Regrettably, after 15 years of incredible and life-changing work, this program is coming to a close. As a result, we were able to attend a closing banquet accompanied by four of our professors from BYU. It was beyond a pleasure to have them here. I learned how to be a better volunteer and some things to do to better help the kids that I work with improve and develop. I could say a lot about the visit, but overall it really lifted my spirits to see that I am in fact making a difference. A switch flipped in me. I was seeing specific progress in some of my girls, specifically in the oldest three.
Thursday nearly stopped me in my tracks. I’m not sure what had gotten into me, but I was practically running up the stairs to see my girls that morning. When I walked into the room I was greeted by two new baby girls, whom I recognized had come from a different room at the orphanage. I knew that we had two extra cribs, so I was ecstatic. Already I felt love and adoration for these girls. But it didn’t take long to see that the nametags of the two oldest girls had been taken down. I knew they had only moved rooms at the orphanage, but I remember the very cold sensation of feeling totally and completely stunned. Those girls had become my reason for being. I can imagine that that may sound dramatic, but I had put so much time and energy into loving them and serving them in every way that I knew how. But all in all I really am happy about their move. I can visit them and love on them often. I can already see very clearly that they are in a much better environment for their age and temperament, and experiencing that gave me joy and pieced together some of my broken heart.
I learn so much every day here. About myself, working with children, culture, but mostly about my Heavenly Father and Savior and their love for each of these children. I’ve had to develop a lot of faith in my Heavenly Father and in His perfect plan. And sometimes it’s hard. It’s hard to hold a sick baby and think that when I leave all they have are dirty diapers and a lonely crib. It’s hard to love someone so much and be left with the realization that they have next to nothing. And so all I can do is have faith. Faith in a Savior who knows the suffering of these children completely. Faith in a Heavenly Father who knows us and loves us all perfectly. A Heavenly Father who has a plan for all of us, and faith that each of these children will be rewarded plentifully in the next life for their innocence and trials in this life. I know that He knows and loves each of these children on the most intimate level. I know that he has provided me with a portion of that love so that I can do His work here in Romania. It is faith and love that will carry me through this summer.
Mario, our Romanian mother, kindly invited us to her parents' home in the countryside. It was beautiful. Her parents' worked hard to fill us to the brim with sarmale (look it up, its delicious!)
This is the school in the countryside, the same school that Mario attended many years ago.
On Friday, a few of our professors took us on an all-day trip to visit three separate monasteries. I just keep falling more in love with Romania.
Romanian pride!
Dr. David Nelson, his son, and Dr. Larry Nelson. It was in Dr. David Nelson's class that I made the decision to come to Romania (I mentioned the class in my very first blog post).
I love Romania. I love the interns I'm working with. I love this program. And I love these children!
Love reading your thoughts and insight! You are wonderful- :)
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