Monday, February 11, 2013
Monday, February 28, 2011
ABRO Final Presentation
ABRO Presentation
Here is a link to a short video presentation that was played during our church services last week.
Here is a link to a short video presentation that was played during our church services last week.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Last day in Belarus
I leave for home tomorrow and I can't wait. It starts with a 3 hour drive to Minsk, then a 2 1/2 hour flight to Frankfurt. Unfortunately, I have to spend the night in Germany and head home on Saturday. I'm praying that the trip seems shorter going home, but somehow I think it will be longer if that is possible.
First let me tell you about today. Irina picked Krystina, Olya and I up at 9:30 this morning. We had some shopping to finish. Irina took us to what they call the bazaar. It is an outdoor market where all the vendors are set up in little tents. I have no problem with that, except it was 2 degrees this morning.
The first thing the girls needed was jeans. So, here we are standing outside in 2 degree temperature and the girls are trying on jeans. Thank goodness they were wearing long tights, but they still must have been freezing. The cold weather was all the encouragement for the girls to make a quick decision. It only took a couple of minutes for them to find something they liked. Most consumer goods are generally cheaper here in Belarus, jeans and boots do not fall into that category. The jeans are more expensive here and came to about $40 for one pair. Good thing one pair each was all they needed.
A couple of other quick stops to put the finishing touches on the shopping. I'm very glad to have completed all the shopping I will do for the year. One last stop at Lenin Square for the girls to go down the death slide one more time....
Once the girls successfully navigated the ice on the slide we headed to the Deaf Society to meet Frank and Joe. The Deaf Society is a factory that employees over 150 deaf people. The factory makes door handles and window hinges and a few similar items. If they work in the factory they are allowed to live in the apartment building next door. It kind of reminds me of indentured servants. Next to that is a community center. In Belarus if you are different in any way or have any type of disability you are shunned by society. There are very few places that would hire a deaf person, so they have little choice. Not exactly the EEOC around here.
Frank and Joe went on a tour of the factory and I stayed with the children. I took the tour last year and I didn't want the children walking around in there. It is a very dangerous place, lots of machinery with very little safety. Not to mention the fumes and other chemicals floating around in the air. In any event, it was not a place for children, as a matter of fact it was no place for humans. I guess the deaf in Belarus don't need a safe place to work, at least that's what it appears the governments opinion is.
Here are a couple of pictures from last year:
After the factory tour Frank came up to me and said that he would rather be unemployed than work in a place like that.
A short walk and we were in the apartment building next to the factory. We visited a couple of different floors than last year. The smell was so bad last year I could hardly stand it. This year, it wasn't quite as bad. The building was set up kind of like a dorm, except whole families lived there. Each family had a one room apartment and it didn't matter how large or small the family was. The room was no bigger than 10x12. Eight families shared one bathroom, one kitchen and one laundry room....that's right, I said EIGHT.
There weren't a lot of children their today as the parents had to work and the children were off of school. They told me that most of the children were sent to grandparents or a friends house as they don't have any other kind of child care available. I did meet a nice boy named Nikita and it would be great if we could find a host family for next summer.
Back to the ARK house to start the process of packing and making sure Krystina and Olya get enough hugs. Please pray for these children and the people of Belarus. I have hope that these children can have a better life. All things are possible through God. (I need to keep reminding myself sometimes)
It was hard work but, I have enjoyed the experience and know that this kind of trip can change a persons perspective.
I am looking forward to seeing all of my family and friends again soon. By this time tomorrow with any luck I will be in Frankfurt. Thank you so much for following along.
First let me tell you about today. Irina picked Krystina, Olya and I up at 9:30 this morning. We had some shopping to finish. Irina took us to what they call the bazaar. It is an outdoor market where all the vendors are set up in little tents. I have no problem with that, except it was 2 degrees this morning.
The first thing the girls needed was jeans. So, here we are standing outside in 2 degree temperature and the girls are trying on jeans. Thank goodness they were wearing long tights, but they still must have been freezing. The cold weather was all the encouragement for the girls to make a quick decision. It only took a couple of minutes for them to find something they liked. Most consumer goods are generally cheaper here in Belarus, jeans and boots do not fall into that category. The jeans are more expensive here and came to about $40 for one pair. Good thing one pair each was all they needed.
A couple of other quick stops to put the finishing touches on the shopping. I'm very glad to have completed all the shopping I will do for the year. One last stop at Lenin Square for the girls to go down the death slide one more time....
Once the girls successfully navigated the ice on the slide we headed to the Deaf Society to meet Frank and Joe. The Deaf Society is a factory that employees over 150 deaf people. The factory makes door handles and window hinges and a few similar items. If they work in the factory they are allowed to live in the apartment building next door. It kind of reminds me of indentured servants. Next to that is a community center. In Belarus if you are different in any way or have any type of disability you are shunned by society. There are very few places that would hire a deaf person, so they have little choice. Not exactly the EEOC around here.
Frank and Joe went on a tour of the factory and I stayed with the children. I took the tour last year and I didn't want the children walking around in there. It is a very dangerous place, lots of machinery with very little safety. Not to mention the fumes and other chemicals floating around in the air. In any event, it was not a place for children, as a matter of fact it was no place for humans. I guess the deaf in Belarus don't need a safe place to work, at least that's what it appears the governments opinion is.
Here are a couple of pictures from last year:
After the factory tour Frank came up to me and said that he would rather be unemployed than work in a place like that.
A short walk and we were in the apartment building next to the factory. We visited a couple of different floors than last year. The smell was so bad last year I could hardly stand it. This year, it wasn't quite as bad. The building was set up kind of like a dorm, except whole families lived there. Each family had a one room apartment and it didn't matter how large or small the family was. The room was no bigger than 10x12. Eight families shared one bathroom, one kitchen and one laundry room....that's right, I said EIGHT.
There weren't a lot of children their today as the parents had to work and the children were off of school. They told me that most of the children were sent to grandparents or a friends house as they don't have any other kind of child care available. I did meet a nice boy named Nikita and it would be great if we could find a host family for next summer.
Back to the ARK house to start the process of packing and making sure Krystina and Olya get enough hugs. Please pray for these children and the people of Belarus. I have hope that these children can have a better life. All things are possible through God. (I need to keep reminding myself sometimes)
It was hard work but, I have enjoyed the experience and know that this kind of trip can change a persons perspective.
I am looking forward to seeing all of my family and friends again soon. By this time tomorrow with any luck I will be in Frankfurt. Thank you so much for following along.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Cherikov
The last of our visits to orphanages/schools took place today. Cherikov is actually what they refer to as a shelter. I would call it almost a "pre" orphanage. When parents can't take care of a child or there is a situation of abuse, the government may take the child and place them in a shelter. They can live in the shelter for up to a year while their parents are given a chance to improve the living conditions or stop drinking or straighten out their lives. If the parents do not change, then the child is taken and placed in a permanent orphanage. Cherikov is a shelter that has mostly younger children, many are too young for the ABRO program.
The visit was similar to the visit to Ryasno in that we brought Ded Moroz with us. Again we danced around the Christmas tree and Ded Moroz handed out candy to the young smiling faces.
It breaks my heart to when I hear the stories of how some of these children live and how they were treated. A couple of years ago, I heard a story about a child from Cherikov whose parents kept them chained to the dog house. That might be an extreme case, but when alcoholism is involved great cruelity is often involved.
I am really dragging today. We now have a full house at the ARK house with the arrival of Joe, little Krystina and Marharyta. I was getting very little sleep before, now I'm getting even less. I caught my Krystina and Olya raiding the fridge again at 1:30, then the deaf girls were still making noise at 2:30. I might sleep for three days straight when I get home. These children have a rare opportunity to escape their harsh reality and have some fun, smile, laugh and be silly. The loss of a few hours sleep is a small price to pay to see these kids experience some joy. Haven't you ever heard the saying "I'll sleep when I'm dead?" I just hope that lack of sleep isn't what kills me....
Time here in Belarus is getting short and I can see the end quickly approaching. This is something that I am very much looking forward to, although I can't be too happy about it in front of my Krystina. She knows I am leaving soon too and is starting to show some of her sadness. It is not unusual for her to give me a hug and just start crying as she is thinking about me leaving (this might happen several times a day). Dealing with emotional women is difficult under any circumstance, but dealing with an emotional teenager who has very little hope in her life can be a tremendous weight to bare.
I try to explain that God has a plan for all of us and we just don't know what His plan is for her yet. I encourage her to keep looking to God for guidance. This is when I wish Leslie were here to talk to her. At this point I would look for a reason to do something else while Leslie talked through things with her.........ok, I know that is the easy way out, but YOU try dealing with these difficult situations. Anyway, I am having to deal with it and I can't run or hide. I am here trying to answer her tough questions and give her honest answers, trying to give her confidence that through God anything is possible.
Maybe it's the lack of sleep that's getting me all riled up, or the fact that you can't experience this type of trip without it taking its toll on you. Ok, I'm back under control.
Tomorrow I am taking Olya and Krystina shopping in the morning. I still need to get them jeans, tights, sneakers and Krystina wants a watch. If I get her a watch do you think she will stop asking me what time it is every 5 minutes????
After shopping we will be visiting the Deaf Society. To be honest with you, I am not looking forward to this. I visited there last year and it was one of the most difficult days I've had. If I said it was an awful place I would be grossly misrepresenting it. There are not enough adjectives to describe the filth, smell and horrendous living conditions. I'll try to explain more about it tomorrow, after our visit.
Man, I'm really all over the place tonight. It's time to come home.....
Here are a few pictures from Cherikov:
The visit was similar to the visit to Ryasno in that we brought Ded Moroz with us. Again we danced around the Christmas tree and Ded Moroz handed out candy to the young smiling faces.
It breaks my heart to when I hear the stories of how some of these children live and how they were treated. A couple of years ago, I heard a story about a child from Cherikov whose parents kept them chained to the dog house. That might be an extreme case, but when alcoholism is involved great cruelity is often involved.
I am really dragging today. We now have a full house at the ARK house with the arrival of Joe, little Krystina and Marharyta. I was getting very little sleep before, now I'm getting even less. I caught my Krystina and Olya raiding the fridge again at 1:30, then the deaf girls were still making noise at 2:30. I might sleep for three days straight when I get home. These children have a rare opportunity to escape their harsh reality and have some fun, smile, laugh and be silly. The loss of a few hours sleep is a small price to pay to see these kids experience some joy. Haven't you ever heard the saying "I'll sleep when I'm dead?" I just hope that lack of sleep isn't what kills me....
Time here in Belarus is getting short and I can see the end quickly approaching. This is something that I am very much looking forward to, although I can't be too happy about it in front of my Krystina. She knows I am leaving soon too and is starting to show some of her sadness. It is not unusual for her to give me a hug and just start crying as she is thinking about me leaving (this might happen several times a day). Dealing with emotional women is difficult under any circumstance, but dealing with an emotional teenager who has very little hope in her life can be a tremendous weight to bare.
I try to explain that God has a plan for all of us and we just don't know what His plan is for her yet. I encourage her to keep looking to God for guidance. This is when I wish Leslie were here to talk to her. At this point I would look for a reason to do something else while Leslie talked through things with her.........ok, I know that is the easy way out, but YOU try dealing with these difficult situations. Anyway, I am having to deal with it and I can't run or hide. I am here trying to answer her tough questions and give her honest answers, trying to give her confidence that through God anything is possible.
Maybe it's the lack of sleep that's getting me all riled up, or the fact that you can't experience this type of trip without it taking its toll on you. Ok, I'm back under control.
Tomorrow I am taking Olya and Krystina shopping in the morning. I still need to get them jeans, tights, sneakers and Krystina wants a watch. If I get her a watch do you think she will stop asking me what time it is every 5 minutes????
After shopping we will be visiting the Deaf Society. To be honest with you, I am not looking forward to this. I visited there last year and it was one of the most difficult days I've had. If I said it was an awful place I would be grossly misrepresenting it. There are not enough adjectives to describe the filth, smell and horrendous living conditions. I'll try to explain more about it tomorrow, after our visit.
Man, I'm really all over the place tonight. It's time to come home.....
Here are a few pictures from Cherikov:
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Bobruisk
It's 11:00 at night and I'm just now getting a chance to sit down. I'm not sure that what I write now will be a good representation of the events of the day. It might take me a little longer to process what happened today. It might be better if I just post a bunch of pictures instead of writing about it. A picture is worth a 1000 words, right? There is no way I have any intention of writing a 1000 words tonight.
Much to my surprise it wasn't snowing when I woke up this morning. It was cloudy and cold, but no snow. There was a 100k drive to Bobruisk ahead of us, so the day started early. On the trip with us this morning was Frank, Joe, Leah, Bobbie, Peggy, John, ABRO Lena, Yulianna, Anya, Krystina, Olya, Vadim and myself. All 13 of us piled into a van for the several hour trip. 100K is only about 67 miles, but on snow covered roads it takes a long time.
Lets see, I think I've introduced you to Leah and Bobbie in an earlier post. I don't think I've talked about Peggy and John yet. I first met Peggy and John last year on this trip, we talked some, but didn't really get to know each other much. I mostly knew them as the nice couple who brought salt and pepper with them to all of the meals at the orphanages we visited. The food we are served at the orphanages is very bland and they never have salt and pepper. John and Peggy figured out that if you want something here, you should bring it with you. Whenever we ate, we borrowed their salt and pepper and it became a little joke of the trip. This year they are staying at the ARK house with us and have an orphan, Anya with them. She is a very nice girl and has fit right in with Olya and Krystina. They are sharing a room together.
I'm very glad that John & Peggy decided to join us today. They are very kind people who have been involved in ABRO for many years and have been to Belarus 5 times. The love they have in their hearts for these children is very evident by their actions. I wish everyone could be more like Peggy and John, there would certainly be a lot less pain and suffering in this world.
The van was packed and we were wondering how little Krystina and Marharyta would fit as we were bringing them back to Mogilev with us. The van dropped us off at the Bobruisk school for the deaf. It is a boarding school where orphans and family children live and attend school together. It is the only school for deaf children in the Mogilev region. Last year some deaf children went to school in Mstislavl. This year they changed and moved all the deaf to Bobruisk. This has caused some overcrowing issues. In the bedrooms that were designed for 3 children now have 5 or 6 children living in them. The small beds are crammed in every room.
Overall the school was in pretty good condition. It was built 70 years ago, but it was certainly better than Mstislavl. However, the school has many needs.
Once again I had the honor of being the person to represent FCOB and present the school with gifts. We contacted the school ahead of our visit to find out what their needs were, they told us they needed medicine and sports equipment. After we dropped everyone off at the school, I left with ABRO Lena and a couple of the school administers. The first stop was the bank where I changed $1000 to Belarussian Rubles. Next stop was the pharmacy where I bought two medium size boxes of medicines like antibiotics, ointments and other necessities for your average sick child. I purchased enough of the medicines to last an entire year. The next stop was for sports equipment. I was told that the Bobruisk school won the gold medal in the Belarussian Deaf Olympics that were held last summer. They were very proud of their sports programs and many of the deaf children excel in sports. We loaded up on basetballs, volleyballs, ski poles, running shoes, ski boots, ping pong paddles and a few other things. When we returned to the school I asked Frank and the rest of the group to join me in presenting the stuff to the director of the school. It was a great feeling to be the messenger of such a wonderful gift. Many of the teachers came to thank us. The school nurse must have shook my hand 5 times.
While I was picking up the medicine and sports equipment, Joe was in the van going to pick up little Krystina and Marharyta. They were not at the school because they were at the sanatorium. In Russia, the sanatorium is kind of like a health spa (at least that's how it was described to me). It is a place where the children can improve their health and was a very good thing that these girls had an opportunity to spend some time there. Although, I'm sure Joe would have preferred to have those girls with him the entire time he is in Belarus.
When Joe returned you could see the joy in both his and little Krystina's faces.
We were then treated to a performance by some of the deaf children. It was a beautiful show that we all enjoyed.
After the performance we handed out some gifts to the children that John & Peggy had brought. There is a lot of truth to the saying "It is better to give than receive." I took several pictures of the children in hopes of finding host families for some of them this summer. If any of these children touch your heart enough for you to open up your home to them this summer please let me know.
It was getting dark and it was time for us to go. I wish we could have spent more time in Bobruisk and with the children. Time is not something I have a lot of right now. I have too many people left to see and only two days left in which to do it all. I am getting anxious to get home as my thoughts are with my wife and kids.
When we arrived back at the ARK house it was time to go again. No rest for the weary. I would have loved nothing better than to grab something quick to eat and go to bed. That was not to be. Kseniya and her dad were here to pick me, Olya and Krystina up to take us to his house for dinner. Kseniya, pronounced susha, is a very sweet girl who spent the summer with the Becky and Mark in Frederick. She spent many days and nights at our house hanging out with Olya, Grace and Jay. We loved having her visit.
Kseniya, Krystina and Olya became instant friends and it was great to hear them talking. I was the first American to visit their flat and they seemed very excited to have me there. They prepare a wonderful meal and we sat around talking for a while. Krystina did a great job translating until Irina showed up to help her out. Their flat was very, very small, but it seemed like a nice welcoming place. They had a very small kitchen, Kseniya has a very small bedroom and the parents sleep in the other room that fullfills three purposes: it is the living room, dining room and bedroom.
I am just starting to process the things that I experienced today. It is very difficult for me to put all of this in writing, especially since it is late and I'm tired. I am leaving out many of the little details. Give me a call or come by the house and I'll be happy to spend time talking about all the things I didn't write about.
Much to my surprise it wasn't snowing when I woke up this morning. It was cloudy and cold, but no snow. There was a 100k drive to Bobruisk ahead of us, so the day started early. On the trip with us this morning was Frank, Joe, Leah, Bobbie, Peggy, John, ABRO Lena, Yulianna, Anya, Krystina, Olya, Vadim and myself. All 13 of us piled into a van for the several hour trip. 100K is only about 67 miles, but on snow covered roads it takes a long time.
Lets see, I think I've introduced you to Leah and Bobbie in an earlier post. I don't think I've talked about Peggy and John yet. I first met Peggy and John last year on this trip, we talked some, but didn't really get to know each other much. I mostly knew them as the nice couple who brought salt and pepper with them to all of the meals at the orphanages we visited. The food we are served at the orphanages is very bland and they never have salt and pepper. John and Peggy figured out that if you want something here, you should bring it with you. Whenever we ate, we borrowed their salt and pepper and it became a little joke of the trip. This year they are staying at the ARK house with us and have an orphan, Anya with them. She is a very nice girl and has fit right in with Olya and Krystina. They are sharing a room together.
I'm very glad that John & Peggy decided to join us today. They are very kind people who have been involved in ABRO for many years and have been to Belarus 5 times. The love they have in their hearts for these children is very evident by their actions. I wish everyone could be more like Peggy and John, there would certainly be a lot less pain and suffering in this world.
The van was packed and we were wondering how little Krystina and Marharyta would fit as we were bringing them back to Mogilev with us. The van dropped us off at the Bobruisk school for the deaf. It is a boarding school where orphans and family children live and attend school together. It is the only school for deaf children in the Mogilev region. Last year some deaf children went to school in Mstislavl. This year they changed and moved all the deaf to Bobruisk. This has caused some overcrowing issues. In the bedrooms that were designed for 3 children now have 5 or 6 children living in them. The small beds are crammed in every room.
Overall the school was in pretty good condition. It was built 70 years ago, but it was certainly better than Mstislavl. However, the school has many needs.
Once again I had the honor of being the person to represent FCOB and present the school with gifts. We contacted the school ahead of our visit to find out what their needs were, they told us they needed medicine and sports equipment. After we dropped everyone off at the school, I left with ABRO Lena and a couple of the school administers. The first stop was the bank where I changed $1000 to Belarussian Rubles. Next stop was the pharmacy where I bought two medium size boxes of medicines like antibiotics, ointments and other necessities for your average sick child. I purchased enough of the medicines to last an entire year. The next stop was for sports equipment. I was told that the Bobruisk school won the gold medal in the Belarussian Deaf Olympics that were held last summer. They were very proud of their sports programs and many of the deaf children excel in sports. We loaded up on basetballs, volleyballs, ski poles, running shoes, ski boots, ping pong paddles and a few other things. When we returned to the school I asked Frank and the rest of the group to join me in presenting the stuff to the director of the school. It was a great feeling to be the messenger of such a wonderful gift. Many of the teachers came to thank us. The school nurse must have shook my hand 5 times.
While I was picking up the medicine and sports equipment, Joe was in the van going to pick up little Krystina and Marharyta. They were not at the school because they were at the sanatorium. In Russia, the sanatorium is kind of like a health spa (at least that's how it was described to me). It is a place where the children can improve their health and was a very good thing that these girls had an opportunity to spend some time there. Although, I'm sure Joe would have preferred to have those girls with him the entire time he is in Belarus.
When Joe returned you could see the joy in both his and little Krystina's faces.
We were then treated to a performance by some of the deaf children. It was a beautiful show that we all enjoyed.
After the performance we handed out some gifts to the children that John & Peggy had brought. There is a lot of truth to the saying "It is better to give than receive." I took several pictures of the children in hopes of finding host families for some of them this summer. If any of these children touch your heart enough for you to open up your home to them this summer please let me know.
It was getting dark and it was time for us to go. I wish we could have spent more time in Bobruisk and with the children. Time is not something I have a lot of right now. I have too many people left to see and only two days left in which to do it all. I am getting anxious to get home as my thoughts are with my wife and kids.
When we arrived back at the ARK house it was time to go again. No rest for the weary. I would have loved nothing better than to grab something quick to eat and go to bed. That was not to be. Kseniya and her dad were here to pick me, Olya and Krystina up to take us to his house for dinner. Kseniya, pronounced susha, is a very sweet girl who spent the summer with the Becky and Mark in Frederick. She spent many days and nights at our house hanging out with Olya, Grace and Jay. We loved having her visit.
Kseniya, Krystina and Olya became instant friends and it was great to hear them talking. I was the first American to visit their flat and they seemed very excited to have me there. They prepare a wonderful meal and we sat around talking for a while. Krystina did a great job translating until Irina showed up to help her out. Their flat was very, very small, but it seemed like a nice welcoming place. They had a very small kitchen, Kseniya has a very small bedroom and the parents sleep in the other room that fullfills three purposes: it is the living room, dining room and bedroom.
I am just starting to process the things that I experienced today. It is very difficult for me to put all of this in writing, especially since it is late and I'm tired. I am leaving out many of the little details. Give me a call or come by the house and I'll be happy to spend time talking about all the things I didn't write about.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Ryasno
Today was another long day. I probably should stop saying that, since everyday is a long day. The first of three orphanage visits was on the agenda for the day. When I looked out of the window first thing this morning, guess what I saw.....if you said anything other than it was snowing you haven't been paying attention. Although I did see something very strange in the sky later in the day on the way back from Ryasno. There was this orange glow off in the distance, at first we weren't sure what it was. Then someone said it was the sun....some of the group started taking pictures of it since we haven't seen it for so long. It was good to see, who knows when I'll see it again.
Today was a difficult day for me. Not because we were visiting an orphanage, although these visits can be emotional. I was really starting to get homesick. I've been away from home for 6 days now, but it feels like I've been gone months. It's not just the amount of time away, but the distance also. This is when it's good to be busy. I can't wait to see Grace, Jay and Leslie and hold them tight in my arms.
Ok, back to the events of today. We left the ARK house at 9:00 in a big bus. Before leaving Mogilev we made several stops to pick some of the other Americanski's at various places. In addition to the Americanski's we picked up Ded Moroz, the Russian Santa Claus. Translated Ded Moroz means father frost. (I talked about him the other day) Ded Moroz would join us at the orphanage and meet with the children and hand out candy. The children get very excited to see him.
It took about two hours of travelling on snow covered roads before we arrived in Ryasno. I first visited Ryasno in 2003 when Krystina was living there. The government has classified the children in Ryasno as having learning disabilities. It seems that they are quick to classify children as having learning disabilities when most of these children have what in America would be very minor issues like ADHD that can be easily resolved with a little attention. Here in lies the problem, these children do not get attention. Some of them that were orphans from a young age were never held or loved in any way. This manifests itself in many different ways. Since I only took one psychology class in school, I'm not an expert on the disorders this causes, but I have experienced the results by spending time with many of these children.
Ryasno is a much better place now than it was in 2003. The first time I was in the sleeping area of Ryasno the temperature never got above 45 degrees. Since then, through the tireless efforts of different ABRO groups and some generous donations, the windows, furnace and beds were replaced. In my opinion, no orphanage is a "nice" place, but at least the living conditions have improved.
Here is a picture of one of the bedrooms from 2003:
There was a huge Christmas tree set up in the school gym. The top of the tree was too tall for the ceiling. The kids chanted "Ded Moroz, Ded Moroz, Ded Moroz," until he made his grand entrance into the room. Ded Moroz had total control of the room and the children obeyed his every command. He had them hold hands forming a big circle around the tree. Some of us Americanski's joined in as we danced around the tree. We played several games and Ded Moroz would single a child out every now and then and bring them to the center with him and the Ice Princess. The children would recite their favorite Christmas poem, Ded Moroz would say "good job" in Russian to each child as he handed them some candy.
After a while it was time to hand out gifts to the children. We brought several suitcases full of hats, scarfs and small toys. Each child received one package as they hurried away to see what was inside.
Each child received a Christmas card. The children took the cards and asked each Americanski to sign them. This gave us a chance to meet and spend a few minutes with everyone. The only thing some of these children wanted was a hug or some much needed attention. I wish I could take everyone of these children and give them the love they crave so much. It looked like Frank and Joe were really enjoying the time with the children.
Next up was the auction. In an effort to help raise some money for the orphanage they held an auction of art work made by the orphans. Each orphan would hold up what they made and we would bid their work. By the end of the auction we had donated over $500 to the orphanage and I have some great stuff made by some little hands.
The time went by fast and before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head back to Mogilev. We grabbed a quick lunch in the orphanage cafeteria and loaded up the bus.
On the bus back I had a little time to reflect on the day. It was a great experience to bring a few hours of happiness to these forgotten children. In many of the pictures you will notice that the children are not smiling, it's mostly because they have very little to smile about. If I helped bring just one smile to a child's face today it was all worthwhile.
On a lighter note, most people know that my drink of choice at home is Diet Pepsi. I will drink Diet Coke if I have no other choice. Since I've been in Belarus the closest thing I usually can get is hot tea. So, it was quite a treat when I found Coke Light at the corner store. They don't have anything with the word "diet" in it around here. Coke Light tastes the same as Diet Coke and was a welcome surprise. It's the little things that helps me get through the day sometimes.
Tomorrow is going to be another full day. Bobruisk, the orphanage for the deaf and picking up little Krystina and Marharyta. I have a feeling that Joe might be too excited to sleep tonight. He has come all this way to spend time with his Krystina and hasn't been able to see her yet. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.
Today was a difficult day for me. Not because we were visiting an orphanage, although these visits can be emotional. I was really starting to get homesick. I've been away from home for 6 days now, but it feels like I've been gone months. It's not just the amount of time away, but the distance also. This is when it's good to be busy. I can't wait to see Grace, Jay and Leslie and hold them tight in my arms.
Ok, back to the events of today. We left the ARK house at 9:00 in a big bus. Before leaving Mogilev we made several stops to pick some of the other Americanski's at various places. In addition to the Americanski's we picked up Ded Moroz, the Russian Santa Claus. Translated Ded Moroz means father frost. (I talked about him the other day) Ded Moroz would join us at the orphanage and meet with the children and hand out candy. The children get very excited to see him.
It took about two hours of travelling on snow covered roads before we arrived in Ryasno. I first visited Ryasno in 2003 when Krystina was living there. The government has classified the children in Ryasno as having learning disabilities. It seems that they are quick to classify children as having learning disabilities when most of these children have what in America would be very minor issues like ADHD that can be easily resolved with a little attention. Here in lies the problem, these children do not get attention. Some of them that were orphans from a young age were never held or loved in any way. This manifests itself in many different ways. Since I only took one psychology class in school, I'm not an expert on the disorders this causes, but I have experienced the results by spending time with many of these children.
Ryasno is a much better place now than it was in 2003. The first time I was in the sleeping area of Ryasno the temperature never got above 45 degrees. Since then, through the tireless efforts of different ABRO groups and some generous donations, the windows, furnace and beds were replaced. In my opinion, no orphanage is a "nice" place, but at least the living conditions have improved.
Here is a picture of one of the bedrooms from 2003:
There was a huge Christmas tree set up in the school gym. The top of the tree was too tall for the ceiling. The kids chanted "Ded Moroz, Ded Moroz, Ded Moroz," until he made his grand entrance into the room. Ded Moroz had total control of the room and the children obeyed his every command. He had them hold hands forming a big circle around the tree. Some of us Americanski's joined in as we danced around the tree. We played several games and Ded Moroz would single a child out every now and then and bring them to the center with him and the Ice Princess. The children would recite their favorite Christmas poem, Ded Moroz would say "good job" in Russian to each child as he handed them some candy.
After a while it was time to hand out gifts to the children. We brought several suitcases full of hats, scarfs and small toys. Each child received one package as they hurried away to see what was inside.
Each child received a Christmas card. The children took the cards and asked each Americanski to sign them. This gave us a chance to meet and spend a few minutes with everyone. The only thing some of these children wanted was a hug or some much needed attention. I wish I could take everyone of these children and give them the love they crave so much. It looked like Frank and Joe were really enjoying the time with the children.
Next up was the auction. In an effort to help raise some money for the orphanage they held an auction of art work made by the orphans. Each orphan would hold up what they made and we would bid their work. By the end of the auction we had donated over $500 to the orphanage and I have some great stuff made by some little hands.
The time went by fast and before we knew it, it was time to pack up and head back to Mogilev. We grabbed a quick lunch in the orphanage cafeteria and loaded up the bus.
On the bus back I had a little time to reflect on the day. It was a great experience to bring a few hours of happiness to these forgotten children. In many of the pictures you will notice that the children are not smiling, it's mostly because they have very little to smile about. If I helped bring just one smile to a child's face today it was all worthwhile.
On a lighter note, most people know that my drink of choice at home is Diet Pepsi. I will drink Diet Coke if I have no other choice. Since I've been in Belarus the closest thing I usually can get is hot tea. So, it was quite a treat when I found Coke Light at the corner store. They don't have anything with the word "diet" in it around here. Coke Light tastes the same as Diet Coke and was a welcome surprise. It's the little things that helps me get through the day sometimes.
Tomorrow is going to be another full day. Bobruisk, the orphanage for the deaf and picking up little Krystina and Marharyta. I have a feeling that Joe might be too excited to sleep tonight. He has come all this way to spend time with his Krystina and hasn't been able to see her yet. I'm looking forward to tomorrow.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Shopping & Church
It was a really long day, I'm hoping I don't fall asleep while I'm trying to write. I didn't sleep well last night and was feeling a little sick to my stomach this morning. I had no time to rest in hopes of feeling better. There were many things that we needed to do today and I couldn't afford to lose a minute. The time with these children is so precious and our schedule is jam packed. It was time to suck it up and get busy.
The plan for the day was to take Krystina and Olya shopping for a few hours, then meet Joe and Frank back at the ARK house to go to church this afternoon. We were to meet with the pastor of a small church that is somewhat similar to my home church, Frederick Church of the Brethren. Similar in the way that they have both hearing and deaf people attending. I'll get to that in a minute, but first the shopping experience.....
Irina (our chaperone from our summer group) picked us up at 9:30 this morning. Irina is a great friend and does a great job with the kids during the summer program. She is a Dr. here in Belarus and knows how to get things done. Which made her perfect for our task this morning.
Once she heard I wasn't feeling well the decision was made to stop at a pharmacy to get me some medicine. I wasn't crazy about taking something that I couldn't read the label, but I wasn't going to argue with Irina....I know I would have lost that argument anyway.
The girls needed many things, but we only had time for a few stops. Last year we spent an entire day shopping, seven hours straight. It nearly killed me and there was no way I could do that again. We did a little shopping the other day when Krystina got a new coat, sweater and under ware and Olya got a new sweater and under ware. I was glad we were going to church this afternoon since it limited our shopping time. I despise shopping, but I can tolerate it for short periods of time.
Today our mission was boots. Both the girls needed new boots. Boot shopping in Belarus in one of the more frustrating things you can do. Each store is very small and only carries a few boots in each size, if you find a style of boot you like and the display boot isn't your size you better head to the next store. After visiting 4 different stores we finally found something for the girls that they liked. Teenagers aren't picky at all.....are they? Lets just say that I had to use every bit of the patience the good lord has provided me. I can't wait to try to get them jeans......
We made it back to the ARK house in time to meet Frank, Joe, Yulia and Vadim's mom (I don't know her name). Yulia and Vadim's mom are deaf and they will be our escorts to church. Frank and Joe invited Vadim's mom to join us as she does not usually attend church. Vadim and his dad unfortunately refused the invitation. It has been my experience that more women than men attend church in Belarus. I won't get into a political commentary on religion in Belarus other than to say that they do not enjoy the same freedoms that we do in America. During the communist rule, religion was banned and pastors were jailed. It takes time to make cultural changes.
The trip to church was a lot longer than I had anticipated. First there was the 4-5 block walk to the bus stop. We all piled into a van, which makes up a good portion of the public transportation in Mogilev. After about 30 minutes I was directed to get off at the next stop. When I stepped out of the bus I was immediately hit by a strong cold, snowy wind. Of course it was snowing again, or maybe I should just say "still." The heavy snow and wind made for a very long walk to the church. The bus stop was a good half a mile or longer from the church. Some of the walk was through deep snow.
Finally we reached the church. It was a large brick building that looked fairly new and run down at the same time. The third story of the building had boards over where the windows should have been. We stepped through the door into a small hallway where we were asked to take our shoes off. In Belarus people do not wear their shoes in the house. If you ever make this trip you better pack some slippers.
Once our shoes were off we went into the room where the church service would be held. It was a small room with about 30 chairs set up, a display screen and a keyboard at the front. The building itself was very large, however, this was the only room that was finished. I tried to slip in the back row with Olya & Krystina, but the pastor grabbed me and made me sit in the front row next to him. Joe and Frank were on the other side so they could see the sign language interpreter. We all stood while they sang several songs. Natasha who came to Frederick last summer as part of our ABRO group was singing. There was a small amp and the singers wore a microphone. To be honest, that was a little overkill as the room was small enough to hear very well without the microphone and amp.
A few minutes after the pastor started the sermon I heard the word Americanski, so I knew he was talking about us. I didn't have a translator for the first part of the service, so I recognized very few words, but I did recognize the scripture he was preaching from. (Not because I can understand Russian, they put the scripture up on the screen in English) The pastor then looked at me and invited me in front to say a few words. Before I knew it I was escorted to the front of the room along with an interpreter. I'm not sure how I keep finding myself in these situations where I'm volunteered to speak in public. I'm more of a reluctant public speaker and usually do not want or need to be in the limelight. I guess I can do it if I have to, but not something I necessarily look forward to.
The good thing was that other than the interpreter, Frank and Joe were the only ones who could understand English and they couldn't hear me......I figured that if I said something silly, the interpreter might not translate it.
I spoke for several minutes, explaining who I am and why we were in Belarus. I talked about ABRO and working to help the children effected by Chernobyl. I explained that this was my third trip to Belarus and how nice the Belarussian people have always treated me. I explained that we were similar in many ways, including having both hearing and deaf congregations.
It didn't take long before I ran out of things to say during my of the cuff speach. As I was ending my speach the pastor invited Frank and Joe to join me up front. He then asked them both to introduce themselves. They both did a good job explaining who they were and what brought them to Belarus. The interpreter had a difficult time understanding some things, so when Joe was using sign language Frank had to interpret for me, then I had to explain what he was saying to the interpreter who then had to speak it in Russian and then the Russian sign language interpreter had to sign it for the Russian deaf attending the service. It was actually a little comical if you think about it taking 5 people to communicate to everyone in the room. But we did it!!!
After the service we met with the pastor who explained his goals and vision for his church. The building has a long way to go before it is completed, but he has many plans when and if it gets completed. We got a tour of the rest of the building, I can see it has much potential once it is finished.
It was a long, eventful and productive day. I need to get some rest as tomorrow is going to be another full day as we will be visiting the first of three orphanages. Ryasno is the orphanage Krystina was in prior to being placed in foster care. Well the day starts early.......
The plan for the day was to take Krystina and Olya shopping for a few hours, then meet Joe and Frank back at the ARK house to go to church this afternoon. We were to meet with the pastor of a small church that is somewhat similar to my home church, Frederick Church of the Brethren. Similar in the way that they have both hearing and deaf people attending. I'll get to that in a minute, but first the shopping experience.....
Irina (our chaperone from our summer group) picked us up at 9:30 this morning. Irina is a great friend and does a great job with the kids during the summer program. She is a Dr. here in Belarus and knows how to get things done. Which made her perfect for our task this morning.
Once she heard I wasn't feeling well the decision was made to stop at a pharmacy to get me some medicine. I wasn't crazy about taking something that I couldn't read the label, but I wasn't going to argue with Irina....I know I would have lost that argument anyway.
The girls needed many things, but we only had time for a few stops. Last year we spent an entire day shopping, seven hours straight. It nearly killed me and there was no way I could do that again. We did a little shopping the other day when Krystina got a new coat, sweater and under ware and Olya got a new sweater and under ware. I was glad we were going to church this afternoon since it limited our shopping time. I despise shopping, but I can tolerate it for short periods of time.
Today our mission was boots. Both the girls needed new boots. Boot shopping in Belarus in one of the more frustrating things you can do. Each store is very small and only carries a few boots in each size, if you find a style of boot you like and the display boot isn't your size you better head to the next store. After visiting 4 different stores we finally found something for the girls that they liked. Teenagers aren't picky at all.....are they? Lets just say that I had to use every bit of the patience the good lord has provided me. I can't wait to try to get them jeans......
We made it back to the ARK house in time to meet Frank, Joe, Yulia and Vadim's mom (I don't know her name). Yulia and Vadim's mom are deaf and they will be our escorts to church. Frank and Joe invited Vadim's mom to join us as she does not usually attend church. Vadim and his dad unfortunately refused the invitation. It has been my experience that more women than men attend church in Belarus. I won't get into a political commentary on religion in Belarus other than to say that they do not enjoy the same freedoms that we do in America. During the communist rule, religion was banned and pastors were jailed. It takes time to make cultural changes.
The trip to church was a lot longer than I had anticipated. First there was the 4-5 block walk to the bus stop. We all piled into a van, which makes up a good portion of the public transportation in Mogilev. After about 30 minutes I was directed to get off at the next stop. When I stepped out of the bus I was immediately hit by a strong cold, snowy wind. Of course it was snowing again, or maybe I should just say "still." The heavy snow and wind made for a very long walk to the church. The bus stop was a good half a mile or longer from the church. Some of the walk was through deep snow.
Finally we reached the church. It was a large brick building that looked fairly new and run down at the same time. The third story of the building had boards over where the windows should have been. We stepped through the door into a small hallway where we were asked to take our shoes off. In Belarus people do not wear their shoes in the house. If you ever make this trip you better pack some slippers.
Once our shoes were off we went into the room where the church service would be held. It was a small room with about 30 chairs set up, a display screen and a keyboard at the front. The building itself was very large, however, this was the only room that was finished. I tried to slip in the back row with Olya & Krystina, but the pastor grabbed me and made me sit in the front row next to him. Joe and Frank were on the other side so they could see the sign language interpreter. We all stood while they sang several songs. Natasha who came to Frederick last summer as part of our ABRO group was singing. There was a small amp and the singers wore a microphone. To be honest, that was a little overkill as the room was small enough to hear very well without the microphone and amp.
A few minutes after the pastor started the sermon I heard the word Americanski, so I knew he was talking about us. I didn't have a translator for the first part of the service, so I recognized very few words, but I did recognize the scripture he was preaching from. (Not because I can understand Russian, they put the scripture up on the screen in English) The pastor then looked at me and invited me in front to say a few words. Before I knew it I was escorted to the front of the room along with an interpreter. I'm not sure how I keep finding myself in these situations where I'm volunteered to speak in public. I'm more of a reluctant public speaker and usually do not want or need to be in the limelight. I guess I can do it if I have to, but not something I necessarily look forward to.
The good thing was that other than the interpreter, Frank and Joe were the only ones who could understand English and they couldn't hear me......I figured that if I said something silly, the interpreter might not translate it.
I spoke for several minutes, explaining who I am and why we were in Belarus. I talked about ABRO and working to help the children effected by Chernobyl. I explained that this was my third trip to Belarus and how nice the Belarussian people have always treated me. I explained that we were similar in many ways, including having both hearing and deaf congregations.
It didn't take long before I ran out of things to say during my of the cuff speach. As I was ending my speach the pastor invited Frank and Joe to join me up front. He then asked them both to introduce themselves. They both did a good job explaining who they were and what brought them to Belarus. The interpreter had a difficult time understanding some things, so when Joe was using sign language Frank had to interpret for me, then I had to explain what he was saying to the interpreter who then had to speak it in Russian and then the Russian sign language interpreter had to sign it for the Russian deaf attending the service. It was actually a little comical if you think about it taking 5 people to communicate to everyone in the room. But we did it!!!
After the service we met with the pastor who explained his goals and vision for his church. The building has a long way to go before it is completed, but he has many plans when and if it gets completed. We got a tour of the rest of the building, I can see it has much potential once it is finished.
It was a long, eventful and productive day. I need to get some rest as tomorrow is going to be another full day as we will be visiting the first of three orphanages. Ryasno is the orphanage Krystina was in prior to being placed in foster care. Well the day starts early.......
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