The only picture we had of Anya from Muldova
After flying into Bucharest Romania we traveled to Campulung and remained there for a day. We then traveled 10 hours to Chisinau, Moldova in search of Anya, a baby girl that had been abandoned and left at an orphanage.

A couple in the U.S. had asked that we check on her. They were wanting to adopt and this was the child they were considering.

Along the way I was fortunate to photograph the Romanian countryside. Horse drawn wagons were common. At one point we were able to talk with a farmer through the interpreter that was with us.


Transportation by horse and wagon is still quite common in rural areas of Romania and Muldova
At the border of Romania and Moldova we were detained through a series of six check points. We were nervous about the whole process. Each time we had to show our passports and were asked the purpose of our trip.

At one point the van was sprayed to disinfect it against the hoof and mouth disease. At the last checkpoint we were approached by a military officer. We knew our papers were in order, but anything was possible that could put us into some sort of jeopardy.

Our fears were quickly dismissed when he stated that he was simply looking for a group that could provide a safe escort for a young lady going to Chisinau. She became our answer to prayer. We had no idea where to find a certain area of Chisinau when we arrived, a city of 600,000 people, but she did. Some people might say it was coincidence, but I say it was God!

In Chisinau, Moldova, a communist controlled country, we were escorted by our Moldovan contact to an apartment to find out information about Anya. Upon arrival we met a young lady who spoke Russian. Our Moldovan contact interpreted for us.

She told us that the mother of the child had reclaimed the child from the orphanage. It was very disappointing to hear this after traveling such a long distance. We expected all would go well. We had planned to see the child, take pictures of her and the other children in the orphanage, and leave a stuffed animal with the little girl.
Before leaving Chisinau, I asked the Russian interpreter if she would mind having her picture taken holding the stuffed animal that we had brought for Anya so the couple in the U.S. would have something to see from our trip to Chisinau. She agreed.


Evangelist Brackman and our Russian interpreter
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