"Santa, find my mother and father"
The internet is filled with the lists of children’s wishes. Tamara Lisitskaya who regularly organizes charitable events at the children’s oncology hospital in Baraulyany shares her experience.
“There was a very beautiful 6-year-old girl named Dasha. She asked for a wonder stick, so we really had to work hard in order to find at least an adequate substitute for this stick. Of course, they were not wonderful in the true meaning of this word. We decided to invite an illusionist. He called Dasha up on the stage and showed tricks together with the girl. I remember her being so happy. It looked so much moving. This episode produced the best pictures ever. They really make you feel flying, especially because the girl had angel wings behind her back”.
Volunteers will stage a concert in the hospital together with artistes, clowns and Santa. There are children who will be admitted to the hospital on the day of the concert, but they will get their presents as well. Santa will visit every ward.
Tamara Lisitskaya: “Many children cannot attend the concert, because they will have to undergo a chemical therapy course. In this case, we go to their rooms where our artistes will perform mini-shows so that New Year celebrations could be felt by every child. This is a great thing for the kids to have a present that you asked for somewhere in the internet from Santa Claus’s hands.”
The Red Cross and the Belarusian Children’s Hospice now send their staff with season greetings to the houses where sick children live. The parties have already taken place at the building of the Hospice where children go to three times a week under the “day program”. The children also had bards visiting them.
Dzina Skalyarenka: “We had the bards from The Sun Bards’ Love Caravan coming to visit our kids. The children also stage a musical performance for the parents, our staff and smaller kids. We will perform the show this coming Thursday. At the same time, very few people have responded this year to the action titled “Extend Your Helping Hand to Children”.
However, this action has helped a lot to an orphanage in Zhdanovichy. Hanna Lebez says many people keep coming to them. She is surprised that volunteers always get Santa’s suites and feel very nervous to make sure that children will enjoy their presents. The kids feel happy and believe in everything they see.
Hanna says that students come to her orphanage as well. If she saw the on the street, she would have never believed these youngsters could do what they actually do.
“Some student volunteers came to use for several times. Soon, they are going to come over again and stage a performance. They are very extraordinary. If I saw them just on the street, I would think they were some kind of freaks. But when they communicate with our children, they really tune in well. Well done! Once, they invited us to their concert. They were playing hard rock, so our heads were really aching. But when they came to our kids, they were totally different. They are very smart. They know a lot. It is very interesting talking to them…”
The orphanage often needs just basic things rather than New Year presents. For example, a group of three-year old kids has recently appeared in Zhdanovichy. They need pampers and soap.
These wishes are not hard to fulfill. But sometimes orphans ask Santa something which is impossible to fulfill during a charitable event.
Hanna Lebedz: “There is a boy called Misha. He keeps asking us to find his mother and father. We have a box where children drop their requests for Santa. So Misha keeps saying: “Mummy, I am going to write to Santa so that he finds me my mother and my father. Will you deliver it to Santa?” I say: “I will deliver, but Santa lives in the woods. Where in the woods can he find the parents for you?” Misha says: “Just deliver it to anyone, ok?” – “Ok, Misha. I will. Since they’ve showed you on TV, you will definitely find your parents”.
Tamara Lisitskaya says that their Santa will bring health to the children in the Baraulyany oncology hospital.
“Many children simply ask for a good health. So we decided to make big postcards and have as many people as possible write their health wishes for children. We really hope that it will help”.
Tamara also says that this charitable work strengthens people, even if they communicate mostly through the internet.
“I think this work gives people a lot. You feel like one time during these two weeks of communicating in Live Journal and organizing the events. You feel a very strong motivation. This really enlightens people. After these actions, I started thinking about people in a better way”.
It is not late to take part in these charitable actions. You can either call directly to the orphanage or the hospital or contact the organizers or write to the European Radio for Belarus. We are taking our presents to the Homel region after the New Year.
