Posted 2/14/01
From Belarus with love
By MaryHelen Swanson
They say good things come to those who wait.
Well, the second grade students in Sue Stangís class at Jacobson Elementary in Rush City werenít expecting the good things they recently received - letters from Belarus. But they waited a long time for them and they sure enjoyed them.
You see, it was over one year ago that they participated in a project called Operation Christmas Child, sponsored by Franklin Graham and the Samaratanís Purse program.
What it amounted to was collecting small items that children would like and packing them in shoe boxes to be sent around the world to children who would probably never get anything for Christmas, much less even understand the joy of the celebration.
When Mrs. Stang explained the idea to her students, as a community service outreach project, she anticipated a fair amount of cooperation, but never expected so many gifts would come in that they would require seven boxes.
ìThe children kept bringing and bringing in items,î Stang said. They brought in crayons, notebooks, yo yos, hard candy, small games, pencils, etc. and filled the boxes.
Along with the gifts went a polaroid picture of the whole class and letters, written by the students, telling the recipients about themselves and their families.
And then they waited, not sure whether they should expect any response.
About a month ago it came, from two brothers in Belarus who had received their boxes. And along with two letters came a photograph.
The letters are heartwarming. Dmitry writes that he was unable to send a letter because he had nobody to help translate, but a friend of his ìgrannyî helped him and his brother Alexei translate their thoughts into English.
ìI congratulate you on Christmas,î Dmitry writes, adding, ìThe Russian chirch selebrate Christmas at 7th of january, but we have the same God.î
He goes on to say, ìThe new century comes in. I hope it will be century of peace.î
Dmitry says he read the students letters ìwith pleasureî but was confused when Brandi, Nick and Kasey wrote they live in trailer homes.
ìWhat is the trail home? Is it some sort of tower?î
He tells the class he once traveled to Poland and concludes his letter with an invitation: ìWhen somebody among you comes Minsk, please, come to us. I and Alexei will be glad to see you.î
ìMy dear friends,î writes Alexei, ìsorry I canít answer for everybody, I answer for all simultaneously.î
He too read the Rush City letters ìwith pleasure.î
Alexeiís confusion was in the dirt bikes the second-graders wrote about. ìWhat is the dirt bike? Is is a little car? Play station is a computer? I like play computer games.î
Alexei is full of questions about the American childrenís letters. ìWhat is snow board? It is ski or skates?î He goes on: ìI congratulate you on Christmas and new century.î
Alexeiís letter contained a poignant message: ìMy mom said that 15 years ago it was impossible have a friends in USA or in Western Europe. But now I may send you a letter and gets letters.î
If the correspondence could continue, it just might be the beginning of that peace of which young Dmitry wrote.
Judging by the excitement that was produced when the boysí letters arrived in Rush City, it was a worthwhile project with an excellent ending.