Weird Morning at the Orphanage

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Hello, All -- Wendy here. Today brings some rainy weather in Moldova, and the temperature has got to be in the 60's because even I feel like I need a sweater. This is a huge improvement over the extraordinarily hot weather we experienced last week.

In spite of the clouds and threatening rain, our group's caretaker wanted them to go outside for a little while, and we soon saw why. About twenty volunteers descended on the group as soon as we stepped outside ... with candy, bubble blowers, balloons (which will be popped and ingested, as we have observed) and cameras. It was a 1:1 ratio as each child got hugged and held, and pictures taken.

We learned from a woman in the group that this was a group of Irish volunteers who work at an orphanage outside of town -- one that houses about 200 handicapped girls. Apparently they have performed a lot of improvements on the orphanage, cleaned things up, and gotten good medical care to those that live there.

We couldn't help but react negatively to the cameras, however. We have been reluctant to take photos, and always ask permission from the caretakers. This group spent a total of thirty minutes with our kids, snapping away as if they had a history with this group, which they do not have. I don't like the idea of our kids being on display on their website, but I bet they will be up there as quickly as they can post them. It seems exploitative, and we don't like it.

Our hostess, Adela, brought home three relatives to stay at her home -- for how long we don't yet know. Now, instead of five people in three rooms and one bathroom, we are eight people in three rooms and one bathroom. I hate to complain, but I'm glad we have only a few days left to be concerned about this.

We learned today that Thursday and Friday are holidays in Moldova, and we will not work. That means tomorrow is our last day at the orphanage, and we intend to make the most of it -- visiting each group and saying goodbye. These children have made everything worthwhile. My only regret is that I'm not sure I'll have a chance to see them again, to know how they turned out. Hmmmm ... maybe that can be arranged ...?

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