Hey Y'all. . .I am jetting off to Romania this evening. I covet your prayers. I'll be gone for a month. . .not nearly long enough for me, but this is what God seems fit to give me and so, I will make it go a loooonnnngggggg way! :-)
I hope to keep all of you who have been interested in my "cave kids" up-to-date as I return to Romania. I will be there until April 18. There were times when I thought I would never return to Romania, so I'm grateful for the time I will be there, even though I wish with all my heart it could be through the whole summer again.
One of the people who urged me to write Virtual Romania X was my brother, Chip. Many of you know that Chip passed away in July, 1999. I recently came across one of his emails to me, encouraging me to write a follow up on the cave kids. So Chip, this one is for you.
It's been two-and-one-half years since leaving Romania in mid-September, 1997, yet I remember my last day there as if it happened just yesterday. It was cold, gray and wet. The "cave kids" knew it was to be the final time they would see me for quite a while. I could not give them a set day when we would see one another after this day. I could only tell them I "hoped" it wouldn't be as long as a year; possibly the next summer. But that wasn't on my mind as I went to purchase a final meal to share with the boys. I had food to purchase and prepare. I promised I would be there close to 6 that evening. My shopping began early that afternoon. It was typical of the food I had brought to them all summer. Hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, two loaves of bread, milk, bananas, and of course their favorite slanina which is a very fatty slab of bacon. They would slice off pieces and eat it raw along with the bread and tomatoes. Actually, eating slanina with tomatoes is rather tasty. Adding bread makes sort of a crud BLT, minus the "L". I always tried to get them some sweets like cakes or cookies, and today was no exception.
I brought everything back to the apartment and began sorting the food, boiling the eggs, sliced some of the bread and tomatoes. I wanted everything to be just as good as I could make it. The rain outside matched my heart on the inside. I was not looking forward to our final meeting.
Craig Goodwin was going to see the kids with me. He had some blankets for the boys he had gathered from the Prison Fellowship warehouse. I was glad for the company. Ole, the social worker who first introduced me to the boys, was supposed to meet us up at the cave. I picked up Craig and tried to get Victoria to come with us, but she was not feeling well. When we arrived at the parking lot, I was surprised to see that none of the boys was waiting for us which was quite unusual. I figured since the rain was pretty bad and cold, they had to be in one of the caves, so we loaded our arms with the bags of food and headed on down to look for the "cave kids."
As we approached the main cave where they slept, we saw no one, so Craig and I stuck our heads inside to see if they were asleep. I called out, "Jacomin! Claudiu! Calin!" but there was no answer in return. By now, my heart began to race and I was pretty frantic to see "my" boys one last time. I simply couldn't miss seeing them! My last day, and Lord only knows when I would see them again! Craig and I began to walk faster on down to the larger cave where they would hang out when all of a sudden, we heard noise behind us. We turned around and to the side of the main cave, under a slight overhang, there were the boys. With Ole! I barely managed to run over to them with the bags of goodies in my arms when I noticed that each of the little ruffians was dressed in what looked like new shirts! They had shining clean hair and their faces were scrubbed spotless! Each face was as bright as the sun with smiles as wide as the Grand Canyon. Then, at Ole's urging, the boys started singing the traditional "La Multi Ani" ("Many Years.") It's a song the Romanians sing at birthdays, anniversaires, any kind of celebration. Ole later told me that they were concerned that I wouldn't be coming to see the boys because we had been running a little late. But he said that it had given him the extra time to teach them "La Multi Ani." It hit me then that these boys had been homeless for so long, away from the loving arms of a family, they didn't even know the words to "La Multi Ani!" That would be like us not knowing the words or tune to "Happy Birthday!"
As they were singing, Ole's voice coaching them on, each boy then stepped forward and one at a time, kissed my cheeks and handed me a flower. Jacomin first, Claudiu was next, Calin, Marius, Josef, Cristi, they were all there, cleaned up, faces all aglow, flowers in hands. When it came to Ole, he stepped forward and presented me with a huge boquet of flowers in a rainbow of colors. By now the rain mingling with my tears were indistinguishable one from the other. I hugged and kissed each boy, remembering each of the qualities that I loved about every one of them. I was overwhelmed as the whole summer flooded through my mind and then to the future. What was going to become of these boys? How I longed to wrap them under protective arms, as a bird nestles her chicks, and help provide a "normal" life for them. I was rapidly jolted back to reality and my reverie was short lived as the boys started poking their noses into the bags of food, and when they saw the blankets Craig brought, they wrapped themselves in their warmth from the cold rain and started to divide the food.
We sat partially under the overhang of the rocks by the cave, trying to protect ourselves from the rain as they ate and shared their food with us. We laughed and tried to forget the miserable weather. Then they asked me when I would be returning to Romania. A lump rose in my throat, and more tears pooled in my eyes (why won't those tears go away??!!) but I was honest with them and told them I didn't know. If I had known then that it would be nearly three long years, I don't think I could have endured much longer without totally breaking down and weeping buckets. Finally the time came when darkness was upon us and I had to bid them "noapte buna" (good night) and "la revedere" (good by) for now. I wept again and hugged and kissed each of my precious "cave kids," who I saw as "treasures in the making." Craig and I headed back up the hill to where the car was parked. I turned back for one final look. The boys were still eating and seemed content for the moment. Their stomachs were filled, they had comfy blankets, and for this evening there were no problems for them. I realized they would never know how deeply they had touched my heart and changed my life forever.
Many people ask me what has happened to the "cave kids." I have managed to keep up with a few of them through the Goodwins and through other friends in Romania. One of the most disheartening things I learned is that Jacomin, the leader of the "cave kids" is in prison for rape. Claudiu is in prison for robbery. Calin, the "wild one," the smart, clever boy, went into a shelter for a few months, but has since gone back onto the streets.
Please pray for Romania. Pray for the "cave kids."
Cu mult drag. . . (With much love. . .)
Zan
PS. . .If you're new to my Virtual Romania email, then surf on over to my
website and see my "cave kids" up close and personal.