A few weeks ago we decided to do more than just browse the humanitarian announcements, and help those who need us the most. The first google search turned out provitaortodoxa.ro, a site that shows a lot about orthodoxism. Entering the site, we discover pictures with children, pictures with a priest, pictures with a village ... it was Valea Plopului, a dreamy place which we immediatly decided to visit because we couldn't believe that there are over 220 children that live there without their families. Volunteer in Romania Valea Plopului

This is how we left for Ploiesti, Valenii de Munte and then Valea Plopului near Valea Screzii. We got lost, as was expected, but almost like a miracle, a car stoped in front of us, the driver knew were we were heading and showed us how to get there. At approximately lunch time we entered one of the three houses already built, eager to see the little orphans. In the first house there were the infants ... around ten of them. They were sleeping soundly, tucked in by the nurses. Because the kids are grouped by age, in the second house we found little elementary schoolers who had their timetable on the entrance wall. The timetable showed activities like the daily prayers, cleaning and going to school. Everywhere one could see vivid colorful paintings made by the most talented of them: painted walls, icons painted on wood, paper drawings. In the third house there were gimnazium and high school children, some of them no longer having that serene look, because they have realized where they are and are searching for a way to attend a good school that can provide a better education. All of them greet us happily, almost accustomed to strangers, hoping that they will be helped.

But soon we are joined by father Tanase, the one who founded this place, who lives to help these children. He talks resolute, emphasizing that although the association that he supports is called Provita, it isn't an aggresive association against abortion like the one with the same name in the USA. It is just a naming coincidence. In any circumstances he strongly advises, like any other priest, the mothers must not kill their babies. This advice is what led to the increase in the number of children that stay here. The mothers bring their children to Valea Plopului until they manage to find a suitable source of income. But this isn't how things actually started. It all started with a miracle in the life of the priest. It was a winter day and he found 5 little ones on the porch of his home, all of the five having ages between 3 and 5 days. He didn't know what to do with them, so he went through the village with the children tucked in a blanket. People would ask him out of curiosity what did he have there, and he told them he had little children and would ask them if they wanted to adopt one. Until the end of the day he had managed to find for the little ones warm harted families. Even today, out of the 220 children, 150 stay with families in the village, families that think of them as their own children. Volunteer in Romania Valea Plopului

We were wondering how does the priest handle all of the work, where does he get all of the money to raise all of these children. The resorces don't come from social funds as we thought, but from people who have seen these children, people who come from far away to help and support this initiative. This is how they managed to build 3 houses that are home to 60 children. But the needs are great: a boiler is required, another 2 houses are almost ready but have no windows and they are completly empty, the nurses need to be paid, children need food, medicine, clothes, writing materials for school and many more. Everything is welcomed in the little household. Every gesture is repaid with at least a thanking prayer. I would like for you to see how much they need our help, how every little thing we do means a great deal to these children. We all felt that we can give the little ones a chance, that this is really up to us, that next time we will help them more, that we should all tell that there is a place where we can truly help.