Last August, my husband and I, accompanied by two of our four adopted Romanian children, spent a wonderful two weeks in Romania. We traveled, visited birth families, and saw on that occasion Roman ruins, the beautiful Turda Gorge and an ancient salt mine.
I began to write of this visit on the e-group but time, commitments (disorganization?) got in the way and I never did finish my story. Suffice it to say, it was yet another wonderful trip, made even more so by having Vali and Mariana as our friends and guides along the way. We alsomanaged an adoption of a different kind during that trip – bringing back to Canada an adorable six-month old street dog. Mica, who appears to be mainly Jack Russell, is now the Ruler of Our Household and definite boss over our Doberman, Kysar.
I vowed on that trip, having seen more of Romania that most Romanians during my seven visits there, that I would never again return as a tourist but instead try to help or volunteer in some way on subsequent visits. Although much progress has been made throughout the country – this is most visible in the reduction of air and street pollution and seeing the ever-encroaching spread of western influence – there are still so many areas where assistance in all forms is a dire need.
Accordingly, when my 23 year son Jesse Mitica (adopted August 1990 from Calarasi) decided in late April to spend a month in Romania, I was more than eager to accompany him for a 2-week period, deciding to volunteer at a children’s home or mission.
Our plane tickets booked, Jesse’s family(ies) expecting him, my volunteer dossier completed and accepted, we set out with high expectations and happy hearts on May 22nd.
Tomorrow’s installment of this story will begin the story of my trip, including seven days helping to care for 21 children from an institution for the handicapped. Consisting mostly of notes from my journal (which was actually nightly e-mails to my family at home), it will document how those seven days unfolded with a chain of events and experiences that went beyond anything I could ever have imagined.