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 "Adina, would you come to
America to translate for us?"
Little Roxana was accepted for treatment at Shriners' Hospital in Portland,
and we needed a translator.
Adina said "Yes" when we asked her if she would help us. Heart
is not allowed to pay Adina for her translation work, but we have tried
to make this opportunity an adventure of a lifetime!
Getting a visa for all our translators has proven to be VERY difficult.
The day before our departure, we still did not know if Adina had a visa.
In the end, it all happened so fast, she did not get to kiss her mother
good-bye! Here we are, in our Bucharest hotel, toasting Adina's visa success
just a few hours before our departure for America. Adina's optimistic mother
sent homemade "Visinata" for the occasion.
Adina and her mother hastily packed essentials for 4 months, "just
in case Adina got her visa." Here Adina wonders if she has everything,
and reorganizes her luggage. For certain, she will go home with more than
she brought!
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The last time Jean was in Bucharest with guests, everyone
was consumed by mosquitoes in the old Communist-style hotel with no window
screens and no air-conditioning. So we paid a little extra to have both
amenities, and enjoyed our first night in the (newly remodeled old Hotel
Nord) Hotel Ibis in Bucharest for $59 per night. That's Adina in the foreground.
Dave and Adina advertise it well, don't you think? It really
WAS nice -- such a change from our usual Bucharest accommodation. We try
to live "on the economy" when we are in Romania, so this really
is a luxury to us!
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Our early morning flight brings us to the airport hours before
daylight. Adina and Dave wheel luggage to check in
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Adina met Roxana and her mother for the first time at the airport,
and God gave them the gift of instant friendship bundled with love, compassion
and understanding. |
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In Paris, Dave and Adina entertained the children in the
airport with balloon sculpturing. Long layovers make the trip even harder
for everyone.
Jean and Dave got a surprise upgrade to First Class on the
overseas flight, so the stewardesses allowed Adina to sample the cuisine!
It's mighty fine! What a wonderful blessing!
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The girls were amazed how LONG the trip is to America! We think until
someone has traveled internationally, one cannot fully appreciate how long
and tiring the trip really is! We are 2 days from doorstep-to-doorstep --
and the Romanians can attest to every minute of it! Fortunately the planes
were not completely full, and the girls had a chance to stretch out when
sleep finally overcame exhaustion.
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When we arrived in America, we had a few days together at our home
so everyone could recover a bit. Here we are, enjoying an evening dinner
on our patio. Ana and Adina prepared this meal. |
Church is an important part of our life in Hermiston. Since many of
the people in our congregation help sponsor our Romanian work, we were anxious
to share our visitors. It was "Western Day" at church (we live
in 'cowboy country', with rodeos and harvests, so the casual attire and
atmosphere must have been quite a shock!  |
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After church we went out to a park for an all-church picnic.
All the strange new foods must have been quite a shock! (They liked the
fried chicken and watermelon best.)
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After the picnic, we all went for a swim in the Columbia River.
Adina was surprised how BIG it is -- and how clear -- and how COLD!
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After a few days rest, we took the girls to their new home-away-from-home
near Portland, OR. Pictured below are the girls with their Romanian-American
host family. Family Florean volunteered to house the girls temporarily,
but when surgery was postponed, they extended their offer. Heart pays them
a small stipend to help cover the expenses of 3 more mouths to feed.
The family has 6 children, and the mother home-schools. So Roxy is "going
to school" with the rest of the children. Adina is a kindergarten teacher
in Romania, so her skills are especially useful in this very busy home.
When Roxy enters the hospital, the girls will move to Ronald McDonald
house to be near the hospital while she is receiving treatment. |
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Roxy is scheduled to receive a prosthesis for her arm, as well as one
for her leg. Here Roxy is inspecting different types of prosthesis.
(after you finish enjoying these photos, click over to see Roxana's
story.) |
Whenever Roxy has an appointment at the Shriners' Hospital, Adina's job
is to translate for us all. We keep her plenty busy on those days. After
many long and tense appointments and hard decisions, Roxana's family opted
for a procedure that couldn't be scheduled until spring, 2002, so now we
are just waiting! Adina's job is on hold in Romania, and all their lives
are on hold here!
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KOIN TV, Portland, heard about Heart for Romania and
aired a short feature on our work. The filming was staged, appropriately,
at Ronald McDonald House East. Below, our girls enjoy a souvenir photo with
the camera-lady and program host, Christine Miles.
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While we waited in a hotel lobby to catch the TV special, we enjoyed
food from McDonalds. Meals on appointment days are eaten whenever we can
find time, and sometimes we just plain don't have time to eat! 
After the meal, we caught Roxana on TV!
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We didn't expect Adina to be here for Christmas. But when surgery was
postponed, Adina agreed to stay to help us. So all 3 girls spent Christmas
together in America -- while Roxy waits for surgery in the spring! Heart
for Romania played Santa for this Romanian household, bringing purchased
and donated items to their Portland home. We hoped we could ease their loneliness
a little, and thank the host family for sharing their home with 3 total
strangers for many months. Here are the girls, enjoying their Christmas
gifts from Heart. There is no place like home for the holidays, but we hope
Christmas 2001 in America was memorable for Adina, Ana and Roxy!
Thank you, Adina, for helping Heart for Romania! |
Heart for Romania