What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:9
Until the end of the world this will be the case and if we look to ourselves, and our perceived achievements we can only expect discouragement. However, if we do what we do in order to serve a faithful and just God we ought only to expect encouragement! The feeding of the 5000 by the Lord Jesus, as related in Matthew 14.19-20, is there as an example to show what can be done by God’s power. A lorry or two each year, over the past 13 years, is not even, humanly speaking, a drop in the ocean yet done in the name of our Lord we may never know the magnitude of it’s impact.
Accession for Romania into the European Union in 2007 could be decided later this year. When I look back over the last 14 years and see what has been achieved in that Country and I then look forward another three and contemplate what has still to be done I remain more than sceptical of the political will. ‘We are aware that societal flaws like corruption have to be and are being addressed.’ This is a direct quote from the latest newsletter from the Romania Embassy and in my humble opinion their single biggest task. I cannot see Romania, where corruption in every walk of life is endemic, being able to overcome this cultural blight in the next three years. Up until the end of 2002 I had never been openly asked for ‘something for the customs?!’
With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Mark 10:27
ROMANIAN JOURNEY - Autumn 2003
by Fred Bruce
How often have you said - I wish I could do that; but!! always that excuse why you could not. So it was with me and my chance of going to Romania with Lachie on one of his regular visits delivering vital medical aid.
One quiet Sunday night there was a knock on the door and imagine my surprise there was Lachie who had been preaching at a local church and called in to see us on his way home. When Lachie asked if I would like to go with him to Romania on his next visit? I agreed without hesitation.
Hard work and meticulous planning by Lachie and his wife Isobel saw the trailer packed with hospital beds, incubators, specialist surgical equipment, detergents and disinfectants. The cab of our lovely truck was stocked with all our needs for the journey. A beautiful sunny Wednesday morning saw us leave Bowling and head for North Shields and the ferry crossing to Holland. A smooth sea and a good nights sleep saw us fit for the journey ahead.
We had a wonderful drive through Germany, Austria and up to the Hungarian border. I settled into driving the lorry quicker than I thought, encouraged by my tolerant passenger. At the Hungarian border I had my first experience of bureaucracy, that was to hold us up for many hours. Lachie's patience and his faith that all would be well meant we just shrugged our shoulders and put up with it!
After a wonderful drive through Hungary, we arrived at the Romanian checkpoint. Here we found people who liked to make work for themselves and others - the rubber stamp was their delight! Eventually we entered Romania, parked up overnight and off to bed for a well-earned rest. On waking and looking out I found we were at the top of a mountain with a 360° view of forests and mountain, truly spectacular. It was now the fourth day into our trip and a short drive later found us at the hospital in CLUJ. After some expert driving by my passenger we were slotted into a yard at the back of the hospital near the laundry and I got my first look at my surroundings. Quite a shock and very depressing. The general surroundings were appalling with depressing looking buildings and depressed people waiting to see loved ones in the hospital. Patients, with a variety of conditions, walking about, reminded me of pictures of British hospitals at the start of the nineteenth century.
Entering the building did nothing to cheer me up. White tiled walls and dark corridors led towards an area where builders were busy demolishing walls and modifying rooms-rubble and dust every where! In amongst this we found the senior medical staff Lachie has been supporting, and what a change. Here we found people of an extremely happy and friendly nature who were warm , welcoming and open.
We stayed in Cluj for a week and met some of the finest people you could wish to meet on this earth. Their cheerfulness and hospitality was boundless, nothing was ever too much for them and everything was genuine. I felt humbled! Many of the people have a faith that is unquestionable and a desire to help their fellow human beings.
A visit to the Vetinary University led to many surprises. We found the contrast with the hospital astounding. Here the grounds were well kept and inside the buildings were spotless and the equipment available modern. It would appear that veterinary students and animals have better facilities than medical staff and human patients.
Our departure from Cluj was another experience! Many of the fine people we met came to see us off, not to make sure we left, but to wish us a safe journey and to invite us back to spend time with them and their families.
Into the mountain village of Bratca and here we met a warm and friendly couple who looked after a home for children who had fallen on hard times. The home, supported financially by Lachie, was clean, neat and tidy and everything was there for the children. To meet these well mannered, lively children, who worked hard to learn English and were keen to show us their home, was a real pleasure. Lovely children who responded well to a loving, caring and spiritual home - a credit to the staff and themselves.
Our tasks over it was back on the road again and heading for home. The truck was empty so I thought we would have a clear run through the various borders! How wrong can one be? It emerged that people love to demonstrate their power and control when you are in their country. The imprint of a rubber stamp missing from a form or the form that was good yesterday being of no good today can cause hours of delay and frustration.
We were blessed with good weather throughout our journeyings. God had certainly looked favourably upon us and we were soon back home with our loved ones with time to reflect. I find it difficult to put into words what the experience meant to me. Those who know me may find that difficult to believe, but, it is hard to describe the unswerving faith of the people we met in Romania and it has made me realise that my faith is nothing compared to theirs. I feel very humbled by that. They were dedicated happy folk and we would do well to emulate that in our lives here in Scotland. It was a great privilege to meet them!.
Spring 2003
I had planned to visit Romania by truck in the Spring however, an injury to my hand, which resulted in me being hospitalized for two days and having my hand strapped up for six weeks put paid to these plans. Trying to come to terms with my forced inactivity I came to the conclusion (wrongly) that God was giving me enforced rest and with unusual patience I reconciled myself to that fact. However, I still had important business to do in Romania in connection with the nurses and staff of Medical Perspectives Foundation (MPF) who rely on me for their salaries.
Meantime, Graham Perolls, of Hospice of Hope Romania and I were keen to get together and discuss our mutual interest in Palliative Care. This however, due to our respective timetables, was proving to be at best difficult if not impossible. His organization has been delivering Palliative Homecare in Brasov since 1992 and I supported them since 1994 with the provision of medical supplies and Gospel literature. I was keen to establish closer links with Graham Perolls so as to try and improve on the service currently being provided, with my support, in Cluj. This is where it became clear to me that God’s plans were not my plans. I arranged with my contacts in Romania that I would arrive on 21st April and when I contacted Graham regarding a matter in connection with my visit I then discovered what God’s plan was. Graham was booked onto the same flight as myself on his way to Romania. This gave us the ideal opportunity to have discussions on the way forward for Palliative Care not only in Romania but also in the Balkans as a whole. We finally met, all in God’s providence and in His time!
Christina Ghiran, known to many of my supporters is now Nurse Manager of Romania’s first purpose built hospice. Remember her in your prayers. A copy of ‘Daily Readings’ in Romanian was donated to each member of the 80plus strong members of the Hospice staff.
I visited Dr Anca Dan of MPF and her team in Cluj, all of whom were clearly well motivated with care for the dying, their friends and family. This is an area of work which, in Romania, gets little or no support from the State and relies almost entirely on charity.
Winter 2003
I paid a fundraising visit to Harris and Lewis in October where I had speaking engagements. While there I spent a pleasant week of fellowship with Rev George MacAskill (a Trustee of SFR) and his wife Isabel. The generosity of the Island people is legendary!
'Behold, a sower went forth to sow'
Matt 13:3
Martin and Trish Robertson from Dingwall, well described by the above quotation, are involved with agricultural enterprise and ministry focusing on Romanian Gypsies. They have been involved with many different projects to try and make the people who have access to land self sufficient. I have supported them for several years and on this occasion delivered a polytunnel, seeds, peat compost, agricultural implements and most importantly Gospel literature and Bibles.
In 1999 I drove this tractor from John O’Groats to Lands End and in 2002 I visited 18 Scottish Islands using 22 ferry crossings, raising £14,000 and £12,000 respectively. Each trip took 2 weeks and were successful not only for fundraising but as a public relations exercise. Hundreds of people were spoken to and given Gospel Tracts while lots of new contacts were made.
I plan, God willing, to drive this same tractor around the coastline of Scotland in May and June of this year. This trip will be much more demanding on man and machine and while still at the planning stage I reckon it will take just under 6 weeks.
I need drivers with towing experience, who are willing to form teams and work in relay to provide back-up. Please remember this fund raising venture in prayer, and if you can assist in any way I would be pleased to hear from you.
PROFILE
Medical Perspectives Foundation (MPF) was founded by Dr. Anca Dan,a graduate of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu" Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The initial goal of MPF was to increase the quality of life for patients suffering from chronic illness. Within the first year of practice patients suffering from life-threatening disease or terminal illness became the focus together with support for their families and friends. Anca began the process involved in setting the Foundation on a legal footing in 1997 and in 1998 began actively working with a group of medical students who served as volunteers. Currently, Anca works as the Medical Director of a small home (18 beds) for people with medical and social problems. Most of Anca’s time is allotted to her obligations as president and physician of Medical Perspectives Foundation. Currently the team serve around 50 patients with a chronic condition or who are terminally ill with, in most cases, cancer.
The team of MPF consists of Anca , four medical nurses, a coordinator (in charge of public relations, fundraising and volunteers), an accountant, and two medical students. The latter, along with other members of the local community, work as volunteers. These help the team in offering emotional and administrative support to the patients and their families and also in organising different outdoor activities. The medical assistance offered is in cooperation with the specialist physician and the family doctor. Cancer patients taken into the care of the MPF team undergo or have undergone chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or are post operative; their life expectancy is usually under one year.
On a regular basis, the team together with the volunteers provide homecare, medicines and medical supplies, and organise outdoor activities such as picnics, mountain trips and social events. Emotional and spiritual support at home, for the patients and their families, is also provided by the team and volunteers together with bereavement counselling. Mutual support groups for patients and carers are also run from MPF headquarters. Because of the limited human and financial resources available, MPF only take into care, patients who live in the city of Cluj. As there is currently no paediatrician on the team, and Anca is not permitted to offer medical assistance to children, MPF cannot take children into care. However, this situation is expected to change soon as Anca has recently taken her specialisation in Family Medicine, which legally allows her to take children into care. However, she still requires further training in pain and symptom control in children, who are terminally ill. Besides their desire to treat children, MPF have two other projects for the future:
A respite-care clinic - which will be the next step in the development of the organisation and services offered to patients.
Identifying and developing a suitable commercial enterprise which would provide a part of the funding; which would make the organisation less dependent financially on funding from charities such as Something for Romania.
Please remember to pray for Anca and her team, while they try and do the impossible with limited resources and that they would know God’s blessing as the minister to the terminally ill and their families.
Up until October 2003 truckloads of medical supplies were taken to Romania and salaries were paid to Homecare staff all funded from the income of SFR. No more truck trips will be undertaken but support of MPF will be increased.
Since 1991 I have made nearly 30 trips, mostly by truck, faithfully supported by Galt Transport, Dumbarton; Clydebank Oil; D.M Paper, Glasgow: Carntyne Transport and the irreplaceable Mary Bonner!
I owe many, a debt of gratitude, without their support nothing would get done. Regular income by Standing Order enables me to confidently increase the Homecare staffing levels in the knowledge that finances are available as it is very difficult to entice nurses from the State without a guarantee of job security. No donation is considered too small.-£2 per month from 50 people pays the salary of two part-time nurses which in 2003 equated to 95 patients and 38 homecalls per month per nurse! Hopefully with sufficient funding I can add two full time nurses in 2004 D.V.
I am more than happy to speak to and give slide presentations to any organisation or group.
Hard work and meticulous planning by Lachie and his wife Isobel saw the trailer packed with hospital beds, incubators, specialist surgical equipment, detergents and disinfectants. The cab of our lovely truck was stocked with all our needs for the journey. A beautiful sunny Wednesday morning saw us leave Bowling and head for North Shields and the ferry crossing to Holland. A smooth sea and a good nights sleep saw us fit for the journey ahead.
Into the mountain village of Bratca and here we met a warm and friendly couple who looked after a home for children who had fallen on hard times. The home, supported financially by Lachie, was clean, neat and tidy and everything was there for the children. To meet these well mannered, lively children, who worked hard to learn English and were keen to show us their home, was a real pleasure. Lovely children who responded well to a loving, caring and spiritual home - a credit to the staff and themselves.
In 1999 I drove this tractor from John O’Groats to Lands End and in 2002 I visited 18 Scottish Islands using 22 ferry crossings, raising £14,000 and £12,000 respectively. Each trip took 2 weeks and were successful not only for fundraising but as a public relations exercise. Hundreds of people were spoken to and given Gospel Tracts while lots of new contacts were made.
The team of MPF consists of Anca , four medical nurses, a coordinator (in charge of public relations, fundraising and volunteers), an accountant, and two medical students. The latter, along with other members of the local community, work as volunteers. These help the team in offering emotional and administrative support to the patients and their families and also in organising different outdoor activities. The medical assistance offered is in cooperation with the specialist physician and the family doctor. Cancer patients taken into the care of the MPF team undergo or have undergone chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or are post operative; their life expectancy is usually under one year.
Besides their desire to treat children, MPF have two other projects for the future: