Faces of Romania

Due to confidentiality of the families we assist, we cannot provide real names in all situations. However, we can tell you general information regarding several local situations.

I know from a personal perspective how important it is to be able to put faces to names. Unfortunately, we cannot provide images of the locals we help, so I have gathered a series of images of local "faces" that I hope will allow you to connect more personally to the people who live in this region of Romania. Some are dear friends, others are people I do not know personally but whose faces seemed to tell a great story.

"M" (first scholarship recipient)

 

"M" has long been a single mother of a wonderful 10-year-old boy. Unfortunately her son has a severe heart condition that requires an expensive surgery she cannot afford. "M" has recently re-married and since had a beautiful, healthy baby girl. "M" and her new husband work hard to save for her son’s surgery as well as make ends meet. In April of 2011 I decided that "M" would be the first recipient of Porolissum Prietenie’s first scholarship due to the urgency of her sons situation. We entrusted her with a sum of money we hope with allow her son to receive medical attention much sooner.

"A" and "G"

 

"A" and "G" are an amazing couple. They have two beautiful girls, one in adolescence, the other a well behaved-teenager. "A" and "G" work very long, hard hours in any job they can find. In 2010 they both worked for the Porolissum Forum Project and in late 2010 "G" found a stable pension job where he currently works while "A" works for a butcher several cities away working long tiresome hours. Both must travel long distances to their jobs, which pay very little as it is, but once 1/3 of their wages have gone toward transportation, there is little left at the end of each month.

"T" (Mother & children, 19 and 10 years)

 

I got to know this amazing family very well. "T" is the seasonal cook for the team members of the Porolissum excavations. She is an amazing woman and we all fell in love with her. She has two children, "I" and "R". You will always find "T" and "I" laughing and smiling with the team and one another, even though they do not speak English. "T" was diagnosed several years ago with uterine cancer, but thankfully has recently gone into remission. She was recently misdiagnosed as coming out of remission, but thankfully it was a false alarm and she is still healthy. We all hope she will continue to make her wonderful food and fill our camp with her laughter for summers to come. Her husband struggles with alcohol, the story of many, and although he is employed, his work ethics and declining heath causes the family's income to suffer. Lately, his health has caused him to be bed-ridden, and the fate of his job and ability to work is unknown. "I" is a wonderful girl and every mothers dream. "R" is a typical 10-year-old, full of energy and life. He is one to keep up with.