Not sure why this loaded sideways...but this Somne Dulce is Sweet Sleep in Romanian.
PRECIOUS :)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sweet Sleep Pictures
This is Martin...he is a good friend of Sweet Sleep.
He had the sweetest laugh and smile.
Sweet Sleep
Again...I know it has been too long since I have written. I am really sorry about that. The 2nd week in March we had the pleasure of having the Sweet Sleep team join us at the team house. They spent the week building beds to give to kids at 2 different orphanages. You should definitely look this organization up if you have never heard of it. This wonderful woman, Jen, started the organization after she took a trip to a Moldovan orphanage and saw the state (and, sadly, smell) of the beds that children were sleeping on every night. She says that she could not get the picture of a room with tons of torn up ma tresses that smelled like...urine...out of her mind. As repulsive as that is to read, imagine having to sleep amongst that smell every night. Ambitious Jen saw a change that needed to happen and now Sweet Sleep sends amazing teams to Moldova to affect some SERIOUS change. Sweet Sleep is also starting to branch out to Africa. Great organization, life changing work, if you are ever looking for service trips...I totally recommend Sweet Sleep.
Leah and I joined the team for 2 days and Joy joined for 1. There were so many amazing things that happened, but the 2nd day that I joined was overwhelming and enlightening. We went to an orphanage in Orhei for the disabled. There are images that have been written into my thoughts that I fear I will never escape. Not that the orphanage does not do the best they can to care for these children...they do. Some of the physical therapy that we got to witness was amazing. However, the access to medical care and the mindset of parents is drastically different. While many children that live at orphanages or "boarding schools" are not true orphans, this is not the case for the disables. So many of these children were simply abandoned due to their differences. One child had severe feet and leg disfiguration that could have been remedied with 1, maybe 2 surgeries in the United States. Rather, this precious child was abandoned. I am not sure whether the emotional/social disabilities came about after the birth and the isolation that he suffers from or if he was born with these issues as well. It is impossible for me to ever know the full story, but I do know that I will be able to picture his sweet face for years to come, if not forever. Those are the moments that I would give anything to literally take away pain and give second chances. However...I am not God and I may not always understand what happens in this world, but I have to find peace even when at times when the restlessness and helplessness seems most extreme.
Even though we saw some devastating things, we also experienced intense joy. The hugs from Dancing Man and Martin when we first pulled up to the orphanage. The excitement that the boys experienced when they got to see their brand new beds for the first time. The smiles that spread across speechless faces when they felt touch for the first time in who knows how long. It was precious, life changing, difficult, and thought provoking. These are 4 words that I would not hesitate to describe everyday of my experience in Moldova. I am different because of what I have seen.
Leah and I joined the team for 2 days and Joy joined for 1. There were so many amazing things that happened, but the 2nd day that I joined was overwhelming and enlightening. We went to an orphanage in Orhei for the disabled. There are images that have been written into my thoughts that I fear I will never escape. Not that the orphanage does not do the best they can to care for these children...they do. Some of the physical therapy that we got to witness was amazing. However, the access to medical care and the mindset of parents is drastically different. While many children that live at orphanages or "boarding schools" are not true orphans, this is not the case for the disables. So many of these children were simply abandoned due to their differences. One child had severe feet and leg disfiguration that could have been remedied with 1, maybe 2 surgeries in the United States. Rather, this precious child was abandoned. I am not sure whether the emotional/social disabilities came about after the birth and the isolation that he suffers from or if he was born with these issues as well. It is impossible for me to ever know the full story, but I do know that I will be able to picture his sweet face for years to come, if not forever. Those are the moments that I would give anything to literally take away pain and give second chances. However...I am not God and I may not always understand what happens in this world, but I have to find peace even when at times when the restlessness and helplessness seems most extreme.
Even though we saw some devastating things, we also experienced intense joy. The hugs from Dancing Man and Martin when we first pulled up to the orphanage. The excitement that the boys experienced when they got to see their brand new beds for the first time. The smiles that spread across speechless faces when they felt touch for the first time in who knows how long. It was precious, life changing, difficult, and thought provoking. These are 4 words that I would not hesitate to describe everyday of my experience in Moldova. I am different because of what I have seen.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
A strangely American Saturday in Moldova.
So this past Saturday we decided to do something fun, relaxing, and mindless. So, clearly, we headed to MALLdova. Ha. No, we did not go shopping again. First we ate at the little Greek restaurant that we found early on in our time here. For half of our meal, Constantine sat and chatted with us. He is our lovely (sarcasm) friend from Ft. Lauderdale who is in the restaurant business in Chisinau. He is a talker. Then we headed to the bowling alley. We spent $15 US a piece to bowl for a little over an hour. Pricey right? It was so much fun though. Joy and Leah got to see a little bit more of my shamefully competitive side, haha, but we really did have a blast. Our plan was to head over to the tanning salon that just opened in the mall, but it was not really opened yet, what a tease. I always claimed to not be a girly girl, but once pedicures, waxing, and tanning were not an option anymore, I realized that I am a bit more high maintanced that I would like to admit. Oh well, we all have our downfalls right? We then took a cab to Alex and Lucia's and ate pizza (with Tabasco sauce) and played UNO. The food was fantasic, as always, Lucia is such a wonderful cook, but the company is even better than the food.
Its always nice to have a meaningless afternoon with great friends. They are even better when you realize how much you take them for granted. Good times!!!
Pushing through...
So all three of us have been so busy, that the posts have been few and far between. Thanks to those who are following, praying, and supporting us in our work here. The picture above is of cards and sweet notes that I have recieved from my amazing family and fiance. Thanks guys!!
I am not sure that we knew just exactly how amazingly intense and enlightening this experience would be. We knew we would get to see more of the world and have an exciting opportunity to put everything we have learned in our education into practice in a country that, honestly, needs all the help it can get. We did not realize how it would change us though. Being away from home for an extended period of time forces one to get into touch with a side (or sides) of themself that they usually overlook. Facing the realities of the world and the layers of myself at the same time has been trying, but fruitful. I have a firmer grasp on what I have to offer and where I need to grow and I have a little bit more insight into the complication and confusion that is poverty, oppression, human rights, etc. I sit here knowing that this time is coming to an end. In just a few weeks all three of us will be plopped back into the world and culture that we left only a short time ago, though it seems like we have been here for a much longer time. Maybe the "culture shock" will be overwhelming as we step back into consistency and comfort. Maybe it will be refreshing. I know that I am ready to get home and see the people that I love and miss with all of my heart, but as I prepare to leave Moldova behind, I am curious what I will do with this experience. I have just about completed the class requirements and will graduate in May, but what will I do with what I have seen? Will I remember it as a study abroad opportunity that I have some neat pictures and cool stories or will I allow this growth to shape not only what I do, but who I become? If nothing else, at least I know that I am capable of pushing through challenging times.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Joy brings Hope to Moldova
Moldova is forgotten. It is a country that has suffered under the rule of harsh communism. It is lacking in smiles and laughter. It almost seems that the coldness of the air has infiltrated the hearts of the people here…
In all the gloom, there is a glimmer of hope that I see: a community of people who come alive, who laugh and smile, who embrace each other warmly. These are the people I have met at Bridge of Hope. They have created a world for themselves-a world that is silent, yet beautiful….it is silent because they are deaf. The silence has isolated them from the rest of society; and so, they cling to each other for love and support.
It has been my honor to be invited into this community of sweet souls during my time in Moldova. From my conversations with the Deaf here, I have found that this population has experienced significant oppression and discrimination, all because they do not have a voice to speak out against the injustices they encounter. My time and energy is spent on a few specific tasks in the hopes of raising awareness about the Deaf in Moldova, as well as promoting empowerment, self-awareness, and self-advocacy. Primarily, I am working to create a basic curriculum on self-awareness and self-advocacy that I will leave behind for the director of Bridge of Hope. With the curriculum I create, I facilitate weekly group discussions among the Deaf at the organization. Lastly, I am writing up the stories of all the Deaf who are currently participating in Bridge of Hope’s educational program. Their stories will be sent to their sponsor to be posted on the organization’s future website.
This has been an incredible growing experience for me. I am learning so much from these people, and I love every minute I spend with them.
If you would like more information on the Deaf in Moldova, feel free to contact me at: Joy_Pfanner@baylor.edu. I would love to share the little that I know with anyone who is interested.
Blessings to you and yours from afar….
In all the gloom, there is a glimmer of hope that I see: a community of people who come alive, who laugh and smile, who embrace each other warmly. These are the people I have met at Bridge of Hope. They have created a world for themselves-a world that is silent, yet beautiful….it is silent because they are deaf. The silence has isolated them from the rest of society; and so, they cling to each other for love and support.
It has been my honor to be invited into this community of sweet souls during my time in Moldova. From my conversations with the Deaf here, I have found that this population has experienced significant oppression and discrimination, all because they do not have a voice to speak out against the injustices they encounter. My time and energy is spent on a few specific tasks in the hopes of raising awareness about the Deaf in Moldova, as well as promoting empowerment, self-awareness, and self-advocacy. Primarily, I am working to create a basic curriculum on self-awareness and self-advocacy that I will leave behind for the director of Bridge of Hope. With the curriculum I create, I facilitate weekly group discussions among the Deaf at the organization. Lastly, I am writing up the stories of all the Deaf who are currently participating in Bridge of Hope’s educational program. Their stories will be sent to their sponsor to be posted on the organization’s future website.
This has been an incredible growing experience for me. I am learning so much from these people, and I love every minute I spend with them.
If you would like more information on the Deaf in Moldova, feel free to contact me at: Joy_Pfanner@baylor.edu. I would love to share the little that I know with anyone who is interested.
Blessings to you and yours from afar….
Working with CERI...A day in the life of Leah!
So the best way for me to explain this to you is to tell you a hypothetical story.
Jacob is a 16-year-old boy living in the orphanage (boarding school is what they call it here). Jacob is a client for CERI. Jacob became a client by being involved in the quality of life program, where he has an American sponsor that supports him financially and emotionally. Jacob met this sponsor through one of the summer camps CERI puts on, where American mission teams come and hang out with the kids for a week. In a perfect world, Jacob is placed in the foster care program so he can have a family and witness first hand the dynamics of a family, healthy relationship building, basic household chores, etc. Once Jacob ages out of the orphanage after completing the 9th grade (16-17 years old) he is encouraged to go to further school, whether it is high school or a professional trade school. Jacob decided to go to the Technical College. He is allowed to enter CERI’s transitional living program because he went on to get a higher degree. While in the transitional program Jacob attends 36 hours of class spread out over a 10 month time span. Jacob is taught modules such as life management, self-esteem, career planning, money management, etc.; skills he would not otherwise understand because of the lack of guidance he receives growing up in the orphanage. Jacob is also paired up with a mentor that meets with him at least once a week. Also, during the first training Jacob fills out a circle of support that includes people that his social worker, mentor, foster family, guardian, sponsor or teacher, people that he trust to support him and guide him. This Circle of Support is contacted by the social worker and meets on a needs basis in the best interest of Jacob.
Jacob is a 16-year-old boy living in the orphanage (boarding school is what they call it here). Jacob is a client for CERI. Jacob became a client by being involved in the quality of life program, where he has an American sponsor that supports him financially and emotionally. Jacob met this sponsor through one of the summer camps CERI puts on, where American mission teams come and hang out with the kids for a week. In a perfect world, Jacob is placed in the foster care program so he can have a family and witness first hand the dynamics of a family, healthy relationship building, basic household chores, etc. Once Jacob ages out of the orphanage after completing the 9th grade (16-17 years old) he is encouraged to go to further school, whether it is high school or a professional trade school. Jacob decided to go to the Technical College. He is allowed to enter CERI’s transitional living program because he went on to get a higher degree. While in the transitional program Jacob attends 36 hours of class spread out over a 10 month time span. Jacob is taught modules such as life management, self-esteem, career planning, money management, etc.; skills he would not otherwise understand because of the lack of guidance he receives growing up in the orphanage. Jacob is also paired up with a mentor that meets with him at least once a week. Also, during the first training Jacob fills out a circle of support that includes people that his social worker, mentor, foster family, guardian, sponsor or teacher, people that he trust to support him and guide him. This Circle of Support is contacted by the social worker and meets on a needs basis in the best interest of Jacob.
So, I am doing informal evaluations of the case management preformed by the social workers, the mentoring program, and the circle of support while doing a formal program evaluation of the transitional living program. I am trying to bring some fluidity to these programs since they all intertwine. I have also taken on a caseload of one J to show a social worker what strength’s based assessment and a plan of service look like. I am writing curriculum for the transitional training and the mentoring training and I am trying to bring the circle of support program to life. I have also been teaching some training sessions.
I love the work here! It is exhausting at times with the language barrier and cultural differences, but I am learning so much!
So, there is just a little explanation about some of the work I do on a daily basis.
So, there is just a little explanation about some of the work I do on a daily basis.
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