A Busy Week

Sometimes I wonder what I'm going to write about in my journal, and then 45 minutes later I realize that a lot happens in a day here, and it's hard to capture all of it.  So, it was a busy week!

Monday was a national holiday (the day after Orthodox Easter)--no stores were open, including Starbucks at the train station (!).  McDonald's was open, though--the only eating establishment that I could see that was open at the train station.  One of the branches in Bucharest hosted a BBQ for members, friends and refugees in the area.  After working at the station in the morning, we headed to the Mihai Bravu building for lovely lunch of hamburgers, mici (traditional Romanian skinless sausages, cooked on the barbecue), watermelon and chips.  We invited our friend Marcel to come, and he was able to join us.  After the gathering he took us on a tour of an old abandoned dam area that has gone back to its natural state.  It's something of a wild green space/bird sanctuary in the newer part of the city.  

The Easter Monday BBQ was a success--more guests inside and
at other tables outside. 

Monday and Tuesday night we had meetings with the Church's Frankfurt office to help us understand the scope and context of what we're participating in here in Central Europe. It was very informative.  But because the meetings were at 9pm our time both Monday and Tuesday evening and didn't end until after 10pm, we found ourselves playing catchup with sleep the rest of the week.  

A first this week: We made two trips to IKEA to get the final supplies to make Tent 3 really usable and organized.  The first trip we stopped for lunch in the cafeteria.  We got meatballs, potatoes and gravy and broccoli.  And chocolate cake.  It was a very American (and Swedish) meal.  That cafeteria is quite the operation: special little carts that hold three cafeteria trays, stacked vertically.  Very user friendly.  I haven't eaten at an IKEA in the states in decades, so I was happy  to find that the meatballs were tasty and the mashed potatoes and gravy worth the extra 5 minute wait (they had run out right before we ordered). 

The IKEA garment racks cost about $19 each.

Tent 3 has maintained a semi-organized state all week--it only takes an hour or two to get it back in order every morning.  (Yay!)  The pompierii and polizei walk by and poke their heads in and nod and give me the thumbs up.  Since I think it's their responsibility, they're probably grateful that they don't have go in and clean it up (ie, stuff the piles of clothing into boxes).  They've mentioned how nice it looks and thank us for our work.  :) 

Elder & Sister Probst and the Bloods in front of Tent 3
(your weekly Tent 3 photo).

The President of the Hungary-Romania mission, President Rucker was in town this week.  He came to the train station on Friday to work with us. He offered to treat us to breakfast pastries--and we couldn't turn him down.  Jim and I usually take a break around 9am to get a pastry (sour cherry strudel is particularly good) and go to one of the platforms to sit and eat.  So that's what we all did.  

I'm taking the picture, so you can't see the pastry flakes on
my yellow vest.

We made a couple of trips to the the ROM Expo--a big arena that they've converted into a refugee resource center. One of our emergency senior couples helps out there every day, sorting the mountains (I'm not exaggerating) of clothing donations that come in every day.  I will never complain about Tent 3 piles again!  In addition to receiving clothing donations for the refugees, the ROM has food to take away, hot meals, and a play area for children. There are also about 250 (or more?? I’m terrible at estimating numbers) cots set up in neat rows with sheets, a blanket, pillow, towel and packaged slippers on the floor of the Expo.  There’s  a children’s play area, bathrooms, and supplies in little clumps and areas also down there.  They haven’t used the beds yet, but they are ready if there’s a big influx of people coming from Odessa, where there's been some strategic bombing recently, and they anticipate more attacks. They are also ready for refugees from neighboring Moldova, in the event of an invasion there. Currently, most of the refugees who visit the ROM stay on the concourse, where the food and clothing and another play area for children is.  It’s a big big big operation.

Jim has had some busy days at the station this week, helping many people from Odessa and surrounding areas get to Bulgaria, Austria and Germany, primarily. And now that Tent 3 is manageable, I spend more time out in the station and in the refugee rooms, helping where I can. There are so many stories...here are just a few.

This morning (Sunday) was particularly busy. First, they don't have as many general volunteers on Sunday, and second, it was just busy. There were about 40 refugees getting on the train for Budapest at 5:45am. A couple of women found me and one of the other non-Russian speaking elders in the front hall and asked if we could help them find their train--they didn't want "to get lost." I looked at their tickets, showed them the wagon number and seat numbers, and walked with them down the platform, looking for their wagon, number 433. But not all of the train cars/wagons have numbers clearly visible. The big numbers painted on the sides of the cars are 1 or 2 (for 1st or 2nd class). The car numbers change, as do the destination of the cars (some cars are taken off early at other destinations) on any particular line of train cars. I was able to find the piece of paper taped inside some of the wagon windows saying the wagon number and the destination for that car. That was hopeful. Then one of the conductors stopped me and the group around me (obviously not Romanians) and said "wagon #1!" and pointed to the end of the platform (about 1/4 mile away). I replied "wagon 4-3-3?" (fingers are a useful tool in this instance) and he said "yes! yes--car number 1!" I decided he must mean the first car after the engine--which, as it turns out, he did. But people are anxious, and others joined us and wanted me to look at their tickets and make sure they were headed in the right direction. The wagon numbers aren't obvious, so that adds to the uncertainty. So our growing group all marched down the platform: mothers, baby in strollers and mama's arms, little children, grandmas, and a few older men. All toting grocery bags, duffels, and rolling luggage. A couple of other groups of refugees, and elders and volunteers joined us. It was quite a scene. We were able to get everyone on the right wagon in the right seats, with their luggage on the overhead bins (thank you, Elders!!). The refugees were so grateful when they were all settled. Phew! And it was too dark and there was no time for photos.

Another family--a mother and her three children--needed to be walked to hotel not far from the train station where they were taking a bus back into Odessa (we have some questions about that, since the main bridge into Odessa was bombed and partially destroyed this week; we guess they're taking an alternate route). They had a bit of luggage, so we asked one of the elders to join us and we walked them over to the bus. Such a sweet family--we pray for their safety.

They're heading back to Odessa.

On Thursday, Jim was helping a woman and her two kids who wanted to fly to Germany, because the trains were full. He put them on the free train to the airport so they could buy their airline tickets there. In the end, they didn't have the right kind of passport for one of the children, so they had to came back to the train station. The mama was pretty philosophical about it all: "well, that didn't work out. OK." The little boy, about 2 1/2 years old, insisted on rolling the suitcase everywhere. This was the only luggage the family had, other than their backpacks, and this was his job. He would wobble and weave, but wouldn't let anyone else help him. Jim met them at the platform when they came back from the unsuccessful trip to the airport, and they were just walking back into one of the refugee waiting rooms when I heard from one of our other volunteer friends (Darina--a truly amazing person) that there was a FREE bus to Germany leaving that evening from the train station. Hooray! It's a looong bus ride, but it's free, and it's heading in the direction they want to go. There were no seats on trains heading for Germany for another two days. So...it's a win!

The bag was little man's responsibility.

Finally, on Saturday afternoon, Jim and I decided to do something different.  My sister Alyssa's neighbor had spent some time in Bucharest, and recommended an Art Nouveau bookstore in Old Town.  It was a beautiful, sunny (NOT rainy!) afternoon, so we Metro'd and walked to Old Town.  It's a lovely part of town, quirky and a little touristy, but not a major shopping or food chain in sight--lots of local Romanian shops and eating places.  And A LOT of pubs.  The bookstore, Carturesti Carusel, was delightful: a great bookstore, gift shop, and art and cultural space, all in a beautifully restored early 20th century former bank.

Jim agrees to be in one (1) selfie per day.

A better view of the bookstore, if we're not in the photo.

Bucharest has some beautiful architecture, puffy clouds,

,

and the Old Town alleys are worth exploring.

We had a little dinner at a restaurant in Old Town and then headed back to the apartment. 

It was a good, busy week.  We spent some time last week working with people trying to figure out if there might be a video crew coming to get a story on some of the refugee assistance that is happening in Romania, but it turns out that won't happen.  And with late meetings and early mornings, and sometimes intense days, we were ready for a quiet evening.  And it was quiet--Jim fell asleep around 6pm and didn't move until 3am the next morning.  I turned in before 9pm, after doing a first draft of the weekly letter/blog. Perfect.   

It's hard to believe that we've been here a month, and Jim has been at the train station for 28 straight days (I missed one day when I was sick...so he wins).  We continue to be grateful for the opportunity to be here. We have met some remarkable people and made good friends.  And hopefully done some good.

We hope you all are safe and well.  That takes on new meaning for us these days, as we meet people who have escaped Mariupol and Kherson and other places under attack.  We pray for peace and a just resolution to this war.