Trip to Soroca 2017

Once the idea to form this Foundation came to the mind of its founders, the desire arose to actually visit one of the place where so many of our supporters find their roots. The Soroca City of Moldova is the place that a lot of Eastern European Immigrants can associate with.  Speaking of the Romani people of America, they can definitely see why Soroca is such dear place. This city hosts the largest concentration of the Roma people in Moldova and is the home of the Roma Baron (Romani King) of all Roma of Moldova Artur Cenrari. The trip to Soroca led us to the welcoming and beautiful house of Mr. Cerari.

His big house has seen prominent guests such as the U.S. Ambassador to Moldova William Moser and the Head of the European Union Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiol.  We also had a chance to know better this man, to know his story, his aspirations, and his dreams. His grey beard is immaculate. He is a warm and charming person. The most famous “King of the Gypsies,” was the legendary Baron Mircea Cerari, the father of the current Baron. Artur Cerari, the King’s son, a Baron himself, and the successor, remembers his father with bright eyes and melancholy.

After a wonderful meal with Romani style stuffed cabbage with turkey bones, Mamaliga (traditional Moldovan bread), and Romani style roasted turkey served with a delightful Moldovan cognac and a Romani salute, we got to work. We drove around and distributed Christmas present to the poor and earth-forgotten Romani children and seniors.

Our first stop was visiting one of the public housing, a soviet style old building,  that housed tens of  Roma children and there we distributed chocolates, sweets and sodas which cheered that cold winter day. So many of them see this kinds of treats so rarely in their life and it cheered us even more to hear their sincere  thanks and smiles on their faces.

Next stop was visiting households of Roma seniors to whom we distributed basic foods such as sunflower oil, wheat flour, rice, and canned turkey. For most of them this would be the ingredients used to prepare their holiday meals and we were grateful to help them doing that.  

The Eastern European Immigrant Hope Foundation achieved one its first projects: to put smiles on people’s faces during the past winter holidays and we want to set-up the pathway for future charitable activities with your help. Most of us are immigrants of Eastern European Immigrants or their descendants and