Friday, February 17, 2012

Planning new projects, following up old ones and surviving the snow!

It seems forever since I posted but a little illness and alot of snow usurpes time. 

After just a small snow storm every twig was covered, I could not stop taking picutres!

Then we had more snow and everyone who know Ray knows how much he loves snow and the cold!  He was not sure we would get the opal out.
As you can see we have had our share of snow and it is now snowing again which may cancel our trip to a village 1 hour from the city.  However we have things to keep us busy here.

The missionaries, to include the Kitchens, hosted a grand waffle party for the classes of English on Friday Feb. 10. 

Missionaries hosted a waffle/game night for the students of the English classes
They ate waffles (which are a novelty here) prepared by the Kitchens, played spoons and a game on the WII.  They had over 50 participants and everyone and had a great time and went away full!

We have been hosting a missionary breakfast each Monday for our district.
Our district
Elders Nilsson, Peterson, James, Jones, Jones, Sisters Schuld and Hickman, Elder and Sister Kitchen
Elders Hill, Finch and Jiles
 Last week they planned MacGriddles for breakfast.  Everyone enjoyed and we took a group pictures as transfers were happening on Tuesday. 

Around the table are the back of Elder James, Sister Schuld, Elders Johns and Jiles on McGriddle day, which Elder James prepared and cooked the batter!
The shoes!
As you notice everyone takes off shoes when going into someone home here.  Keeps floors much cleaner!


Senik with Ray in the village of Singera preparing to walk a steep hill to get to our first wheelchair recipient.
Yesterday we went with Senik, who is one of our translators, to visit several wheelchair recipients. 

Galina and Sister McGovern
I met this wonderful 85 year old woman, Galina, who worked 35 years as a doctor.  She walked everywhere for her appointments, some were over 5 kilo. away! During the winters her patients would rub her hands after she arrive until they were warm and she could attend to them. Now her hip is broken and she can not move her lower body.  Before she received her wheelchair she could only move by pulling with her arms in an army crawl.   She has a wonderful smile, bright blue eyes, 3 children, 4 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.  She is an wonderful example of the Moldovan people!

We have received approval on two projects.  The first is a gas line which will allow the Society of the Disabled to have heat in their buildings.  The Church had put boilers for heating 6 years prior but because of legal problems they have had no gas to operate them, hence they would in the cold during the winters.  Anyhow, the problems have been resolved and they are drawing up the plans now for the gas line from the street to the boilers. 
The second is for an upgrade of a school kitchen at the Mihai Eminescu school in the village of Cimislia.  We are hoping to work with the mayor of that city and possibly others to put in new ovens, as they have no working ovens, new stove top with 6 burners, are they are functioning with two burners now, and a double sink.  Hopefully more can be done but that remains to be seen.  We truly enjoy working with Viorica Ghenciu, the director of that school.  She works very hard for the school.
We also have a few water projects and a school for the deaf which we are hoping to help but we need to find some partners to work with us. 
It appears we are going today despite the snow!