Leonid Sergeyevich lives at the home for
elderly and disabled people on the
outskirts of Minsk [photo: Bible Society of
the Republic of Belarus WR414/8 BYE07DJ-15]
With a team of colleagues from the Bible Society of the Republic of Belarus, Anatoly Greben, Charitable Projects Department Officer, visited several care homes for children and adults earlier this year. They faced heart-breaking scenes and listened to tales of courage and resilience. The following articles recount some of those experiences.
BELARUS — Leonid Sergeyevich has no relatives and no-one comes to visit him. He lives in a home for elderly and disabled people on the outskirts of the capital, Minsk. For much of his earlier life, Leonid served as a sailor in Murmansk, a large Russian port on the Barents Sea, and was away for months at a time.
Frostbite
One day, more than 17 years ago, he returned home on leave and was befriended by a group of strangers. This led to a drunken gathering at his home, where the strangers drugged him, stole his possessions and left him on the verandah in a deep sleep. That night the temperature fell to minus 20 degrees. As a result, Leonid lost both his legs to frostbite. “As a helmsman, I had been at sea for 20 years and survived severe frosts, but ironically it was back home in Belarus that I succumbed to the cold,” he said. “All my family died in the Second World War. My father and mother were killed on the front line.
Escaped death
“My elder sister, then a girl of six, was shot by Nazis while playing in the village yard. I was three years old at the time and only escaped death because they hadn’t noticed me.” Now 65, Leonid is a lonely man. He was grateful for the visit of the Bible Society team and for the large-print Gospel they gave him.
Nina is a resident at the home for disabled people on
the outskirts of Minsk [photo: Bible Society of the
Republic of Belarus WR414/8 BYE07DJ-21]
Nina, 34, has lived in the home in Minsk for disabled people since 1989. Born disabled as a result of complications during her mother’s pregnancy, she was immediately abandoned and has never seen either of her parents.
Fencing competitions
“Do you ever experience depression?” Anatoly asks her. “What is that?” she answers brightly. “I take part in fencing competitions for disabled people, I have designed my own web site, and I have many friends!” In 2005, a Minsk newspaper published an article about Nina. “Nina was abandoned at birth,” it read. “She looked like a little frog, with knock-knees and disjointed hands. But this disease aroused the interest of a doctor, who decided to use Nina as the subject of his dissertation. His task was to put Nina on her feet… This young girl underwent 11 operations. Some may say she was used as a guinea-pig, but eventually she was able to walk! “Nina has always strived to lead an active life – she even did a parachute jump from 2500 metres! By her own efforts, she received a good education, learned practical skills and found work. She is keen on sport, and has taken part in wheelchair races and table-tennis competitions. Also, as a member of a wheelchair fencing team, she took part in the World Championships in Poland.” Nina was grateful for the Gospel given to her by the visitors, and promised to read every page.
[Photo: Bible Society of the Republic of Belarus WR414/8 BYE07DJ-19]