2021 AT PHOENIX HOME AND PHOENIX CENTRE
WOW! What a year; intense, productive, and powerful but extremely difficult. A year when we all had to come to grips with the pandemic and learn how to live with it and still live full, productive lives.
I want to thank the many of you who, despite coping with COVID-related realities in your lives, continued to believe in and support the work of Phoenix and our programs. Thanks to you, we’ve managed to safely re-open and operate both the Day Centre and our Early Intervention and Rehabilitation Programs!
We’ve also begun taking in residents at Phoenix Home for the elderly – the fulfilment of another dream! It’s heart-warming to watch them flower in community with others, to learn about their lives, and to provide a warm, comfortable, welcoming home in which to find satisfaction and fellowship. Among them are teachers, musicians, nurses, and others and we encourage moments of interaction between them and the youth Phoenix Centre, something from which both parties’ benefit.
Speaking of Phoenix Centre, we also managed to have the very first Summer Camp for children with special needs! Kids of all ages, and from three organisations took part. The theme was the Olympic Games, and the kids participated enthusiastically in educational games, wheelchair races, board games, stories, jokes, and songs around the evening fire, all capped off with fireworks. Though in some ways limited, our kids are like kids everywhere, and they know how to have a good time!
And then . . .
PHOENIX POOL
A project that was proven to be most difficult in all my years of charity work. The original contractor was well into this costly project when the inspector arrived for his first look, and we discovered they had done everything wrong. It all had to be torn out. My heart broke.
It was back to the drawing board. The good news is – against all odds -we did it! Phoenix Pool and Aqua Centre – a beautiful warm waterswimming pool was open on 19th of September, and became fully operational on the 1st of November. Already 24 disabled people regularly find weightless relief in its warm waters, 39 kids from the surrounding area have learned to swim, 50 adults have signed up for membership, and there are more than 140 kids on the waiting list to sign up for lessons!
Needlessly to say the project is a beacon of light and brings a recreational opportunity to the citizens of Riscani and the region that’s never been available before.
We have not finished the full financial report of the pool, but the estimate is around 183000 euro project.
DELIVERING AID
We have managed to deliver and distribute four truckloads of aid. Hospital beds, wheelchairs, crutches, clothes and school bags, much needed personal protective equipment were distributed to:
Autism Hope – the centre founded by over 40 mothers who have children with Autism that we helped set up.
Three homes, specially-designed for children with Special Needs – in the Falesti district. The boys and young men In these homes come from orphanages and, thanks to the opportunities the homes provide, are beginning to make a life for themselves surrounded by people who recognize their value as human beings. Aid was also delivered to hospitals, families in need, prison for minor children, Hospice Angelus, and other centres that offer much-needed social services.
It is so encouraging that services like these for the disabled and disadvantaged are slowly but surely are being developed in Moldova, a country where, historically, these people were just shunted aside and kept out of site with no hope, no life, no dreams. Such a waste.
Our vision all along the way has been that Phoenix would be a model for similar centres throughout the country, not just a pipe-dreams-and-paper template but living proof that it can be done.
As we step into 2022, we reach another amazing milestone – MAD-Aid’s 10th year of operation! What began as a simple act of charity and kindness has grown to embrace hundreds, thousands of people in many nations, those who serve, who volunteer, who contribute, who pray, and those are being served. 10 years! I’m both humbled and proud, if that’s possible. It must be, because I am.
Every single act of kindness, every single life of a kid who was impacted, every single wheelchair that gave freedom and mobility to someone, every dirty, rusty bed hospital bed that was thrown out and replaced with a comfortable new one, every tear that was dried, every pain that was cared for, every heart that is being healed is all thanks to every single one of you who, in whatever way you could, took Phoenix into your embrace.
THANK YOU! We will soon complete the 10-Year Overview. A limited number will be available in print on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you’d like to receive a hard copy, email me your address and I’ll put you on the list.
You also could join us for the 10th Aniversary Gala still a few tickets left – Get Yours Now!
In meantime Happy New Year!
Thank you
Victoria and her elves from around the world.