Sunday, October 18, 2009

OUR ROMANIA

Our week began with the news that a long-awaited shipment of aid supplies had just arrived into port in Constanta. This was terrific news as this shipment was nearly a year in the making. We brought along four cheerful and able missionaries to assist in the unloading of this 40' container filled with pallets of hygiene kits, school supplies, home-made quilts, and wool blankets. All the supplies are from the Church's Humanitarian Department in Salt Lake City. The missionaries worked for 2 1/2 hours unloading. They showed a marvelous example of service as they worked hard and laughed and smiled the whole time. Check out the video posted separately.
Denny joined in the fun. He's been on Aleve overdose ever since!


Another project we completed this week involved the NGO representing an HIV hospital in Bucharest. The blonde is Mary Veal from the USA. She is a social worker who came here 16 years ago to help with the HIV epidemic and planned to stay 1 year. She fell in love with the children and Romania and she has devoted her life to this cause. The other woman in the picture is Anna, also a social worker and Mary's assistant. They are selecting items to be used in the hospital. This is our first project since arriving here and it was submitted and approved almost immediately.

Many of you have asked how we get around. WE WALK! Mostly! The traffic is horrendous and the drivers are expert. Spokane could never survive 10 minutes without a pileup yet, this scene happens every day without mishap. Pedestrians have to be very alert, and we are! We also ride the subway and busses and tramvai (electric rail). It's all a blast!

Denny JUST HAD to show some wrestling moves to one of the Elders.

Denny's in trouble! Denny gets flipped. . .


. . . and Pinned!

Everyone walks...This was the scene this morning as we walked to church. Actually, this was the last part of the hour-long adventure of riding the bus and subway just to get to church.


This is our largest church building in Bucharest. It is very nice and the equivalent to a Stake Center in America. We had District Conference here today.


If you make the mistake of riding the bus during the evening rush, you endure this. At some stops the doors will open and NOT ONE MORE person can fit in. Pick-pockets love this! We're very careful!


This is the front door to our apartment building. Classy eh?


. . .and this is our door man! He speaks only Romanian and he helps us with pronunciation (and the door!).


This is MY personal doorman. He is showing the 2-person elevator. It's very European!


Don't tell the Mission President but I've opened up my own pastry and chocolate shop!


This is the closest grocery shopping to our apartment...yes, it's Safe Way! Our apartment is in the background. We buy our fruits and vegetables and bread in little shops on the street.


This is a Pomelo. It was not that great!


One of the biggest challenges of living in a foreign country is figuring out what things are and what they're used for. I think we have baking soda, butter, vanilla powder and Puffa Buna? The Nivea Creme looked like great lotion until we rubbed it all over our legs and feet. It was creamy SOAP! (Brings new meaning to "Slip 'n Slide"!)


There's no doubt what these items are! We're going to be fine here!

I can't close this blog without dedicating one last important item to our grandsons in Duvall. (Boys appreciate this kind of thing!)
I was going through some files in the apartment and found this in a manual called "Basic Self-Reliance" pg. 37: (and I am not making this up)

"Warning: Before you take any medicine for worms, you must consider whether you have any roundworms in your body. If you do, you must get rid of them before you take any medicine for tapeworms. The medicine for tapeworms can make the roundworms come out of your mouth and nose. This can make small children choke." YOU THINK?
Coming next week: "Worm descriptions"

2 comments:

  1. Great video! Good job, camera lady. The locals just have to be impressed with those darling elders. We hope Denny's back can stand up to 17 more months of acting like a 19 year old! (Way to get pinned, Old Man.) Are you meeting many people who want to speak English, or are you blossoming in Romanian? You must jump out of bed to get to experience another wonderful day. Your weekly reports are a blessing and a joy to read.

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  2. I hope you have a great time! At least m&m's and Dr. Pepper are an international favorite!

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