Heidi and Benjamin began visiting the abandoned babies in July of 2004 and have continued ever since. But a change in the law has changed the location they visit. Last year many of the babies were kept in The Center for Placement #2. As of January 1, 2005, the government of Romania no longer allows children below the age of two in the care of the state. For the most part this is doublespeak to help Romania meet European Union standards. The fact is that babies continue to be left in hospitals when their mothers are released. The Romanian solution to this problem is to leave the babies in the hospitals--in either the maternity hospital or in the state hospital. Generally, the breakdown is that well babies stay at the maternity hospital, while sick babies go to the state hospital. We are allowed into the state hospital where at this time there are twenty-three abandoned babies.

Heidi and Benjamin have been going there almost every day and they do various things. They pick up the babies and hold them; they work with developmentally slow children encouraging them in their developmental skills; they feed the babies or hold them while they have bandages changed. Sometimes they are allowed to take some of the toddlers to play in the park.

Often Benjamin and Heidi come home talking about this one or that one of the babies. Some they give pet names to like Snorter or Frank. Most of the babies are known only by a family name. Before long they seem to develop a favorite. Benjamin’s favorite is Florin--the name that Benjamin gave. His real name is Stoica, but Florin seems to fit him well. Benjamin was drawn to him because no one else wanted to touch him or even to look at him. Florin came in the spring. We were told he had been born with cancer in his skull and, as it grew, it was pushing one of his eyes out of its socket. Now, five months later, Florin is one of the most popular babies in the hospital among the volunteers. They all want to hold him. As people saw Benjamin’s love for Florin, it became contagious. The nurses now talk to him. All the volunteers look forward to turns with him. Everyone wants a chance to try to make that crooked smile appear even just for a minute. Florin’s smile is ever more crooked as his tumor distorts his face more and more.

Before Florin, Narcissia was maybe the least cared for. She has a strong resemblance to a monkey, being very hairy and very small. Two years old and still no teeth, they say she has a heart problem. When you pick up her small body in your arms and touch her face or neck, an immediate smile bursts forth. But someone had to be the first to pick up this homely child and love her, then the love became contagious and the next person also wanted to make her smile.

It is a very different time with the children than with my older folks, but in many ways it’s the same. In many cases my old folks are also abandoned by friends and family and will just sit in their beds looking at the ceiling or the TV. But when I am able to come into a room with the love God has given me for them, the love becomes contagious to others even within the nursing home.

3) That there will be a greater supply of diapers and sanitary materials for the babies and for the old folks.