Edmond got the Priesthood Today

We met Edmond as he was leaving the church after his interview with President Aiken to get the Priesthood. I have never seen someone so excited! He glowed! He said he had been studying and praying to get ready and on Sunday he was going to get the Priesthood. Here he is with his certificate after recieving the Priesthood. He is so happy.

A Kidney Stone is the Pits

Sister Humphries had a horrible kidney stone that had her in excruciating pain. We rushed her to the hospital in Chisinau and she got a fantastic doctor that quickly diagnosed it and treated it. Sister Frasier was freaking out pretty bad and ended up staying in the hospital overnight with Sister Humphries. The drugs helped, the stone passed, and they are both back out teaching the gospel. We took a pancake breakfast in to them at the hospital. Hospitals here do not provide food to patients.

Ghenadie's Babushka Gets a Wheelchair Today

We took Ghenadie to Leuseni village with a wheelchair for his sister's mother in law. We also gave her a lap blanket made by Anneke's branch in New York. Recognize it Anneke??

The little 2 yr old granddaughter is trying so hard to push her Babushka!

She is paralyzed on the left side and they live in a village with incredibly horrible roads so she got a three wheel wheelchair because it is made for rough terrain. This is the little flower garden in their yard.

This is Ghenadie' sister, his babushka, Ghenadie, and his little niece.

Leon & Eleesa Lunch in Balenesti

Leon shows me how to make true mamaliga, a cornbread sort of dish. A staple on Moldovan tables. Cornmeal, water, salt are boiled then stirred continuously with this dowel type stick in a round bottom "mamaliga pan".

Whe the consistency is right then he uses a watered spoon to pat it down.

He pours it out onto a wood cutting board and cuts a cross in the top to remember God.

Here is Susan discussing politics with Leon and Ghenadie (on her other side). Notice the sliced mamaliga. Eat it with sheep cheese and/or sour cream. Excellent!

Here's curt getting ready to join us on a ride back to Chisinau.

Balenesti Medical Center Needs Running Water

Balenesti is an isolated village about 2 hours south of Chisinau with 2,200 residents. Wonderful people that we instantly loved and trusted. Curt & Susan (members of the church) are Peace Corp volunteers that brought this project to us. The only village medical center is on the 2nd floor with a farmacie on the first floor. There are only 2 nurses, Olga & Maria, who work all hours day and night to help the people. There were 5 nurses but they lost 3 due to the stress of the long hours and overwhelming needs of the people. There is 1 doctor who comes to the center 2 times a week but he is about to retire. The nurses are wanting to have running water for sanitary reasons and also to make the center more attractive to a new doctor so they will choose to work there.

Olga is showing us how they pour well water from a bucket into the water container here and then pump the lever on the bottom to get water to wash their hands. They throw the full bowl of used water into the street as needed.

The is women's examination room...notice the sirups ladies.

This gentleman came in for care while we were there.

This is the little room where they are hoping to turn it into a small bathroom with a squat toilet and a sink.

These are some of the steps and the path to the current outhouse behind the medical center.

The mayor and nurses discussing how to go about getting this work done. We are going to pay for the project but they are looking for a contractor to give an updated bid. We told them to include the entire job on the bid...repairing the walls after the plumbing pipes are installed, painting, putting the terracotta tile backsplashes over the sinks, etc. The nurses were planning to do all that finishe work themselves to save money-unbelievably dedicated ladies!

Ghenadie Carusenco from the Chisinau branch was with us and he was helping translate for us and give ideas about the project. He is talking with Susan.

The waiting room.

The area inside the green fence is where they hoping to install the septic tank.

The mayor and the nurses seemed very pleased about our proposals. The mayor invited us to a traditional Moldovan BBQ in the woods as a closing celebration. No one had to bend our arms to accept that invite!! Ghenadie was quick to be sure he was invited too!

Ryli Aiken Goofing Around Again

Ryli is 5 years old and son of Kesli and Ryan Aiken. Ryan is the Chisinau Branch President.

The Colton's Go Home Today. We Miss Them Already!

Elder Blaine and Sister Chris Colton were our trainers and Area Humanitarian leaders in Frankfurt Germaney. They were super excellent; very patient, non controlling, and forward thinkers. We love them and miss them already. Hopefully we can visit them in Utah when we go on our western trip next year. They are in the same ward as Dave and Betty Armstrong so it will be great to visit both family friends. Good luck to you Coltons. We love you for being a part of this time in our lives.

Moldova's Best Dentist!!

Caracus Dental offices have the best Dentists! I just completed the 3 crown bridge today and it fits perfect! No pain and I can't even tell it isn't my natural teeth. The best part is the entire process only cost $503 and that included the tooth removal, the preparation of two teeth, the custom bridge and it's installation. Dr Gheorgie Paiu made the bridge himself in the next room over and kept adjusting it while I was in the chair until fit perfectly.


We were told to have dental exams and make sure that our teeth were in good shape so no dental work would be needed while on our mission. We did that. Amazing though, is that in the last year and half Tom had to have a crown put in ($155), I had a wisdom tooth pulled ($32) because it shifted into an unworkable position, another tooth pulled ($32), a temporary tooth put in while it healed ($50),teeth whitening ($31.58), and then this triple bridge crown ($503). Would have been many many times that cost at home. We would be willing to fly to Moldova for dental work because it is soooo good and soooo inexpensive and we could visit our friends here!

The Orhei Soup Kitchen Project Closed

Orhei's soup kitchen got custom built cabinets.

They requested one of the cabinets to have wire shelves so they could put their loaves of bread inside. The bread fits perfect as you can see!

The 2 cooks were making homemade noodles for the Zeama soup.

The kitchen also got a complete new ventilation system.

Lila (redhead on right) from the Chisinau Branch went with Eugenia, the soup kitchen director, and her daughter and I to a flower shop to buy rose bushes for the soup kitchen courtyard.

While in the soup kitchen Tom looked at their Moldovan map that showed where all the soup kitchens are located in Moldova. We were so excited to see that map. We will pass on the list to our replacements so they can pursue future projects.

Part of the project was to give them a washing machine and soap so the homeless and poor have a place to wash their clothes. We also supplied the kitchen with plates, cups, silverware, kettle, plastic containers for delivering food to the homebound, and towels.

Presenting Eugenia with the official donation letter for the government to not charge them taxes on our donated items.

Interesting

Means "watch out" "keep your eyes open" for pedestrians.

The bucket in the window ledge had water and these people had just washed their hands over the white basket before going into the restaraunt.

A Visit to the Famous Soroca Castle

While Dr Lewis and his terrific wife Kathryn were here to do the vision project to train Moldovan doctors on Glaucoma eye surgery, we ended up with an extra day so went to the northern Moldovan city of Soroca. Famous for wealthy gypsy families and this castle from the 1300's.

It is right along the river that borders Urkaine. It was an important military location.

The tunnel entry.

The well in the courtyard center was being used by this visitor.



The square holes around the interior walls once held the wood supports for the walkway around the wall. There are plans to reconstruct that walkway.

The views from the windows were spectacular!

There were two wedding at the castle that day. They released a cage of doves into the air.



The interior rooms were still very solid.


Tom at the outside wall base. He was thoroughly enjoying the day. Castles, museums, old bookstores, antique shops...all that old historical stuff...is right up his alley!

American "baby g diapers" Donated to Women's Shelter

Tammy James and the Relief Society in Morristown NY have donated many many needed things to us to distribute to needy Moldovans. One of the most needed items they sent were diapers. Most of the mothers in Moldova do not use any diapers at all. I took half of the Baby g diapers to the womens shelter in Drochia where they treat and train women who have been victims of human trafficing and domestic violence. Since they were not used to using them we had to demonstrate how to put a diaper on.

Baby Marin is 3 months old. When we took off his cloths he had no diaper on.

His mother put on a Baby g diaper herself.

Dr Sirbu gave Marin's mother the first set of diapers to be used at the center.

Dr Sirbu said that he is often called the "father" at the center. He told me that because of all that we have done for their center that I am like their mama. I wondered what that made Tom?! Ha!