Not Your Typical Vacation

For most people, vacations are often respites from the stress of everyday life and the drudgery of work. The word "vacation" evokes images of cocktails on the beach and jaunts through pastoral fields, but for one Moorpark family, summer vacation wasn't an attempt to escape. Instead, it was an opportunity for them to develop a deep appreciation for their blessings and lend a helping hand to some of those who need it the most.

The Stopher family spent the last two weeks of July and the beginning of August volunteering at an orphanage in Marghita, Romania. The town is in the county of Bihor, one of the poorest areas in the depressed nation.

The family learned about the opportunity through their oldest son, Todd. A student at USC and a member of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Todd traveled to Romania last year with his college church group, AXIS.

"Our son came back from Romania a changed person," said Jamie Stopher, Todd's mother.

Todd was so enamored with the people he met in Romania that he dedicated his entire fall semester to finding a way to return.

In addition to taking 18 hours of classes a week, Todd managed to find a full-time job and save enough money to return to Romania during his winter break. He took his girlfriend with him. When the Stophers noticed a remarkable attitude transformation upon their return, they decided it was time for a family trip to Romania.

Get By With a Little Help

Romania is nestled in southeastern Europe, wedged between Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova and the Black Sea. The area has been an historic battlefield with a myriad of conquerors, including the Persians, Romans, Ottomans, Austro-Hungarians and Russians, all claiming rule of the country at some point over the last two millennia.

Romania had autonomous rule for a 100-year period beginning in the mid-19th century but was eventually taken over by the Soviet bloc after World War II. Beginning in 1989, Romania was granted self rule once more. Despite a drastic depression in the 1990s, the nation is considered one of Europe's fastest-growing economies.

Even though the economy is expanding and Romania is set to become a part of the European Union in 2007, the country is still plagued with poverty, especially in the rural areas. Government programs such as orphanages often rely on foreign assistance.

"The orphanage we worked with is headed by a Swedish foundation and takes volunteers from all over the world who come and work with the children for as long or as short a period as one is able to committ," Jamie said.

Organizations such as the Foundation Christiana Elim, the volun

eer program the Stophers worked with, are the only hope for the 9,000 babies abandoned in Romania each year. Established in 1990 by Lars and Barbro Gustavsson, the Swed

sh foundation runs orphanages as well as hospitals and programs for older children.

Romania's child-abandonment problems are made worse by the fact that the country has put a halt

o international adoptions of its orphans during its bid to become a part of the European Union.

My House Is Your House

During their trip, the Stophers volunteered at Casa Alba, an orphanage that houses 25 children. The first five days were spent at a camp run by the foundation.

"We took care of the children by feeding and bathing them, helping the sick ones, doing crafts with them, taking them for walks, putting them to bed," Jamie said.

Upon returning to the city of Marghita from the camp, the family dedicated time to rebuilding the orphanage's playground in addition to daily tasks such as cooking meals and doing laundry.

"We wanted to show them what a family was like by having them join us for meals and spending the night with us," Jamie said.

The main reason the Stopher family decided to travel to Marghita was a personal connection Todd had developed with a young boy named Adi.

During his first trip to Romania, Todd met Kari Penner, another volunteer from Simi Valley. Kari had discovered Romania through her church group as well, but instead of returning to the States, she decided to spend some extra time in the area.

Kari became enamored with a young boy named Adi, who was very sick with neuroblastoma, a form of brain cancer. Todd was introduced to the young boy through Kari and, after hearing of his plight, realized he might be able to help.

The cancer drug Adi needed wasn't available in Romania, but Todd's mother had recently fought off a bout of breast cancer. Todd contacted his mother's oncologist to get the needed medication and obtained permission to have Adi flown to the United States over Christmas break. Adi was checked into the City of Hope, where the needed drugs were administered and he recuperated from his illness.

"Kari and Adi were a major reason for us choosing to go to Romania and not on a typical summer vacation," Jamie Stopher said. "Our younger son, Philip, who attends Moorpark High School, wouldn't even let us think about going somewhere else."

The Stophers all agree that the trip, one of the best family outings they could have experienced, changed their perspective on life.