Romania Medical Mission

[SledMamma]

Not for the first, and not for the last time I travelled to Romania this year to do a medical mission. A 30 hour trek into the heart of the old country brings us to Botosani, where we hunker down and split into teams to bring medicine, vitamins, clothes, toys, optometry and surgery to the medically under-served of the area. Last night, NBC Action News did a feature story on this year's mission and what we did there. I thought some on here might be interested in what we see and do. (You will notice that they say "the Americans" alot on the video. Myself and the girl I travel with are the only two Canadians to ever join the mission, so we are often overlooked in the commentary!) I will also post some of my pics on here as time permits:

 

[Apex162]

Well done!!!

 

[skinnybitch]

Fantastic work that you and the other volunteers do Mamma!!

 

[PINKalicious]

totally fabulous ...you are such a blessing to others!

 

[white6]

wow thats incredible mamma! really have no other words to say.. just dont know what to say really

 

[SledMamma]

Some Pics-- hard to choose out of thousands really!

 

[SledMamma]

In 2009, the medical part of our mission was cancelled. Political pressure and massive government corruption conspired to keep us out of the hospitals in Botosani. As a sign of their power, officials literally removed one of our orphans from the orphanage that we as medical volunteers own and run, and sent him back to live with his gypsy family on the frequently flooded river. Dennis, the orphan was returned to his 30-year old mother and dozens of brothers and sisters. They sold his clothes and all his possessions that we sent home with him. In the Spring of 2010, the river flooded as it always does, and Dennis and his family lost everything they had. Dennis was missing for a time. We did find him after the floods, begging for food and pick-pocketing in his tiny village outside of Dorohoi. We tried to bring him home to the orphanage, but he was teaching the other kids to lie, steal, and be violent. In the end, social services forced us to return him to his family once again.

Faced with further threat of having the orphanage house sold out from under us, we were forced to send only a few volunteers in 2009 to work on the orphanage . For a year at least we could only paint walls, sort clothes and do minor renovations for "our Romanian Children" ...

In 2010 we returned, this time to a small city of Dorohoi and resumed the medical mission portion. This slideshow is from our 2008 trip:

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnBYQwXiuUM[/YT]

 

[thunder44]

I am speechless. There is a no words to describe what a special group of people you are. I am Romanian and have never been to visit my parents homeland. This makes me very sad to see but now I understand even more why they moved to Canada. Thank you.

 

[Stillrockingabanshee]

SWEET DEAL. Im from Romania. I was borned and raised there, im from Ploiesti if you know where that is, i was in Botosani once when i was 6. We Imigrated to Canada, and now i own a banshee.........Good luck, my country is very poor, and there is way to much to list.....I visited this summer, and things changed to worse....

 

[medler]

Thanks Mama...I couldnt do it ,,( go there) thats for sure,,,hats off to you and your friend

 

[SledMamma]

I am speechless. There is a no words to describe what a special group of people you are. I am Romanian and have never been to visit my parents homeland. This makes me very sad to see but now I understand even more why they moved to Canada. Thank you.

You should go sometime-- if you ever get the chance. Romania is wildly beautiful and yet in some ways, it looks very much like home. I left a peice of my heart there the first time I went, and I will return over and over and over. We go every September (early part) if you are ever interested in a working trip...

SWEET DEAL. Im from Romania. I was borned and raised there, im from Ploiesti if you know where that is, i was in Botosani once when i was 6. We Imigrated to Canada, and now i own a banshee.........Good luck, my country is very poor, and there is way to much to list.....I visited this summer, and things changed to worse....

Its not often you meet people from Romania! Your country is so hard to describe. The government and upper class are corrupt-- worse now than when it was under communist rule. The EU has done nothing to change that since Romania joined. But the people themselves have a heart of gold. They have nothing and they would give you everything. We as a country could learn much from them about the true meaning of living...

Thanks Mama...I couldnt do it ,,( go there) thats for sure,,,hats off to you and your friend

Don't be fooled Mikey! I go over there and give only what I have to offer. In return, I receive more than I can ever possibly deserve. Romania makes me a better person, not the other way around

 

[Stillrockingabanshee]

You should go sometime-- if you ever get the chance. Romania is wildly beautiful and yet in some ways, it looks very much like home. I left a peice of my heart there the first time I went, and I will return over and over and over. We go every September (early part) if you are ever interested in a working trip...





Its not often you meet people from Romania! Your country is so hard to describe. The government and upper class are corrupt-- worse now than when it was under communist rule. The EU has done nothing to change that since Romania joined. But the people themselves have a heart of gold. They have nothing and they would give you everything. We as a country could learn much from them about the true meaning of living...



Don't be fooled Mikey! I go over there and give only what I have to offer. In return, I receive more than I can ever possibly deserve. Romania makes me a better person, not the other way around

yes i understand. As Romanians we are very good people. We always treat each other like family, no matter where we are and where from Romania we are from. I agree with the EU that has done absolutly nothing, instead the government, is still stealing what the Romanians have left. We have had a bunch of floods all thoughout Romania, and the government has done little almost next to nothing to help. They are still depending on other countries to help them out. The country has just gone down, people are stealing from each other, food prices have gone incredibly up that no one can afford, Diesel costs $2.00 L last time i checked, its just so hard to describe what they are going through. IF you take the people out of the country and view them as individuals that have things just like us and can afford things like us they are +10 people. Thanks for going to help my country out. I really apprciate that. It shows me that my country hasn't been forgotten

 

[SledMamma]

Quick video from our professional camera-guy of our Orphans from the Mission this year: If you are wondering which one is me, I am the one kissing the fish and jumping around with the camera in her hand!!

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[CoyoteGirl]

W~O~W!

That is incredible! Phenominal thing you are doing!

We have a very good friend from Romania and I love hearing his stories. Most of them are not always of a nice life... but they are still amazing to hear. And they make me reflect upon my life and just how good I have it... make me remember to be grateful every day!

 

[Haggis]

Thank you for posting. Great to see what is being done in Romania. We have it so good here in Canada and often we forget that. Great work you are doing. It would be a very different world if everyone could experience the same.

 

[polcat]

I remember when you first told me about the orphanage, I thought that was one of the coolest things someone I know has done.
You Rock Richelle !!

 

[SledMamma]

I remember when you first told me about the orphanage, I thought that was one of the coolest things someone I know has done.
You Rock Richelle !!

Hey Thanks!! I am the one who is truly blessed to have such amazing opportunities and to have a family who wholeheartedly accepts and supports my adventuresome heart.

I once heard it said that if you give of yourself, then you will receive a thousand-fold in return. This is so true- I honestly believe I get as much from the medical mission-work as I give. It's almost selfish in an ironic kinda way.

Anyway... I'm babbling at 3:00am and I am going to bed so that I can get my "biological orphans" out of bed and off to school in the am!

Thank you for the encouraging words

 

[CRF230LKEL]

Very cool work you have done.

I have gone to Brazil twice for mission work.