PROGRESS!! PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!

SO WHO SAID IT CAN'T BE DONE???

I am so excited to tell you all what just happened that I don't even know where to begin!! Ok, I need too seconds to chill...

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Ok, I'm good now. So I had been telling you here and there that I had a bit of a project in the works, but I had not wanted to give more details than that, just in case it fell through. I mean, if it feel through I would have still blogged about it, but in a much different way... So anyway, now I am ready to tell you what my little project is and how it has started to unfold...

As I have mentioned to you before (or have I??), even though the girls receive a government stipend to cover their basic needs, it had been quite evident to me (and to Jen and Jessica) that these resources were clearly not enough. Part of it may simply be the fact that the government simply can't provide that much money for each individual girl, but part of it is also the fact that a lot of the resources that are allocated to the girls end up... well... let's just say they end up 'leaking' and not actually making it in their full strength to the girls. In order to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the people who have provided us with certain key information I cannot give you more information than that, but I'm sure you can put two and two together... corruption exists everywhere.

SO....

Over the last two months I have been very much in "observant mode", trying to get to know the girls well, becoming a part of their lives, letting them become a part of mine, and more pragmatically speaking, trying to asses what their specific immediate and long term needs are. I spoke to Irena, the woman who basically runs the internat and who very strongly advocates for the girls, about what the needs of the internat are and how we could help. Irena's first response to us was, "have you brought medications with you?"... yikes! As it turned out, the stipend the girls receive is not enough to properly stock their little clinic, nor does it provide sufficient nutrition for the girls to develop properly. Don't get me wrong, they eat everyday and I don't think they actually go hungry, but the quality of the food they eat, specifically in terms of its nutritional value, is very very poor. That is why we have 9 to 15 year olds looking like 4 to 6 year olds, and 16 to 25 year olds looking like 7-13 year olds. In addition to Irena's subtle pleas for help, Gayla, the Christian missionary and teacher I have mentioned to you before mentioned to me that there is an urgent need for vitamins to help the girls make it through the winters, which are particularly difficult for them given their already compromised immune systems...

So....

I had been thinking about setting some form of fund-raising initiative or charity of some sort in order to provide funds to help these girls with their most basic needs. When I shared this idea with a number of people, almost everyone received it with a measure of skepticism and doubt since they figured it would be either too difficult to do or simply that the local people would just not jump on board. I got a bit discouraged at first, but the idea simply refused to leave my head. I knew we had to create awareness in some way, and I knew that even if I were to help the girls now with the money of my grant (which I AM doing, of course), it would only serve as a temporary fix that would quickly fade away once I left, at which point the girls' situation would remain the same as before I came here. I felt that the ideal thing to do would be to organize the local churches so that THEY would become aware of the girls' situation and set up some sort of system so that they could take care of their own. I mean, it is wonderful when the girls can receive help from the outside, but I firmly believe that it is vital for the local people to be aware of the needs of their own community, their own children, and to be able to provide for them long after students like me have left and our resources have been exhausted... So after some time, prayer and reflection (and I must also admit, after being a bit less busy with my schoolwork now that I have finished the bulk of my assignments), I was finally able to put my plans to work...

With the help of my host family, who are faithful Greek Catholics and very close to their local parish, I was able to set up a meeting with the head priest at my host family's church. My aim was to ask him for help in order to set up a charity, like I mentioned before, within their local parish community. I was very nervous at first just thinking of what my meeting with him would be like and what I would say to him, but instead of sitting here worrying about it, I decided to leave it all to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and to just go out there, with only a few lines prepared, and just let the meeting unfold as it may. That was a good idea, because it went a lot different from what I would have imagined it to be... First of, I felt very supported and comfortable once the meeting started, especially because Mama Ola came with us (Orest and I, since he was acting as my translator), and she is particularly close to this priest.

When we walked into the church, the priest greeted us warmly, motioned us to sit on the benches, and disposed himself to listen, without even asking any questions. I began by introducing myself, explaining that I was sent here through Students for Development, explaining what the organization does, and what I had been doing for the last two months. Then, I proceeded to explain about the needs I have seen at the internat, and to explain how, even though I am using the money from my grant to provide for the girls' needs, I needed help to set up some form of charity to help provide for them in the future, as in the long run. I added that I knew that many people in Ternopil did not even know there was an internat in their own city, and that I thought it was important to create awareness in the community. Moreover, I made sure to tell the priest that I was submitting this request without any presumption, being aware that the church community probably already had other things on the go, and that I did not want to take away from any of them, but that I simply wanted to draw their attention to a very real need in their own local community.

The priest listened intently, asking a few questions here and there. I could tell Orest was doing his best to translate everything in such a way that the priest could relate to it in the best manner possible. Mama Ola didn't say too much at first, but once in a while she would add a thing or too here and there in order to show her support for my initiative. The response of the priest was a bit discouraging at first. He began explaining how they do already conduct a number of collections throughout the year in order to support other charitable initiatives, such as another internat in a different city, a local prison, and the local poor. He mentioned that one of their yearly collects goes to Caritas, a Catholic non-profit relief organization. He was obviously concerned that it might be difficult to add yet another charity to the ones they already have in place. At this point, he was pretty much saying "I am sorry, but we can't really help you."

As Orest translated what the priest was saying, I could feel a knot in my throat. However, I insisted. I commended the priest for all the wonderful charities they already support, and I reiterated that I was aware of their enormous efforts to help those in need. Yet, I asked him to consider that these girls, who are local to Ternopil, also needed help and that there was nobody to provide for them. I could tell that he was debating it in his head. He mentioned to me that his concern at this point was of how they would distribute the goods they fundraised for, such as food, to the girls, in order to ensure that they were rationed appropriately and that they actually made it to the girls (rather than end up leaking just like the money from the stipends). I replied that Irena, whom I have mentioned before and who acts basically as the strongest and most influential advocate for the girls, would be the one to make sure that the goods got to the girls and were distributed appropriately on the internat's end. All we would need from the church would be just a couple of volunteers who would be willing to collect the money and make sure that it got to her. In addition, I explained to him that what seems to be most needed is medical supplies for the internat's clinic and vitamins to supplement the girls' nutrition.

I don't know how or why, but at that point the priest seemed to change his expression, as if he had been divinely inspired, hahahaha. It really was like a light-bulb moment for him lol. He looked at me, and with a smile on his face he said, "I know of a way that we can do this! Since we already do a very big fundraiser for Caritas each year, what I can do is set it up in such a way that part of the money we collect each year goes directly and exclusively to buy medication and vitamins for the girls." This would solve a lot of the legal problems and red tape that we would have to deal with if we were to set up a brand new charity. In other words, the church could use the resources that are already established in order to channel the funds to the girls!! He said all we would have to do is talk to Caritas and have it set up, and he said he would do this himself. THIS WAS AWESOME!!

I don't think I am explaining the shift that took place in the conversation quite well, but in truth it was like going from me hopelessly pleading, to him coming up with a certain way in which this could take place. What's more, is that TOMORROW (yes, tomorrow!!), he is going to make an announcement during (or I guess right after Mass) about what is happening and how they are going to support the internat through their main charity fundraiser. In addition, he is going to ask the community for a collection NOW, and he is hoping to collect money both tomorrow and next weekend. He said not to expect for people to give a lot in these first two collections, since people will have only just become aware of the situation, but that the most revenue would come from their big fundraiser, which takes place on their main feast day!! WOW!!

I forgot to mention this, but I let the priest read the letter that Myroslaw had written up for me to give to the Bishop at the main church, and I think that really help legitimized my claims, as Myroslaw is himself a Ukrainian Catholic priest, and as Dean of St. Jerome's, he had asked the local Bishop to help me. At this point, I offered to prepare a small 2 or 3 minute presentation for the community, and to put together a poster for next weekend so that people can put a visual image and a face to what (or better said to whom) they are contributing to. The priest said the presentation would be best if it took place during one of their catechism sessions (which a lot of people attend), rather than after Mass, since he would already make an announcement, so we will be setting up a date for that. I will have that poster done for next week though, so I am going to be really busy with that and with something else that I will tell you about shortly...

I mentioned to the priest that I would try to set up similar initiatives in at least two other churches, including the one I currently attend. That way we will not be taking away too much from the money they provide Caritas with in terms of where it is allocated. If we can set up small initiatives like this in two or three churches, then we would be able to come up with a more substantial sum on a yearly basis :)

When the meeting was over, the priest seemed genuinely on board and even excited about this! He went to the sacristy for a minute, and came out with an icon of St. Nicholas, which he gave me as a gift!! I was so taken aback by this! It was so unexpected!! He blessed the icon and said a special prayer. I was sooooo incredibly happy and thankful! All I could say was "DUSHE DUSHE DIAKUYU!!" (Thank you very very much!) over and over lol :P The priest seemed very pleased hahaha. And so we left having successfully established the first initiative towards helping the girls locally and permanently! All I could do was praise God for his goodness. There is still a lot to be done, but this was certainly wonderful!!

Tomorrow Orest is going to help me set up a meeting with the priest at my own church, and after that I will go to the big green church at the center (The Church of the Nativity of Jesus, or as they jokingly call it, the Christmas Church :P) to do the same thing. The reason why I started with this church first is because my host family already had connections with them, and it turned out to be a great idea. I want to do my own church next simply because I think they will be willing to support this. I have that feeling because there is a woman who has a very severe physical disability who attends my church, and she seems to be very close to the priests (there are like 8 priests at this church, most of them very young!!) and to the community, so I that makes me think that they would be especially open to supporting children with disabilities. I don't know, but I think it is very much worth the shot. Pray for me!!

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In addition to setting up the fundraising initiative, there is something concrete that I am doing with the grant money (other than paying for translation services, hahaha). I have decided to put together individual kits of supplies for each of the girls at the internat, as well as one big kit for the whole internat with things that are best shared by all than given to each individually. I believe Amanda or one of the other girls did something similar to this last year. I have a three part aim in putting together these kits together:

1) To provide for their immediate needs, RIGHT NOW, especially when it comes to hygiene and personal care.

2) Simply to treat them with something fun, exciting and useful!

3) To use the kits as a starting point to teach them more about personal self-care and hygiene! (I mentioned the posters and the "Let's take care of our bodies" day that I am planning before)

The individual kits will consists of bags (which they can use later) containing necessary things like soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, wash cloth, lotion, hair bands, a feet self-care kit, socks, underwear (most of theirs is in VERY POOR SHAPE!!), bandaids, etc., and fun things such as a mirror, chap-stick, bubbles, notebooks, nail polish, stickers, candy, sunglasses and a piece of fruit! The kits for the little ones would be a bit different, but you get the point. In the big internat kit I want to put things like a ball, baby wipes, bottles of shampoo and conditioner, a few sewing kits, a few bottles of sunscreen, story books, etc.

Yesterday Jen, Jessica and I went to what we call "The Big Rodena", which is a grocery store, to buy some of the things. We are planning on buying most of the stuff at the bazar, as we believe it would be cheaper, and so we also wrote down the prices of the other things we wanted to buy in order to compare. Canadian dollars go a long way when it comes to converting it to hryvnia, but we still want to get the most for the money so that we can get them more stuff. It was actually very fun and it served as yet another bonding experience. I really appreciate all the help they are giving me with this particular project, as it is a huge job and I would not be able to do it without them. We are going to get the rest of the stuff on Monday, and we want to put the kits together at my house next week to have them ready to give them away on Friday.

After shopping, we ate some supper (which we bought at the grocery store) at the little park in front of the Rodena, and then we headed for my house to watch a movie. That, however, ended up turning into more like a girl's night, and we just chatted and talked about boyfriends, our plans, etc. It was great and we had a lot of fun!!! We want to do this again next week just before they leave. I can't believe they are leaving in two weeks!! I am going to miss them so much! It is going to be hard to be here for three more weeks after that with them being gone, but I will do my best to keep in touch with them over the webcam (as Jessica suggested lol), and also to remain social with the friends I have met here.

Speaking of friends, today we are meeting David, one of the guys I met at church, and we have been invited to a get together with a bunch of other foreigners! It will be awesome!! And tomorrow, Michael, who is working in Lviv through Intercordia, is coming to Ternopil to visit. So it will be a busy weekend!

There is a lot more to say, but I think I will leave it at that for now. Next week is going to be insanely busy with a lot of activities at the internat, putting that poster together, preparing the kits, AND studying for my two finals... so please PRAY FOR ME!! Thanks again for your comments, and don't forget that you can email me through facebook or at my NEW email address, which is: miri 'at' live.ca (I don't want to put the at symbol in order to avoid spammers). Love you all, miss you all. God bless!