Too young to go school, so just trying out the desk...

A new school year!

So much has happened since the last posting. Antons finally arrived home from his school year in the States. We greeted him at the airport as seen in the photo. The summer passed and was very eventful. As mentioned, in July we became family for seven Somalian refugees, two of which are minors. This caused an uproar. Our landlord stated that we cannot provide refuge for refugees on his property. And so we have moved. It was a poignant move, because of the work and money invested in the building that had been home for Zvannieki for five years. The sum is astronomical. We are now starting all over again… More about our new accommodations later.
Not counting our Somalian friends, our family has increased by three a twelve year old boy who is developmentally delayed by several years, a fourteen year old girl who was kicked out of her home by her new stepfather and an eighteen year old boy who believes that living with us he will be able to complete his primary education (grade 9 in Latvia). Yes, we are bursting at the seams!
The school year seems that it will be easier than last, because 14 of our children attend the local school, alleviating the transportation problem. Six attend school in Adazi, one in Riga, two in Janmuiza and four in Cesis. Three children are too young for school. You can see Sincis trying out a school desk for future reference.

Visitors from Somalia to our home!

Wow! For a week now we have hosted 7 refugees from Somalia. The youngest is 15 and the oldest is 40. Life has changed so quickly for us. For them it was even harder and quicker. They have spent the last 11 months in Olaine, in a detention center for illegal refugees. This was not so much because of who they are and lack of identity papers as due to the fact that Latvia lacks experience in dealing with refugees. It came to pass that these 7 persons ended up on the street in Riga, Latvia with 12LS to their name. That is the equivalent of about 20USD between them all. They had no place to sleep and all institutions were either closed for the weekend or could not take these people in, because they lacked the proper documentation. To make a sad and appalling story shorter, we took them in. Our children took to them almost immediately and new friendships were formed. The picture shows our new friends with some of our children after performing the fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood" in latvian for our children. It and they were a hit. More to follow...

HEAVEN-SENT HELPERS...

Last week was an unbelievable week! Twenty adults from from Pine Street Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania descended upon Zvannieki and changed our lives and living conditions. Amazing! One of our walls was declared a hazard. It was in danger of collapsing. Our landlord declared that it is our responsibility to fix. We had already paid 1000LS (@2000USD) to have one corner of the building’s foundation be exposed, repaired and reinforced – tenants’ responsibility?! – we did not have the thousands necessary to fix the rest of the wall. Enter Roger, George, Baiba, Bill, Gary, Dotty, Carol, Carol P., Bob, Deb, Kathy… They built their own scaffolding by recalling knots learned in the Boy Scouts and then the real work began. Not only was the wall fixed, windows reinforced and screened, our shed received a floor, new doors, locks, shelves and a cupboard, our attic was cleaned and floored and our laundry room was outfitted with shelving. All we could do was stand back and wonder! Our youngest children were confused – who are these people with the funny names? Our youth asked: who will pay them? Others said – our angels are sent direct from heaven!
Everyone helped – the youngest sang for the workers, and everyone 10 years old and older helped carrying lumber, fetching tools, nailing floors and shelves, cooking lunch for forty and cleaning up. This continued for four days. Truly amazing!
But even more important than learning to lay bricks and shelves and floors, was learning and experiencing teamwork at its best. The work was intense, the weather was hot and tempers did not flare. The days were filled with the spirit of love and mutual respect.
We thank God for Pine Street Presbyterian Church and its mission group that chose to help the children at Zvannieki.

OUR LOVELY WALL...

...before our friends from Pine Street arrived.

Graduation

June was a busy month for us – three of our youth graduated from public school. This is considered a major milestone in Latvia. It is surprising how many people do not have a public school education! Three of ours did it! In the picture you see one of the graduates, a girl who was not expected to get beyond grade 6 – why? because she was from a highly dysfunctional family and had been placed in the remedial school. When she came to Zvannieki three years ago, she begged to be put in the normal stream. It was a struggle to catch up with the others, but she did it! The other two graduates were also ecstatic – another girl was not expected to graduate, but she managed. She also has gaps in her education, but is working to fill them. The third graduate is a bright boy, who is bored by school and life and has a philosophy of life that needs some revision.
While the graduations were cause for celebration, we know that the road ahead will be rough. (In Latvia you can move to the next grade even if you have failed some subjects. I don’t quite understand the system, because if you can’t do grade nine math, how can you be expected to do grade 10 math!) Next year will be a challenge and a struggle for these youth, because of gaps in several subjects. The school system has not addressed this glitch and so we will send these three to a private school where they will join three other of our children to receive the help they need. So, six of our children will attend this school, which costs just under $200USD per month per child… How can a price tag be attached to someone’s future?

Additions to our family!

On Easter Monday we were greeted with a rude surprise. The parents of whom we had 8 children under our roof were inebriated to the extent that they were not answering their door, the door was locked and their youngest children 18 months and 6 months were heard crying in the house. With the aid of the local police the door was opened and these children were taken and placed in our care. I lack the words to describe the situation in that house. A picture is worth a thousand words...
The children are presently being cared for by a couple until the courts decide what should be done with them. We hope that they never have to return to the house they were living in and to people who did not adequately care for them. I write these lines in anger and frustration and with deep sympathy for the thousands of children in Latvia, and the countless number of children in the world that are not cared for or loved.

Hi! As you can see our "little girls" are now big sisters to Kristine. Life in Zvannieki has its routines and one of them is house-cleaning. We are fortunate in that our new big sisters enjoy sweeping and cleaning house. They actually fought for the broom, so we had to buy more brooms so that all could clean. We lose our dustpan because it is in great demand. Hard to believe! Kristine is growing and progressing to baby food and to being fed with a spoon. The picture shows our first attempt at this new method for intake of nutrition. We were successful to some extent, but not all of the food found its way to Kristine's stomach...
The snow is slowly melting and mud is replacing the beautiful white countryside. The road is at times impassable due to the mud, that reaches beyond the ankles at times. The joys of spring!

A new addition to our family!

Hi folks! I have been remiss in writing, but that is because there is a new addition to our family with new responsibilities for all. Mid-March Kristine arrived. She is just 6 months old, so we get the privilege of experiencing nightly feedings... Her family situation was threatening her life and so the local authorities removed her from her home and placed her in our care. She is a delight and is loved by one and all - especially our youngest! She is cuddled, tickled and kissed constantly and she loves it. showing her appreciation by growing quickly and laughing with a delightful gurgle. I will write more soon - I promise!

OUR CHILDREN

The number is ever changing and depends on how one defines “lives”. At present there are 25 children for whom Zvannieki is “home”. Six are under 8 years of age and the rest are 12-23. Each child has arrived via his/her own path – some from orphanages, others were removed from their families by Social Service personnel and others came for a visit for a while and some of those chose to remain.
September 2001 was the beginning of Zvannieki. A little girl whom we call Buba arrived when she was 4 months old, together with her mother. Soon thereafter her 4 year old brother and 3 year old sister joined them. Up until that point they had been living in an orphanage. Zvannieki was born and a family was reunited.
In March 2003 the local orphans’ court asked if a temporary home could be provided for a 15 year old girl. There were problems of abuse in the family and the girl asked for a new home. Since she had numerous siblings and all were subject to abuse, the court decided that the remaining children should also live in Zvannieki. In June of 2003 two brothers and three sisters, ranging in age from 11 months to 19 years became part of the Zvannieki family. In the summer of 2005, they were joined by their eldest brother.
The end of June 2003 brought a new addition: a local ten month old girl. It was the hope and intent to help her mother and to reunite their family, but that did not come to pass. Once the mother received her “baby bonus” for giving birth to her child, she left and has not been seen since. She left her daughter at Zvannieki.
Summer vacation of 2003 brought guests to Zvannieki: children from the "Lejasstrazdi" Orphanage - two girls aged 9 and 12 and two boys aged 14 and 15.
At the end of the Christmas vacation 2003 the two boys from Lejasstrazdi asked if Zvannieki could be their new home, because they wished to become members of this family.
After lengthy and intense discussions, the brothers of the abandoned infant girl were brought to Zvannieki. They were 3 and 4 years old and had spent those years in an orphanage. Both brothers are visually impaired and have developmental handicaps. The discussions were especially intense because the Zvannieki house was undergoing renovations.
The winter of 2004 is marked as a new beginning, for Zvannieki has frequent live in guests: teens from the surrounding area – classmates of the Zvannieki children.
The summer of 2004 is home once again for guests from the “Lejasstrazdi” orphanage who are beginning to view Zvannieki as their home. At the end of the summer vacation one 12 year old boy refuses to return to the orphanage.
During 2004/2005 school year a couple of local teens decide to live in Zvannieki as does a local 20-year-old schoolteacher.
At the conclusion of the Christmas vacation of 2004 two sisters aged 11 and 14 beg to be allowed to become part of the Zvannieki family. They do not wish to return to their “home” – the orphanage.
As is the Zvannieki custom, during the summer vacation of 2005, the Zvannieki family goes for a several day hike along the coast of the Baltic Sea. They are joined by one of our teenager’s classmates, a 17-year-old girl who is homeless. She becomes a member of our family.
At about the same time, the “Lejasstrazdi” orphanage asks us to provide a home for a 14-year-old girl who refuses to attend their local school and to live in the orphanage. Psychologists at a crisis center conclude that the girl needs new living arrangements and agree that Zvannieki would be an appropriate venue for the teen.
In December of 2005 one of our teens, a 17 year old boy, decides to accept the kind offer of a family in Michigan to attend school in the USA. Another teen, an 18-year-old girl, joins the family. She also has no home. Not withstanding her difficulties, she is an honors student.

Winter in our Backyard

The Early Days

The picture shows our water supply early 2005. Clean water on the table, dirty water under the table. One of our youth did the hauling of the clean water from the lake and later from the well, as well as carrying the dirty water out. Bath days were a challenge!
The house itself was built in the 1920’s. Lack of care for the house during the Soviet years of occupation left its mark. The roof leaked, walls were caving in, there was no indoor plumbing – not even water. Water was carried from the lake that froze over during the winter. Imagine life like that with small children… It was like turning back the clock 100 years, but that is still not uncommon in the rural areas of Latvia! Reconstruction began. The house received a new roof; windows and doors were installed. A new staircase was needed; rooms needed repartitioning. Plans made for toilets and a shower. An unexpected surprise was that the beams of the house had rotted – they too needed to be replaced.
Who paid for this? Since Zvannieki is an NGO, there are no governmental funds for the support of this work. Initially- the first couple of years - most expenses: reconstruction and food for the children was paid by Juris Calitis. His pension fund and all savings have found their home in the house itself. Later congregations and organizations, both in Latvia and outside of Latvia, began sending donations – donations for plumbing, boiler, washing machine, beds etc. Many thanks to them!
The kitchen initially was a nightmare. Cooking was done on a hotplate that was not adequate for the number of persons living at the shelter. Through another NGO’s help, a shell for the kitchen was completed, including and saving the old wood stove. The kitchen was furnished with used odds and ends from various individuals. Since our family has grown to over 20 children and youth, the kitchen fittings no longer can serve our needs. We are thankful that various businessmen in Riga have undertaken to refit the kitchen with industrial fittings. (See blogspot “ScotinRiga”)
Heating of the two-storied house was and still is done by one wood fireplace. A blower system has been added to help distribute the heat throughout the house.
Laundry was initially washed in Riga by members in their homes. Then we were gifted with a washing machine – but had no water… A well was drilled. That is a story in itself 170 meters deep! What an expense, money ran out, but the diggers continued to drill. We then had water in the house – one tap. Water for the washing machine – but where to expel the used water? A huge pot was set up beside the washing machine… Our teen boys got tired of having to empty this pot – we do a lot of laundry in one day – and they rigged a hose out through the window. This worked fine and well in the summer, but in the winter, the house lost too much heat! Anyway, we now have a laundry room with an industrial sized washer and dryer – thanks to our German friends – and we can do laundry normally.

Greetings to readers of "Zvannieki"

Welcome!

"What is Zvannieki?" It is a home and shelter for children - orphans or children from dysfunctional families. Zvannieki is also home for youth whose families are in crisis and the teens need a safe haven for a while.

Where is Zvannieki? Zvannieki is in Latvia (found on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea), approximately 100 km north of the capital city, Riga. It is found in the deep in the country area. Poverty and alcoholism are a constant for most persons living in the rural areas of Latvia. Unemployment and low wages create the areas of deep depression. (Most persons work for 1-2LS per day – approximately $.60 - 1.20USD – a pair of inexpensive shoes costs about 30LS and used shoes 7LS. A loaf of bread costs about .50LS and a kilogram of pork about 2LS. Go figure…)

Zvannieki is an NGO and all who work there are volunteers.

Who am I, the writer? My name is Sarma Eglite. I have spent the last year and a half working at Zvannieki as a volunteer. I have been chauffeur, bottle washer, grocery shopper, laundress, cook, dishwasher, child bather, soother, and paper shuffler – in essence ‘mother’. Immediately prior to this I was pastor for thirteen years of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Boston. During that time I visited Latvia approximately two to three times a year, so have been able to visit Zvannieki since the beginning and had already come to know and love the children.

THE BEGINNING
Zvannieki exists since 2001. Its founders are the Reverend Juris Calitis and members of the Riga Ev. Lutheran Reformed congregation in Riga, with Sandra Dzenite as the driving force. It all began as in a dream, perhaps more accurately it began with a nightmare – there was a knock at the door… An inebriated man incoherently spat out “A baby is lost.” It was snowing and snowing hard. To believe or not to believe, that was the question. Is a baby lost in the snow? Two kilometers later, they came upon a rundown two-story apartment building. They tried to talk to the man’s partner, but she would not open the door or answer any questions. The Reverend Calitis found a ladder and climbed up to her window, but not to say “Rappanzal, Rappanzal, let down your hair!” He conversed with the woman through the window. She was drunk and clearly had been beaten, but no baby. Help was called for the woman. By then neighbors were becoming interested in the proceedings and one of them, in answer to the question does anybody know anything about a baby, answered that she had taken the baby a couple of days ago to care for it, because the baby’s parents were drunk and the infant had been constantly crying because it had not been fed or changed in quite a while.

One would think, a happy ending. The infant is found alive and well. There is a but. The neighbor did not want to continue caring for the infant. The mother was taken to the hospital. The father was still drunk. What next? There followed a discussion between the Reverend Calitis and Sandra Dzenite, a member of one of his congregations. Sandra was convinced that they should care for the child until the mother was released from the hospital and then help the mother learn to be a mother. The mother was only 24 at the time. Calitis was against this plan, knowing that it would not be so easy. Sandra convinced him. And so it all began.