Our first opening ceremonies

Two projects, begun by Tom and Tony VanWormer, came to completion just before Christmas.  On both projects the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worked with United States Assistance to Europe and Eurasia through Counterpart International. I have included some before and after pictures of both the hospital and the school.

The first was the Rehabilitation of the Municipal Infectious Diseases Hospital for Children in Chisinau, Moldova. There we replaced 24 outer doors, 31 inner doors and 9 windows which greatly improved the conditions within the hospital allowing improved sanitary and hygiene conditions.

This was a first for us:  first bread and salt tradition, first ribbon cutting, etc. 


There are before and after pictures of inside and outside doors and a sample of the before windows.  The center is a new room, new window and beds along with fresh paint.  Cutting the ribbon is the hospital director Ludmila Byrca, myself, and Luminita Suveica, director of general health for the city of Chisinau. Bottom left you see Ana in the center translating for Ray and I, Ray and I taking our second bread and salt as we go into another part of the hospital, and in the bottom left you see Ray addressing the group with Ana translating.

 We felt a little awkward, as we were not directly involved ourselves, but enjoyed meeting the staff and seeing the hospital.



On the way to Cimislia



The second was the Reconstruction of a student dormitory at Mihai Eminescu Theoretical Lyceum in Cimislia, Moldova which took place 22 Dec 2011.  Doors and windows were replaced here, the kitchen redone and a cafeteria added and the study hall redone.  LDS Charities provided new sinks, fridge, two stoves, a rack for storing dishes and new dishes and eating utilise.  They also provided four new tables and eight new benches for the dining area.

Before and after pictures here - upper left is the study room, top is a hall window before and after.  You can see a sample of a dorm room with a hot plate.  They cooked and ate in their rooms with only a small fridge in the kitchen.  You can see pictures of the kitchen before with a fridge and small table.  They now have a dining room with table and seating, a kitchen with two stoves, microwave, to sinks with running water, lots of counter space, a new fridge and not pictured is shelving with dishes, pots, glasses, etc.  The students bring their own food from their homes which are too far away for them to return except on the weekends.

High School students in tradational costume greeting the US Ambassador

 The ceremony took place in the study room.

Here you see several shots of the children, the ribbon cutting with Victoria the director of the school, US Ambassador William Moser, and Kathy cutting the ribbon.  Below the ribbon cutting is Ray and I with Victoria.  The bottom left talking with the Ambassador is Ryan Aiken who is the Public Affairs Officer of the US Embassy and also our Branch President.  Ray and I finally got to visit a little in the center and well Ray and the Ambassador hit it off!

This group includes the Ambassador's three children in the back left of the group (girl in white sweater and two taller boys), the performing children, Ray, Kathy, Ambassador Moser, Victoria (the school director) and the Ambassador's wife Marie.  Against the back wall are the high school student which live in the dormitory.

The US Ambassador and his family attended, giving us the opportunity to meet them plus we were treated to a number of delightful performances by the younger children of the school.

After both ceremonies we were served a grand buffet but I was too busy eating and talking to take pictures of that!

For most of you Christmas is over, but not here as the most part of the people are Russian Orthodox and adhere to the Gregorian Calendar, hence January 7th is Christmas and the 14th is the New Year.  Since we are so near to Europe they also celebrate the 25th of Dec. and Jan 1st....so we are still partying!  Not working, partying!

Our new year found us at church where we said goodbye to two new friends.  It is transfer time, so Sister Bennett is leaving and Eugen Sajin, who is now Elder Sajin, is on his way to England for his two year mission.  He is the only member in his family, so good-byes were extra hard today for him.