ROSE'S DIARY Dec 6th, 7th and 8th 2013 08/12/2013
FRIDAY 6th DECEMBER is St Nicholas's Day when it is very traditional in Romania to give gifts. So as I had brought over some tubes of sweets with me, I gave one each to every elderly lady at Casa Mabel which is Mustard Seed's residential home for the elderly. They were all delighted. I sat there at the breakfast table after we had all finished and I hear the happy sound of papers rustling and sucking. Not a big gift - in fact a very small gift but it meant a lot to each lady.
SATURDAY 7th DECEMBER. I am now in Oradea or the outskirts of Oradea, staying with Ken and Florence in Cihei.
In the morning I walked along up the hill in the village following instructions I'd been given to find our old trailer (donated in late October) which is now very well on the way to being turned into accommodation for 3 or 4 homeless people. Nelu had already explained that a couple of Romanian companies had donated doors or windows. The trailer has been divided into 2 units each with a door and window. Insulation has been added to the sides, top and bottom. When I got there 3 volunteers were working on it, including Danny who will be living in one half. He told me he expects he will move in early this coming week.
I cannot tell you how very rewarding it was to see the old trailer being put to such good use.
In the afternoon I went into the nearby shopping centre - which is way bigger than anything we have in Jersey. There eventually (after having to use the underground Carpark much to my concern as to whether I would ever find the car again!!) I finally met up with the 5 girls all of whom had been in one or other of our sponsored apartments. I treated them to a late lunch and fresh orange juice (the juice cost more than the food) but it was still very cheap compared to home.
They filled me in on their news - Mia is getting married in April and going to live in Austria, I did not see her as she had already left to spend Christmas with her fiancé and his family. Csilla is away - she is away for 2-3 months. Maria is still at the hospital but her English has improved so much, she was my main translator when anyone couldn't either understand me or make me understand. Marinella is working in a clothes factory - as I understood it she says she is working 8-9 hours a day six days a week but only receiving 500 a month, which would be about £100 a month. Aghi worked in UK earlier in the year and did well but has not managed to find work since coming back to Romania and is getting quite desperate for work. I am sure Ana said she is no longer at the hospital, but doing a cleaning job. Estera works at the shoes factory and she was the one most overjoyed at the fact that I had a shoebox for her. In fact her delight really brought tears to my eyes.
Knowing none of them earn much I gave them all some money to buy food for Christmas.
We had to walk round the whole of the carpark - or so I reckon - before finding the car!!! Then after handing out the shoeboxes, I gave them all a lift part of the way home.
SUNDAY 8th DECEMBER
Well I woke up to find the ground well and truly covered with snow. Ankle deep. But it feels so mild. The roads are slippery round here especially where the kids have been sliding. I am told that the reason for the snow is down to someone's prayers.
Reza (may not have her name right) attends the International Church which Ken and Florence pastor. Reza has been here for 6 years studying and now completed her studies and graduated and returns home this week. Home is South Africa I believe - anyway it is where there is no snow or chance of snow. So she prayed for snow again before she leaves. And sure enough ....... So be encouraged to pray folks.
CHECK OUT THE PHOTOS from this trip.