Bringing Smiles to Romania Part 6 of 7

When I See You Again


I've realised that although I was heavy with the suncream yesterday, I forgot to do one place... I was brushing my hair this morning getting ready for Day 2 at Dezna when the bristles slashed across the tops of my ears. It felt like a million needles had stabbed them at the same time. If my mum was here, she would be laughing at me for forgetting such an 'obvious place' which she always did for me as a child. 

The weather was more humid today with a light breeze, perfect for working in the 'garden' of wilderness....until a scorching heat spread up my back and sweat droplets trickled down my face. A roaring bonfire had been lit to burn the piles of brambles and rotten wood from inside the house, metres from where I was working. After the abuse from the sun yesterday I was not going to let the bonfire stop me from working today. It motivated me and the rest of the team to work harder and faster to escape the angry heat it spread. We sliced and chopped and tugged the brambles, thorns and nettles, some of which were taller than me! By the end of the day, between the work from yesterday and today, almost 6 acres of land had been cleared with shears, strimmers and rakes. It was a sweaty day and yet again I came home with blisters but luckily no sunburn! 





After working at Dezna for two days and hearing about the plans and excitement that Kevin had for the new project, I decided to call the UK office and donate almost £300 of my excess fundraising (I had to raise £700 but we raised almost £1000) and put it towards the project. I can't wait to see how the project goes and can't wait to visit the completed Outreach centre and centre for the blind or visually impaired! 




The team worked very hard today but faced a terrible challenge. We discovered that one of the main influencers for Smiles Mission Trips in Northern Ireland, Barbara Morrison, had sadly passed away. She had planned to join us on the trip but had ended up in hospital days before we left for Romania. I had only met the woman once but sitting with the team today, it was clear to see what a massive impact she'd had on their lives. The pain in the room brought tears to my own eyes as the shock that a woman, who was so full of energy and life, had taken a fatal turn at a much earlier time than expected. It was a shocking realisation for everyone of how futile life is. We never know what is truely around the corner. Nonetheless, after some prayers for her friends and family and listening to some praise music, we got back to work, now doubly motivated to make this project, that Barbara was so passionate about, a reality.  Soon everyone was smiling again, determined to complete their tasks before the end of the day. In the words of Kevin, we worked through blood (Andrew split his head open with a hammer), sweat from the blistering hot heat and tears from the team's grief today, to get the work done. We left the centre feeling hopeful and proud in the work we had completed. 





After 90 minutes back to the centre on the minibus, everyone tumbled out if the vehicles and stumbled into showers. However, Matt Chloe and I decided to go for a dip in the swimming pool to cool off, before our Romanian barbeque and after to swim off the dessert of strawberries and marshmallows in melted chocolate. 




After a long challenging day, I lie in my bed putting this piece together after a long hot shower (where I noticed a tick on my stomach, panicked and plucked it off) listening to the sound of crickets outside my window, dogs barking in the distance and the laughter and chattering of the team upstairs supporting Kate and Warren
their game of snooker. I wish I could stay here longer. I feel like I've only just settled in and now I have to prepare for my final days in Romania. In 48 hours, I will be home in Banbridge catching up on some long lost sleep 😂 Maybe home isn't so bad after all! 

Tomorrow a new adventure begins! It's a big day so if you've been enjoying these posts, stick around for the final one tomorrow!! 

NPK X 
 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bringing Smiles to Romania Part 7 of 7

Image
I Wished Them Luck and Then I Said Goodbye As the sun sets on another humbling day, I stare out across the sleepy fields in Cihea. I am sitting on the balcony of the Mission Centre reflecting on my time here in this beautiful country. The crickets have began their evening song and little birds are tweeting their lullabies whilst children's giggles fade into silence as bedtime approaches. Lights have started to turn on, like stars surrounding the fields, luminating the few houses there are in these rural lands. The dogs engage in their twilight bark (101 Dalmatian fans please appreciate this) and the smoke of an evening fire rises up to meet the silhouettes of distant trees and watercoloured sky with clouds sketched  into the horizon. The city lights of Oradea twinkle in the distance. Nobody could recreate this moment with paint, film or photography. It's a scene fit for poetry. I am so lucky to be able to escape the sad stories I experienced today. I am so lucky to be bac
Read more

"No one else can understand you better than you yourself.” ― Vikrmn, Guru with Guitar

Image
Whilst I sit in my bedroom, my brain blank, in a daze, staring at my desk which is undoubtedly my own organised mess, glancing to my wardrobe where my school shirt sleeve manages to squeeze through the doors to wave 'hello' to me (or to escape the claustrophobia of my clutter within) to my dear old rocking horse Spirit, who will soon celebrate his thirteenth Christmas with me and his tail which is grasping onto him by it's tiny wired threads, I begin to realise that my room expresses my character to a level that even I can't comprehend! My desk - the mess - showing my fretting, panicking, rushing, stressful streak in my personality when education is on my mind.  My wardrobe, whilst looking perfectly organised from the outside holds the clutter and disasters of my life inside, bursting, trying to escape, but I manage to keep my guard up and look in perfect condition to the naked eye.  My Spirit, the creature which fuelled my imagination from the ripe age of
Read more

Bringing Smiles to Romania Part 2 of 7

Image
A Rude Awakening My alarm rudely interrupted my dreams this morning. I was unimpressed with it's lack of respect for being quiet when people are sleeping. As my eyes narrowly squinted open, I dragged my heavy limbs to the edge of the bed, turned off my alarm (whilst silently cursing my phone for waking me) and faceplanted back into the welcoming embrace of my pillow. The sun's beaming rays streamed from the window tickling and growing across my face, gently waking me for a second time this morning. Finally I got up.  The houses here are very beautiful and ecclectic. Each have a unique personality. It's not like home where we have groups of identical houses built for efficiency amd profit. No. These people have their own land in which they've built their own houses to represent their tastes. You could have a giant house with iron gates and a balcony fit for for a scene of Romeo and Juliet...beside a small house with a yard for animals and an orchard for plums a
Read more