International Closing for Tirnova Children's TB Hospital

Today was a 12 hour day. We took the Mission President (Scott and Laurie Lundburg) and the Area Welfare Manager (John Mulligan), and our translator (Dorina Bejan) 3.5 hours north to attend the huge closing ceremony for the Tirnova Children's Hospital. It was quite a major celebration. All of the organizations, country representives, civic groups and government entities were there along with tons of press. The Prime Minister, Vlad Filat, even attended. The British Ambassadar and many other dignitaries were there. The US Ambassadar attended and his wife, Charla Chaudhery were the most honored guests though, because Charla was the real fire behind this project. It was her dream to have the horrible conditions these children were living in to be corrected. Millions of dollars later, many helping hands later it all came true. Our portion of the project was to install a new water tower and tank, water pump, and piping to the childrens dorms, school, and dining building. Finally-clean flowing water!

View of the dormatory rooms and well from the dining building.

Spring time with the trellis walkway between buildings

The shower room the 1.5 yr olds to 18 yr olds had to use. No electricity. No hot water.

The location of the shower room was at far end of the land with dirt/mud walkways to get there.

There were two outhouse building at the other end of the property

Previous bathroom conditions

Some of the people who came together to help. Ray West(center) and Charla Chaudhury (front row on right) spearheaded the project

Our rental car broke down when we had taken Silvia, the Ministery of Health Construction Engineer, to Tirnova to evaluate and approve the work being done. She had to hitchhike home.

The old brick water tower tank and the new one LDS Charities installed

The Swiss government built a building to put in the heat system for all the hospital buildings

New squat toilets installed in both dormatory buildings and the school

Clean water to the new bathrooms

Closing ceremony began with the US Ambassador and his wife and Moldova's Prime Minister Vlad Filat being welcomed with the traditional bread and salt

The Prime Minister and Charla Chaudhury giving the children attention after a loud "Buna Ziwa" from all the children greeted them

Vlad Filat: Moldova's Prime Minister

Some of the children. Sister Lundburg visited with the children after the ceremony

Inga (left) the journalist who promoted the project and Kate Shannon (right) the British Ambassador's wife

Victor Coravay, Elder & Sister VanWormer, Ranghi Kim. Leaders from Counterpart International who installed sewers

The children (especially the young girls) at the hospital wanted photos taken with the military

There was hugs masa (feast) afterwards