In spring of 2003 we traveled to Romania to begin our first major reconstruction project, an elementary/middle school in a remote mountain village. Scarisoara school lacked sanitary facilities, adequate heating system, and functional doors and windows. During the harsh winter months teachers and students were forced to remain fully clothed wearing coats, hats, and gloves and had to get up every 15 minutes to walk around to prevent them from freezing. The object of the reconstruction was to upgrade the quality of the school by installing thermal windows and doors, replace the old ceramic tile heaters with a central heating system, and build indoor bathroom facilities. The outhouse was primitive at best, with Turkish style holes in the ground and filth on the floor and walls

There was no water facility or any other form of sanitation. We built an addition to the school to house the new lavatories, one for the teachers and five for the students. It includes sinks with running water, liquid soap, and electric hand dryers. The new tiled bathrooms are a stark contrast to the inhuman, abhorrent, and revolting conditions that existed before. The new heating system is a hot water circulation system powered by a central boiler with its own water storage room. There are a total of fifty radiators one for every window in the school. The windows as well as the entry doors are thermal double pane to provide maximum insulation and protection against the severe elements in this area where winters are very cold and long.

We finished this project with the help of the entire community who was actively involved in completing it in less than four weeks. In addition to the structural changes done to the school we negotiated as part of the contract the equipping of the computer lab with twenty new computers.

Update

In May, 2005, we returned to Scarisoara to build a playground for the elementary school children. We purchased the equipment in the United States and shipped it prior to our arrival in Romania. We were present when the playground was assembled and were thrilled to witness the joy that all the children experienced when they began playing. They had never been on swings or slides before.