"Rainbows and Butterflies"

DREAMS DO COME TRUE:

I was placed in the section referred to as "Isolation" in the orphanage!! I will permanently work there for the rest of summer. This section is full of infants, and small toddlers. It also has a room that holds extremely sick kids. I knew the first day I walked in there, it was where I wanted to be. I look forward to waking up every morning, knowing I get to head over to the orphanage to care for the miraculous children there. If anyone knows me, they know I love babies. Infants are my happy place. (I'm not even kidding). It has been a dream to work with them everyday. (Yes, I may be a little baby hungry. But no worries, teaching the kindergarteners acts as birth control).

Some days the orphanage can be emotionally draining. Just yesterday a new child was brought from CPS (child protective services) to Isolation. Taken by strangers, brought into an unknown area, and placed into a crib with just a blanket to lie on, this two year old had to be nothing short of frightened.
As blood curdling screams filled the room, I was worried I wouldn't have enough strength to finish the day. (Sheesh I sure do feel selfish saying that out loud). We (volunteers) were told  "don't worry, she will cry it out the next couple of days, we just have to wait". (Cry it out? What? Days?...My heart started to break.) At that moment, I couldn't understand. But soon after as I looked around, I realized there were 20 other infants needing attention and care right at that very moment too.

***The workers are extremely admirable and strong, for their job cannot be a simple one. They take care of extremely challenging kids, day and night. That day I learned how hard it can be to work at an orphanage. I only hope I get stronger each day as I work to find ways to help each child feel my love as well as understand their importance in this challenging world.

ALTHOUGH EACH DAY IS AN INCREDIBLE ADVENTURE
.. LIVING IN ROMANIA IS NOT ALWAYS "RAINBOWS AND BUTTERFLIES":

Example A: 

For a straight week our bathroom would flood every time we turned on the water to shower. As a result, we would have about 4-6 second increments that we could turn on the water, before we had to shut it off and wait another 20 seconds. This made the task of showering very daunting and COLD. (Thank goodness for missionaries who helped us fix it). 

Example B:

I have killed more bugs on my bed than I even care to admit. 

Example C: 

Most of the streets are pretty filthy/rundown. They also carry many atrocious smells. We walk them everyday. (I think I'm going to come home with a permanent stench in my hair).

Example D: 

After caring for children at the orphanage, hospital, and trying to juggle kindergartens that speak Romanian, our weeks are exhausting. (Although I wouldn't trade it for the world).

Example E:
I ordered a salad from a salad bar at the mall. After ordering what I wanted in it, I get my salad back with no lettuce. "Um, excuse me? I don't see any lettuce in this?" ... "You didn't order lettuce, sorry. Have a good day". (HUH) Apparently you have to order lettuce to add in your SALAD. Yup. That was one dry salad. haha

Example F:
It's hot and humid, and AC is pretty much a foreign concept to Romanians. In addition, we are not allowed to open windows or doors. This creates a draft that the Romanians refer to as "Current". "Current" is literally a sickness doctors will diagnosis a patient with. Another fun superstition Romanians have is that if you sit on the bare ground, you will become infertile. (Hmmmm).

Example G:
I watched a man pick up a pigeon and caress it. He then continued to kiss it, like genuinely kiss it multiple times.... (Hilarious or horryfying?...You tell me)

Example H:
If I have to eat one more "mystery" meat, I might consider becoming a vegan. (Not even kidding a little bit).

ONE DAY IT JUST CLICKED:

As I was trying to rock a beautiful child to sleep, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with the love I had for this child. I wanted nothing more than for him to understand how loved and special he was. As I began to feel almost breathless from the overwhelming thoughts of my future children, and pondering how on earth I could love them even more then I love this child in my arms, I experienced an astounding realization. One I've aways "known", but never quite understood until now.

*** "This overwhelming love I felt for this child in my arms, is but a small piece of the love our Heavenly Father have for each one of us, as we are his children."

I am loving Romania, even the tough days. I miss my family so much! I hope they know how much I love and appreciate them.

Love,
Morgs

"I live in Romania??"

Wow. What a week.

It would be an understatement to say I' exhausted. Physically and mentally.

We are now working in the orphanage, volunteering in the hospital, and teaching english in a kindergarten each week.

Let's start with the orphanage:

We spend every day of the week working here. Last week we were able to rotate through each room, to get an idea of the children that stayed there. It is a very large orphanage. This week we will be assigned a permanent room in the orphanage that we will spend the rest of the summer in. The orphanage is a lot nicer than I expected. (Not nice compared to anything at home, but it isn't a dump site either). The workers are extremely caring and the children are miracles. The mass majority of them have disabilities, physical and mental. In addition, many of the children are either blind or death. I expected my first visit to the orphanage to be a dream. Instead, I had to walk out to the front doors, in order to not let the children see the mass of tears running down my face. (Blaming allergies was not going to work this time). I was just so overwhelmed with the thought that these children suffer from so many problems, and don't have a family who will help them feel belonged and loved.

Homesickness has set in this week. I have many months ahead of me, yet anytime I have felt homesick, I look to the orphanage as my saving grace. When I return there everyday, I am reminded why I am here.

The hospital:

We volunteer at the Children's Regional Hospital in Iasi three days a week. The hospital is nothing like I expected. The outside looks very damaged and run down. The inside isn't too much better. They do not have the same health care standards and advances like we do. When we go to the hospital, we stop by each nurses station and ask... "Aveți Copii Fără Mama?". Which is essentially, "Are there any children without mothers?". The way hospitals are set up here, family is in charge of the child. If they don't have family, they do not get held, played with, changed, etc. We are able to care for these children a couple hours a day.

*** I couldn't believe my eyes as I watched a doctor carry a seemingly lifeless child out of surgery, hooked up to all sorts of IVs, and take him to his hospital room. (WHAT). That would never happen at home. Doctor's don't carry children out of surgery??

***Also each room has 3-5 children in them. (My brain can barely handle the thought of all those germs being shared).

The school:

Let me start off by saying, I was NOT meant to be a kindergarten teacher. I have always loved children, but when it comes to teaching and discipling children who don't understand the language I am speaking, my patience reaches its near maximum. (No I have not harmed a child..yet). I have no idea what they are yelling in Romanian, or why they are running around the room banging into walls.  They have attention spans of about 15 seconds and never seem to run out of energy. Haha

Although they are challenging, I am learning so much. The sweet and tender moments shared with the children, make up for all the chaos and stress.

Dear extended family who have been teachers...I didn't get your genes. Haha

At the end of this week we were able to go on a day trip to visit a famous fortress and a couple monasteries. It was a nice break and Romania is beautiful. Hence why I am about to share many pictures:

Bridge up to the Fortress.

 Fortress.

Layout of the Fortress. It was built in the later 1300's!

Inside courtyard of a Monastery.

Roommates!

Oh just some sheep crossing the road.

Library

Children's hospital we volunteer at.

LOVE YOU ALL. I still can't believe I live here? Like it's my home? Hmmmmm. 

Oh and by the way: I am still failing miserably at picking up any sort of the language.

Morgs

"It's illegal to harm a pigeon."

Define Romania:

1. We got in trouble with the national guard of the Military. Apparently we weren't supposed to take a picture of their building. (How in the world were we supposed to know that it was a military base??).

2. Our washer is in our kitchen, and our first load of laundry was dyed blue. (No explanations for this one). 

3. We somehow managed to call 911. (No one came to rescue us so that's not very comforting). 

4. WE GOT OUR LUGGAGE. (My first thought..."I may have overpacked"). Hahaha

5. Our door handles fall off every time we open the door. (Yes, you read that right).

6. It's illegal to harm a pigeon?? As a result they aren't afraid of humans at all. They will come chill next to you like your their friend. (eek I already have a bird phobia). 

7. We doubled the size of the branch when we went to church on Sunday. It was such a testimony builder to see the dedicated members and missionaries. I already love them all!

8. Although everyone refuses to smile, once you get to know them, they are a lot softer than you would imagine. (I still have to work on not smiling at everyone I pass on the street. I think I creep them out). 

9. One of my roommates punctured my other roommate with a steak knife. (Accident of course.)
10. Jet lag is real and I'm not sure if it's every going to go away. Haha

We began teaching at the school this week. I was worried as I'm not quite the "teaching" type, yet I am surprised at how much I already love the kids. I definitely have a lot more respect for teachers now. The planning and patience it takes to teach is **humongous**. I'm excited to get to know the children more. Even though they can be terrors, they each have such sweet hearts.

Most of my time this summer will be spent at the orphanage and hospital. This is my DREAM. I can't wait to get started. We should begin working at both places later in the week. I'm really hoping this can help me decide if "pediatrics" medicine is still something I want to pursue. I fall in love with this country more and more everyday.



We are hoping to attend "The sound of music" in this famous Opera house in Iasi.

Love,
Morgs

" I'm not Queen Elizabeth"

FYI: This blog is posing as my journal. So if I sound like I'm talking to myself, well I am.

Losing your luggage can be quite terrifying. Add not speaking the language and living there for the next four months, you feel like screaming as if your right big toe was just sliced off with a kitchen knife.

When I arrived in Romania the content of my backpack included:

• Many chargers. But of course I packed the adapters for them in my suitcase (smart move Morgs).
• Gum and mints (these took place of my toothbrush for a couple of days until we were able to make it to the store) (I apologize for the squirming you just experienced when reading that).
• Laptop (didn't do me much good without an adapter).
• Medication (thank goodness I thought this one through).
• My rings (someone please slap me for this one).
• An extra t-shirt (wahooo I own 2 shirts now).
• Scriptures (my saving grace) (you are quickly humbled as you read about Lehi and his family leaving everything of value behind to travel into the wilderness as they put all their trust in the lord).

Yup. That's it. And guess what I realized?? I'm NOT Queen Elizabeth. I don't necessarily need hair oils, my favorite lotions, and all my "clothes I couldn't live without", etc. Now don't get me wrong... I'm praying every hour our luggage will show up, and we have had to make multiple trips to the store. But.. I have learned an extremely valuable lesson. You do not find joy in material things. Happiness, knowledge, and experience are determined by YOU. No one or nothing can better your life but you.  You get to decide every morning "what side of the bed you are going to wake up on". You get to decide that the fried cabbage roll, with soggy pork, rice, and other secrets ingredients inside, served with mushy corn meal, is probably not going to kill you, and you can always get gelato later. You have to understand that the lady screaming at you in Romanian probably had a bad day and means no harm. Either that or she is singing and you don't know the difference. You learn to accept that where you are is nothing like home, and everyday you are going to be stretched and tested. And finally, you are going to learn to LOVE YOUR LIFE and everyone in it.

I'm still not sure how I've been so blessed my whole life. Everyday I wake up here, grateful for something new. Quite honestly, I am starting to get nervous that when I begin working with the orphaned kids, and abandoned children at the hospital, I am going to feel so selfish and overly privileged.

As I've thought about it, and worried about my soul (haha Okay maybe not my soul, more like my actions), I realized this is where balance comes into play. Materials aren't "evil". We are not evil because we have more or less than others. This seems like an odd thing to talk about, but I feel it is extremely important to understand. I firmly believe we do not need to give our entire life savings to a charity and live in a rundown apartment the rest of our lives. I think we become selfish and greedy when we are not willing to be an example and share the light we have found in our lives. Our lives can be dedicated to service, without giving away everything we have. I'm still trying to figure this one out, I'm sure most of us are. But I do know that if you are willing, the necessary "amount" of service will be placed right in front of you.

This summer my "amount" involved leaving my family and friends, to give children an idea of how much they are loved and wanted. This is not always the case. I hope I can learn to act on these promptings of service throughout my life. Whether it is a hug, or a flight across the world, it is of the same value to our gracious Heavenly Father and Savior.

I hope all is well at home!


My lovely roommates.



Beautiful palace we have the privilege of living right next too.

Te Iubesc,

Morgan

"I will NEVER get a blog..."

My last words before leaving the country. Oops.
After experiencing what I have the last two days, I knew there was no way getting around keeping track of these next four months. Warning: I absolutely hate writing (I would rather do math), but I'm going to attempt.
We left for Iasi, Romania (Yash is how it is pronounced), early Tuesday morning. We arrived in the actual city Wednesday at midnight after 3 plane rides and an 8 hour bus ride; without luggage or sleep. This led for a funny night ahead. I like to call it my pioneer experience. We had absolutely nothing. That night our showers encompassed water with no soap and drip drying with our dirty shirts posing as towels. Our hair became greasier than McDonald's fries, and our clothes were 3 days soiled. Someone please explain to me how an airline loses 16 suitcases!!
Not to fear, I have an incredible group and we were able to laugh it off. Keep your fingers crossed that our luggage comes soon. We are becoming more and more homeless as the days go by.

SUPRISES:

1. People drive and park on the side walks. (you aren't safe anywhere you walk).
2. It is very green and extremely beautiful. There is the cutest park where old men play chess after work. (its like the movies).
3. You cannot smile at strangers, although they stare at you.
4.There is no such thing as lines, every just walks up to the front like they own the place.
5. There are beautiful castles and cathedrals on every corner.
6. I have felt much safer than I expected.
7. Communicating is a lot more difficult than I ever imagined. (IMPOSSIBLE).
8. We have bough multiple items that didn't turn out to be what we expected at the grocery store.

I am looking forward to next week when we start working in the Orphanage, Hospital, and Kindergarten. I can't wait to meet all the children. I am hoping I am able to find more of who I am and gain a better perspective of this world we live in.

Our apartment building.



 Path to our apartment. SO green!



 Beautiful palace we walk by everyday.



Cobble stone streets.

 

Iasi main city walk.



Yayy for being able to eat macaroons again!


 

One of the cathedrals. I can't wait to experience different religions.



Gelato seems to be an everyday occurrence.



Roaming the city.




 La Revedere,

Morgan