Somethings you can only experience in Moldova

As I approach my third month here in Moldova many thoughts reminisce through my mind.. Times of laughter with new friends, times of heart aches as I long for people back home, times of growth as I make my impact through Moldova...

Where does one begin to understand the difference a person can make in another if the results are only seen within the heart? There are many things we value as people such as money, cars, houses, clothes, friendships, family, love... However my life in Moldova is with out the majority of what I just mentioned...

 I have friends.. yes.. however they are new to me...

I have family.. yes.. but one that doesn't know me or understand me...

Love... maybe.. however I often feel none....

Money-cars-house-clothes- well these are the least of my importance and don't matter to me much here...

However my objective of experience in Moldova is to help others to understand the thought process of my every day life and the struggle a person can have with in themselves, along with the rejoice one feels as well..  My life back in America is amazing and I have every thing I need and I will forever say that I am happy with my life in the states and I am the luckiest person in the world... However, my life is Moldova has brought things to my heart that I would of NEVER experienced in the states..

The question now is what could Moldova of given me that I would of been able to buy or have back home? Well that was my experience with the Rise Group on August 28th. This group is full of amazing volunteers with very giving and dedicated hearts. It is a group that shows their gentleness to young children who don't have anything. Not only do something of these young people not have money, but many don't have parents, an adequate home, water, health care, or shoes to walk in every day.. Rise helps me to feel what I needed to feel when I came to Moldova. An opportunity to feel happiness with doing the right thing, and to feel a tug on my heart that I can show others Peace and friendship, love and strength, just by being there..

On this day we went to the village of Mingir and handed out over 60 Roma boots to these young children. As we arrived in the village, my eyes swelled up as I felt I would cry as I watched all these young children running for our bus, smiling and oh so excited that we arrived for them! It was amazing to see the happiness a young child can have, even if they have little at home...

On our way to Mingir

As the day proceeded we played games with the kids such as "duck duck goose, green light-red light, and attempted good ole leap frog... This was a day of happiness, a day of refreshment, a day of Peace and Friendship... and over all the first day in Moldova in three months that I could say I am proud to be a volunteer and today I did something great!

I have included the description of this group from the facebook group "Rise." To give all of you a better understanding of what these means to me. Please reference below.

Inequality and intolerance continue to be the greatest challenges for Roma inclusion and progression in Moldova. A study conducted by the United Nations Development Programme titled Roma in the Republic of Moldova shows that Roma consistently fall behind their non-Roma counter-parts in regards to educational success, employment, health, housing conditions, and security. The findings show that compared to their non-Roma counter-parts Romas face: a two times higher risk of poverty, a higher illiteracy and drop out rate, two-times higher probability of unemployment, fall short on all core health indicators relevant to the human development index, 80 percent live in homes with no basic housing conditions, and two thirds of the population frequently suffer from food insecurity.

At one point or another during our Peace Corps service we have all seen or heard about the situation of the Roma in Moldova. The Roma struggle has not reached mainstream America hence we often come to Moldova knowing little of this growing movement and even less about how to get involved in it. R.I.S.E the Roma, Inclusion, Support and Education Group, wishes to change all that. This group began as a request from our partners who wish to address the wide information gap within the Roma community that continues to be one of their greatest challenges. R.I.S.E's goal is to act as a conduit between Peace Corps and the Roma community here in Moldova.

Trying the boots on!

Family with their boots!

Rise!