WEEKS 27, 28 29, 30

ZOS Anna-Marie n.o. is the largest NGO we work with in Slovakia.  Maria Andričiková is an amazing person.  She has dedicated her life to serving those who have the greatest needs.  The most recent project we completed with her organization was the 120 hospital beds spread throughout eastern Slovakia.  Her husband Stefen is an agricultural guru who can grow anything.  We have been the recipient of hundreds of pounds of fresh produce including potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beets, pears, peaches, grapes.  We have appreciated their generosity all summer.  The Andričková's are some of the most hospitable and loving people we have ever met.  Each time we visit them, there is always a hearty Slovak meal waiting for us.  This lady works tirelessly in defense of the marginalized people of Slovakia.

After visiting several of the hospitals and care centers where the beds were placed in Sobrance and surrounding areas, we were treated to the most delicious meal on the shores of a small lake called Vinné near Michalovce.   We loved this area.  It reminded us of some of the beautiful lakes we enjoy in Idaho.  That's Ria and Robert van Dalen from the branch with us here.  Some of our closest friends who accompany us on many of these trips to act as our translators.  Robert and Ria were the first Humanitarian missionaries in Slovakia.  Because of their marathon efforts and example, they paved the way for hundreds of Humanitarian projects over the past seventeen years.  Ria tells the story that when they first contacted Maria and her organization, Maria was very hesitant and leery of doing any work with the Church.  However because of Ria's cheerful countenance and persistent efforts, she and Maria are like sisters.  Such a blessing to be a part of all these miracles happening around us.  

 

About 50% of our work in Slovakia has been with the Romani People.  We have shared with you pictures we have taken in some of the Roma Villages we visit.  We feel like some of the most important humanitarian work we do is with the Roma.  The conditions in some of these villages is deplorable, to say the least, however with the help of Darina and her team from the Slovakian government, we are able to focus on where the greatest needs are.  She is another amazing woman who has dedicated her life to helping the most marginalized living in Slovakia.  We have grown to love her and Rasto and Stefan.  We met with them and made plans to visit 5 Roma villages that are in need of various projects.  We'll share some of what we will be doing in later posts.  We are fortunate to have Darina and her team directing us to most effective and impactful projects.  We seek projects that affect the largest numbers of people and they have first hand data and information so that we are putting the resources in the most desperate locations.  We also have a lot of fun as we travel around east Slovakia!  We've become great friends.  We are planning a wild (as wild as it gets at the Anderson's) reunion with them in Utah when we return home.

Darina and her team have organized Development Teams in many of the Roma Villages.  We visited the village of Ďurkov and this team was amazing.  All but one was Romani.  This team is a perfect example of the progress Darina and her team is experiencing in helping the Roma people.  The Development Team consists of Social Workers, Housing specialist, Youth and Young Adult Advisors, Mothers and Young Children Psycho-social Development and other social type programs supported by local Municipalities.  Not all municipalities cooperate as well with the Development Teams as they do in Ďurkov.  These are the types of groups we like to partner with because it is easy to see the long term affects of our projects and how they bless the lives of many people.  We will start a project to provide sewing machines and material to train women and young women in the village to become more self reliant.  

We had one of the neatest experiences with Jozefina and Daniel from Nadacia Pro Futura located way in the north eastern corner of Slovakia in a city called Snina.  We have been there a couple of times, however this trip we met with Jozefina and Daniel regarding a para Olympic Facility for disables athletes.  Their organization owns a beautiful building that once was a primary school.  Their plan is to remodel the building into a training facility for disabled athletes.  Unfortunately we are out of budget and we will not be able to begin a project for them this year.  Following our meeting, they took us to a town called Ruský Potok which is literally on the border of Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine.

This was a community of Rusyns established in the 17th Century.  Rusyns are descended from an East Slavic population which inhabited the northeastern regions of the Eastern Carpathians.  The majority of Rusyns are Eastern Catholics.  They primarily self-identify as a distinct Slavic people.  However there are groups located in Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sergia and Slovakia.  In the middle of the town is a small Rusyn Wooden Church.  This church was built in 1700.  Immaculately maintained and is sill in use for special occasions.  We were met there by the caretaker and had our own personal tour, including being able to go behind the alter into the small sanctuary where the priest and other ministers perform sacred rites. It was amazing to sense the history behind this little church...all the church services, weddings and funerals that must have taken place there over the centuries.  It was an inspirational experience for us all.

Later in the week, we traveled Rasto and Stefin to the village of Jasov and meet with Mayor Marián Dzurik who is Roma.  This village is an exception to the rule when it comes to communities with Roma Villages.  The mayor is very motivated to help his people to become more self reliant and be able to forge their way out of the depths of poverty and hardship.  He was kind enough to show us his community and how they are working hard to improve their surroundings.  He even opened a small grocery store in the middle of the community to provide for the needs of the people.  His development team has a very active group of men who are supervising the remodeling and upgrading of the houses in the village.  Again, these are exactly the types of villages we like to partner with because they have a support group in the municipality to help and encourage them to progress and achieve worthy goals.

Next year we hope to help remodel a building in the village which will house a healthcare facility.  There goal is to provide a facility which will attract a full time physician to come and provide healthcare to not only the Roma population but everyone in the Village.    

The mayor and his secretary took us to the St John The Baptist monastery which is the largest monastery complex in Slovakia.  Premonstratesians arrived here in the 12th century before the Tartar invasion to the kingdom of Hungary.  This monastery was built on the site of an older Gothic building in 1766.  We are amazed at all the history in central Europe and enjoy seeing it first hand.  We love Slovakia!

Following our visit to Jasov we headed north to Lemešany and visited the Roma village there.  We went from one of the hallmark examples of progress in Roma villages to one of the worst examples.  Sanitation is their biggest obstacle.  We couldn't believe what we were witnessing as we observed the garbage and sewage contaminating the water that runs through the village.  Unfortunately, this village does not have the support of the municipality to resolve the major problems they are dealing with.  Rasto set some guidelines and standards for the Development Team and the municipality and one day hopefully the Church will be able to assist with some of the problems this community is facing.

Week 30 took us off with one of our managers from Frankfurt, Coraline.  We traveled to Kalinov where the Church did a project to install a commercial oven in a home for handicapped adults.  Also provided electric beds and various hospital equipment.  Periodically we have a visit from one of the Managers who come and do long term evaluations on projects which were done several years ago.  It is always enjoyable to go and visit these facilities and see how the projects the Church has participated in have blessed the lives of the residents.

The next day we travelled to Giraltocvce and visited the Skola Spojena Dukelska where the Church helped create a sensory classroom for special needs children.

We then travelled to Nová Ľubovňa and met with Catholic Charities Dom Charitas SV. Jana Alumznika.  We were able to observe the electric hospital beds provided to a facility where they house long term disabled adults.  Even though these were not our projects, it is rewarding to witness the dedicated work of our predecessors.

So ends another month of excitement, exhaustion, confusion and everything else that comes with this important work.  But most importantly, we recognize everyday  the blessings of doing the Lord's work.  We love the people of Slovakia.  They have been so kind and helpful.  They genuinely appreciate the work the Church is doing in their country.  They have opened their doors and their hearts to us and blessed us in ways we couldn't have ever imagined.

WE LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL!