CHRISTMAS TIME 2002/3

Our group (The Enfield and Woodford link of CCL) played host to 8 kids over the Christmas and new year period. All were first time travellers and included three from Divin orphanage. Pictured here with Santa, they call him "old man frost" - it's a hangover from communist days when anything remotely religeous was re-invented. This wonderful day (plus some practical things like good shoes) was provided by Mohammed Al Fayed through the great folks at his Harrod's store, truly the best shop in the world.

A wonderful month was had by all, two host families were also first timers who threw themselves into this with heart and soul - great stuff! The kids had a memorable time and as always, it was sad to say "dos vidanya" when the time came for them to return. We know they face uncertain futures but they all left in boisterous good health and with rosy cheeks. It is a certaintly that a bunch of Belorussian kids now have "aunties and uncles" in England where they didn't before, this is a precious thing for the orphanage kids who are basically alone in the world.

VERANIKA KANONIK

Veranika and Yulia (see next story) visted us for the month of February 2002. it was pretty miserable weather but a lot warmer than in Belarus. Initially they were so scared they would not talk to us but , a hour or two later they had settled in and were discovering everything about their surroundings.
Veranika lives in Lapichy village where the local economy makes it impossible to find a grain of optimism for future development. Lapichy suffers from extremely high rates of alcoholism, we visited there and immediately understood why. However, the people we met were the warmest, friendliest and most hospitable we have ever encountered.
Veranika lives in a top floor flat with her brother Dima, mother Alla and father Victor who works as a gas truck driver. Victor has done well, he has a job which pays a salary. We visited them in June 2002 and were overwhelmed with warmth and hospitality.

YULIA KALON

Yulia lives with her mama Natasha, sister Nadia and her grandmother's extended family in a flat in Ossipovichi. Think of Blackburn in 1952 but with large slag heaps. Natasha must make ends meet and take care of her future on the $40 per month she is paid for her 50 hour week in the local gas works.
We were lucky to meet the in Lapichy village and quickly learned of the high standards of behaviour expected of Belarussian children and were very impressed at their politeness and respectful manners. we could certainly learn a thing or two from these folks.

The fun and learning Veranika and Yulia packed into their four weeks was immense, almost as much fun as us in being able to offer them the chance. They will be in our hearts forever.

IRA YAROSH

Ira Yarosh visited us in September 2000 from her small farming village in the Grodno region of Belarus - close to the western border with Poland. She was born in 1990 and has an older bother "Sergei" with whom she shares a room in a small single storey house along with her parents and granny. Ira is desperate to be seen as sophisticated.

ANYA YEMELYANOVIC

Anya was born in 1991 and hails from a tiny rural district of south-western Belarus. She is a hard worker who gets up daily at dawn to milk the cows owned by her parents. She suffers from growth problems and will never physically mature, she tries to make up for this with her inner courage. She spent September 2000 with us.

YULIA RUTKIEVICH & JANA MINAKOVSKAYA

Speedflow owner Fay Fischer with Jana & Yulia on Southend pier trying (in vain) to find the sea when the tide is out (Sept 2001). Yulia and Jana were selected by the Minsk based "Children-in -trouble" organisation who are specialists in child cancer treatment. Belarus has the highest number of child cancer sufferers in the world - by far! The kids can only get visas to come here if they have ben in remission for at least 6 months, let's hope it stays that way!