lots of room to explore - sticks, rocks and hum-hums (dogs) are some of the favorites. Then it's back inside for some more play time in the mobiles playroom. We help with the lunch feeding and while the children take a nap, we head back to the hotel for our lunch and a short break. The food has been excellent - the soups are particularly good. In the afternoon we head back to the clinic to help the preschool teacher, assist in the dinner feeding and then right before the toddlers are set free in the halls to run off some of their energy before bed. It is controled chaos (hopefully) and they love it.

This chubby-cheeked girl is Anna-Maria. She is around 9 months old and is kept in isolation in her room because she has heart issues and a weak immune system. She is extremely alert and loves to be held. I weighed her yesterday and she is about 10 lbs. We are allowed to take her into the hallway, so I try and grab her duing chaos time so she can check out all the action. I have also discovered that when I hold her above my head and swing her gentle sideways (like a bell) she gets a huge smile complete with a crinkled up nose. I try to do it as often as possible

This handsome little guy is Petre.  He is a litte shy and reserved, but once he has warmed up to you, he is all smiles.  He has decided that I am alright (I think the fun game of place the book on your head and laugh as it falls off won him over.) and greets me with those big brown eyes and a big smile.  He has some respiratory problems, although I lately he hasn't had many issues.  Other than that he is developmentally on par for his age group.  He has a facination with rocks and has a talent for finding the small ones that will fit in his mouth.  I trade him for slightly larger ones that are good for tapping on various objects - pipes, buildings, sidewalks, etc - to hear the different sounds.   

Andrea has beauty and brains and uses them both to her advantage.   She will run from the cross the room, jump into your arms to give you a big hug, squeezing you tight, then give you a big smile and try to get you to give her whatever is in your pocket.  She is particulaly fond of cell phones and digital cameras.   She doesn't currently have any health or developmental issues, but was removed from her home when she was 3 months old because it wasn't safe - alcohol problems.  She is very vocal and one of the ring leaders for escaping from the play room.  She takes the toy drum and puts it by the door to stand on so she can reach the handle to open it.  Then races down the hallway and hides in one of the bedrooms. 

More on the some of the other children tomorrow.  The clinic currently hast 18 total.  With about 6-7 staff members on the day shift, 4-5 in the evening and 3 at night. 

Planes, cars and animals

Traveling to Romania was relatively smooth.  No major delays and I was lucky enough to get an empty row on the flight from Newark to Zurich which allowed me to get a solid 5 hours of sleep.  And I had a window seat on the flight from Zurich and was impressed my the massive size of the Swiss Alps while eating my complimenary chocolate.  I hope to ski them someday. 

Upon arrival in Bucharest, I met up with the 6 other volunteers:  Jody (Massachusetts), Sonya (Illinois), Alaina (Iowa), Jane (Los Angelos), Cindy (Los Angelos) and Melissa (Syndey, Australia).We were greeted by one of our two team leader Dan split up into 2 cars for a 5 hour road trip north to Tutova.  Stopped for dinner half way at McDonalds.  It is the same everywhere.  Jane has been a volunteer in Romania 11 times and said that going to McDonalds is a big deal here. She has seen wedding parties eating there before. 

We arrived at Pensuinea Racula (left), my home for the next 2 weeks around 8 pm, got settled in, had a Romania beer and then hit the sack.

Sunday morning came with sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures. Accompanying the great weather were a sow and her three piglets who were foraging for breakfast behind of the hotel; several stray dogs, fed by hotel staff (and volunteers) - one of which has 4 adorable puppies; many rooster, who thankfully I did not hear overnight; and a man leading a very large bull with a rope tied to his horns at a very leisurely pace.

After breakfast we had an orientation meeting with Mihaela, the other team leader and according to Dan: "his boss and his wife."  She provided information on the Global Volunteers, Romania (including a language lesson) and some background on Tutova hospital (the pediatric recover clinic where we will be working).  Next we went to the hospital for a quick tour and to meet the children.  The clinic is located behind the hotel - about a five minute walk. 

When we arrived at the clinic we were greeted by a family visit for one of the todders - Andrea.  There were very excited to see her and extended thanks to all the volunteers.  The father a man probably in his late 20's or early 30's, didn't speak much English but the joy was written on his face and kept repeating "She is so beautiful."  Her grandmother, aunt, cousin and step mother were also there. 

Next up was a tour and a short visit with the children to help with feeding.  As we walked around, we picked up children (most were in their cribs - where they spend a lot of time).  I had Andrea B., who has an identical twin sister Roxanna, and ended my tour early at the babies (non mobile) playroom along with three other volunteers.  Andrea and Roxanna are behind developmentally.  They are around  1 1/2 years and just recently started walking.  They are very quiet and reserved and so they are gradually being moved to the todder (non-moblie) play room.  Shortly after arriving nurse came in with bottles for all the children, we helped with the feeding and played with the for a bit.

Cindy (volunteer) and Daria. Daria loves to jump and is always smiling. She has recently had surgery to fix her cleft palate. She has trouble eating because of this and is malnurished and underweight.

Upon returning to the hotel we got our work assigments and had a delicious dinner.  Chicken in a tomatoe sauce, real mashed potatoes and a nutella crepe for desert.  I will be working with the toddlers tomorrow.  Noapte buna. (Good night.)

Details

Why am I going to Romania?  Why not.  The world is big and there are a lot of interesting things in it.  I encountered Romania a number of times while getting my masters in education and have had an interest in visiting ever since.

For the first 2 weeks of my trip I will be working with an organization called Global Volunteers.  They are a non profit organization from the US that puts together volunteer trips all over the world.  They have a really great philosophy:  wage peace through understanding; understanding through service.  They only go into communities where they have been invited to help and pair volunteers up with local people to work together.  The community leaders are directing all volunteers and projects, so it isn't intrusive.  Anyone from anywhere can sign up to go on one of their trips, so you not only see the culture where you are volunteering, but also the culture of the other volunteers.  I already received an email from one of my teammates who is from Australia!

The work projects for vary per country.   In Romania, I will be working at a pediatric recover clinic that helps to nurse severely underweight babies back to health.   The clinic is near Barlad, about 5 hours north of Bucharest.  Sadly some of these children become orphans because their family never returns to pick them up.  The clinic staff are great, but there just aren't enough hands to do all the work.  This is where the Global volunteers come in.  We will help fill in the gaps.  Giving them the stimulation, love, and nurturing that they miss in this institutional setting.  I am really exited about this opportunity to see Romania from a unique perspective.

I will have some free time on the weekends and a couple of extra days at the end of the trip.  I hope to spend some of this time in Transylvania and visiting the Painted Monasteries.

Backpack girl

I actually don't own any suitcases.  I am more of a backpack girl.  I have four of them in various sizes.  I am taking two of them with me to Romania.  It is pretty convenient for carrying your stuff through airports, stations, etc.  Although I probably look pretty strange with one pack on my back on and one on my front. At least it is balanced.  

Thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions for names for this blog, they were all good and I had a hard time deciding.   A special thank you to Stacey who thought of Suitcase Chronicles, along with a number of others. 

This is my first blog so I apologize in advance for any faux pas I may make.  Especially spelling errors, I am a terrible speller.   More on my trip after I arrive in Newark.