Vision Project June 21-25-Successful!

Dr.Lewis and his wife Kathrine came from Arizona for a week of Glaucoma eye surgery training at the Republican Hospital in Chisinau. He said at the end that it was the most successful training week he has had. There were 25 optholmologists trained in the latest Glaucoma surgery techniques. Dr. Lewis taught by lecture, example, and hands-on. During exams he showed how to use the new equipment. During surgeries he would demonstrate a technique on a patient then a local doctor would do the same technique on the next patient under Dr. Lewis's supervision. The doctors were very grateful. The photos in the slide show tell the whole story. There are even slides of actual operations going on...

Max is a Now a Member of Christ's Church!!

We met Max at a baptism in May. He came with members of Orhei Branch by maxi taxi. He is 16 years old and wants to become a doctor. His parents finally agreed to let Max get baptised. He was so excited he could hardly sleep for the 4 days to his baptism. He is awesome and will grow so much with the gospel. We're excited for him. His friends from the Orhei Branch were to celebrate too. We told him we would make refreshments and he asked for brownies so we made two big pans of it just for him. Also made a baptism towel for him with his name and baptism date embroidered on it.

Scarves and Cookies for Some Orphans

Our little Chisinau Relief Society made scarves and cookies for some of the Chisinau area orphans. The children are adorable and so well behaved too. The red head boy in the photo is helping pass out cookies. He is Ryli Aiken, a 4 year old boy who just moved into the Branch. His father works at the American embassy. Awesome family!

"The Wheels on Their Chairs Go Round & Round..."

Elder Doug Jackson and his wife Delene came to help us learn about wheelchairs. It was great fun. We visited with Lilian who had recieved his wheelchair 8 months ago. His friend told us that since Lilian got his chair he is never at home. Lilian has customized his chair by attaching a flashlight to the front and reflectors to the back so he can go around the village way into the night. He is truely mobile now!

We also fitted a chair for a dwarf sized man. Was not easy. Vitalie had been a circus clown for 7 years when someone climbed on his back and injured him. He has been mostly bedridden and now has a 3 wheel chair that he can go on rough terraine outside. The world has just opened up for him. His mother brought us some of her fresh picked cherries and strawberries to thank us.

It Humbles Us Every Day...

This the dumpster. The door in the photo is the door to our apartment building. We're on the first floor so our windows are to the right of the front door in the photo. Our dumpster is usually overflowing and has cats and dogs trying to get into it but they emptied it today so you don't get to see that lovely site.
When we were moving in we asked if we were supposed to sort the trash in any way. It was a joke question but the answer was no joke. We were told that "it would be appreciated if when we took our tash to the dumpster we would put all the edibles, food leftovers, peelings, etc, into a separate bag or box and sit it on the cement next to the dumpster. If we would do this then the people who go through the dumpster to find food to eat won't need to dig through the rubbish as much to find the food." We have done this "sorting" of our trash since we have been here. I notice other "sorted trash" there - old moldy bread, spoiled apples, potatoe peelings, and so forth. I am always very humbled when I go back outside an hour or two later and find the food gone. We have run into elderly people going through the dumpster. On our way home one evening there was a very elderly woman trying to get a bag of leftovers out of the dumpster. Tom gave her 100 lei (=$8 in USDollars)and she was so appreciative. I find myself putting food out that is fresh knowing that it will be such a good surprise for them. So- next time your kids don't want to eat their dinner show them this dumpster and let them know that many people don't get a dinner at all unless they dig for it.

Wow! Courtroom Surpise!

9:00pm one night we got an invite from our wheelchair partner, Mihail, to join him at a "governmental meeting" the next morning. We thought he just wanted us to meet someone he worked with. We got there to find we were in a courtroom. We met Mihail and his co-workers and were surprised to see Victor, another of our partners in court. Then we saw Dr. Bendulac there who is the doctor we are partnering with on next weeks vision surgery training project. Turns out this was the monthly court hearings for deciding who the government will waive the 20% customs taxes for. They were reviewing 8 requests and 7 of the 8 requests were approved. Turns out that 4 of the 8 requests were our projects! 2 were 40 ft shipping containers of clothing/blankets/hygeine kits/newborn kits/boots that Victors group is partnering with us on. 1 was the medical equipment Dr Lewis is bringing from the US to do the eye surgery training then donating to Dr Bendulacs hospital, and 1 was 350 wheelchairs to Mihail's group.
As if that weren't all surprise enough...just before the hearing was adjourned a man from the government stood up and said that since the VanWormer's from LDS Charities was in the courtroom he wanted to thank us. He said that we had brought in 5,000 wheelchairs in the last few years, and so many containers of goods, and so much help to Moldovans that he wanted to thank us. And thank us he did. Then immediately Victor stood up and addressed everyone saying all kinds of wonderful things about how we have helped him distribute goods to people. It was a lovely unexpected "love fest" as someone called it. After court was over the ViceMinister came down to shake our hands and thank us again.
Then the man who was so grateful to us to start with, came to Tom and said that he heard Elder Jackson was coming from Salt Lake City Utah regarding wheelchairs and he wanted to present him with a medal to show his gratitude. What do you say to that?? Tom tried to explain that the Jacksons were Short Term Specialists that were like technicians coming to train us and it wasn't the Prophet or even an apostle coming. Boy did we ever raz Elder Jackson about almost being "decorated" with medals for doing his missionary work! Here is the Government building with the same roses that are grown all over the city.

Photo from left to right: Vasile Ouatu (the man who wanted to present medals to the Jacksons), Tom,Toni, Mihail (in the wheelchair), Sister Jackson, Elder Jackson.