1997

1998

1999
Easter 1999 Aid Trip
Educational Holiday
Christmas Visit

2000
Easter 2000 Aid Trip
ARC Apartment

1997 Aid Trip Report

The team of eight on this trip were Frank, Chris, Ann, Rosie, Dennis, Michael, Clare and Tom. The aid was transported in two lorries, one a 40 footer and the other a 27 footer. Both lorries were filled to the brim with clothes, food, medical equipment, medicines, toys, a disco unit, climbing frames, presents and other goodies for the children. An estate car also escorted the lorries. Our thanks to the people of Lisburn and Liverpool who made this all possible.

The overland trip for the vehicles took 5 days each way and our thanks go to the drivers Eddie, Pat and Billy who used their holidays to make this possible. The transport was sponsored and supplied by GOBOWEN TRANSPORT, Belfast Liverpool and also by the DUCKWORTH GROUP. Our grateful thanks to these two agencies.

The team traveled at their own expense, deciding this time to fly to Budapest in Hungary and then overland to Beius. This meant a 4 hour minibus trip to reach Beius but saved us a day as we did not require to stay overnight in Bucharest to await a flight to Oradea. As well as saving time the minibus drive was very pleasant and gave us a chance to see more of the country.

The journey started at 5.30am on Monday morning, we arrived at Beius 10.30pm - 8.30pm British time.

Our charity is registered in Romania as ARC BEIUS. This is a committee who administer the sponsorship money and ensure funds are directed as per the charity's aims :

• To enhance the food
• To cover emergency medical care
• To provide dental care for the children in the orphanage

Our first stop should have been bed, but we were greeted by the President of ARC Beius who insisted on refreshments Romanian style. We left at midnight and sorted out our accommodation. Chris, Ann, Clare and Tom stayed in a one room apartment whilst Rosie, Dennis, Michael and Frank stayed in the two bedroom apartment of Director of the orphanage. The family of 4 giving up their two bedrooms for us whilst they slept on the living room floor. These people cannot do enough for us. They have very little but will give and share with you what they have. Next morning the team met together to go to the orphanage and this was a great reunion with the children. They came from everywhere when word got out that we had arrived. It was kisses and hugs all around. The children were very excited, asking about their families in N. Ireland and of course for those children not sponsored asking Frank, you got me a sponsor . From then on, everyday, we spent a lot of time with the children.

Since our last visit 11 children have been adopted and this is very pleasing as these children will now have normal family home environment. This however has not reduced the number of children in the orphanage as there are many new young children now there.

There are improvements in the orphanage, but these are happening very slowly. Children are getting better food, especially at weekends, this is as a direct result of the charity's input. We also noticed minor living environment improvements. Dental and medical care is also slightly better. For the children who are too old and have to leave the orphanage it is a problem getting them jobs and accommodation. We have had meetings with two different sources, Adrian and his mother (talked about in previous report) who opened up their own home for these children. They have now two other flats for other children leaving the orphanage.

One flat has two bedrooms with nine girls living in it. We visited this flat and were very impressed to see how clean and tidy it was. The smell from the large pot of soup on the cooker was very appetising. Adrian has a couple of ladies who work with the girls supervising, as most of these girls do not have jobs.

It was agreed, as there are three of these girls who are sponsored by our charity, to have money from sponsorship go towards paying for heat, light and water. It was also agreed to give the girls, all nine, a little pocket money for essentials.

We also met with the new Mayor of Beius and asked if h e had any plans for the children leaving the orphanage, he said he had. He told us about plans for adapting an existing building into 12 flats, he explained that this is all new, nothing down on paper but he has started looking for investors to get this started.

The mayor took us to visit this building and then asked if we would be interested in investing in this. After talking this over we agreed that we would wait to see how many other investors he would have before we would give any commitment.

Our next visit was to a family of 6 who live in waste ground in a very old and small railway carriage. Inside it measures 9ft by 6ft with a wooden lean to at the front for storage. We could not believe our eyes that anyone could live there, cardboard boxes covering the roof to keep in the heat a small stove in the corner filled with wood to heat the place. How two adults and four children sleep in that I don' t know. This family did not know we were coming but they made us feel very welcome and explained their position to us. We left saying we would be back in a couple of days to visit which we did (explained later in report).

In between all these visits we spent a lot of time in the orphanage with the children. Thursday was market day, when what is called the "big market" comes from over the border. People walk for miles from surrounding villages with their one cow or a large bag on their backs carrying what they are going to sell. Some are lucky to arrive on their horse and carts, this is like a picture from medieval times. The team took a number of children to the market and gave them a good time getting them things they needed.

That afternoon we were given an invitation to attend a church. We were not too sure if this was just for a visit or for a service. It turned out to be something very special, the ordination of the Bishop. This was a very interesting service, priests from all neighboring villages took part, the mayor of Beius and many other people. At the end of the service it was explained to the congregation who we were and then explained in English what was happening. We were made very welcome and joined the Bishop afterwards for refreshments.

That tea time we took a group of 50 children out to the one and only place to eat. Pizzas and coke, this was a real treat for the children as they could never afford to go there. A great time was had by all the children and they seemed so grateful. The pizzas are not what we would expect over here but the children enjoyed both the outing and the food.

On our return to the orphanage we were informed the two lorries would be arriving any minute, it was a great sight to see both lorries and the estate car arrive. Everyone was out to see. The excitement of both children and staff was great. It was as if royalty had arrived, the large gates of the orphanage were opened and the (as described by the local press) entered the orphanage. Word was quick getting around and children who had been in bed arrived down and came out in their pyjamas. The drivers who had arrived after their 5 day trip looked tired but very pleased receiving lots of hugs and kisses from the children. We would not start to unload at this late hour. This work could wait until tomorrow.

Next day 9.00am we started unloading the Aid into different stores and as you can guess, we had plenty of help. Chief organiser Billy, got the older children to form lines into the stores and passed along the aid. It took most of the day to unload, staff and children could not believe their eyes to see so much coming out of the lorries. That evening we, along with the drivers, took out another group of children to, yes, the Pizza eating house. After the children enjoyed their eats we left them back to the orphanage and returned to the cafe to relax for an hour before we retired for the night. The next morning we met at 9.30am.We were going to Arad, to visit the Hospital for sick babies. The team traveled by minibus while the drivers brought the smaller of the two lorries carrying the aid for the hospital. There was great excitement at the hospital. They knew we were coming with the prize gift of an Ultra Sound Machine. This machine will mean that the doctors will be able to scan the babies to find out what is wrong, saving the babies from painful diagnostic procedures, which may be 30 years or more behind in time of modern medicine. The doctors are trained in using this machine but they have not had this equipment in the past because of the expense.

We arrived at the hospital and had a little nurse with the babies, the team nursed more babies at this stage than they ever had in their lifetime, babies who look 6 months old but in fact were around a year old, malnourished, under developed and underweight, but when they were lifted they nearly all had a smile for us. One staff looking after each ward unit of 26 babies, the hospital housed 96 on our visit. We had to keep a close eye on the team to make sure no one smuggled any of these babies out! It was time to unload, the cot sheets, baby clothes, baby food, toys, nappies and of course the Ultra Sound Machine. The staff were delighted with all the stores and equipment and made us feel very welcome, they showed us all around the hospital and were very keen to show us the improvements. After spending the good part of the day there it was time to leave. Thanks goes to the ULSTER CLINIC, Belfast for the donation of the Ultra Sound machine. Our next stop was just a short way away from the hospital. We had been asked, by a lady who goes out to the Baptist Church in Arad with a youth group, if we could deliver a parcel of books to the minister of this church. We made our way and found the address, it was a small orphanage behind the Baptist Church and we delivered the books. We were made welcome and of course we always are prepared and after permission we gave all the children sweets and were able to leave nice new footwear for the children. We made many new friends there. We were told that there were two lads from Ballymena working in the orphanage for a couple of weeks. These two lads were brought into the room and when they walked in not knowing who was there, I said what about you and they were really surprised to hear a familiar accent. It was then time for a photo call before we left for the long drive back to Beius. When we arrived back we went straight to get something to eat, yes again to the only place to eat - the pizza cafe.

Next morning some of us went to the Orthodox Church and that was an experience to see how others worship. Back to the orphanage to spend time with the children playing football and handball, then at lunch time we paid a visit to the Railway carriage family to leave them some aid, food, clothes and toys for the children. They were very grateful. Whilst at the carriage we met another nine young children who gathered round watching us deliver to the family. That was a sorry sight, clothes tattered and worn, some of the children had no footwear, but again we were prepared. We opened up the back of the lorry and brought the children up into the back, some of these children's feet were blistered. A sorry sight but when they saw what was happening they were all smiles as we fitted them with nice new fur lined boots, then gave them bags of sweets and some small toys. It was hard to explain how we felt, yes, pleased that now the children had some footwear but so sorry they had to live like that. Anyway with those little smiling faces, we left and returned to the orphanage in good time for the Carnival show that the children were performing in our honor.

All seated in the VIP seats, the show began many children taking part in bright costumes parading and doing the parts very well with some of the elder children singing solo parts. We may not have understood the words but the music and beat got us all clapping. The children were so proud to put this show on for us. The director gave a speech thanking the team and the people of N. Ireland and Liverpool for all the aid. Each of the team were then presented by the children with a small heart of gold badge. We had promised after the show that we would put on a disco, using the disco unit we brought for the orphanage, we did this along with providing refreshments. We danced into the early evening everyone having a great time. Part way through the disco the Director said to me that someone in her office wanted to speak to me. So I went along. There was a young man and his wife waiting, they started to explain they had 3 children the youngest, who was with them, a 7 month old boy. They asked if I could take the baby and give him a better life as he would not have much of a life with his family as there is no work and very little to live on. I looked at this beautiful baby, held him for a photo and felt helpless. I explained I could not take him and if he was to go to anyone they would have to go through the proper channels which would take time. They asked if I knew of anyone who would be interested we want better life for baby . I did say (probably to get away) I would ask and if anyone could, I would inform the Director. Returning to the disco was not the same. While the disco was going on, Rosie and Ann where holding a fashion show for the female staff they all seemed to be enjoying this, especially when they were allowed to keep the clothes. If you now see some well dressed staff it's thanks to Rosie and Ann. The team met at the end of the day, talked about things that had happened and relaxed for a while.

The next day being Monday, the drivers had to get the lorries ready for leaving the next morning. We spent all that day at the orphanage, while Ann and Chris went off to visit the family that they sponsor, Rosie and Dennis went to visit the family that help to care for one of the boys that they sponsor. I stayed at the orphanage to photograph the many new children who need sponsors. That evening we took another group of children out to eat along with the drivers, Eddie, Pat and Billy as it was their last night. A few tears were shed because the children knew it was the drivers' last night. 9.30am next morning the whole of the orphanage were out to say and wave bye to the lorries leaving. That afternoon we had arranged to visit the hospital in Beius, as one of the girls who used to live in the orphanage had worked in the ward for abandoned babies for the past four years. We took baby clothes, toiletries and beautiful wooden toys and we spent sometime there playing with and nursing the babies, Ann helping to feed one. This was again a sorry sight, very underweight babies wrapped in pieces of cloth and covered in blankets, no nappies, when they wet they just change the pieces of cloth. The age range of these babies was new born to two years. That evening we were to meet with the President ARC Beius. We met for a meal and to discuss matters relating to the charity. Next day being our last day of the trip we spent at the orphanage with the children. At 6.00pm we took another 60 children out to eat and have a party night, this party night was arranged two fold, one for the children and secondly it was the 13th birthday of Ann and Chris's daughter Clare. The Director of the orphanage had arranged for a big cake to be brought up to where we were. It was a birthday party Clare will never forget. When the food arrived after a few dances the children started to realise this was our last night, the tears started to flow. It was hard for us to try and comfort them as we were as bad, the children saying in their broken English, i am sorry you go back to Ireland. When it was time to walk back to the orphanage the children were clinging on to us the whole way, it was the final good-byes for this trip. It was emotionally draining for everyone. 5.30am next morning we left for the 4 hour drive to Budapest Hungary for our flight to London and then our good byes to Chris, Ann and family as we went for our flight to Belfast.Our grateful thanks to all the people who have helped in anyway to make this trip so successful, providing aid, finance, for storing the aid and for all your support.

A final thank you to our families for their support and putting up with all the work that has to be done throughout the year.

With grateful thanks

The Directors