Worldmade Wheelchair Project

The Worldmade Wheelchair Project provided 355 unassembled rough terrain wheel chairs to the Society of the Disabled. The unassembled wheel chairs came via shipping container. Our project involved training disabled individuals to prescribe and assemble custom made wheel chairs designed for outdoor use. This project constitutes a ‘first’ in Moldova. Now, wheelchairs can be prescribed by disabled people for other disabled people. This is ‘people helping people’ in a most remarkable way. The training lasted 6 days and culminated with a big ceremony and celebration. The Moldovan Minister of Labor was present along with the Vice-Mayor of Chisinau. The President of the Chisinau District was also present.

School 145

School 145 is another kindergarten in Chisinau that was in great need of new tables and chairs. LDS Charities provided 18 tables and 108 chairs for this school. The children loved their new table and chairs so much the teachers said that when the parents came to pick the children up that the children didn’t want to go home, they wanted to stay and sit in their new chairs. We had such a good time at the closing ceremony for this school. The children put on a wonderful fall celebration with singing and dancing, and they asked Elder Hinson and me to participate. We learned a Moldovan dance. Great Fun!!!

Ziua de Chisinau

On October 8th Chisinau celebrated their founding day.  The city was founded in 1436 and they celebrate this day every year.  This celebration reminds me of our State and County fairs.  They close the main street in Chisinau (Stefen Cel Mare) and have vendors selling goods, displays of Moldovan life, bands playing traditional music, food (lots of Moldovan food), children preforming, etc. going on.  We had a good time walking up and down the street watching everyone enjoying the celebration.

Water Pojects signed in Colibasi, and Valeni

Elder Hinson and I just signed two more water project contracts for LDS Charities to provide clean water to the villages of Colibasi, and Valeni. We now have 4 water projects in the works, with one more pending. Both of these villages are in the southernmost part of Moldova. None of the village schools, health facilities, or public offices has running water in them. The homes in these villages do not have running water. Water is obtained from public wells, and is carried and stored in cistern located outside the buildings and retrieved with dip buckets as needed. When these projects are complete they will bring clean water to about 9,500 villagers. We are so excited to work with these two villages. They have worked hard to get their engineering designs completed, organize their water committees, and collect their money to implement these water projects. We are really helping people help themselves.