The build up to my second trip to Romania (with Next Level International) was slightly less fun... that being I was really terribly sick with the flu for a good three days straight, and probably sick enough that flying and travelling weren't the best idea.
But you know me... once I'm commited there's no turning back :)
This trip is one I was paying for myself too, because I had already chosen the two trips I was to join on, but such a great oppotunity came up in Moldova, that I just wouldn't let myself pass up. I figure, how often in a New zealander in this kind of position, you never know when you could be turning down a once in a lifetime opportunity :)
That is of course, a trip from the 14th-27th, the first week of which is the third module in a Youth Leadership Conference in Oradea, Romania. Where about 60 young leaders attend and have a week of learning and activities.
The second week will be spent in Moldova, visiting Stella's Voice, or the houses, girls and people who began the initiative.
I spoke earlier in my blogs about these people, originally a man called Phillip Cameron visited the country (poorest in Europe and still largely effected by communism and its effects) who was shocked by the conditions he saw in orphanges in the country, the restraits placed on them later, and the statistics of human trafficing. The quick blurb off an Next Level pamphlet about it is: "There are about 52 orphanages in Moldova. They house approximately 12,500 boys and girls. The most these children can look forward to is being released after their 16th birthday with $30.00 and a bus ticket to “home”. They are easy prey for human traffickers. They are sold into slavery. They are turned into prostitutes forced to perform sex acts 30-50 times a day. In this environment they have a life expectancy of about 3 years, yet earn about $300,000.00 for their captors."
Not very pleasant, but the very distgust we feel over reading such things isn't really enough. Action is.
Whether it's in actually going and doing, helping, supporting or raising awareness... Trafficing could be eradicated if the world, and it's occupants realised they had the power collectively to achieve this and so mach more in just a few years... but sadly most shy away from the things we are ashamed of, those being the things done by our own kind (human beings) to each other.
ANYHOO, Leanne my new Australian friend (and the Romania Country Leader for Next Level) and I are going to see the people and houses Stella's voice have built to house the young vulnerable girls. And where they are taught they are worth something, are encouaged and educated etc. it's been extremely sucessful, so much so the moldovan Government asked them to take over a dying orphanage, which they transformed into something great and full of love for those who had never felt it before.
Here's the video again though it's below.
So, I have about 10 minutes to quickly write so I'll just fast track the journey.
I spent an afternoon and night travelling on varous buses and trains from Southport to Luton Airport, staying in the SMALLEST hotel room of all time (where the shower and toilet overlap!?!) and where you can rent a remote for the TV by (I quote) 24hrs, 3days or 1 week... Seriously? If you could survive a week in that room I salute you ;)
No hassles on Wizzair, which is unheard of, the last few times I've travelled with them flights were delayed on average between 2 and 8 hours. Arrived in budapest, Hungary with one phone number and the first name of a Romanian guy who was to pick me up.... When I saw a guy holding a sign with "KENDRA" written on it I was so releaved and introduced myself and jumped into the car with the three Romanian men (who spoke little English).
About one and a half hours out into the Hungarian country-side I recived a txt from the number I knew to be the guy who was supposed to pick me up, saying "where are you?"
I immediately had that gut-wrenching feeling, and jumped to the conclusion that I'd been kidnapped and OH HOW my mother was going to be angry about this... Then I started thinking about how it was you were supposed to jump out of a moving car.haha. LUCKILY I acted a little more calmly and soon discovered via questioning that he was a friend of the man who was to pick me up, who couldn't make it.... THAT would have been an interesting "awkward moment" had I G.I. rolled out of the car spontaneously! hee hee.
OK, to be continued...
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