There are so many stories to tell they could fill a book on their own.
For this brochure, I will do a little pen-picture of some of the “flowers” in my garden!
First, there was little Narcisa who was 21/2 years old but was lucky in the fact that she had mother staying in oncology ward with her. She loved colouring pictures
and then seeing them displayed on the walls of my room.
One day mam took her up to my room to collect a “treasure” a whole book to colour. Narcisa was delighted with the book but seemed more excited about a story she wanted to tell me.
“Sister, I saw many angels in my dream and the music was beautiful”. She repeated the last phrase. Next day I went down to see how the colouring was progressing only to be told Narcisa had died early in the morning.
Then there was 13 years old Florin, a very quiet and serious boy who loved to draw pictures or even to portraits.
I begged him to allow me to take a few of his best pictures to our Mayor in Sector 4. Mayor Mihalache is an artist and, although he was very busy in his office that day, he sat down, examined the drawings, wrote a congratulatory note on each and gave each full marks.
What a joy for Florin to think that The Mayor valued his work!
Christmas was near and Florin helped to brighten the corridor in etaj 5 by painting “La Multi Ani”! (A Happy New Year) on the glass panel.
Two days later, we were shocked and saddened to hear that Florin had suffered a hemorrhage and had died.
The “Happy New Year” was not for him.
What about Marius? At 4 years old he was alone in the oncology ward and being treated for leukemia. He was quite withdrawn and always sat alone until one day I gave him perfumed soap. What was my amazement when I found him at the sink and washing his socks with the soap.
A push-chair we had taken from Scotland was the “Abracadabra”! Sitting in that chair he loved to be taken outside. Bit by bit, he became more sociable! After much treatment for the leukemia, Marius was taken to live in our apartment for children “Nazareth”. Something
wonderful happened or was it the good food, the rest and the family life, Marius is now 12 years old and has no further need of treatment.
Thanks to God.
Laurentiu was a little 10 year old boy from a family of seven children all living in very destitute circumstances, in Giurgiu. Suffering from sicklecell anaemia, he came each Monday with grandma in order to take him home on Fridays.
Our efforts were always to give him a child's life. He loved toys and, as he grew older his joy was to listen to stories or poetry from a tape recorder!
Sometimes he would tell us stories he heard from his grandma.
After visiting his home we decided we must do something to make that home comfortable and secure.
Laurentiu got happiness out of the thought that it was because of him that this was done he had helped his family.
Alas! He died at 13 years of age! Another little friend in Heaven.
Claudiu was an extraordinary little 5 year old boy. He had a severe form of cancer with many tumours. He seemed so alone because his mother could never visit him. He had an older brother and a baby sister. To cheer him we found the toy he liked but, what made him feel really good was when I asked him to teach me numbers in romanian. We had fun but he scolded me when I made a mistake (which I purposely did!)
I asked him what he would like best as a toy and his immediate response was “a machina”. What was his joy to receive a remote controlled car! His reaction was unbelievable He came to me and whispered: “Sister, I love you and I will pray for you”. I truly felt humbled and tear filled.
Very soon after this Claudiu's illness worsened. With permission from the doctor, kind friends of ours took him home. What a welcome from his mum and brother and little sister. Although very weak, his face lit up at the sight family. There, that night, little Claudiu was freed from all his sufferings.
Imagine a cold winter's evening, with a biting East wind which would penetrate even the warmest clothing.
On such a night we were on our way home from the hospital but stopped to do a little shopping.
Passing through a draughty alley way we found two ladies sitting on a wall and, obviously, preparing to stay there for the night.
Trying out my best Romanian, I struggled to have a conversation!
One gently touched my arm and said “ Let's speak in English, I was a teacher of English.”
She went on to tell us her story. Her pension was so small she just could not keep her apartment.
So, she applied to get into a home for elderly people. “I have all the necessary papers”, she said, “but no home will receive me because all homes are full”. Her friend had, more or less, the same story and now both were part of the eight hundred or so elderly people having to live on the street.
How glad we were to have one of the lovely crocheted blankets to give them.
God bless the kind ladies who continue to make these blankets!
There are things the poor prize more highly than gold, though they cost the donor nothung: Among these are the kind word, the gentle, compassionate look and the patient hearing of their sorrows. (Ven. Catherine
McAuley)
In hospital where there are so many children living daily close together, friendships are made especially amongst the teenagers.
One such friendship was that between Irina and Oana, two 16 year olds, Irina's colleagues and sometimes, teachers, came to visit her and I heard from them that she was a bright pupil.
Oana's talents seemed to be in her ability at sports. These girls were good friends.
Then, one day tragedy struck! Irina died quite suddenly. Even the doctors who were treating her for leukemia were shocked.
So affected was Oana by the news that she went into a coma and died early next morning.
What could we do but sit with the parents and listen to their grieving.
God had taken another two flowers from the garden.
