Socks
For Siberia
Socks for
Siberia, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization that supports orphaned
children in the regions of Khakassia and Krasnoyarsk, Siberia
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Socks For Siberia Trip 2007 Our recent trip to Russia in June 2007 was a successful and rewarding one due to your generosity and help with the First Annual Spring Family Festival. We want to update you on all that was accomplished and what our plans are for the future. Upon our arrival in Abakan, a meeting with the staff and
children of the Yoletchka
The system for caring for orphaned children in Abakan is undergoing some positive changes and we learned that a number of children had been placed into foster families, which is new to Abakan. The remainder of the children will be going to two other Children’s Homes in Abakan, named “Malishok” and “Alyonka.” Yoletchka will return to its original purpose as a day care center for children of working families. For this reason, the decision was made to present the children with something personal that would be taken with them to their new homes. Wrist watches were purchased for each of the children, including those in the foster families. The children were delighted, as this is an item that they would never have access to. We told them that our wish was that whenever they look at the time on their watches, they would think of the many people in America who love and care for them. The children proudly presented us with gifts that they had made, including drawings, paintings and hand crafts.
The next visit was to the Malutka Babies Home, where we
met with the director to determine their needs. An English speaking staff
member, Victoria, accompanied us on a shopping trip to purchase clothing,
bedding, developmental toys, pre-school classroom supplies and recreational
equipment for these tiny children, aged birth to 4. We returned the next day as
Grandparents, to bring the presents and spend some time playing with the
children. With mixed emotions of joy at seeing some familiar little faces and
sadness that they were still not able to find families, we spent a wonderful
time watching their delight as they enjoyed their new things. Catalogs of
specialized equipment were given to the director so that she could tell us what
types of things would most benefit the more seriously disabled children in her
care for future shipment. Nina, the director of Yoletchka Children’s Home, brought us to one of the Children’s homes to where her charges will be moved, to introduce us to the director, Ludmilla. We were warmly received and told that she had been praying for such good friends. After touring the facility, she tentatively made some requests and was overwhelmed when we arrived the next day with all that she had asked for and more. So, though some positive changes have been made in how the problems of orphaned children are addressed, their needs continue. Our focus now is to gather durable medical equipment which is not easily available in Abakan, such as wheelchairs, rehabilitation, feeding and positioning equipment and arrange for the shipment and instruction in their use. Your support has been invaluable and we will continue to look to you as the friends of these children in the future. We will keep you in our prayers of gratitude and hope that you will do the same for the beautiful children of Abakan, a city and people we have come to know and love. All the best, with gratitude, Michele & Wally Connor Socks For Siberia, Inc. |
Children’s home was immediately arranged, as the children were to leave the next
day for summer camp. We were greeted warmly as the returning “Grandparents” to
these beautiful children. They proudly entertained us with dances, songs and a
kick boxing demonstration which had been part of a recent Abakan Children’s
Exhibition in which they had taken part. The staff worked very hard with the
children to give them the opportunity to participate along with other children
in this showcase of local children’s skills and talents.
After
this warm reception, we took the children to meet with the local fire department
and teachers for a fire safety demonstration and to learn about Baseball, a
favorite American pastime. Uniforms purchased by an anonymous donor, equipment
collected by the Brookfield Recycling Center and the basic rules of the game had
been shipped to Russia ahead of time and translated into Russian. The Blue team
bore the name of Yoletchka with a “Y” on their caps and the Red team was named
for the Boston Club (Sergei’s English language school) with a “B” on a red cap
(yes, the Red Sox / Yankees reference was evident, without the rivalry!)
Everyone had a great time, and the laughs were plentiful as the difficulties of
coaching the game in a foreign language presented themselves! The following
week, Sergei, Michele and Wally packed up all of the uniforms and equipment and
drove for 2 hours to surprise the children at their summer camp to play a second
fun game in a field outside of the camp, a true “Field of Dreams.” Recreational
equipment for use at the camp, such as volleyballs, soccer balls, basketballs,
tennis rackets and balls, badminton sets and jump ropes were purchased and
delivered as well. The children were assured that we would continue to care for
them in their new homes, that they would not be forgotten.