It has been close to three months since I last donned the uniform associated with my old life. The jacket, trousers, white shirt, and shiny shoes have been replaced by a polo shirt, shorts, and runners (that’s also partly due to the great weather we’ve enjoyed all through the trip to Belarus). My daily routine has also changed dramatically, rising earlier, retiring earlier, and “going with the flow” for much of the time between the start and end of each day. I’ve also taken to herbal and green tea in place of my regular mugs of strong coffee.
Now that we’re back in Gorodishche again, home as you might say, it’s up early to greet the beautiful Autumn mornings, cold and sometimes foggy before the sun takes control of things for the rest of the days. My working morning starts with the changing of the shifts in Group 2, mamas work twelve-hour shifts in a pattern that seems odd – I can never tell which team will be on when. I can never tell whether I’m welcomed or tolerated by any given team (I work at a much slower pace!). It’s feeding time for those who spend long hours in their beds (the big ones) or cots (the small ones) – big or small is not related to age as some of the small ones in this group are in their late teens. I return at midday to “help” with dinner service, taking direction from anyone who wants to point me to the right young person.
The food varies based on the age and chewing ability of each person being fed. Breakfast is mostly porridge with tea or hot chocolate (juice [compote] on the warmer days). Thicker or watered down, I need to learn who takes what version of breakfast. Dinner is served in two courses, soup and then a substantial meal. Again, consistency and volume vary but the smell is always good (although if you ask Joanne, she might have a different view on this!). Spuds, beetroot, and cabbage are staples with chicken being the meat for most days. All of this washed down again with compote on most days – I was tempted to take a taste on more than one occasion. Despite my best efforts, I did get to “wear” dinner on several feeding days (glad I wasn’t wearing my lovely white shirt and jacket)!
It was suggested that we might take a group to the Zoo in Baranovichi this week, it’s about 40 minutes away. Initially, we were not keen on the plan, despite it being suggested by Lena (the Director of the Orphanage). We know that this will mean a very limited number of people (4 or 5) and may include those who get to go everywhere (even our young lady). However, following a meeting with Lena we agree that, as it’s the big bus and only those that haven’t been to the Zoo before, a trip will go ahead when the weather is better (yes, we are seeing a little rain and cooler days as we head to the end of September).
Joanne and I and two staff members (Ira and Lena) with twelve young, excited, adults head off on Wednesday morning – taking coats as a necessity (early morning) and precaution (once the sun took hold on the day). No need for Irina to travel, Joanne can be our translator for the day 😊
The new bus (some plastic still on the seats) is spotless, a far cry from the older minibus that has seen a lot of action over the years. We’re one more passenger than expected so Pasha must squeeze as an extra into the back seat – where all the messers usually land (and he is certainly one of those)!
It’s an interesting “Zoo” and doesn’t house animals that we would normally expect to see, it was more of a kiddie’s zoo with camels (the most exotic resident), bison (they roam wildly here), some small animals, and birds housed in enclosures that all appeared to be a bit tight.
We had planned to stop for ice cream, maybe on the way home. But the opportunity came early, and we were able to buy ice cream from a kiosk in the Zoo (“sixteen of those, please” – my Russian is getting so much better!). A quick stop in the Barbie photo booth (no I didn’t, put that photo away Joanne!). A lovely day and all were suitably impressed at what felt as much educational as it was fun. But one more opportunity to treat everyone – Ira had picked up vouchers for a nearby pizzeria and we were keen to see that the day didn’t finish at the Zoo.
Back on the bus, leaving trails of mud and sand on the lovely clean floor – oops! Off to “Dodo Pizza” to buy as much as would feed all of those on the bus, and as many more as we could when we returned to the Orphanage. A strange ad appeared on the digital display in the shop, can I believe my eyes? “Irish Cappuccino” is the special (small print tells me that there’s no alcohol included so I decided that breaking my abstinence from coffee is not necessary). Ten large pizzas and juice, and off to the local park for a picnic, a proper day out. Everyone has their fill and it’s back on to the bus to head back – minds and bellies full – to dish out the left-over pizza (that was four large pizzas).
We hear that there are several of those who are with us who are tasting pizza for the first time. Our small slices go a long way back at the orphanage and others are treated to a first taste of pizza – lots of satisfied bellies!
Irina arrives in the kitchen one morning with a small, clear, plastic bag. There are two medals on a safety pin in the bag, a “find” from a dig that had taken place in a local garden over the weekend. Anya and her kids were digging, it’s the end of the harvest and it’s important to ensure that the land is good for the next planting season. They discover the two medals (not in the bag) and are convinced that they might have found “treasure”, maybe Irina can bring it to a jeweller in her town and have them valued.
I’m intrigued, a first glance tells me there is a story to be uncovered about the treasure. The smaller of the medals depicts Saint Gerard Maiella (patron saint of happy childbirths) but it was the larger one that was the focus of my (Sherlock Holmes) investigations.
The front of the medal says “Monstra Te Esse Matrem” (Show yourself to be our Mother), with “Congregation of the Children of Mary” on the reverse side. But much more importantly, the name “Bridie Marrinan” is inscribed on the back. Joanne and I began to think that the value of the medal was more sentimental than monetary. But who was Bridie, and how was her medal found in the back garden of a house in the village of Gorodishche – time for Google (and Brother Liam)? We heard that there was a BCP volunteer who frequented Cherven Orphanage some years ago – Breeda Marrinan might have some answers. I make direct contact with Breeda, she’s happy to hear from Belarus (and I was able to share some photos that she really appreciated) but . . . she was never known as Bridie! More research is required! I discovered that Lisa Marrinan was a volunteer in Gorodishche some years ago, maybe this was a family heirloom? All attempts to find Lisa fail and we resolve to accept a theory put forward by Brother Liam – “finds such as this have been made in the past where items are left in pockets of clothes that are donated to BCP”. It makes perfect sense, but it’s not the end of this investigation that I’d hoped for (I was fully invested now!).
So . . . if you’re reading this and know someone (who knows anyone) called Bridie Marrinan, let’s see if we can close the story with a better ending!
This is the longest trip that we’ve taken to Belarus and by far the most time that we have spent with Tanya since Joanne first met her back in 2013 – when the clever young girl (then just thirteen) asked Joanne to be her mother. We all know where that went, and where that has brought us!
There has been more time to discuss importanter stuff and Tanya, who’s a talker, wants this to be a real mother/daughter time – I am asked to leave the conversation on more than a few occasions! Tanya is now a mature young woman and has lots of questions that she’s trying to get to the bottom of, some of which not even Mammy Joanne can help with.
Tanya knows her parent’s names and what they each do for a living, an engineer, and a teacher. She wants to contact them, most especially her mother, she’s very emotional as she is searching for answers and looking to see how she might find a new life outside the Orphanage (I told you there were things beyond Joanne’s ability!). There have been attempts to make contact in the past, none of which were successful. But the push to get answers this time is strong and the team at the Orphanage is open to helping (I can say no more – mostly because I wasn’t part of “those” conversations 😉).
But it’s not just about her heritage, there are several mother/daughter bonding opportunities (not all of which end in tears). Joanne gets a sense of what Tanya is talking about (even without Google) and we have two beautiful “afternoon tea” gatherings with just four of us (Vaselina always wants to be part of any drama) where there is so much discovered and discussed. A deep conversation (Joanne is still trying to make sense of it) is topped off with Joanne tucking Tanya into bed, a first as we are normally cleared from the room long before this time.
Another significant breakthrough, Tanya is happy that Joanne and I are in Gorodishche, but she fully understands that we are here for more than her (this was a struggle in the past). We spend time with her often, but we are not bound to call every day. Where we can’t visit, she keeps us informed through WhatsApp.
There are more birthdays to be celebrated, the list is out, and all future events are noted with a search through the stock of presents to see what’s appropriate for each birthday boy, or girl. We returned this week knowing that there was a big day on Monday, Lisa and Maxime were both to have their big days. Both are real characters and well-loved by all traveling volunteers. Lisa is a “dote” that I love to drive crazy with my messing. Maxime is “growing by the day” and is the goalkeeper who took so much punishment on the soccer field last week.
We have something special for Lisa that we pick up in Minsk but there’s bad news – Lisa is in hospital with a back problem. A quick check and we discover that she’s in the local hospital, it’s just a walk away and we are not going to miss this big day. Some others from her group are also to join us as we pack the party bag and walk to a veranda at the back of the hospital where Lisa is eagerly awaiting our presence/her present. She looks a bit flushed and explains that she has been on a drip (she offers evidence which I don’t appreciate – she loves that it makes me wince). I pack her special present before we leave the orphanage and she is “pleasantly” surprised to get an orange, a sweet, and a tea bag in a used teabag box. She’s all smiles – maybe she knows me too well. Joanne quickly produces the real gift, and she is delighted to now have her own music player (loaded with the music she loves), no more listening to the rubbish that the boys in the group listen to!
As we sit outside, I notice an old lady with a walking frame, carrying a bucket, across the road. Surely, she deserves to be part of the Irish party. “Don’t do it”, Joanne pleads. But it’s too late, I delivered sweets and have already gotten a kiss from my new 83-year-old friend. She comes over to have a chat with the party crew, wishing Joanne and me a safe trip back to Ireland before she takes off again – I’m not sure what the bucket will be used for.
We tell Maxime that we will be over for his celebration – “дискотека в семь” (disco at seven) is the plan. We pack the party bag again and head to Maxime and his group, just in time for the disco – which includes a conga train that goes the length of the corridor. We call Rosie and Ruth in Shannon, the more invited, to the party, the merrier. There’s a serious moment when Maxime gets heartfelt wishes from all the big boys who are home here in Group 2. A personal cake (very important), biscuits, crisps, sweets, and fizzy, and I’m sure that the Mama of the group is still thanking us 😊 for the highs. Maxime gets a couple of new t-shirts; I’m still trying to work out how he can make that size look like it’s a skinny fit!
We also note that, following the consumption of so much fizzy in the group, the aforementioned cabbage dinners seem to be making their presence felt. Enough said – it is a bunch of big boys!
The group known as “the workers” is a bunch of strong lads that come from several different groups in the Orphanage, united by the fact that they are relied on to support site maintenance and the farming team. We used to call them “the farm boys” but as the farm has shrunk over time, there are more of the strong lads working to keep everything running smoothly across the site (it’s a big site and there’s lots to do). But there are a few that like to “watch work” rather than “do work”, I’m saying nothing Vanya!
It’s been a tradition for many years that this group gets some special treatment from the visiting Irish, a trip to the kitchen for a bite to eat. When I say a bite, I really mean a lorry load! It takes more than one trip to the local shop to get the required amount of pasta, meat, cheese, and bread. All washed down with bottles of fizzy and a final treat – fruit salad with homemade “ice cream”. You need to keep an eye out for any sign of an empty plate and refill as quickly as possible.
On the day of the big feed, there are eight working lads at the table (as you’ll see from the photo, there are nine heads). However it happened, Maxime has managed to include himself in the working group, by his own admittance – a worker he ain’t! But it was his birthday, he’d play that card as long as possible this week.
There’s a big job tomorrow on the farm. One of the three pigs is to be slaughtered. For those in the know, the meat sells in minutes. No room for sentiment, there’s money to be made.
Much of the early part of our time here in Gorodishche was during the school holidays, all the teachers were on leave and there was little in the way of music and drama underway. But that has changed now, and all the classes are busy with many of the brighter young people now fully engaged with teachers from the Orphanage and from the local town.
We were part of the rehearsal for the September 1st school return, a spectacular celebration of Belarus and education – and we know that there have been many performances in the previous months (Instagram has been such a fantastic place for those that couldn’t/can’t travel). Word is out – there is to be a “concert” in the hall on our last day and we are the guests of honour (I must put on a tie . . . oh wait!).
There’s a buzz about the hallways as we see all the cast and crew gather for early morning rehearsals. If it was meant to be a secret – that doesn’t work too well! Curtains up are at 11 so we arrive to be seated in the front with many representatives from all the groups making up the rest of the audience. But to begin, a presentation.
The Director asks Joanne and me to come forward and she offers a big thank you from everyone for our “love, care, and help” over the past months. It’s a perfect mix of happy and sad, we have had such an amazing time but it’s time to say farewell (apparently Joanne cried through the whole performance).
First up is a song from the babushka’s (grannies) with advice to all that they should have taken themselves as young girls. A heartfelt poem from Seryozha is followed by the “crazy gang” (that’s Group 5 – my friends). A song from Alosha and one from Maxime that brings the house down (almost literally). And then the finale, a large group, including our Tanya, performing to a backing track of Белорусы мы (We are Belarusians) – a tune that stays in your head for hours after you hear it (that’s good and bad!).
Gifts and tears from Luda and Lena and we slip away (not so quietly) to say our final goodbyes. A fitting end to a wonderful visit – there’s much to digest!
This trip (and more to follow) would not be possible without the love and support that we have received from so many, I won’t even start to name names. We “abandoned” our own family and friends as we moved to our other family and friends in Belarus. It was a long trip, but it was worth it in so many ways. Meeting new friends, growing the bonds with old friends, and making the most of our time with some best friends – Belarus was AMAZING!
Our final week also allowed us to deliver more essential shoes and clothing to the young people at Gorodishche. I told you earlier that a significant portion of the funds spent on Project One of #importanterstuff was left in the capable hands of Brother Liam. He is continuing to provide for those in most need here, and this will continue for the coming months. But as our special place, we funded winter shoes for many of the young people here in Gorodishche before we left. On our final visit to the groups, we observed new boxes being delivered (and shoes tried on) to squeals of excitement (OK – that was me!). We also managed to leave a suitcase full of clothes for different individuals and groups – Nadia will be dressed as Joanne for the coming months!
I’ll update you more in the coming weeks on where the fund was used in this phase of the #importanterstuff journey, safe to say there are a lot of people significantly better off as a result of the support we received from so many people.
And now it’s time for home (nearly). A little bit of culture on Sunday night, Joanne, Irina, and I are off to the ballet at the National Theatre in Minsk. And then we will be “on the road home”. Job done (for now).
Joanne’s Reflection/Poem Of The Week
Week eight – wow. What an emotional rollercoaster, the highs and lows are now but memories. These all part of our legacy, our past, and new history. This journey isn’t making us better people, it’s allowing us to share the good news stories about the great people in this world.
It has been a privilege to give on a personal level but more so from the kindness of others. Let’s all start making our days a little brighter, the smallest gesture can be received as liquid gold.
Never underestimate the Power of Kindness. (P.s photo is taken by me last week in the zoo) xx
A Random Selection Of Week 8 Photos
Importanter Stuff 
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