I had so much fun today. I went on a small walk with such an assorted bunch! There were five of us in our crew. One non-verbal 11 year old who is re-learning to walk after an opperation, one healthy three year old, two teen girls with mental delays, and myself. Four kids and I. Since the kids can't leave the orphanage without a shaporone, our little walk was a treat. God really blessed us, as they all were careful to listen to my instructions. Two kids pulled down their pants in the middle of our walk and when to the bathroom on the side walk, before I could stop them. At least they didn't go in their pants ... and it was only number one.

"Bye"

I try to walk with Elena because she is in need of physical theropy after a foot opperation. She doesn't speak and has some awkward behaviors, such as flapping her hands and wringing them. When we go for walks she is so excited to see other people, and yet fearful of them. For this reason when she choses a park bench to sit on, she always choses one that someone is already sitting on. In Romania, it's more common to share a park bench with a complete stranger than it is in America. Unfortunately, Elena has no quams about engaging in her awkward social behaviors while she is sitting next to strangers. This almost always involves touching the stranges next to her and sometimes pushing them with her small pale hands. Today she sat next to an older woman who was watching her two grandchildren swing on the swings. After a few minutes the grandmother heard me call Elena by name, and when Elena reached out her hand to touch the woman, the grandmother spoke to hear kindly and called her, "Elena." Elena's response was to raise her hand and say (one of the only words she understands and uses in context) "Bye! Bye!"

"Are you going somewhere or do you want me to go?" The older woman asked Elena.

Elena pointed toward a park bench, "Bye!" She waved her hand for the woman to go away.

"WE are going, Elena," I explained, "not this woman."

The woman understood Elena however and to my horror she picked up her stuff and moved from our bench.

"Where are you going, Grandma?" One of her grandson's called out.

"Over there."

"Why," he asked.

"Because Elena wants it that way," his grandmother responded.

When we left two minutes later I said Goodbye to the woman and she called out, "Goodbye, Elena." This woman was so kind.

MacDonalds

We took two boys to church today on Sunday morning. When the nine-year-old heard (his name is Bogdan), he ran down the hall and jumped in my arms. He never gets to leave. Along with him we took Florin. Florin has some sort of condition that causes him to move very awkwardly. There were "snacks" at the church and Bogdan and Florin couldn't get enough. They kept returning to the snack table. After church we went to the park. Bogdan ran to the toys and told me, "Catch me! Catch me!" After I started chasing him, another little boy joined Bogdan and dared me to catch him as well. When I caught Bogdan I tried to give him the hardest hug I could as revenge. He didn't learn his lesson, however, because as soon as I let him go he told me to catch him again. Florin tried to climb the play equipment with his awkward limbs. The most beautiful sight was watching him slide down the slide. He also waved to every stranger he saw. If the stranger appeared friendly, he streched out his hand for a handshake. Most people couldn't help but stare at the funny way he walked. Florin is about 17 years old, and also enjoys blowing kisses to ladies. He remembered to blow a few to me throughout the day. :) After the park we visited MacDonalds and the boys got everything they wanted, including a "Royal Shake." Finally, we went to the arcade. Both boys were overwhelmed by the arcade. I think they wanted to live there. After we used our coins, they were content to stare at the arcade screens and pretend they were still playing. We promised they would return if we heard they had good behavior.

I feel very spoiled to get to be the one who got to spend such are GREAT day with them. Their joy makes me happier then I think any pleasure could bring me by myself.

Answered Prayers

I've thought over my future and what I'm doing with my life so many times, and I was mulling over my decision to go to school in the fall to study Speech Pathology on Sunday afternoon. That night an American woman arrived and asked me about my future plans. When I told her my plans to study Speech Pathology, she was extremely enthusiastic. Her encouragement came at just the right time.

This encouragement came from a Special Education teacher who specificly works with autistic children. Today she went to the orphanage with me. Along with her came two other American volunteers. It was such an encouragement to have these new volunteers, especially because they often have ideas that I wouldn't have. Through their coming God opened a door for me to spend special time with a boy I am particularly fond of (Vasile), but who I rarely see.

When Vasile sees me he runs to me, but usually his teachers yell at him and tell him he must sit down and remain quiet. I have asked to have one-on-one time with him, but for various reasons my requests have been denied. I asked to take a walk with him today and the staff seemed very open to letting me go with him. We walked around town (also a 3-year-old came with us) for an hour and a half. Vasile is very interested in tractors and construction, but he is non-verbal, although he understands what I say to him. I lifted him up so that he could see inside fenced off construction zones. We found a magazine on the ground that advertised various construction tools which he enjoyed looking at. We we returned I got to give him a bath. I sat with him at lunch and the 13-year-old boy put his spoon in my hand. He wanted me to feed him though he is capable of doing this himself. He moved himself into my lap. Sadly, when it was time to leave I have to leave him quickly and without him knowing so that he wouldn't run after me. Getting to spend this time with him was an answer to prayer and I PRAY that I can be with him even more.

Also, I am thankful when Americans come because I get to see the orphanage in a new way when tell me their first impressions. Carol, the Special Education teacher I mentioned earlier, asked about a shy girl whose hands were tied behind her back. "Why are her hands tied?" She asked.

"Because she hits herself sometimes. You can untie her," I explained, "but we should tie her up again before we go." Carol's motherly eyes filled with tears as she looked at this beautiful girl with her soft smile. There is just not enough staff to make sure she is not hitting herself, so they tie her up so that she won't get hurt. What compassion Carol had on this girl in her prison.

Also, Hermina has been in the hospital ever since I last wrote about her. I hope this means they have found the problem. I hope this means she is being helped. I hope she is getting better. Thank you for your prayers.

twelve-year-old Alexandra

When twelve-year-old Alexandra is happy she lets out a brief high-pitched squeak. To hear this twelve-year-old autistic girl squeak, I pick her up and spin her around. When gravity pulls on her, she seems to like it. She is twelve, and somewhat heavy for me to lift, so after a few "spins," I try to pull her around or lay her on the long couch and pull her by her feet and hands. Alexandra doesn't always show signs of happiness that I can understand, so her high-pitched squeak means a lot to me.

I have been hoping to really be a help to the staff at the orphanage. Lately I've been staying later and have been able to help more. I've been pleased by being able to stay. Also, it is nice to be a volunteer because then I have the ability to really spend one-on-one time with kids. The staff doesn't have enough time to be with kids one on one. Today I put Roberto in a stander. He usually sits in his bed all day. The stander allows him to stay in an upright position and he can move his feet around to get places. Each of Roberto's legs have a different length, but Roberto seems to be happy to use them. He also always wants to chew things. I was able to buy a chew toy with money donated that Roberto has enjoyed emensely. I took the chew toy away from him, and he used his little legs to gallop around the room in order to retrieve it. Once he got it, he injoyed chewing it a bit before the game began again.

"Sedinta"

(This blog was written June 3, 2008)
It was quite a full day. This morning when I arrived at the orphanage every worker I knew was sitting outside the orphanage dressed in his or her normal clothes (not his or her work clothes). I asked what was going on. They told me that they had a meeting.

“Who will watch the kids?” someone asked. “Marinela!” one of them responded. ‘Marinela” is what they call me at the orphanage since my English name is difficult to pronounce. “And Ingay!” said someone else. Ingay is another volunteer.

So Ingay and I spent the morning in the back yard with all the mostly mobile kids. My guess is that there were about thirty kids out there.

“Be careful that Alexandra doesn’t jump over the fence, like she usually attempts to do,” Ingay told me. Alexandra is a very hyper and also autistic child who is always trying to escape from where ever she is. Bianca, a wiry eight-year-old that is also autistic, always wants to be held. Screaming tantrums were the result of her being set down. Vasile kept trying to tell me in his non-verbal way that we should leave the back yard, sometimes by using all his weight to try and drag me to the locked exit. Many of the kids were very good, which makes me know that God was with us.

Unfortunately it was impossible to discipline the thirteen-year-old boy who threw rocks at me and the other kids and gave the middle finger to construction workers working beyond the fence. I could record a list of his other offences here, but I think I'll won't. At one point, after he had tried to pants me and was hitting the baby in the face, I had the gut reaction of wanting to kick him in the groin. I just wanted to disable him from causing harm to others, and I must admit I was mad. Psalm 37:7-9 encourages me on how I aught to think of Bogdan's actions.

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret - it leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land."

How I wish real love and real disciple could be administered to Bogdan. His only reason for staying at this orphanage is that he is has ADD, other than that diagnosis he is a healthy boy with an unhealthy attitude. He abuses almost all of the kids at the orphanage. GOD, HELP!

As soon as workers came, Ingay told me that we should try to “escape” out of the back door. The reason we had to escape, is that if we made a big deal about our exit, then the kids would likely become a problem for the other workers who were coming in. As soon as anyone goes in or out of the exit, all the kids rush to the door to escape. I had held 8 year old Bianca with one hand all morning, and was pulled around by Vasile with the other. I should also mention that 8-year-old Bianca had taken off her dirty dipper and shorts, and Ingay had to hold her down on the ground while I tried to put her pants on her kicking legs. Before Ingay had said we aught to put on her pants, little Bianca had been in my arms clothesless. (clothesless is a word I made up that actually means naked.) Speaking of legs, I had pulled Alexandra by they legs as she tried to crawl under the fence. Thankfully this attempted escape only happened once.

I thank the Lord for his presence and his help today. That I got to help the staff, be with the kids and that no one was seriously injured. Maybe all these events sound horrible to you, but somehow I am blessed by the events of the day. This day makes me want to continue what I'm doing, and pray with more faith than ever for God's intervention. Days like today keep me coming back.

About Hermina

I wrote in my previous blog about Hermina, who fell from the second story window, because I was so pleased of the miracle that she wasn't hurt. But, time has proven my summary of the situation was premature. A week ago, I fed Hermina. She clearly didn't want to eat, but I knew the food was good for her so I encouraged every mouthful. By the end of her bowl of pudding she was throwing up all over herself as she lay in her bed.

"It's okay," I encouraged her while she vomited, though she's non-verbal. Now I thought I understood why they had asked me to feed Hermina. She had been vomiting most of her meals, and nobody was eager to try to feed her. I told my friends at "Children to Love International" to pray, and we did. This morning I asked to help and someone handed me a bowwl and took me to Hermina's room. At the first mouthful, before she even swallowed, she began heaving. I told the staff workers, and a nurse told me not to give her more.

Somehow the director who runs the orphanage decided to send her to the hospital, and the staff asked me if I would help. I was eager to assist.

An ambulance arrived after one hour and I hopped in whit a staff member I hadn't see so often before. She was younng and pretty and had changed out of her white uniform and into hger mornal clothes for our visit to the hospital.

Hermina cannot speak, and it is uncertain if she understands us when we speak. When the doctors tried to insert a catheter, she had no idea what was going on. She screamed and fought. the pretty staff worker and i held Hermina down as she tried to fight off the doctors ... how horrible it was ...

Though she is sixtreen years old, she is about the size of teh average nine year old. The doctors gave up on the idea of the catheter and told us to go to another hospital; one for children. There they seccessfully inserted the catheter and did an ultra sound of her stomach. They found nothing and sent us to a third hospital where they took X-rays of her head and spine. After about five mintes of looking at the x-rays, they told us there was no problem and that we should go home. Thankfully the catheter was providing some immediate success. her stomach was no longer swollen, but an understanding as to why Hermina couldn't walk or urinate was yet to be obtained, as well as an explaination for her constant vomiting.

I grew to like the worker from the orphanage that I had accompanied more and more as we spent the day together. One doctor explained things to me in English so that I could understand. One man who pushed the gurneys asked me for my phone number; maybe we could become better aquainted outside the hospital? I tried to pretend that I couldn't understand he was hitting on me ... but int he end I just told him ... "No," or to be more exact, "Nu."

So we returned to the orphanage with no explaination for Hermina's medical problems. While the orphanage worker went inside the orphanage, I stayed with Hermina. She had tried to open the bag attached to her catheter, and had punctured it slightly. I asked the ambulance driver to take her out of the ambulance so that I could empty the now full 1-liter bag of waste beside the road. I did.

Hermina went back to the hospital again, but I didn't go with her. I hope they will find the cause of her problems.