Romania...

We didn't want to be complete tourists on our travels, so organised a week in Romania to work with an Orphanage. We expected to be worked hard, be in bad living conditions and rock babies to sleep each night. Err - completely the opposite! We were treated so well - that it felt we were on some kind of pamper holiday, with a great motel on site for all guests, 3 cooked meals a day - better than we eat in NZ and heaps of cool smiley kids & teens wanting to show you around and play games. We were part of an organisation called Caminul Felix, which was started in 1992 by Christians from Sweden, UK, USA & Romania, to look after the many orphans who were living in terrible conditions after the breakdown of Communism. Their vision was to see these children raised in normal families, with parents, siblings and relationships that lasted a lifetime - not just until they reached 18. This has been a hugely successful model that is now used all over the world. Caminul Felix currently looks after over 200 children and teens, in its two villages/areas with 16 houses – 16 families! Each family consists of 12 – 15 adopted children and their house parents + their own children! Big busy houses, but so lovely! They are supported by sponsoring children, and they have beautiful travelling choirs who fundraise as they sing around Europe and America. It's a HUGE task, and takes so much self sacrifice from the House Parents, many of which become parents of 10 kids within a couple of years of marriage - most in their early 20's! There is so much more to this charity, but you can read all about it on their website: http://www.caminulfelix.com/

We were adopted by one family in particular and spent most of our time with them, eating with the family (they have a pretty big dining set), going to the local swimming/hot pools, playing cards, football, table tennis, volleyball, watching the French Open on TV, listening to the choir practice and perform, etc. Yes, it was extremely hard work?! Well we did spend 1 particular day doing some manual work (James painted some doors and Amy made some necklaces for their craft business!) We were also able to see and spend time with their partner and sister organisations, which also have a heart for looking after the needy. We spent 3 mornings with a school for the special needs - which is so well thought of by the locals, that normal kids go there too (the kids speak pretty good English for 6-8 year olds)! We visitied a prosthetics clinic and met an 11 year old girl who was involved in a car accident last year, in which both her parent were killed and she lost her leg. She is now living with her poor grandma, and couldn't afford any private work, but this clinic paid for their train ticket and paid for all their treatment, and within 10 minutes (we were there) she was walking again! Amazing! Nearly worth a tear!

We were also taken to visit a local Gypsie village. These outcasts are not looked favourably upon by the locals, and are often seen as lazy thieves. But if something is to change, someone need sto spend time with them and love them. We were able to take 10 families who live near the local dump some food. They were extremely dirty as they spend their days raking through the rubbish by hand, looking for metal and items they can sell. It was sad. The Orphanage leader who took us to see these villages, organised to take them another load of clothes the following week - how ironic!

After saying our sad farewells, we took the return 12 hour train journey back to Buccurest (153 games of cards later - Amy ends up on the winning end). We spent half a day looking around the city and the enourmous palace which was built during poor commusist times. We avoided being ripped off by the local taxi drivers - who shouldn't be trusted unless you insist on using the meters. Then we headed to the aiport for our final stop in a while - England!