At the beginning of September, we celebrated the wedding of Ciprian and Monica, two companions from our community. The perfect reason to discover their journey and their meeting within Emmaüs. Meeting with Ciprian.
Hello, can you introduce yourself?
Hello, I’m Ciprian. I have been an Emmaus companion for 7-8 years now. Thanks to Emmaüs, I stopped drinking alcohol, because it is forbidden here. To stay, I had to stop drinking, and it saved me. I am really thankful to be in Emmaüs today. I had a good run: I got married, and now I want to start a family.
How did you find out about Emmaüs?
One of my friend told me about it… and so I came. I stayed in Popesti 4 years, then I moved to the community of Iasi, and I fell in love! I met a girl and we married each other.
How did you meet Monica? At Emmaüs, or you knew her before?
At Emmaüs. Actually we knew each other, but we were just friends. We really learned about one another at Emmaüs. At first we were more like brother and sister, then lovers, then husband and wife.
And last year… what happened?
The civil ceremony. And in September, the religious wedding. On this day, we were surrounded by friends and colleagues, it was wonderful. We had a great wedding ceremony. This month, it will be one year since we had the civil wedding.
And should you do something to celebrate that?
Yes, usually you do. Typically you do something for the anniversary of the civil wedding, and something for the anniversary of the religious wedding. I shall talk with Gelu to organize a small gathering at the community.
Can you tell us about your future projects?
Yes, of course. First, I would like to start a family. Then, we would like to stay at Emmaüs, because Emmaüs did so much for us… it would be a shame no to continue a little bit longer with Emmaüs. Not as companions. We would stay to be involved in the Belvedere project. It will give us some advantages and we would like that.
So now you are at the community in Iasi, and then you will move to the Belvedere. What will you do there?
Work. For Emmaüs. At the shop.
Great. So you did leave in the countryside, then in the city… then it will be the Belvedere. It’s quite an isolated place, aren’t your worried?
No, it will be great, because it will be ours. A little piece of land, where to grow what we want. I dreamt of it so much! I’m not worried because it will be good for us. To have our own place, our own house, that’s something we have been wishing for a long time.
One last word?
I’m really thankful to be where I am now. I thank god I am in good health and to have everything I wish for, thanks to Emmaüs. I wish to stay in Emmaüs for a long time… with my wife.