BUDIMEX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL


DAILY WE MEET WITH SO MANY DISTRESSFUL CASES OF VERY ILL CHILDREN, SOME ABANDONED, SOME WITH WORRIED PARENTS BUT ALWAYS WE ARE GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO HELP EVEN A LITTLE, TO EASE THEIR PAIN.

OUTSTANDING WAS THE CASE OF THE ONEL FAMILY, MOTHER RUSHED FROM ALBA JULIA WITH THEIR 8 YR OLD SON. SINCE BIRTH HE HAD SUFFERED MANY ILLNESSES BUT NOW WAS HIS WORST TIME. AFTER BEING EXAMINED BY A DOCTOR HERE IT WAS FOUND THAT ILIE HAD A SERIOUS HEART PROBLEM AND COULD NOT SURVIVE AN OPERATION. MOTHER WAS ADVISED TO TAKE HIM HOME AND THE HOSPITAL WOULD PROVIDE MEDICINES TO
EASE THE SHORT PERIOD LEFT. SHE PHONED HER HUSBAND WHO GOT A NEIGHBOR TO TRANSPORT HIM THE 280 MILES BY CAR.

HE ARRIVED TO BE TOLD THAT THE HAD JUST DIED.

HE WAS FRANTIC. “DOCTOR” HE SAID “WHAT AM I TO DO? I HAVE NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY THE DRIVER NOW - I MUST STAY OVER NIGHT, SEE TO ALL THE PAPERS, BUY A COFFIN”. A NURSE FRIEND OF OUR PROJECT HEARD ALL THIS AND TOOK THE FATHER TO MY ROOM. I TOLD HIM WE WOULD SEE TO ALL AND, WHEN I GAVE HIM (3 MILLION LEI) £60 FOR A START, HE FELL ON
HIS KNEES - CRIED LIKE A CHILD AND PRAYED GOD'S BLESSINGS ON US.

I WENT DOWN WITH HIM TO MEET HIS WIFE AND MOTHER AND TO PRAY WITH THEM BESIDE THE BOY'S BED. NOT WAITING FOR HOSPITAL PROTOCOL, FATHER LIFTED THE BOY IN HIS ARMS AND TOOK HIM TO THE MORGUE. ALL THIS TIME WE WONDERED WHERE THIS FAMILY PLUS THE DRIVER COULD STAY FOR THE NIGHT. THE CHIEF NURSE SAW THE PROBLEM AND ALLOCATED A ROOM FOR FAMILY AND DRIVER. SISTER MARIA MADE SANDWICHES AND WE ASSURED THE FAMILY WE WOULD SEE THEM IN THE MORNING. ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS (AN ORTHODOX STUDENT FOR PRIESTHOOD) TOOK MR. NELU ONEL TO BUY A COFFIN (WHICH COST £50 OR 2 1/2 MILLION LEI) WITH THE OTHER 1/2 MILLION THEY BOUGHT A RACK FOR THE ROOF OF THEIR LITTLE DACIA CAR.

MORNING CAME. “I MUST BUY SOME CLOTHES TO DRESS ILIE” THE FATHER SAID. AT THAT MOMENT TRAIAN ARRIVED WITH 5
MILLION £100. IMAGINE THE RELIEF OF ALL! AROUND 11AM THEY CAME TO MY ROOM TO SAY THEY COULD NOT FIND A PRIEST AND THEY WERE NOW READY TO LEAVE. I CALLED OUR SEMINARIAN VOLUNTEER ALIN, WHO IMMEDIATELY LEFT THE PLAYROOM WHERE HE WORKED, AND JOINED US AROUND THE LITTLE BOY IN THE COFFIN. HE SPONTANEOUSLY PRAYED AND FOLLOWED WITH TWO BEAUTIFUL HYMNS AS MAMA, DADA, GRANDMA, THE MORGUE ATTENDANT AND I STOOD AND JOINED IN. ALL THIS GAVE A DIGNITY WHICH SO COMFORTED THE PARENTS.

WE HELD A LITTLE PROCESSION TO THE CAR AND, AFTER ANOTHER SHORT PRAYER WE HELPED MAMA AND GRANDMA INTO THE CAR WITH A WARM BLANKET ROUND EACH AND MORE SANDWICHES AND FRUIT FOR THE JOURNEY, SOMEHOW WE FELT A GREAT PEACE, KNOWING THIS POOR (REALLY POOR) FAMILY HAD RECEIVED SOME COMFORT IN THEIR GREAT SORROW.

I AM WRITING THIS SAID STORY TWO DAYS AFTER THE EVENT JUST DESCRIBED. MY EMOTIONS ARE STILL FRESH AND NOW, ONE POOR MOTHER FROM CONSTANTA IS AT MY DOOR WITH A CARBON COPY REQUEST. THANK GOOD WE CAN DO SOMETHING

TO HELP THESE UNHAPPY PARENTS.