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Caring for Some of Romania's Youngest
by Larisa Lucaci
It has been more than twelve years since the overthrow of Ceausescu in Romania. We were all shocked and dismayed to see horrific images on "Sixty Minutes" of Romania's institutionalized children. This social catastrophe resulted from Ceausescu's delusional vision of a "New Rome."
With all that has occurred on the world scene since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent revolutions in East Europe, these images have faded from memory. Now, in the aftermath of September 11, we as Americans have understandably turned inward, donating to causes much closer to home.
But, in Romania, the abandoned baby problem still exists, and the children's need is just as great.
The closing of many of Romania's worst state run orphanages does not indicate that this social problem is in abeyance. Babies are still abandoned every day in maternity wards, or brought to remaining state orphanages. Although schools of social work have been opened with international assistance since the revolution twelve years ago, and there are now trained social workers and child development specialists in Romania, the great need overwhelms the limited resources.
A system of foster care has been in place for only a little over three years in Romania. These families are paid modestly to care for abandoned children. Although the family may fervently wish to adopt their foster children, many times it is financially impossible.
This past summer, Maya and Lina, my daughters, aged 15 and 13, and I spent one month in a small children's center in Târgoviste, Romania. This not-for-profit, private center rescues babies from their otherwise inevitable fate of landing in state run institutions. The center's means are modest, but the care is loving and proficient. We put on our white caretaker robes and integrated ourselves into the little center, working side by side with the young women who care for these babies, many times bringing them back to health after a very shaky beginning in the maternity ward. Most of the mothers abandon their babies in the maternity ward because of extreme financial hardship. Most are very young and uneducated.
This children's center, which serves babies from new born to about one year old, is about a block away from the community hospital. Doctors and staff members have an excellent relationship with the center's director, Ms. Ioana Dinita, who was called out of an early retirement because of her expertise and well-known dedication to children. Ms. Dinita served for 36 years as head of pediatric nursing at the hospital.
Alin, Alesandru, Bianca, Roxana, Mioara, Iulian... these are just some of the babies that we will never forget. We plan to go to the center again this summer; we will bring as many donations as we can carry (much-needed diapers, baby wipes, baby shampoo and soap, baby vitamins, etc.). Unfortunately, mailing these donations is problematic.
Our lives have been changed forever because of our daily contact with these wonderful little Romanian babies. We watched as they became stronger over the month that we were there. We noted in detail each baby's progress from day to day. We now receive updates on each individual child through correspondence with Ms. Dinta: Alexandru was just baptized; Iulian, Alin are in foster care; Victor can now walk...
Please read elsewhere in this issue about American-International Children's Alliance, (A.I.C.A.), that fully cooperates with the foundation in Romania under whose auspices the children's center in Târgoviste operates. This American not-for-profit organization's Executive Director, Ms. Kim Menard who adopted a Romanian child herself twelve years ago, explains the dire situation for Romania's abandoned babies since the Romanian moratorium on international adoption was put in place by the Romanian government. With her Romanian American colleague, Dragos Vrânceanu, son of the Romanian foundation's director, Mrs. Maria Vrânceanu, they are providing a vital alternative to the state run institutions for these babies through the children's center in Târgoviste.
American-International Children's Alliance is a 501(c)(3) charity licensed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is audited every six months, and donations are 100% deductible. Donations can be given as "restricted gifts" if the monies are assigned with donor instructions, for example "$100 to be spent on diapers."
The Alliance for Romanian Children (Alianta Copiilor Români), the non-profit foundation in Romania, is audited every year. Its director takes no salary. Because the Unites States IRS does not allow donations to be deducted if they are sent directly to the foundation in Romania, A.I.C.A. in Massachusetts directly sends the funds to Romania and oversees their use. The children's center needs about $2,000 per month (about 3-1/2 weeks) to care for these children. This includes all salaries utilities; both fixed and variable costs.
If you wish to donate to the children's center in Târgoviste, please make checks out to the American-International Children's Alliance and send them to:
Larisa Lucaci
5 Glen Cove Road
Andover, MA 01810
I will personally deliver the donations to A.I.C.A.'s office. If you wish to send a donation for a specific purpose, please write this in the memo line of your check. Please be assured that 100% of your donation will be used to help the children.
If you have any questions, please email me at Laracanta@comcast.net. Thanks for helping the children.
THE NEW AMERICANMy Life Changing Experience
by Maya Lucaci-Vashee
As usual, when I make the rounds to check on the babies, five-month-old Bianca is forgoing her afternoon nap, preferring to wriggle and suck her thumb. She grins widely at me, and my heart melts. I have become quite fond of her, and affectionately dub her Sumo Baby. Bianca was hospitalized for six weeks of her short life before now, and the nurses at the hospital don't have time to hold the babies, so it is very important that they be held at the orphanage. I lift Bianca out of her crib and kiss her chubby cheeks so many times that her laughter nearly wakes her roommate, six-month-old Mioara. I cradle Bianca and softly sing her a lullaby until she relaxes in my arms and her little eyelids grow heavy with slumber.
For almost a month last summer, that description was my afternoon ritual. My mother, younger sister and I all helped take care of the babies at an orphanage in Romania. Life in Romania was by no means easy, and quite a culture shock for my sister and me. However, we found the Romanian people to be struggling but extremely. hospitable, and taking care of the babies was so rewarding. Psychological studies have shown that a person's environment from birth to one year old (the age range in this orphanage) has a huge impact on their latter development, so I really felt like we were having a positive effect on the babies' futures by loving them and being affectionate.
Thankfully, most of the horrifying state orphanages have been shut down in favor of small private ones such as the one we worked at. However, these are in need of funding, especially now that the Romanian government has imposed a ridiculous moratorium stopping international adoptions. (This is a real shame, as most Romanian families are not wealthy enough to adopt a child.) Institutions like this one are worthy of supporting, however, because the nurses are attentive and affectionate, the facilities are good, and the babies have excellent nutrition and access to medical care. Our particular orphanage was also well stocked with clothes, strollers and toys. It takes only $2000 USD to run this orphanage for a month, and it really is worth it. It would require more money but I personally hope to see the orphanage move into a safer area. Due to the low rent charged, it is currently situated in a very poor and filthy area. Donations would keep the babies in fresh diapers, help purchase formula, baby shampoo and wipes, and pay the nurses, rent, and electricity.
After having such a great experience last summer, we plan to return for as many subsequent summers as possible. If you would like to make a donation, please contact my mother, Larisa Lucaci, at Laracanta@comcast.net.
Maya Lucaci-Vashee, tenth grade
Phillips Academy
Andover, MA
AN OUTSTANDING RECORDING
I am not a musician, but I know good music when I hear it. My wife, Preoteasa
Cornelia, is a musician. She conducted the "George Enescu" choir
for over 27 years and included all the music contained in the CD and cassette:
Romanian Carols and Hymns for Christmas and Easter. Taped by a group of 11
professional American singers from the Choral Arts Society of Washington,
D.C., under the care of Mrs. Larisa A Lucaci-Vashee, the final product was
taped and issued on a cassette and CD through the generosity of her brother,
George P. Lucaci.
To be frank, we were somewhat skeptical that non-Romanians could do justice to Romanian music. To our surprise, we were completely wrong. The group not only mastered the music to perfection, but rendered it in an impeccable Romanian. Mrs. Larisa A. Lucaci-Vashee went to great pains to get the correct pronunciation and inflection. One can never tell that they are not native Romanian singers.
The music was sung by "George Enescu" choir and others. The rendition by these 11 professionals not only compares favorably with the best of them, but in many respects surpasses them. With careful and tedious training they were able to convey the subtleties and pathos intended by the composers themselves.
The selections cover the span of ht emore important Church Christmas and Easter music, with the popular Romanian carols which, hopefully, will be appreciated and adopted by the larger spectrum of American listeners.
That George P. Lucaci and his sister, Larisa A. are ardent supporters and promoters of Romanian music and culture in general is no wonder when one has followed their parents' activities in this domain for the past 45 years. Peter Lucaci, national president of the Union & League of Romanian Societies of America and editor of the "America" Romanian News, together with his wife, Larisa, a Romanian folklorist and choir member, have imbued their children with love for their heritage.
Rev. Fr. Vasile Hategan