He maketh weak things become strong...: Week 1

I love it here. Absolutely.

Now maybe I'm just in Stage 1 Culture Shock, but whatever the reason, I'm going to enjoy it. What do I love so much? First and foremost is the work that I'm doing here, which actually means that I love the kids the most. They are the cutest kids ever and I don't know how I'll ever love them more than I do right now, although I'm sure I will. This past week, we spent each day working for 3 hours in the morning at the orphanage. I worked in each of the three different areas of the orphanage during the week and then on Thursday we had to pick where we wanted to work for the rest of the time here. It was really hard because obviously I loved them all and I am so indecisive. Except the more I thought about it, the more I got a very clear idea of where I felt like I was needed and would do well. I ended up getting assigned to a room with a group of kids that I feel I can really get to know and understand and learn from. Some of the medical conditions that the kids in my room have are cerebral palsy, deafness, hydrocephaly, congenital heart defects, facial deformations, psychomotor delays, reactive attachment disorder, nystagmus (involuntary eye movement), microcephaly, epilepsy, and mental retardation, just to name a few. Despite these different conditions and illnesses, these kids are still just kids. They love to play and receive attention and to laugh and to sing. It's important that I understand and balance the facts that they are both normal kids but also have particular needs that make certain activities inappropriate or difficult. It's a challenge, that is for sure, but a worthwhile one. I am just so excited about working and playing with these kids.

The second half of my days are spent in the Children's Hospital from about 2-5pm. It's about a 25 minute walk from our apartment and we carry our scrubs, gloves, sanitizer, and diapers, toys, and wipes for the kids. We split up into pairs and go to each floor (there are 8 total) and ask if there are any kids without mothers on that floor. If there are, the nurses show us to them and we spend about 25-30 minutes with each kid, depending on how much time we have or how many kids we need to visit, playing with them, singing to them, changing their diapers, and/or picking them up and holding them. I love the hospital visits. Although it's not as personal as the orphanage, because we don't see the same kids everyday and many times we don't even know their names, it's very emotionally exhausting to see so much pain and suffering that compounds upon the knowledge that they are orphans. Most times I have handled it all very well. Only once did I break down and have to leave the room. It was this little boy with hydrocephalus. His head must have been two or three times as big as his little body. He looked so frightened and in pain. We tried to comfort him and give him attention by just stroking his arm, but he would just cry, so we stopped. I left the room with tears and a broken heart. I really had to rely on my faith that Heavenly Father loves His children and comforts them. I had no power to help that little boy, no clue of anything I might do to help him. I believe that somehow that little boy will receive a perfect body and all the blessings that are available someday. I don't know how it works, but I believe that that is what the Atonement is for. After lots of pondering and continuing to have faith in the things I believe, the hospital has been more enjoyable and I love going there and finding the good wherever I can.

This week has been so eye-opening and challenging. I really love it here. I think it will be really hard to come home. But I am just going to keep enjoying everything, good and bad, in Romania.

Here are some pictures from this last week.