Sponsor's update from Islice, Latvia

Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village islice, Lativa from Summer 2008

Dear Friend,

Quite a long time has passed since my lasts letter, and again I would like to bring you some news from the SOS Children’s Village in Islice and our children.

Long awaited summer time is here, and children spend lots of time meeting, playing and having fun outdoors. And it’s lovely out there! Much work has been done around the Village this spring. Lots of trees were plated - mostly birch-trees. Just a few years will pass, and a beautiful birch grove will bring joy and adorn the Village scenery. Recently, a wooden pergola was built, too. It will be a lovely spot for hot summer days - to chat, read or play in the shadow. As always, SOS Mothers, helped by children, have planted flowers.

For our smaller children, summer means joy and freedom, while for teenagers it’s different. Months of May and June are a time of hard work - an exam time. 10 youths have finished primary school this year and are preparing for the next serious step in their lives - in the end of the summer they will move to their new home - SOS Youth Facility.

Opening of our 2nd SOS Youth Facility will be the biggest event of the year, and will take place on August 29. The new Youth Facility is located in a quiet and small town of Iecava just about 20 km from Islice SOS Village. It means that youngsters will be able to visit their Moms regularly. It has a nice plot of land for sports and other outdoor activities as well.

Giving security and love to children in Latvia

Its construction works started last year and now the house is almost ready - just interior decoration has to be finished. Right now we are looking for furniture and household things, and are very glad and thankful that people and companies that are SOS friends help us in getting necessary items. We hope that by August the house will be prepared to receive its new inhabitants. Living there, our youths will become a little more independent. They will continue schooling and somebody, perhaps, will take up a part time job - it means almost a grown-up’s life! There will be four teachers who will help youngsters to deal with everyday matters as well as to take some more difficult decisions or solve some problems. What they would like to do in the future? What profession to chose? How to deal with some crises? How to overcome difficulties or maybe just to cook a meal? In theses and many other situations our teachers will be there to give a hand and help.

As youngsters leave the SOS Village, new children come into their place. At present 68 children live at the Village, but in the autumn our SOS Moms again will start to take care of some little newcomers.

Speaking of SOS Mothers, I would like to tell about a very special event that took place in May - Mother’s Days celebration. Mothers are doing the hardest work of all at the Village, and this year a special surprise was prepared for them. All the Mothers were taken to a lovely dinner party in a cozy guest-house not far from the Village. But children were not left without attention either. While the Mothers were having good time, children worked together with art students from Riga and created lovely little art works - they made pictures on T-shirts and painted on coffee mugs. Part of their works later on was sold on the Internet auction, which is something we had never tried before.

I would like to wish you too lovely summertime with lots of sun and lovely joyful moments to remember. And I wish to thank you for all your support, as lots of good things we manage to do are possible thanks to your good heart.

Sincerely,

Irena Liepina
Sponsorship coordinator