1997

1998

1999
Easter 1999 Aid Trip
Educational Holiday
Christmas Visit

2000
Easter 2000 Aid Trip
ARC Apartment

1999 Aid Trip Report

We would like to take this opportunity to thank some of our sponsors for the Aid Trip of 1999. These include :

• 2nd Greasby Scout Group
• Redcourt - St Anselm's
• Charity Night run by Moon Shine Disco's
• 1999 Aid Trip Report

Our team this year Frank and Clare Higginson, Anne, Chris, Michael, Clare and Tom Meaney, Mervyn, Elizabeth, Emma and Christopher Dougherty and Mandy Fitzpatrick.

The team left on the 30th March at 5a.m. and flew to Amsterdam meeting up with the Meaney family then on to Budapest. We were warmly welcomed at Budapest by Ioana Arion our interpreter and 2 mini buses for our onward journey to Beius. We arrived at our destination at 11p.m. all ready for a nights rest.

Our transport team this year left Liverpool on the 26th March consisting of an artic and forty foot trailer plus seven Landrovers each towing a load lugger all laden with aid we have collected. Our special thanks must go to all the transport team Eddie, Chris, John, Dave, John Barlow (for providing the load luggers ), John, Swifty, Alistair, Tony, Donna, Paul, Jimmy, Mark, Jim, Sid and Billy for their determination in getting the aid to its destination.

After a five day hard drive and three days delay at the border dealing with the officialdom, patience was beginning to wear thin.

The team woke up early on our first morning eager to go and meet the children. So first stop was the bank to change some money.

Six years ago we were getting 4,250lei to the pound which has increased yearly to this year being 24,000lei to the pound which makes and increase of 500 % even though the staff at the orphanage received an increase of 10% which makes the cost of living very high. With the money sorted out it is off to the orphanage to meet the children. The children are expecting us so you can sense the excitement.

As word gets around the children start appearing from everywhere and the atmosphere is very happy as we catch up on everybody's news over the last 12 months.

We then went to the Directors office to discuss with him our program. It is pleasing to say that after much relation building and co-operation from both sides we have secured good relations for our charity and the orphanage.

The orphanage has been run by the education department up until the end of last year but is now under the Social Services System.

We were very impressed with the organisation and helpfulness from all of the Social Services team and feel confident that this is a positive progression under this management.

Our first night was also the first night of the children's outing to the Pizza. Pizza nights are arranged for every other night to allow each child in the orphanage a special treat of pizza, chips, coke and chocolate.

Each night we took around a total of 60 people so as you can guess the pizza place are always pleased to see us.

Pizza nights are a special time for us to spend time with the children in smaller groups and for them to experience eating out.

The next day being Thursday we arranged to visit the General Hospital and the abandoned baby's ward which holds a special place in our hearts. After a warm welcome from the staff we were eager to go and have a cuddle with the babies.

The abandoned babies ward is so drab and dull, with nothing to look at or play with so it is quite depressing. This year we brought triple the amount of aid for the General Hospital and also toys, nappies, medicines, clothes etc. for the abandoned babies.

After the visit to this depressing ward we arranged a meeting to see if there was anything else we could do, and it was decided to paint all the walls and cots and get some murals drawn on the walls and ceilings to make it a much brighter place. We are pleased to say that this work started a couple of days before we came home so we wait eagerly for some photographs of the finished work. The hospital itself is like an old Victorian hospital which is very bare and somber. The equipment is also very old and would look more at place in our museums. The maternity suite comprises of no more than a birthing chair with stirrups with a rusty tin bucket underneath to catch any waste. The doctor showed us instruments and equipment in excess of 40 years old which were rusty and not sterile. Onto the nursery with 10 small open nursery cots side by side 2 rows of 5 in the middle of the room. The babies are wrapped up tightly like a parcel with a white linen sheet and rough feeling blanket covering the head. This is then kept in place by a piece of cord like bailing twine with a piece of cardboard with the babies details written out.

Good Friday 8.30pm the transport finally arrives. The younger children already in their pyjamas ready for bed can't contain their excitement so are hanging out the windows cheering and at times sneaking out to greet the drivers. What a welcome! The Council Director and her team from Oradea were there to list all the aid coming off and directing it to their destinations. All the older children were keen to help so with all hands to the pump we finished tired, dirty but a good job well done.

Next day we had a 1 hour drive to Oradea for a meeting with the head of Social Services at 10a.m. and the President of the County Council. The meeting went very well we were thanked for all our hard work and they were looking forward to having a partnership with us in the further.

We caught up with the rest of the team to proceed to Arad with the aid for the baby hospital. As usual we were warmly welcomed and allowed to go and visit the wards and re-aquanaut ourselves with the babies. There is now a team of around 20 - 25 so you can imagine everywhere you look somebody's holding a baby, reluctant to put them back in their cots in case they cry. One baby, named Alexandra, the doctors explained was born with hydrocephalus (an enlarged head with fluid building up around the brain). The baby could have an operation but it was too costly and they could not afford to buy the valves and shunts that would be needed approximately.

When told this the transport team had a whip round and decided they would pay for the operation. Thanks to the generosity of the team the baby will have the operation in the next few weeks. If left this baby would have been handicapped. As you can imagine the staff were delighted and went straight ahead in preparations for the operation. After a struggle to get the team out of the hospital and a quick head count of babies left there, it was time for the 2 hour drive back to Beius to take the next group of children to the Pizza. Seems like no problems until some of the team spotted McDonalds in Arad and couldn't resist the allure of Big Mac and Chips. So arriving slightly later than planned we all head to the Pizza for the groups treat and also Clare Meaney's birthday celebration.

Sunday morning at 11a.m. we meet at the orphanage to deliver the personal presents for children from their sponsors. The children slowly open and inspect every item in the parcel as if savoring this moment that is special to them.

At 2pm we had planned a party for the younger children. They were so excited with all this attention. We went well stocked with drinks, bananas, sweets, chocolate etc. After some lovely singing it was time for their shoe box presents. The faces on the children as they opened their gifts is like Birthday and Christmas all at once. Thanks to all those people who take the time and care in supplying the shoe boxes. One sadness at this party was one of our children Lucian who died of aids before Christmas. He was not forgotten and will be remembered with love and affection.

After the party we took the aid we had brought to the Good Samaritan project which works very hard for the street children. This aid is always received with great appreciation.

This evening we organised an evening in the Pizza with all the staff and teachers from the orphanage. This is really is really appreciated by all the staff and gives us an opportunity to get to know each other better in a more relaxed atmosphere.

The next morning its off to Hodas a one and a half hour drive from Beius. The minister George and his wife Sue who are all things to all dealing with the communities spiritual needs, health care, social problems etc. and not only in their village but also neighboring villages. We support Sue and George with medicines, dressings, shoes, clothes, toys for this very isolated village. The sun is shining as we sat in the garden while the ladies from the village welcome us with cakes and communion wine and also a flower and egg to celebrate Easter. There are 800 people living a very basic life with no access roads just a dirty track so the church is a very important part of their lives.

We return to Beius for yet another visit to the Pizza. Tonight is the last night for the Drivers before their long trip home. It is always hard to leave with many tears as good-byes are said.

Next morning Chris and Ioana head back to the border to ensure all paperwork is in order for the drivers to start their long journey. The rest of the team prepare for the long task of handing out all the shoe boxes to all the other children.

Tuesday evening Ioanas mother Florica invited us to eat, and cooked us a four course meal, a rare opportunity to relax which was welcomed. The mayor of Beius joined us later for a drink and an update meeting. The mayor and Ioana work very hard on behalf of the charity and sponsorship scheme in Beius. We are also joined by Adrian from the Good Samaritan project.

As a charity we like to support not just the orphanage but the local community in general were the children also benefit. So the local school have enjoyed our support with computers, reading systems etc. Mervyn, Christopher and Michael our computer experts went to the school to set them up much to the pleasure of the principal and children.

Meanwhile frank wastes no time and starts photographing the 60 children who are still waiting to be sponsored.

It is now Thursday which from experience the team know it is going to be hard as it is our last day. In the morning we walk to the local market were farmers from local villages come to sell their wares. Some have walked miles starting out in the early hours of the morning to sell what they can. The market is an experience with all the livestock being bought and then taken home to slaughter.

It is now time to prepare our last night party at the orphanage. Plenty of juice, sweets and every child received a radio hat which went down really well. The children now start to sense that the time has come to say goodbye. Tears start to roll and the hardest job of all is to actually leave.

Friday morning 4:30am Romanian time we start our trip home arriving at 8:30pm.

This year it was noticed by all the team how much the children had grown and how well they looked. The reason for this is the much improved diet of fruit, sweet breads, cakes and more meat paid for by the sponsorship scheme. It was great to see the clothes and shoes on the children that we had taken out last year.

Thank you everyone who assisted in any way to making this trip possible and also in caring enough to make such a difference.

It has now been arranged for an educational trip for the last two weeks in August to Northern Ireland were we will bring a group of children on an experience they will never forget.

Should you wish to help either financially or in practically terms please contact any of the Directors.

The Directors