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Photo: Observatorul buzoian

The other day, Head of Child Protection of Buzău went  to Glodeanu. Mrs. Roșioru talked with Father Marian Tudor and visited poor families in the commune.  More about the visit you can read in the article written by "Observatorul buzoian" here.

Children of Glodeanu, footage on the television show "În premieră"

Children of Glodeanu, on Observator, Antena 3 TV

You can find out more about the children, on Sunday, at 21:00, on the television show "În premieră", on Antena3. You can support these children by making  donations in the account open for them:

ACCOUNT:  RO35CECEBZ0130RON0786067,  OPENED AT CEC BANK, BUZĂU branch, CODE SWIFT CECEROBU, account holder: GLODEANU CÎRLIG PARISH.

Money will be used for the founding of a soup khitchen in the church’s yard of Glodeanu.

A different balance sheet

Photo source: http://www.fotokolor.blogspot.com/

So far, I have written about the visit to Glodeanu only in numbers, but I have started to write about people, too. In the post on April 16th, I did not write about my feelings and  perspective on children of Glodeanu. the I saw and felt the children of Glodeanu.

I do not know exactly when and how these children were irremediably glued to my soul. In the past month,  I have been thinking about them day and night.  Maybe you think I overreact, but I don’t. Unfortunately, I have not learned so far how to deal with their problem with more disengagement. Usually, I prefer to get to grips with it, fight a silent war, somewhat complicated, known only by me. In my opinion, a problem is a problem in daylight or by night. Because I dream at night, and  think by day, or vice versa, I dream with my eyes open and think by night because I can not sleep.

I thought day and night, as if I would forget, if I lost touch of it  one day. And if I had forgotten, I was afraid that nobody would have learnt about the children from the forgotten village.

During this period, extraordinary things happened. There were people who left me speechless. I do not give names. For instance, a friend’s teenage daughter donated her child allowance to these children. Strangers came with arms full of gifts. Anonymous gifts were left at the fair, even without waiting for a thank you. There were gestures that I can not express in words. There were moments of despair and wonderful moments, because miracles happened and things were better arranged than I had expected or dreamt of.  Another proof angels live amongst us and came to support. Me and the children. What could be more pure than their prayers raised to heaven? Is it a coincidence that the church is dedicated to the St. Philophteia, protector of the poor and children? I think not. Because I do not believe in coincidences. I only believe in miracles.

I thought that if went go to Glodeanu with full arms, in a way something would change. After I went there, I understood that that journey was just the beginning. It may seem strange, but I returned sadder than I left. Sadder because I felt the bitterness of those children. Lord! I do not think I ever saw sad children. Children who are afraid to look in a gift bag, because they never received anything. Children who do not raise their eyes from the ground, as if the entire universe presses on their shoulders. Children that rarely smile. Because they have no reason to smile. Because  some of them do not even know how to use a spoon and a fork. They can not speak because no one spoke to them. And those who know are somehow doomed. The village is about 40 km from Buzău. Now I understand what Jeni said. That she would be a saleswoman because nobody would support her to go to high school. I understand what the 9 year old girl said with a rough maturity, like an adult.

There are at least 7-8 children with  good learning results. Or maybe more. I don’t know exactly how many there are. They learn well, although they do their homework in unimaginable conditions, sitting in the cold and feeling hungry most of the time. They cling to the book as their only hope that could help them escape from their little universe.

I wish with all my heart that the story of the children of Glodeanu would not stop here. To make it possible, we need you all. All of you who gave little or more from what you have and shared with these children. Maybe a few years from now, we will write on this blog the story of Jenny who has graduated from high school and got to college. Or the story of another happy child who lives in the village with a thousand adoptive mothers and fathers. The priest from Valea Plopului, father Nicolae Tănase, who managed to take care of more than 340 children, once said that ancestors took care of the children who remained orphans after the war. People had it in their blood to take care of those children and it did not seem unusual to anyone. To dress, feed and bring up afflicted children. The children of Glodeanu are not orphans. They are just fate-stricken.

Nonetheless, we will try to find concrete solutions for them. Maybe for each family individually. Because I believe that some problems can be solved. And if you change a day in the life of a man, and if you give a piece of bread or a hug in the saddest day of his life, it certainly means more than anything. The first step would be to found a social center with a soup kitchen  created especially for them. I saw the land where the social canteen can be built. Right in the churchyard. Children should be protected by the St. Philophteia, known as the protectress of the poor and the little ones. They would eat hot meals and socialize with other children.  Or could be involved in educational activities. 

We don’t have yet a proper estimate of the costs involved. We will notify you as soon as we clear figures. Until then, the list of those who want to donate building materials for this purpose or money is still open. The money will be kept in children’s account until the start of the the project. Thank you all!

May God enlighten your mind, soul and give you nice holidays.

Nicoleta Țintea

Some sort of a balance sheet (II)

First impressions after paying a visit in Glodeanu, Buzău

Photo source: www.fotokolor.blogspot.com

Fifi and Adi joined us on Saturday to Glodeanu. They helped us with luggage, transport, they provided a car and everything. We also got support from Iuliana, Marius and his colleague, Petrișor, Andrei, Ramona and Gabi. They all are amazing people, who came in as rescue angels with solutions when I could not find one. Fifi wrote about the visit in the village. I invite you all to read his vision on the children of Glodeanu. Also, you can find more pictures on Adi’s blog, fotokolor.

Some sort of a balance sheet (I)

I would like to start by saying THANK YOU.  A big thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank YOU because you have not been indifferent. Thank you for writing. Thank you for donating money. Thank you for sharing the page I made for these children on your Facebook accounts. Thank you for sending mails, talking  with friends and colleagues and thank you for phoning. Thank you for buying food. Thank you for donating clothes, furniture and other things that are useful in any home. Thank you for being there with us. Along with children of Glodeanu. Through the generosity of all those who have not remained indifferent after having heard the story of 32 children suffering from hunger  in the commune Glodeanu Silişte,  I would like to  record that on Saturday, April 16th,  with the support and aid from friends and people with big hearts, we delivered  to the village and provided for these children the following:

FURNITURE:

1 bed, 1 single bed with RELAXA mattress, a sofa bed with four legs without box, a sofa DELIA with box, 2 wheeled armchairs DELIA, 1 CISNĂDIE  carpet.

APPLIANCES:

2 ARCTIC refrigerators, 1 GINA stove, 1 ALBALUX  washing machine.

CLOTHES:

33 bags of clothes (24 with adult clothes, 9 kids clothes), 9 boxes of various clothing, 1 large bag with new clothes (overalls, shirts), 1 suitcase with various clothing items, 2 bags of pillows, duvets, blankets, etc.

TOYS, BOOKS:

14 boxes (3 boxes of new games, 1 box office stationery, 2 boxes of new KFC toys, 8 different toy boxes), 7 bags (1 bag of balls, 1 bag of books, 1 mesh with cars, 1 bag of large plush toys, 2 large nets with various educational games and puzzles, 1 bag of various toys), 2 bicycles for children.

FOOTWEAR: 1 bag, 2 boxes, 6 large bags. A bag.

BAGS: 1 bag, 1 box, 1 box of caps for adults.

MISCELLANEOUS: 1 bag of dishes (plates, glasses, cutlery etc.), 4 large bags of diapers, a baby stroller;

Money from donations:

1.716 RON - I have raised for the children of Glodeanu (of this amount we used 766 RON for shopping bags to fill in the food,  609 RON - 19 bags raffia, 10 cakes, 9-10 kg bananas, 5 chickens, 10 Banat salami, 16 Kinder eggs, 10 packages of hot dogs, 5 packs of cheese, 5 packs of Rama margarine   + 157 RON - 10 raffia bags, 33 gift bags, 10 Mega Image bags );

950 RON (remnant of 1.716 RON) I gave it to Father Marian Tudor to transfer it to the account opened for children to set up a social canteen;

4.000 RON - due to come into the account through Kaufland Romania sponsorship;

2.650 RON - donated by various people;

1.900 RON - received by the children  at the ecological products fair, from donations and sale of greeting cards and glass icons.

Note:  Money will be used to set up a social center for children, which will also operate as a canteen for them. The amount of money that will be spent  will be accompanied by invoices which will be displayed on the children’s blog, and also on their Facebook page. The social center will be built on the land of Glodeanu parish, right in the churchyard.

FAMILIES:

In  Glodeanu, there are 10 families who are in a delicate situation. Each family received four large supermarket bags full of food, which consisted of approximately the following products:

No bag. 1 (products: oil, sugar, flour, cornmeal, rice, pasta, spaghetti, biscuits, cookies, condensed milk, beans, canned pate, canned fish, tomato paste, canned peas, pudding, mustard, soft canned, canned meat) ;

No bag. 2 (products: oil, sugar, flour, corn, shelling peas, canned pate, canned herring, refreshments, margarine, sugar, canned tuna, canned mushrooms);

No bag. 3 (product: 1 loaf of bread, 2 cakes, a chicken, two kinds of salami, 1 box of margarine, 1 to 2 cans cheese, 1 packet  butter, 1 package hot dogs, ham chicken a bar, sweets - chocolate wafers, a candy box chocolate, 4 packets biscuits, a bag of jellies, Magura cakes etc.);

No bag. 4 (Products: 1 kg oranges, about 1 kg bananas, a potato sack for families with many children + hygiene products: toothpaste, 2, 3 bottles of shampoo, toothbrushes, wet wipes for children,detergent).

Note that larger families have more products in a bag.

CHILDREN:

Each child received a large gift bag with 2, 3 plush toys, 1 new toy type KFC, gingerbread, ribbons and dolls for girls, books for older children, different types of chocolate, kinder eggs, waffles , jellies, candies, biscuits, etc.

Every child who goes to school received a new backpack with notebooks, pens, pencils, books etc..

Baby bags contained baby diapers, formula, pacifiers, baby toys, feeding bottles.

PENNY SPONSORSHIP:

Apart from those aforementioned, in Glodeanu have also arrived 53 bags filled with food, flakes, hygiene products and 63 bags of cleaning agents that have been donated by Rewe Romania (i.e. Penny Market chain stores).

Instead of conclusions:

I don’t think I can explain in words how much I appreciated your gesture. How much I have been impressed with your compassion and generosity. I have met many great people. And how much matter it is that we brought a little light in the souls of these children. I like to think that you will remain in the near future in this great family that was formed. A family of friends for the children of Glodeanu. Because they need us. I do not want to stop here. Glodeanu needs a long-term solution to really help them get back on their feet. With God's help, the set up of a social canteen will help the children to leave the days of hunger behind. It will help the adults get involved in the community in a social activity. And most important of all, it will give those children another chance.

Below I listed all those who oferred something for the children in Glodeanu. They gave time, soul, money, food, clothes, books, notebooks, furniture, appliances. They wrote. They prayed. They talked about them. To all those enlisted, add 209 supporters on Facebook.

Therefore, THANK YOU:

Maria Coman, Sorin Dinco (Observatorul buzoian), Ciprian Sterian (Observatorul buzoian), Mihaela Măzărache şi Kaufland România, Cristina Mihordea şi Rewe România (Penny Market) Olga Cridland şi Asociaţia Pavel, Andrei Dumitrică şi Fundaţia Grigorie Palama, Alina Prodan, Mihaela Radu, Dana Popa, Iuliana şi Diana Cristescu, Cristina, Petrişor şi Andrei Iancu, Oana Despa, Cristina şi Adi Popa, Ramona şi Gabriel Copil, Adriana Pava, Mădălina Zlătan, Simona Irimie, Natalia Ene, familia Simoiu, familia Caragata, Roxana Roşu, Oana Duşmănescu, Corina şi Horatio Beceriu, Cristina Alexandra Păunoiu, Viorica Ungureanu, Jeni Ivănescu, Andrei Petrescu, Florin Petrescu, Corina Lazarov, Andrei George Clinciu, Simona şi Eugen Schwab, Florina Stoian, Ani Creţu, Laurenţiu Pinter, Veronica Dascălu, Anişoara Ivanov, Andra Petrescu (Amalt Decor), Alina Pene şi Cătălin Dobre, Doina Moraru, Mirela Ghinea, Adela şi Ionuţ Stan, Corina şi Răzvan Parolea, Cristina Salca, Cristina Iordache, Monica Popescu, familia Nicolae (Simona şi soţul), Cristina Vlăsceanu, Codrina Butnaru, Liliana Şerbănescu, Ramona Curta şi soţul, Cristina Marin Oprescu, Ana Răduţ şi soţul, Viorica Hossu, Cristina Palade, doamna Sanda de la târg, Elena Tudor (Europa FM), Radio România Actualităţi (Antena Satelor), Eugen Andrei, Dianca Broscăreanu, Vanina Ecaterinescu, Bianca Ioan, Claudia Oprina, Liana şi Cezar Şerban, Monica Popa, Luiza Almangiu, Silvia Jalbă, Elena Dumitrescu, Diana Vancica, Alina Diguţă, Maria Dogaru, Raluca Crăciun, Lucia Laurenţia, Părintele Şerban Marian, Mihaela Topliceanu, Sonia Simionov, Oana Danciu, Adriana Dumitru, Andreea şi Adrian Ioniţă, Dana Grecu, Theodora Massini, Flori Dobre, Robert Trică, Andra Mămularu şi Adrian Negoiţă, Robert Dicu, Domniţa Tălăpănescu, Ioana Mortun, Alice Iacobescu, Marius Huc, Anca Rusu, Oana Frigescu, Biana Guruiţă, Gheorghe Ene, Marius Rădoi, Titus Dobre, Cristina Dragoş, Gabriele Utignani şi Asociaţia Bubulina, Elena Nan, Anda Mihalaş, Adriana Becheanu, Alexandru Antohi, Irina Munteanu, Iulian Ivăncuţ, Georgiana Boca, George Bodocan, familia Aldea, Ella Marin Maria, Liviu Dochiţa, Bogdan Popa, Carmen Avram, elevii Școlii de Arte și Meserii Buzău, Cănilă Adriana, Mălina Isabela Petrovici, Eugen Chesaru, Daniel Tamaș, Lavinia Dolea, Red Cross.

http://www.georgiasmirror.blogspot.com/

http://razedesperanta.wordpress.com/,

http://forum.desprecopii.com/forum/

Last, but not least, I would like to thank my husband, Alex Moraru, who has given me his support all this time.

Observations:

I will complete the list along the way, as soon as I receive the names of all those who have made ​​donations;

I thank everyone who came to the fair with food, toys and clothes. I apologize that I don’t remember all the names, but I want to  assure them of my gratitude;

I thank those who personally sent packages to father Marian Tudor, after reading the story of these children on the site:  http://forum.desprecopii.com/forum/, on their blogs or on their Facebook accounts;

If you notice that I skipped anyone on the list, please forgive me  and send me an e-mail at nicoletaţintea@gmail.com in order to complete the list.

Nicoleta Ţintea

Gifts

Jenny telling stories to a young lady at the eco products fair

In a short period a time, your gifts are due to arrive to the children of Glodeanu. On Saturday morning, we are going to Glodeanu. I do not know how to explain the impatience I’m feeling. The past few days were a bit hectic, but whenever I looked at the photos of the children and saw their sad eyes I realized how much it is worth the effort. I experienced so many joys in the recent weeks, I only met so many wonderful people thanks to these children. About all that, I will tell you on another occasion.

Now I’m concentrating all my energy on meeting with them and try to take into account all the details ...:)

Nicoleta Țintea

Good news

Father Marian Tudor and the children at the ecological product fair held in Bucharest

Elena Dumitrescu would like to support the children of Glodeanu.  She wrote about them here. She collects food for the children, that she will deliver to Glodeanu on the second week of Easter. If you want to send something to the children, you can write to Elena on her e-mail address: stefania.dumitrescu@ymail.com. 

Thank you very much, Elena!

Impression from the eco fair

For several days I’ve been trying to write on the blog to tell you how it was at the fair. I kept thinking what to write. How to start. What should I tell you first. Perhaps the fact that I had the feeling that many of the visitors who stopped by the stand where children from Glodeanu sold cards were sent by someone. Someone important sent by He who listens to these children everyday prayers.

You may think I am overreacting, but it rarely happens to meet in a single day so many warm – hearted little people. 

How to make myself understood? What words could express better the feeling and the gentle soft breeze I got on Saturday? It felt like falling from the sky silk brushing your cheeks. 

It was a day filled with emotions, namely when I had to speak on behalf of these children at the microphone. What to tell people? How to tell them? How can I tell them with the children present in the room, who know the meaning of hunger and shortcomings; how to pronounce the word "poverty"? How to pronounce this ugly word to say without offending them, when they always try to hide the truth in front of their schoolmates because they are ashamed of it. They are embarrassed to say that they don’t have coloured books or welcoming homes. I am used to speaking in public, but on Satuday I could hardly talk through all the tears.

At the end of the speech, Loredana, a 10 year old girl came to me, hugged me and told me that she liked it. She said that she knew what I meant. All day, I sneakily watched  this gray-eyed child and  I felt her fragile soul like a flower that could flourish nicely if someone allows it to develop in harmony.

Loredana

I saw sadness in Jeny’s eyes as I never saw in another child’s eyes. Her head bowed looking down, Jenny told the whole day stories she had learnt all by herself  from the books at the library to the ladies that were selling honey. How to explain what kind of women are the teachers, Jenny Ivanescu and Viorica Ungureanu and their colleagues? How much dedication and time they have given to help these children make greeting cards and glass icons! How to explain to you the fact that the children were given a helping hand from their classmates? They all  worked and put their souls in there, without asking for anything in return.

How to talk about the tears seen in the eyes of those who stopped at the stand? How to say that the day was a joy that I shared with children and visitors at the same time? How to tell you how much talent we have seen in these children who exhibit their handmade goods? You should have seen them establishing prices and the look on their faces when they were offering gifts to those who came to help them.

How to explain that there were people who made time to come on Saturday mainly  for the kids? They brought toys, story books, food and clothes, pretzels and gingerbread.

How to tell you how beautifully the children were welcomed and  Mrs. Sanda from the fair immediately prepared a table full of goodies provided by the manufacturer. Dana Popa, who organized the fair, always spoke so beautifully about these children to every passerby... How to tell you about all these? 

I would not have enough words to describe the joy, the excitement, the sadness, the compassion, how all these mixed feelings were felt in an unforgettable day. A day when God was near. One day the angels smiled to us through people. We won’t forget it any time soon. That's  for sure. Neither the kids, definitely.

A true story

Once upon a time... there were some children in a village forgotten by the world. They grew up year after year barely clothed, barefoot and always hungry. They went to school and many tried to hide from the others the stigma with which they were born - poverty.

They tried to hide and compensate by taking good grades and gettting a good education. They read many stories from the books borrowed from the library, because Santa Claus couldn’t make it to their houses due to the high snow drifts... They learnt prayers all by themselves and read religious books from cover to cover, in their pursuit of finding answers about life and mankind.

The world they have been born in seemed to be hostile towards them. From time to time, they found themselves daydreaming of a better life and made ​​wishes that they believed to be great, yet unfeasible. They wished for pencil cases and notebooks with brightly coloured covers, as they had seen at other children.

Once upon a time... there were some children who were born in families with numerous members. There were children who had many siblings and on many occasions shared two or three pairs of shoes in order to go to school in turns. There were children who were born in misery and who still believe that there is nothing else in life but poverty. For them, the world is a mess and they have no idea what beauty really is.

Once upon a time... there were two girls and a boy who ate for days in a row only bread and water. To them, a feast is the day when a colleague doesn’t show up at school, and the teacher offers his croissant and glass of milk to them as a gift. They mostly suffered when their mother was on the brink of death after a car accident. Although it’s been months since the crash, you can still perceive the sadness in the little girls eyes. They read prayers all the time, never giving up hope that one day God and Saint Nectarios will help their mother recover her mental capacity , her ability to speak and show them the same love and affection just like the time when she was buying books and notebooks on debt.

For these children and for their little prayers, in the village that seemed to be forgotten by the world, God sent one day, not long ago, a young priest, who wanted to help them. He started to get to know them well: Jeny is the girl who knows many tales by heart; Loredana is the girl with sad eyes who wouldn’t dare say to anybody how difficult and harsh this life is for her, but you can tell from her eyes in tears, everytime someone talks about poverty and living in misery, because she knows the meaning of it all; Marian is the boy who survived a cold winter living for many days in a row in a clay-brick house without electricity and heat.

Oh, Lord! How much suffering lie in the heart of these children. It is for them that Father Tudor is fighting and struggling. I'm fighting for them, too. And so are all the people who joined us. We can’t do this battle all alone. Their message must be heard. These children deserve a second chance. Because they have no guilt for having been born poor. They have no guilt that some parents were not able to do more for them. It's not their fault that their parents are sick. It's not their fault that they are living in dirt and walk with their feet in mud and eat polenta for days. No! These children have no guilt. We can think of a thousand reproaches to their parents, because we are used to denigrating them, but for these children we should certainly do everything we can. Just as it is mentioned in those fairytales heard in our childhood, when everything was attainable, we should be able to build with our mind’s eyes a fairy tale house, with dwarfs' stools, with plentiful tables and copious plates. As in the stories of our childhood, as in those times when everything was possible, we could build a little house with dwarfs’ chairs and with abundant tables and plates. A clean house where children could eat every day, they could paint, draw, learn along with educators and teachers. 

What holds us back from making it possible? Why do we keep setting up barriers and find excuses? Why can’t we be elder brothers and sisters for these children? Hasn’t God left us connected to each other?

P.S. The names in this story are not imaginary. Neither the situations described above. It's all about the children breathing and living in a small village of Buzău County, dreaming far away to a glittering world. The children from Glodeanu need a social center. A social canteen. They need friends and older brothers to visit them and explain to them that the world is a bigger place and it is wonderful. To tell them that man can change his/her destiny. And that God listens to their prayers.

written by Nicoleta Ţintea, translated by Andreea Olteanu