Claudia is a 19 year old orphan who has spent the last 5 years on the street. Life has been very difficult for her. One year ago she was gang raped in a park and as a result became pregnant. She is now 1-2 weeks away from a "possible" delivery but has severe medical problems. According to the doctor she will not be able to give a normal delivery because once again she was raped by a large group during her pregnancy and this caused the problems she is having now. She is now in the hospital and suffering much pain. She has not only been battered physically but mentally as well. She has withdrawn inward and talks to no one. Only God knows what else she has had to endure. She would communicate with me through e-mail but due to her condition I have not spoken with her for weeks. News I receive comes through a friend who visits her daily. But the only words she speaks are .......is Domnul (Mr.) Bob going to help me????? Will we have to go back on the street????
I helped her and another girl with a newborn get an apartment. Claudia was able to find a job and worked for 4-5 months before her pregnacy became a problem. Her salary was small but bless her heart she used her earnings to buy milk, food, and other necessities for the 3 month child of her roommate. Although Claudia had nothing she used what little she did receive for others. (A lesson that would be good for many of us). She also worked in pain for several weeks as the pregnancy caused her to develop dental problems. She had never been to a dentist while at the orphanage. Nearly every tooth needed treatment. But until all work could be finished she would cry during most of her work shift due to pain. It costs about $10-$15 to have a tooth pulled in Romania so you can imagine what $1000 worth of dental work must have involved. Once this was all resolved on came the pregnancy problems.
Without help she would simply become another fatality of the heartless orphanage system, a name forgotten, unknown by the world. However I see her as more than this. If you could only read the e-mails I have received from her you would cry as I do.
This is only one of dozens of stories I could tell...............
UPDATE:
Claudia's baby is doing fine, however, funds to support a child are not. With continued medical costs for others and basic living assistance for those I support, there is nothing left to provide for the child. Rent and utilities for her small apartment (which she shares with another orphan) have increased greatly especially with the need to pay for heat this winter. She and her roomate have not worked for the last 6 weeks as the factory has closed until the end of January, so they have lost their small income. Because of the above the baby has been placed in "plasement" a sort of social service agency in Romania where the child will be cared for until a home can be found. The baby was not receiving proper nutrition or care, this was the only choice.