A Summer in Romania: Life is Beautiful. Blogging is Hard.

But really, blogging IS hard. Most of the time it feels as if there is nothing to write, because my experiences here revolve more around the children and less around me. So, allow me to tell you about a few experiences with some of the children I have worked with (I can’t give you their real names, but nicknames will work all the same). Then I’ll give you the tourist scoop of life in Romania. (It looks like a lot to read but I promise it goes fast!)

Daisy- The first baby I held in the hospital. The first child I fell truly, deeply in love with. She gave me absolute purpose. I miss her. I pray for her every night.

Spider Monkey: One of my sweet girls at the orphanage. The name comes from her tendency to latch onto my clothes with all of her might. She’s already managed to pull my pants down a few times, plainly through her excitement to see me (don’t worry, no witnesses were present). Sometimes I’ll try to throw her above my head for fun. She laughs as though she’s going to enjoy it but she can’t let go of my shirt for long enough to be tossed. It’s ridiculous and adorable and I adore it.

Incubator baby (forgive my lack of creativity with the name): A journal entry from the first day I held this baby. “In the ICU I held a small baby about a month old. He was in an incubator, so I gently slid his small body from the isolated crib and into my arms. He was asleep when I found him, but somehow I managed to get a perfect, sweet smile from him through my imperfect singing. I sang the words, ‘O Savior, stay this night with me,’ and was swarmed with the most incredible spirit. I could feel angels with me holding that sweet spirit. I was not alone with that baby. I felt warm, and I felt peace. The hospital has given me a sure testimony that angels are very real, and very present. Heavenly Father loves His children so much that it only makes sense for Him to provide peace and comfort to these sweet children. I believe that that peace comes in the form of angels.”

Dino- A small toddler in the hospital. His top teeth cover his bottom lip in the most darling way, making him look like a dinosaur. It’s interesting sometimes how hard it is to guess how old the children are due to their disabilities. I’m assuming Dino is somewhere around the age of 3, give or take a couple of years. His body is not strong enough to hold himself up without some sort of support, and the only noises he makes are soft whimpers. I sat with him in his crib and felt his small body nuzzle close next to mine. It was with Dino that I received my first confirmation of the work of angels. I felt a love for him that I know could only come from my Heavenly Father.

Maimuță (in English, monkey): A small, down syndrome baby at the hospital, probably about a month old. A young mother with a baby in the same room gave her this name, because she looks like a monkey. Her facial features weren’t very responsive, and her eyes couldn’t focus on me, but when I talked to her I could see them listening so intently to every word I said. She needed to be in my arms just as much as I needed her in my arms.

Smalls- One of the older girls I work with in the orphanage, about 13 months old. She runs to me as fast as she can and collapses her entire body into my lap, ready to welcome my embrace. It never fails to win me over. She loves anybody and everybody. She opens her arms as wide as she can and walks to the nearest adult she can find. She’s an expert tantrum thrower, sometimes entirely out of the blue, but boy does she have the perfect laugh (squeal?) to make you forget all about it. She gives the best kisses and the warmest hugs.

This program is amazing. My life here is beautiful. One of the interns I work with here shared the insight that “The best way to love is to sacrifice.” That is why I am here. To show love and to learn love. And I am learning fast. My heart is softening and my world is changing. Going into this I had no idea just how great of an impact this would make on me as a whole. I can only look toward the rest of this summer with excitement and joy for all of the other good things that are to come.

Ultimate frisbee with the branch after institute: Team Winners!(We won).

Botanical Gardens with the branch.

Just a few parts of my daily commute. Romania is beautiful.

Terrible picture but I love these chess tables and all of the old men way too much.

On Sunday we visited a monastery and it blew me away with its beauty. Yep I love Romania. I have to pinch myself sometimes as a reminder that this is real life.