Thank you for our home.

I only had a home in my dreams – never in reality. I wanted my four children to have a home, but I knew it was impossible. We kept looking for a place to sleep in. Sometimes we found temporary homes, but they were not suited for children.

Pat and Len gave us a room for four years. It was an attic room and cold in winter, but it was our salvage. But now – we were going to have a real home.

I could hardly believe we were moving to a home of our own. It was my dream, but it was also frightening. Everything would be new. My kids encouraged me: ”Mom, don’t worry, everything is going to be fine!” Their thoughts flew to the new home, and they started packing eagerly. Not that there was much to pack. Children’s Embassy provided beds and kitchen utilities for us. The entire team came to our help. Together, we cleaned the apartment, cleaned the windows, put up curtain rods and made the home cosy.

Our civilized life began. The kids woke up at seven in the morning. They wanted to ride up and down in the lift. Kristina was thrilled with the bathroom: a tub that can be filled with water. She felt like a real lady when she took her first bath together with all her dolls. They enjoyed the bath for three hours.

The kids were so happy about the new home. Little Maksim’s 6^th birthday came. What a joy to have a party, to decorate our home with balloons and to blow the birthday cake candles.

Everything is new for me. I’m always busy cooking, cleaning, helping with the homework… I have to learn everything from the beginning. I grew up in the street, and many of the kitchen utilities are mysteries for me.

In the street with four children

When I was child I longed to have a home. But my home was in the street, in basements… You can understand now how thankful I am. Once again, thank you!

We are so happy to have a home.

With your help, we are now living in an apartment with all modern conveniences. We still have a dream: one day we are going to have a home that we own, not rent.

Tanya

Daughter Kristina is Children’s Embassy’s very own Pippi Longstocking. She writes:

Hi, this is Kristina. I live together with my mom and brothers. Thank you for our home. I enjoy living here. I share a room with mom. I also want to thank you for my beautiful new bed. Its colour is rose, and there is a table and a cupboard under it. We have a kitchen of our own, and I can cook there.

I went to a summer camp, which was just great. I had not been on a camp before, but I want to go again. I found many new friends there.

School is soon starting. I had never been to kindergarten like my big brother had, so I had not had the vaccinations. Thank you for helping mom get all the necessary vaccinations for me. It was really not nice at all, but the shots had to be taken before I could go to school. This will be my second school year already. Best of all is the first day – the first ringing of the bell. I am going to a new school. It is really big, and I have a lot of homework.

I wish you a good mood and a smile. I learnt a song at the summer camp: If God loves little sparrows, he also loves you and me. This is my favourite song.