Want to help Vasia to help himself?

Vasia is a graduate of Tsurupinsk Orphanage and a gifted painter. He paints with his mouth since he does not have arms. Vasia specializes in landscape and nature scenes, but he also paints wildlife and portraits.

When he aged out of the orphanage as a teenager he was able to attend vocational training for two years. After he graduated the officials in the region where he lived simply put him on the train to Kiev, basically transferring all their responsibility to another area. Vasia had nothing in Kiev.

We are very grateful that Bogdan was able to step in and help. Without Bogdan's assistance, perseverance and many hours of work Vasia would be living on the streets in Kiev.

An Orphan Smiles is so proud of Vasia and his determined spirit for wanting to live independently despite his disabilities. There are many obstacles in Ukrainian society for a person like Vasia. People with special needs are not given opportunities to live independently and are often institutionalized. They face many challenges in a very unaccepting society.

Vasia is painting to support himself. If you are interested in Vasia’s artwork, please see here for more details.

An Orphan Smiles JANUARY 2011 Focus Week was a TO GIVE project to raise funds for the Tsurupinsk Library. We raised over $600 and purchased 176 books for the School Library. This represents a wonderful collection of fairy tales, science fiction, children's detective stories, illustrated encyclopedias, learning materials, needlework, and architecture of Ukraine. All the books are new and from Ukrainian publishers.

Our next goal is to raise another $500 to purchase a set of "Classics" that can be used as part of the school curriculum. We already have $320 towards this effort and with a few more donations, we hope to have these desired books on the shelf before the next school term.

Bogdan recently forwarded to us a translated letter and photo that the children from Orphanage 12 received in response to a card they sent to "Santa Claus" or more than likely in their case "Father Frost". The response letter to the children was written by a Russian journalist in Moscow:

Dear Children,

Not long ago I was lucky to visit Santa Claus in Finland. His name in Finnish sounds very funny - "Yo-oo-loo-poo-kee". In Russian it sounds funny but in Finnish it means "Father Christmas". On the shelves in his house, Santa has lots of letters from children from all over the world. Santa let me have a look at some of those letters. Imagine my surprise when the first card I took from the shelf read "Z Naikrashimi Pobazhaniami" (Very Best Wishes - in Ukrainian). I don't understand Ukrainian very well but THAT I could understand. The card said it was from children of Orphanage No.12 in Kiev. Having read that card, I felt really warm and bright. You know what? You were the only ones who didn't ask Santa for anything. On the contrary - you were wishing Santa all the very best. Many children in their cards were just asking for things - a car, a helicopter, a truck, a computer, a doll.. .

You children are real good kids! That's what Santa and I concluded. I specifically made a photo of Santa with your card.

I would like to wish you all the very best! Don't give up and don't despair! Santa himself knows about you!

Bye!
Vika Ivleva
Journalist from Moscow, from "Novaya Gazeta"

An Orphan Smiles has students available for sponsorship in our GAP program (Graduate Assistance Program). We try to help these unsponsored students while they patiently wait for a sponsor friend. This is a letter we received from Vova recently in appreciation for help from An Orphan Smiles.

We are happy to report that Vova now has a sponsor, but there are others who still are waiting. Please consider sponsoring one of these deserving students or help with our unsponosered student fund.

http://www.anorphansmiles.org/joomla15/index.php/anorphanslife/programs/55

Letter Translation:
Hello my dear friends,

I am very happy that I have such kind and nice friends as you who has helped me so much in this life.

I am studying at a college to become a professional wall painter and plasterer upon graduation. I really like the profession that I am going to enter in the future. At my college, I have lots of male and female friends, and together with them I study and have lots of fun. On December, the 19th, we celebrated a holiday, the Day of Saint Nicolas. It is a day when Saint Nicolas gives gifts to children who behave well.

I had a great time in the summer of 2010 – I made a trip to a sea. I would like to continue to communicate with you and be your friend. Thank you for the money that you sent me, I spent the money on cleaning supplies. In my spare time, I like to watch TV, listed to music and engage in sports activities.

I congratulate you on the Christmas Holiday.

The whole family has gathered at a dining table,
Happy Christmas;
Jesus Christ came to our world
And he brought us a lot of happiness.

Your friend,
Vladimir

Feed the Soul - Trip to Kiev

An Orphan Smiles sponsored a trip for ten orphans to visit Kiev, the Capital city of Ukraine for the Holidays. These children live in a rural city and rarely leave the orphanage grounds.

Trip report from Bogdan, one of our in-country volunteers:

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! I would like to congratul...ate everyone with the successful completion of yet another AOS sponsored trip to Kiev for a group of 10 Myko kids. The trip was a HUGE success! The kids were totally blown away. They stayed at Orphanage No.12 from December 26-28 and didn't want to leave today. The first day we took them to a children's Christmas play, McDonald's and the Dolphinarium. The next day they went to see the performance of the Great Circus of China, saw a 3-D Disney movie (Tangled) and had pizza. Today they went to another Christmas show. Their train was leaving at 4 p.m., so we didn't get much time to do other things today. Kiev was beautiful with all the snow and Christmas decorations. There was lots of free entertainment for children downtown, so the kids really enjoyed that. They loved the metro, the escalators, the shiny shopping malls etc. They had breakfasts and dinners at the orphanage and ate lunch in the city. Irina and our grads (Anya, Igor and Vova) were making all the meals. Another lady from the orphanage came to make 'pirogy' (pies) with the kids today, for them to take for the road.

When I asked what the liked the best, most kids said 'dolphins' and 'chinese circus'. I think it wasn't even the circus but just seeing so many people of another race in one place that fascinated them so much. Kids from Tsurupinsk and Myko are always fascinated by seeing people of color on the streets of Kiev because they have never seen them in their small towns.

This group was by far the most well-behaved. Usually Myko kids are pretty wild (which I personally like....most of the time :) but these ones were very quiet, polite and disciplined. Everyone at O12 noticed that. The chaperone that came with the group - Alexey, a PE teacher - was great with the kids.
We gave each kid a present from the boxes of "Blankets in Memory of Brian". Each kid also got two boxes of chocholates and some pocket money to buy a small souvenier (50 grivna, or $6.2).

There is one more thing that I wanted to share with you. Personal observation. When the memories of the previous trips fade away I start wondering if we should organize another trip or not, considering how much money and work these trips entail. But then when the kids come I realize so clearly that these trips are TOTALLY worth it. When you see the excitement and the happiness in the children's eyes, when you see them fascinated by simple things that you see every day, you realize that these moments of happiness and excitement are worth a million dollars. I just feel bad that those who pay for these trips can't see that.

Biology Classroom

An Orphan Smiles is excited to see Valentina's newly refurbished Biology classroom at Mykolaivka Internat. Several hundred dollars were donated to help with new paint/wallpaper and classroom supplies.

Here is an excerpt from a letter we recently received from Valentina...

Hello dearest An Orphan Smiles group,

Thank you very much for the money that sponsors sent to make my new classroom beautiful and functional. I bought a lot of items: a plant stand, a set of posters of Plants and Animals of Ukraine, set of posters of Ukraine and "how big I am". I bought a lot of items for the biology classroom. Thank you!

On Saturday I will go and order curtains for the windows. I also bought posters on wild and tame animals, fruits and berries (tablets and posters). I will also purchase vegetable and fruit seeds to plant and show the children how the seeds make things grow.

Thank you all for your help and your care for the children.

With love,

Valentina

An Orphan Smiles would like to thank Sharon and Pat for contributing a very large donation through "Blankets for Brian". "Blankets for Brian" is in memory of their son. His friends and family gathered a couple weeks ago and assembled 23 boxes to be shipped to Ukraine.

The boxes averaged approximately 30lbs each and are filled with individual bags containing a toothbrush, comb, crayons, gloves, scarf, candy, a stuffed animal and a blanket. There were also bags designed for teenagers and adults. Sixteen of these boxes are on their way to Tsurupinsk Children's Home and the rest are headed to Orphanage 12 where Bogdan will distribute to those who utilize the Graduate Support Center.

The boxes are in the process of being shipped and with any luck will arrive just in time for the Holidays. Now all the children at Mykolaivka, Orphanage 12, and Tsurupinsk Children's Home as well as the older students will receive something individually for the Holidays.

Thank you Sharon and Pat for your thoughtfulness and your very meaningful gifts.