Bucharest(!)

Hi all,  

As you may remember, Jim and I were serving in Petrozavodsk, Russia, when the pandemic hit and we and so many other missionaries had to cut our service short and come home.  Since then we've hoped we would be able to go back and continue serving in Russia.  But recent events have made that less and less likely, and currently impossible.  However, we are grateful for a recent opportunity that we were given, which might be considered an ancillary to our Russian experience.  On the afternoon of March 22, Jim received a message from someone in the church's missionary department, asking if he could speak with the two of us.  He said it was time sensitive.  I got home around 5:15 and we called him back.  The Elder from the missionary department asked us if our passports and vaccinations were up to date.  We said yes.  He asked us if we were sitting down.  We said yes.  He asked us if we would be willing to go to Eastern Europe to help Ukrainian refugees.  He didn't know where we would be assigned, but we would need to be ready to go within 5 to 10 days.  He said they were reaching out to about 20 couples who had served in Eastern Europe in the past five years who would be willing and able to take on this assignment on such short notice.  (They were hoping for 11 couples who could go and ended up with 16.) He said we would be asked to serve for at least two months, with the option to extend, if needed.  It was completely unexpected.  Jim said "Yes, we'll do it" immediately.  I said we would like to talk with our children.  He said that would be fine, but neither we nor they could talk about it with anyone else until we got clearance to do so--we think it was because they were still trying to evaluate if they could pull this off on such short notice.  So...we were (pretty) good about keeping it under wraps.  The kids and their families were so supportive and helpful.  And it's easier to leave for 2 months than it is for 23 months, so that was a bonus (at least for me).  And thanks to our kids and good good friends, we're able to leave our home in good hands while we're gone. 

We received our official mission call on Friday, March 25,  to the Hungary/Romania Mission, serving in Romania.  After a crazy busy 10 days, on April 1st we found ourselves on a plane for Bucharest, Romania.  Our primary assignment is to assist with humanitarian relief.  We don't know yet exactly how long we will be here.  It depends on needs and how things progress...  

The Bloods and the Rawsons, together again!

We flew from Salt Lake to Amsterdam, where we met four other couples traveling to Romania for a similar assignment, including our former mission president from St. Petersburg and his wife, President and Sister Rawson, which was an added bonus.  We arrived in Bucharest on April 2 and spent a couple of days getting some orientation and learning about driving in Romania before heading off to our various assignments.  Jim and I were assigned to work at Bucharest's northern train station, Gare de Nord, where many Ukrainian refugees arrive on their way to other places (Bulgaria, Turkey, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Czechia, and Hungary are some of the end points that we've heard about).  Many speak only Ukrainian and Russian--not Romanian or English--so Jim's Russian language skills are very helpful.  

We moved into an Air BnB that the mission office had rented for us for a couple of weeks, kind of on a trial basis.  The senior missionary couple that was put in charge of this project to find housing and assignments for these five new senior couples that would be joining their mission had about 5 days to get ready for us.  I sense that the mission president and his wife and the housing coordinator and mission office staff and senior missionaries were scrambling on such short notice.  And they did an amazing job.  We like our little 10th floor apartment.  It's pretty spare, but we have what we need.  And the other senior missionaries and young missionaries in our area have been incredibly helpful in showing us around and helping us get acquainted to our area and responsibilities.  

On Tuesday, April 5, at 5am we went to the train station for our first shift.  The missionaries in Bucharest have been doing amazing things here: some go to the the airport every morning at 4 o'clock where they staff an information desk.  There are a handful of Russian and Ukrainian speaking missionaries in the mission who have been evacuated from Ukraine or sent out of Russia.  They help arriving refugees get tickets to their next destination, get the bus to temporary accommodations, or find the train to the train station.  Other missionaries go to the Gare de Nord every morning from 5am to work for 4-6 hours to help refugees buy tickets to their next destination, help them navigate the train station and Red Cross refugee gathering hubs, help them find the Red Cross medical tent, sit with them, watch their children in the Red Cross room while they go to the bathroom or buy tickets. Jim and I will be at the Gare de Nord every morning bright (or more accurately, dark) and early.  

Jim's Russian earns him an orange volunteer vest.

It was impossible for me to imagine what we would be doing and how we could help, until we saw it done.  We meet the trains on the platforms and look for mostly women and children with luggage.  Sometimes the women are older and traveling alone. Sometimes they're traveling in family groups or with friends.  Occasionally there are older men or boys who are not quite 16, so they aren't required to stay and fight.  Most of the wives and children have left their husbands and fathers behind.  And many aren't sure where they will be going next, or for how long.  We ask if they're Ukrainian, and if they need help.  If they say yes, we help them offload their luggage from the train.  Sometimes the luggage is in good condition, but often it's heavy plastic bags with the handles stretched to breaking.  We ask them if they speak English.  If they don't, we look for Jim or one of the other volunteers wearing an orange vest with a Ukrainian flag on it. They take it from there.   The rest of us volunteers wear a yellow vest with a Ukrainian flag on it, and we can help those refugees who speak some English, or who are willing to work with me and my Google Translate app (which works remarkably well, by the way).  

Generally, we work until 10:30 or 11am. Jim and the few other Russia translators that are there at those early hours are in great demand. There are so many things that the refugees need: help getting train or bus tickets to Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria, or Turkey, and they don’t speak Romanian, but do speak Russian. We help them find the Red Cross medical tent, if they need help. We take them to the free bathrooms (since most bathrooms require Romanian money, which they don’t have). We help them get Ubers to the airport accommodations. We connect them with the Pompierii (Romanian firefighters) who are in charge of the free accommodations (often cots at a school gym) if they need to stay overnight.  We help them figure out train schedules.  We answer questions.  

We keep an eye on their children while they go to the bathroom, or just to sit with them and listen to their stories.  There’s a lot of little things.  Google Translate and my (very) little smattering of Russian have been helpful.  But Jim's Russian has proven to be invaluable.  All those years studying the language have paid off.  The Ukrainians are so glad and comforted to see his orange vest so that they have someone to address their questions to.  He's very busy all morning.    

The Red Cross has set  up several rooms where they can wait for trains, find overnight accommodation if they need it, get sim cards for Romania, get some rest and get something to eat, all for free. They have diapers, hygiene supplies, dog and cat food for the family pets that can come with, and other supplies. One of the Red Cross rooms is for families only and has a play area and nursing area. Where ever the refugees are, there is usually someone who has a question or needs help with something.  It's only six hours, but it feels much longer.  And we usually clock about 12 or more miles in a day, just walking to and from the train station and around the train station every day.  You'd think I'd be in better shape after one week of this...

Well worn signs for the refugees arriving at the train station.  Are there some in Ukrainian?

Other things: One of the senior couples who have been serving here as Young Single Adult missionaries for a few months saw a need for roller bags and were able to purchase some with help from friends in the US, and deliver them to the Red Cross rooms.  Strollers have also been needed.  Thanks to the help of some good friends, and friends of friends, we were able to find supplies and more bags to help supplement the resources available to the refugees. Some refugees  come carrying incredibly heavy plastic bags or gym bags with straps hanging by a thread, carrying all they could bring from home for the journey: clothing, important documents, an extra pair of shoes or snow boots, diapers, baby food, coats.  They are grateful for a roller bag where they can consolidate and make their travel more manageable.    

There are four other couples that were called at the same time as we were who are doing other things related to refugee help here in Romania. (A total of 16 couples were called when we were to help out in Eastern Europe—others went to Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary.)  Some of our Romanian senior couples are in border towns, figuring out how they can help. Others are helping at different refugee gathering hubs here in Bucharest. One senior MLS missionary couple from a more central Romanian town drives supplies 6 hours to the border where a Ukrainian stake president takes them and then distributes them. They do this a couple of times a week. It turns it that the husband in this senior couple was Jim’s missionary companion in Finland 40 years ago.  Small world.

What we've learned:  in the face of the horror and atrocities of this war, people from all over the world are coming together to help, to support, to contribute in large or small but significant ways to help relieve some of the burden from the Ukrainians who have fled their homes and left family behind to fight.  People want to help.  There are friendly, caring, kind hearted people who are volunteering in their spare time, or taking time off work to come to the train station.  They come from NGOs like the Red Cross, other organizations and churches and faith houses who come to the train station, as well as individuals who just need/want to help. And the Ukrainians we have met have been determined, courageous, and so very grateful for the help they receive.  Some of their stories just heartbreaking and heavy.  They are tired and stressed and worried about their family left behind to fight, and where they are going next.  Their emotions are understandably on edge, and most try not to think too much about all the suffering they've endured and the uncertainty that lies ahead because it feels so overwhelming.  The stories are dramatic and powerful.  Sometimes it is all we can do just to give a hug and say we pray for them and believe there will be better times. But everyone we have met is so very, very grateful--grateful to be safe, and grateful for the help.  It is quite sobering. 

There is so much more to say--every day is so full and the people we meet touch our lives.  I'll share more of the human stories and less nuts and bolts in future posts.  But, this first week has been remarkable. We are humbled and amazed at the Romanians and others from all over the world (including all our missionaries, who have pivoted and adjusted to help in whatever ways are necessary) who only want to help. Most have been doing this for weeks—since before the invasion. And we are most humbled and amazed by the Ukrainians who are grateful and courageous in their journeys. We hope you will continue to keep them in your prayers.