I'm going to post my journal page from day 2 in Romania, but first I want to remind you that while some of these children's files are returned that does not mean we should forget about them or move on. They need us SHOUTING for them now more than ever. Chad's file has been listed on Reece's Rainbow two times now and while his family hasn't found him "yet" we have to keep looking! Please help Chad's family find out how special he is by sharing about him.
Ok.... Now for Day 2. Please bare with me while I get through these, many of these are emotional for me to relive as I grieve for the changes that haven't taken place and wonder where the lives that impacted me so deeply are today.
Here we are counting our literally "millions" of lei.
JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 2 in Romania (PART 1)
March 18th, 2002
This morning we got up and took showers (I'll just say that by the time I got out my blood was frozen) and then headed out towards the hospital. We only have to walk a few steps before we reach the metro. I've been praying for strength because I can barely look at these people without crying. As we got to the first stop after we got on the metro a boy who looked about 12 with sandy blonde hair and those classic Romanian chocolate eyes climbed on, bare chested with his arms crossed to keep himself warm. He didn't say anything or even look at us, he just sat down, started rocking himself and hummed a song. I've always heard about street kids and poverty but, to see this little boy - completely helpless without God - is heartbreaking. Terre gave him a snack and he looked around at each of us and then came and stood before each of us. None of us gave him anything because Terre said that if we gave him money he would either give it to his guardian or buy something to sniff. It doesn't change the fact that he was starving and cold, or that he lives a life where begging is truly his only method or choice for life.
So we headed to the hospital and pretty much just pushed up our sleeves and started giving baths. I think because the ministry workers had the weekend off no-body wiped noses because they all had crusty faces. One baby, who I'll say is one of the cutest I've ever seen, took me a couple of minutes in the bathtub just to get his little face cleaned off. His name is Robert and he has this soft, curly brown hair and dark curly eyelashes. He was sort of hiding in the corner and his crib is almost forgotten behind a few others, but all you have to do is look at him or touch his hand and he'll smile. All you have to do with any of these babies is touch them or hold them and they'll be totally content.
Here is Robert - the photos just do not do him justice! Hard to imagine that now that little boy is 11 years old and likely living on the street or in the sewer.
I mostly worked between the "Big Room" and another just down the hall. The other room had about 6 babies under 6 months old, but most of them were asleep most of the time. I told Elizabeth that I wonder if they only sleep so much because there's nothing else for them to do. We put down a carpet and toys so they could at least see without bars and chains blockading their view. It is so nice to be able to just hold them and play with them. They only eat 3 times a day and not at all during the night so when food comes around (which we determined is really pureed chicken and pork) they really guzzle it down....
OK, I'm gonna end there for today, because I want to do the next section justice...
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