Visits to Orphanages in Poland: Summer 2002
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Caritas
- Diecezji Koszalinsko-Kolobrzeskiej Dom Samotnej Matki ”Dar Zycia” ul . Wojska Polskiego 13 75-701 Koszalin Tel: (094) 42-37-70 |
As members of Direct
Help to Eastern Europe, my husband (Jacek) and I (Ania) volunteer our time
in order to help orphanages in Poland. Part of this volunteer effort is
visiting orphanages while we go on vacation to Poland where we can
purchase household equipment for the homes we visit – with the funds
provided by Direct Help to Eastern Europe. This
summer my husband and I visited a few children’s homes in Poland.
Because our vacation time was filled to the brim with family visits we had
to economize and restrict ourselves to visiting only 4 homes. However
despite this limited list we learned a great
deal about the situation of orphanages and other similar institutions in
Poland today. The first city we stayed in for over a week was Koszalin (North, near the Baltic coast). We contacted a place, which my mother Elizabeth visited 2 years ago. This institution serves as a home for teenage girls who find themselves pregnant and with no place to go. I called the Dom Samotnej Matki “Dar Zycia” which translates to Home for Mothers “Gift of Life” and a young voice picked up the receiver on the other end. I introduced myself as a member of a small charitable organization entitled Direct Help to Eastern Europe wanting to help them purchase something that they might need right now. I suggested a few things off the top of my head such as: washer, vacuum or a stove. The voice on the other end with much certainty said “it is a refrigerator that we most desperately need” and “if it is possible we would be very grateful for one that has a freezer on the top rather than on the bottom”. I thought that the second part of this request was odd but I wrote down everything and promised the young voice that I will try my best to fulfill her wish. Next we were looking for stores that could sell us a cheaper but new refrigerator. The wholesaler, from which my mother purchased appliances 2 years ago no longer existed. We went to a store in the center of town and after a short debate between ourselves we chose a large Polar refrigerator with a freezer on the top of the unit. The refrigerator was delivered to the Home for Mothers the next day and that same evening we went to visit them. Since we came late in the evening most of the home’s residents were sleeping. We were welcomed by the two young lay-sisters who run the home. We saw the old refrigerator, which was to be replaced by the gleaming new one. I took a photo of the sisters and me in front of the new purchase. (photo #1) They were very happy and extremely grateful for this gift. They showed us their old refrigerator which leaks constantly mainly due to old age (over 30 years old). The sisters admitted to us that they along with the residents of the home have been PRAYING TO GOD FOR A NEW FRIDGE - and all out of the blue I call offering them money for an appliance. Then the sisters began to tell us a bit more about the home and how it functions Most girls that come to stay at the home are unmarried and between the ages of 16-20 years old. They usually come from poor and/or abusive families that have no means to support themselves. They can stay at the home free of cost up to a year after the baby is born. Most leave within a few months once the baby is born and they find a way to support themselves. The girls are encouraged to help each other and participate in the daily tasks of the home. The sisters told us that very often the girls have been mistreated since childhood and have very low self-esteem. For example some girls have never received a gift or a kind word from their parents or family. To compensate for this the sisters try to celebrate each birthday with a small get together and a cake. All this is very often accompanied by tears of happiness of the birthday girl who begins to feel appreciated by others for the first time in her life. The young mothers have many problems the biggest one being lack of practical life skills and work skills. Since unemployment in Poland is at an all time high right now (17%), such young girls have a very difficult task of finding a means of support for themselves and their child. The sisters help as much as they can. When a young mother leaves the home they try to provide her with the basic things she will need in her new life. However since the home has a very small budget most of the things inside the home and those given to girls come from donations. People living in the community help when they can. For example sellers from the market bring in fruits and vegetables that were not sold. Individuals donate their old appliances and clothes etc. Near the end of our visit the sisters showed us the log book they keep of major events such as birthdays, Christmas and New Year celebrations and the like. Among these events was my own mothers visit to this Home for Mothers in the summer of 2000. My mother purchased a new stove for them. It was a pleasure to see this scrupulously maintained log of the home and many smiling faces in the photographs. Before we left the sisters showed us Anastasia the newest member of the home (1 month old) who was the only baby not sleeping because of colic. The sisters also explained to me why the refrigerator had to have the freezer on the top. “You know there is chaos here sometimes when the children run around and play. They especially love opening and closing things repeatedly; it’s just safer to keep their little hands away from freezer doors.” Anyone who wishes to contact the Home for Mothers can write to the following address: (Polish language only) Caritas - Diecezji Koszalinsko-Kolobrzeskiej Dom Samotnej Matki ”Dar Zycia” ul . Wojska Polskiego 13 75-701 Koszalin Tel: (094) 342-3770 |
After
Koszalin we went to Warsaw, the capital of Poland, where we called two
more homes. Since we did not have a car in Warsaw or too much time we did
not visit the homes but we purchased things for them. We called and they
told us what they need the most at the time. We purchased a clothes washer
for one and comforters and towels for another. We were able to get these
items delivered for free to the homes and after they were delivered the
directors called us and reported that everything was delivered and they
thanked us for the gifts. Dom
Dziecka
Dom Dziecka I took a photograph of the wholesaler where I bought the comforters and towels. I was very happy because we called many places and here we were able to buy the least expensive comforters made of 100% wool and colorful towels. When I told the director of the Children’s Home that I am buying 18 comforters (for each child in the older group) she expressed worry because that would be more money than I had told them that Direct Help to Eastern Europe could donate (which was $250 for each home) She was elated when the delivery came not only with comforters but also with new towels for each child. In fact I spent only $250 for the whole lot of these items.
By the end of July we were not planning on visiting any more orphanages
during this vacation. I did however need to get some information on
adoption because our organization keeps getting questions about adoption
in Poland. So armed with some brochures and other materials about DHEE my
husband and I went to visit the Catholic Adoption Home in Warsaw. After a
long tram and bus ride we finally found the large old building where the
Catholic Adoption Center has its office. We met Malgorzata Mendez who is
the liason for international adoptions.
What I saw at the Adoption Care Center was a pleasant surprise. There were sound-proof rooms with countless colorful beds for the Center’s tiny inhabitants. The infants were clean and well cared for.
While we were visiting a couple of new adoptive parents were
picking up their new little son (2 months old). They were so happy that I
am not sure if they even remember what was going on around them. I snapped
two photos of them. They said
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