Legendary

These are some treasured words poet Jaiya John delivered at the perfect time for me last year. As my heart filled with every emotion imaginable, I thought of Sveta, Anisa, Vadim, Galina, and all the dedicated caregivers at Sovietsk. I thought of Anya, Misha, Natty, Sveta, Lena, Olga, and all of the dedicated Fund Nadezhda staff in Russia. I thought of all the adoptive parents and child and family workers I have known. And I thought of you, Sovietsk Supporters.

________________________________

For all those who serve children with honor:

They call you social workers
but I drink my drinks from Legend
so I recall a time
when family and community
were one and the same
it was called a compound

and there were those people
of great sensitivity
entrusted by the adults
ratified by the elders to place their hand
upon the shoulders of children
and turn them to face a better wind

they call you social workers
I call you those who turn lives around

you seep into cracks
like salvation blood and fill up the spaces
so precious little ones won't fall through

they call you social workers
I call you spirit keepers
denizens of the light
I mean to say you reside
in a house called hope
and keep the light on
so babies and lost folk
can find the way home

they call you social workers
but the ground you till is not social
it is spiritual of the human spirit
it drips with black richness like strong coffee
picked from heaven's hills

the seeds you protect are not simply children
not simply tomorrow's daylight
but the reason for our past
and the purpose for our people to be
to be

I drink from Legend so I know
mud-caked fishermen work the banks of the Nile
and have a faith that Creation will grace
them with good catch even on stingy days
that they will be able to return home
to their families and fill bellies
with substance beyond yams
this is your name

and the griot
she's old and over by the stump
still got that reach even though her joints are stiff
still got that reach to go on
and pull ripened fruit of symbolism
and legacy from the highest tree branches
and the most introverted clouds

pickin' 'em and pickin' em
and puttin' 'em in her story basket
so that the young ones can fill their
minds with substance beyond what is
extending out to what ought to be
and what used to be

she just griot
and she old
but she young enough to set
young ones free
this . . . is your name

they call you social workers
in child welfare

I call you medicine women and men
in family welfare

I call you glue in the community
when rain come to pull things apart

I call you doctors priests healers
teachers palm readers fortune tellers
prophesiers negotiators mediators
advocators instigators pacifiers
storytellers truth dwellers
getting downright dirty
in shameful cellars
cleanin' up mess'
settin' crooked straight

child soul caressers
Man I call you masseuse

irrigators investigators neglect haters
keeper of the cage that carries the canary
deep into the dark of human caves
looking for that first sign of something foul
praising that first sign of something beautiful

and then there is this:
in a nation that says this community
is less than that one
and this family is less than that one
and this child is less than that one
and why bother with all that pain
they call you social workers who
go out and keep the faith

only one reason
one reason be
so far as I can see:
even the Blackest Brownest
poorest brokest community
is made up of beautiful
families and children
trying to get free

endowed with the full potential of the Universe
unshakable masterpieces of canvass untouched
by foolish nation using the wrong paintbrush

and you . . .
in the morning when you rise
you peel the frustration from your sleepy face
and wash it away down the sink
with all that dirt System puts in your way
and you walk clean out the door

cause you believe

you believe these children are good enough
these families are worth enough
these communities deserve enough
and you absolutely have what it takes enough

cause we don't ever make enough
money material status superficial dough
to ever let it be okay to let some folk
not even some kind of folk
slip for just one day

and I ask and I answer:
you have to be warriors
cause you fought my battle
you have to be magicians
cause you carried me over wide water
with your barest feet
you have to be the locksmith
helping somebody who cared
for this little Black boy
silent boy
lost boy

helping that somebody
turn the key and let me just be on my way
to being what I was put here to be

check:
don 't you ever think that
any one of these children could never
grow up to become legendary
we are not the wisdom of Creation
we occupy a more humble station
called imperfection
and from this rippled surface
the distorted reflection we are able to catch
is the Beauty of a day on down the path
when the storm calms itself
and quits its crying

warped reflection
in the mirror of child welfare
is the child fared well
is the day's bounty brought home
to somebody's hungry family
to fill bellies with substance
beyond yams

when I began this life
you were there
you carried me
first to a safe way station
then to my people who would
bring me up

child welfare
or child farewell?

I put my money on the honey
the sweet stuff
stories of success
cause I am one
cause you were one for me
triumphant that is
triumphant you were

I am the reason
you get up and go out to work
even in the bitter stretches
when fierce wind blows you back
and sharp sand stings your face

you lean not backward
you lean forward

and I
I can't just thank you
that would be understatement
I have to remind you of your
greatness and how you leave
it in your wake so a child like me
can come 'round and lap it up
and taste some sweetness

it tasted so good to me back then
you want to know why?
because I
I just wanted to be able to grow up
and have the chance to taste
some sweet potato pie

I didn't want to slip through the cracks
I didn't want to erode or fade away
and I didn't want to die
I just wanted to be able to grow up
so I could have some chance to taste some
sweet potato pie
cinnamon in my dreams
fresh from the oven
heavenly steam in my eye

there is something called the system
it is some parts working right
and some parts doing wrong
but then there is the one who toils
for the well-being of the child
made of flesh and spirit
some parts mad revolutionary
calling for change when everything around
seems to just want to sit still

some parts little child on the street corner
selling lemonade
trying to make some coin
so she can get what she wants
to make the day feel good
in the hood

and they
lemme see now
they . . .
call you social worker . . .

I call you Legendary.

I was one of the children . . .

3.28.00
Copyright 2008 by Jaiya John

This is our hundredth post. Thank you, thank you.

National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

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So this is Christmas . . .

A Very Merry Christmas! Orthodox Christmas is upon us. While most of us are putting away ornaments and lights, our Russian friends are getting ready for church, feasting, and family. You can read more about Russian Christmas here.
Another year over, a new one just begun. Last year was hard for a lot of people, for a lot of reasons. We lost a lot of financial support for Sovietsk in 2009, but we gained priceless enthusiasm and commitment from a new group of supporters. Yay! I have been thinking a lot about 2010 and how to make our service less about cash and more about connections. Some ideas:

-Increase frequency of communication between Russian and American friends. Fund Nadezhda/Children's HopeChest has committed to coaxing more letters out of the children--some of you experienced the joy of receiving letters for the first time! I hope each of us can recommit to sending letters more regularly. If you're interested in writing to one of our children, drop me a note.

-Increase quality of communication in those letters. Ben and I want to help our sponsors be more purposeful in the letters, using approaches known to work with children who have experienced great loss or trauma. For example, simply prompting the child to remember a funny memory can trigger the brain to release more happy hormones, resulting in a calmer mood or even a smile or a laugh. The more this happens, the healthier. So, I wrote Katya with a funny story about myself and asked her to share one with me. We are planning to share more letter-writing tips with each of you.

-Meet some additional material needs. For example, the orphanage needs a medical sterilizer. We know they could benefit from Vitamin D. The list goes on. I know there are gifts in kind out there somewhere. If you can help us out, let us know!

-Mobilize our supporters. A core group of us got together last fall to brainstorm ways to increase support and funds for Sovietsk. We are planning to get together soon, and it seems like an event may be in the works. More to come on that--we'd love to have each of you involved!

-Find a clever way to supplement traveler expenses (so we can have more travelers!).

-Find a way to continue to pay for the crucial extracurricular activities.

-Extend our support for our youth who have graduated.

-Visit again!

So how are we going to do all of this? Maximize partnership. Rely on supporters' creativity and connections. Keep an open mind. Work our tails off! Ask for feedback and suggestions. And pray a LOT.

So please, stay tuned. Tomorrow, when in celebration of Christmas in Russia we pack away our tree and our memories of 2009, our hearts will be with our children and our minds will be in full gear. We are hoping and trusting 2010 to be the best year of sponsorship yet!

Chuk-Chuk *edited*

We tried it! Our lessons learned in italics.
My favorite Russian dessert is Chuk-Chuk! I think that's because the honey in Kirov is soooooo good. (We never leave without a jar--this time, we took 3!)
I think I am going to try to make some for New Years. I don't think I can match what they make in Dolbiylova, but I'll let you know how it goes. Here is the recipe I am working with:

Chuk-Chuk dough:
4 eggs
3T powdered sugar (could add a bit more, but not much)
2 t butter (melted)
1/3 t salt
1/4 c milk (could easily double this!)
17 oz flour by weight (about right, but could easily skimp)

Syrup:
1 1/2 c honey
4 t sugar

1. Blend egg, butter, sugar, salt, milk, and flour and knead until dough is smooth. Add more milk if dough seems dry--don't want it to be too tough!
2. Let dough rest 30-40 minutes.
3. Heat honey and sugar in a double boiler and stir until sugar dissolves. Cook until it turns an amber color, but don't burn it!
4.Break into pieces and roll into small balls--the smaller the better. They don't have to be even!
*Some people recommend cutting small noodles or running it through a pasta maker. Your choice!
5. Heat canola oil in frying pan over medium heat, until very hot. Fry dough balls until golden brown, up to 5 minutes, and drain on a paper towel. We used a slotted spoon to place the dough into the oil without getting burned. Don't be afraid to get them really brown and a little bit crispy!
6. Mix fried dough and syrup in a big bowl.
7. Serve! Either mold and serve in some kind of shape, or serve in piles. Can garnish with nuts or powdered sugar. Good warm or cool, I found it best on the second day. A little goes a long way!

This is also called Tatar, because it is from the Tatar people. I think it would be good with chocolate, or cinnamon, or maybe some berries as garnish . . . I will let you know how this recipe turns out! Happy New Year!

Our version wasn't as delicious as in Russia, but pretty good! Thanks, Nancy, Nolan, and Georgia for being guinea pigs!

Home for the Holidays

It feels good to be back! I have been in a different world for the last few months, swimming in all kinds of wonderful things. I've been working on a trafficking prevention program for Doma International, which is pretty exciting, and working on growing my skills and expertise as a youth & child social worker. It's been wonderful, but I am thankful it is winding down and I am able to spend some more time at HOME, where I am able to just be me.

This weekend, I spent time with my big, wonderful family and made some great memories. Our choir shared a special moment Sunday singing Богородице Дево (turn up your sound to hear it!) and thanking our Precentor, who is moving on to new opportunities. And we received a surprise package from Sovietsk! We received letters, letters, letters and a copy of the full-length documentary shown on Kirov News. Tonight, I will be sorting Christmas and New Years cards sent from Sovietsk Supporters to the children at the orphanage. I have spent the last few days with people and activities which are central to me being ME, not a professional or a student, but just plain Sarah.

I've been thinking a lot lately about a special evening we spent in Sovietsk, largely thanks to you, Sovietsk Supporters. While Ben, his dad, and Mischa were boxing with the older boys, we ladies stayed back to paint faces and make bracelets. Jen and Katherine were face painting pros, and Barb was our jewelry queen. While they did their thing, I had the privelege of sharing a special moment with each of the children who were there. We called the children to a private room one at a time, and Sveta helped me present them with their special gift packets. Each child received plenty of gum, chapstick, lip gloss for the girls, hackey sacks for the guys, stationary, a special pen, and a mirror, all bundled up just for them. I wish I could share with you the look of delight each face had when they received their gifts, and the pride they had when they heard the gift was special, just for them. It wasn't so much the gifts, although they were welcome and much appreciated, but it was the thought that someone cared enough about just them to send a gift. They weren't one of 30 when I gave them your gifts. They were just themselves. It was a special night, and I saw more life in those young eyes than I had ever seen before!

Last week, we put together birthday Smile Packets for each of the children at Sovietsk. We are sending them early so each child will receive one on his or her birthday. We are sending a special picture, a memory of them which makes us smile, and wishes for the happiest birthday yet, specially made for each child. We hope this small gesture will have a big impact, and the kiddos will know they are remembered and loved on their birthdays, just for who they are.

These are tiny ways we can remind these young people of how special and important they are, just themselves. Some of them will have special moments over the holidays which help them grow in who they are, as I am so thankful to have had already this season. Some of them will go home fo the holidays. Some of them will not, and that will hurt.

If any of you would like to send a special holiday card or email to one of our children, just reminding them that they are important, remembered, and not alone, please email me. We sent many letters, but we have a few children who could use some extra love.

Thank you for all you do for these children! I wish each of you a Christmas week full of special memories and love, just because of who you are.

Happy Holidays

I love Thanksgiving. It's a great opportunity spend time with family and eat delicious food. Christmas is great for many of the same reasons, plus we get to sing some really good songs at church on Christmas Eve. And then we wake up the next morning and spend a relaxing day with family. The holidays are a always a great opportunity to spend time with the people you love. Unfortunately for our friends at Sovietsk, they don't always have this opportunity. We're asking everyone to chip in and write some holiday cards to the kids and let them know that we're thinking about them during the holidays.

The biggest holiday of the season in Russia is New Year's. (They place the same level of importance on New Year's that we place on Christmas). The Russian Orthodox church celebrates Christmas on January 7.

If you're interested in sending a card, please contact us and we'll let you know how. Happy holidays to you and yours.

From the October Newsletter

The following is from the October edition of the monthly newsletter we receive from our friends in Sovietsk. The note below was written by one of the young ladies who was relatively new to the orphanage. Over the course of our time there she developed a close bond with two of our travelers in particular.

Dear American friends,

Today it’s me who will send you all our love and I will tell you what’s new in our orphanage. So it’s already October and we all study hard. I had some very bad marks but I’ve managed to improve them. By the way, thanks to your visit my English has become better, even my teachers admit this fact.

We had much fun in September. We had a Disco. Now I also have many friends here in Grehovo and in Sovietsk. I feel at home. Though of course there were some hard things and feelings and so on…but now everything is great!!! Soon I will have my 15th birthday. I nearly can’t wait!!!!

I miss Sarah and Ben, Steve and Barb, and especially Katherine and Jennifer. We all miss you here and want you to return next year!!!

Kisses, hugs and much love from us all and me especially,
Sasha

Stay tuned for more excerpts from the October newsletter...