Romania: Camp Romania:
Testimonies
"Many of us had been before and had made
good friendships with children who we've been able to see grow
up. This is what makes each trip so special. I feel very close
to many, think about them all the time, and look forward to
going back to Romania to see them again." Yvette
Hampson
“A Fantastic experience, a real eye
opener and I can’t wait to go back.”
Alison Picton describing her first
time on the trip
“I enjoyed being part of the team
and taking the children away was a lot of fun! I also made some
really good friends in the orphanage.”
Amy Jones talking about her third
trip
"Once again a well worthwhile trip.
The kindness and love towards the children was overwhelming,
they can’t wait for the next holiday.”
Bill Hampson Director of Camp Romania
“Thank you for everything!”
Ion Vlasici - Director of the Lugoj
Orphanage/Special School
Reports from Previous
Trips
2006
Some young people might prefer a holiday in Zante, Ibiza or
Malia to a trip to an orphanage - staying in less than 3-star
accommodation with a dozen or so boisterous Romanian orphans.
But out there are hundreds of our young people, ready, willing
and extremely able. They put a lie to this so called ‘Generation
X’ with their ipods and MP3 players seemingly glued to
their ears. This summer a group of 20 youngsters took part in
The Epiphany Trust’s 15th Camp Romania. For 2 weeks in
August they gave up the comforts of home, to travel to the west
of Romania where for one week they organised activities for
children in the Lugoj orphanage, then a further week was spent
taking them on holiday to Sinaia, a mountain resort in the south.
These children although living in an orphanage often have parents,
but parents too poor to look after them or on court orders for
fear of parental abuse. For nearly all, this was their first
ever holiday.
Since the graphic scenes of squalid Romanian orphanages were
broadcast to the world in 1990, young people have been at the
forefront of helping these abandoned children. Well over 300
UK youngsters have now taken part in Camp Romania’s 15
year history. No sign there of the selfishness of the ‘Generation
X’.
The aim of Camp Romania is always to provide new life experiences
for the children of Lugoj. Throughout the stay in the institution
our young people took ownership of the project, organising a
mini Olympics; with sack and 3 legged races the highlight. They
created a Chinese Dragon and completed the week with a “Festival
de Moda” – a fashion show to those of us who don’t
speak Romanian – not to mention the face painting; hair
braiding; bracelet making and nail varnishing. The bonds of
friendship created in this period were very strong. Once in
Sinaia the children were given their first taste of a host of
pastimes we all take for granted – from eating ice cream,
or visiting a Salt Mine to just wandering around town with £2
in your pocket to spend.
The feedback from the returning groups this year, as always,
was extremely positive and some amazing experiences were had
– the benefits of the trip are truly mutual, both English
and Romanians gaining much from the fortnight. Most are surprised
at how the language barrier is such a minor hindrance to communication.
Many from Lugoj speak broken English but are happy just showing
their ‘guests’ around their home, their dormitory
and their prized possessions of maybe a book, a tape or something
they have made. All they want is family, friendship, time, and
love.
The young people financed their own trip and the cost of an
orphan’s holiday through fund raisers such as bag packs,
cake sales, garden parties, talks, and sponsored events.
2005
The aim of Camp Romania is always to provide
a new life experience for the children of Lugoj Orphanage. Due
to the popularity of our annual summer trip, two groups had
to be formed this year to cope with demand. As in previous years,
the format consisted of a group of youngsters from here in the
UK travelling to Lugoj, staying for nearly a week and then taking
a couple of dozen orphans into the Carpathian Mountains for
a holiday of a lifetime. Throughout the stay in the institution
all sorts of games and activities are organised such as football,
basketball, art & craft work and just relaxing together.
The bonds of friendship created in this period often last far
beyond the visit. Once in Sinaia many orphans are given their
first taste of a host of pastimes we all take for granted –
eating out, wandering around town, shopping in a market, having
parties and barbeques in the sun.
The feedback from the returning groups this
year, as always, was extremely positive and some amazing experiences
were had – the benefits of the trip are truly mutual, both English
and Romanians gaining much from the fortnight. Most are surprised
at how the language barrier is such a minor hindrance to communication.
Many from Lugoj speak broken English but are happy just showing
their ‘guests’ around their home, their dormitory and their
prized possessions of maybe a book, a tape or something they
have made. All they want is family, friendship, time, and love.
The two camp Romania trips this August had
a good balance of newcomers and experience. This helped in making
it such a wonderful holiday for the Romanian children. For Yvette
Hampson this was her sixth time. She commented on the trip:
“Many of us had been before and had made good friendships with
children who we’ve been able to see grow up. This is what makes
each trip so special. I feel very close to many, think about
them all the time, and look forward to going back to Romania
to see them again.”
Well over 300 people have now taken part
in Camp Romania’s 14-year history, and it shows no sign of stopping
there!
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2003
As with previous trips a group mainly from the north-west
of England ventured out to Romania with the intentions of taking
orphaned children on a holiday. The Epiphany Trust has long
lasting relationships with the orphanage/ special school in
Lugoj and with the mountain resort of Sinaia, the two destinations
of the trip.
Earlier in the year Carol Jones, a dedicated campaigner for
Epiphany’s Romania Appeals, died of cancer at the age of
56. Carol’s family thought it a fitting tribute to donate
money raised in her memory to a cause that was so close to her
heart. Carol’s daughter, Amy, 17, joined the group for
her third Camp Romania.
This was the first year in which we were able to take two groups
of children away so giving opportunity for more of the disadvantaged
and disabled children to enjoy a wonderful holiday. Memories
that will stay with the children include being on local television,
water fights, visiting their nation’s capital, Bucharest
and shopping for toys.
Thinking of a particular memory that puts the “icing on
the cake” is tough. Just take it there’s a whole lot
of icing on this cake!
^^top
2002
Twenty seven people, mostly teenagers, returned
in late August from an annual summer trip to Romania, well beating
the number of eighteen in 2001. Organised by Epiphany Trust
the group spent a week looking after and arranging activity
programmesfor children at the orphanage in Lugoj. A week later
they took sixteen disabled children on the first holiday of
their lives, to Sinaia, a resort in the Carpathian mountains,
and a town with a special ten year relationship with our work.
The children had a wonderful holiday of first-time experiences,
riding on a train, visiting a castle, taking a cable-car ride
to the top of a mountain, and ordering their own food from a
restaurant menu. It was a great learning experience too for
everyone from England, who had travelled by coach accross Europe,
and who were continuing an annual programme started in the year
following the Romanian revolution.
Everyone raised funds to cover both the cost of their own trip
and all the expenses of the Romanian group.
Already plans are being made for a number of trips in 2003
with, hopefully, even more people joining the group. If you
would like to be involved, drop the Trust office a line or email
bill@epiphany.org.uk
for all the details.
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