SAM Chernobyl Relief Blog
SAM Chernobyl Relief NewsPlease can you help us to help Marina or if you have any ideas or suggestions we would love to hear it.
You will know from our web site that our Charity is winding down but there is one project we have never been able to complete and it is our hope that we can help this wonderful woman called Marina before we finish.
One of the reasons for closing SAM Chernobyl Relief is my own health has not been so good yet when I think of Marina I have nothing to complain about. We first met her in 1997, a lady with a permanent, infectious smile - despite her physical condition.
Around 20 years ago she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis which has gradually progressed to the point that for many years she has been unable to walk. As soon as her husband found out she had MS he left her with a young child to bring up herself.
A local Church in Grodno, Belarus had been given a list of disabled and very poor families. Marina & Artiom’s name were on this list and we went to visit and see how the Charity could help this family. She crawled to get around the flat so we thought we would give her a wheelchair. When Colin & I took the wheelchair to her she said: ‘I manage very well on my hands and knees, give it to someone who needs it more than I do.’ This really spoke to me. The wheelchair went to a young girl Anna who later died. Marina always puts others first.
Marina is trapped on the top floor (fifth floor) of a block of flats in the city of Grodno, Belarus. Her son Artiom (23) has to physically lift her from room to room and she is dependent on him for toileting. The small bathroom only has a bath into which Marina has to be manually lifted by her son daily. Our hope is at least to upgrade her facilities or provide new disabled friendly accommodation.
Several people helped to fundraise so we could give Marina the deposit for a new flat which would have a lift, kitchen and bathroom to suit her needs. We are very grateful to everyone who gave to this project. The idea was she would sell her own flat and use the balance to pay for the new flat. Unfortunately the builders have gone bust and they have lost their deposit. A law suit has been started and they along with everyone else who lost their money won their case, however there is no money to give them back. She had hoped for the first time of being able to get in the lift and go outside, feel fresh air, interact with people and begin to live a normal life – but those hopes are gone. We have not told her about this appeal in case we don’t raise enough money, but my dream is to surprise her by buying her a flat on the ground floor and taking her to her new home and watching her face as we open the door and give her the key.
Can you help us by donating a few pounds to change Marina & Artiom’s life.
You may ask why all this for one lady. I remember a story
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, ‘What are you doing?’
The youth replied, ‘Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they will die.’
‘Son,’ the man said, ‘don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!’
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said,
‘I made a difference for that one.’
SAM Chernobyl Relief wants to make a difference to Marina, a woman who depends on her son to take her to the bathroom and give her a bath, a woman whose home is in the worst of conditions. Wall paper falling off the walls, damp and mould everywhere, she lives in tiny cramped conditions, yet she smiles and loves to laugh. Please can you help us to help her?
We are going to visit her on Feb 11th 2012. Whatever money is raised will go to help Marina and her Artiom. If we get too much it will go to the blind school in Grodno for a second set of toilets, if we don’t get enough we will send in a team to make repairs.
Cindy Mackenzie
Chairwoman & Director
SAM Chernobyl Relief
We have had quite a number of fundraising dinners over the years, but with the charity closing down in March 2012 this will be the last one.
In addition to a three course dinner there will be a guest speaker, SAM presentation, auction items and a disco at the end.
We hope as many folks who have in any way been connected with SAM over the years to join us at the Crutherland House Hotel in East Kilbride on the 25th November.
Date: November 25th
Time: 7 for 7.30pm
Guest Speaker: Mr Douglas Shering of Shering Weighing
Cost: £22.50
Please contact us ASAP if you require tickets: 01698 862087
Whytescauseway Baptist Church is hosting a CHERNOBYL 25 SAM Concert on FRIDAY 16th SEPTEMBER at 7.30pm.
Singers performing will be Karrie Prescott, John Kirk and Colin Mackenzie.
The concert is free with an offering towards final projects in Belarus.
A SAM team will go to Belarus: 26th April - 3rd May, to distribute funds and visit projects.
In addition the team will attend the wedding of Olga Maximova - the service to be conducted by Colin Mackenzie on the 30th April.
PLEASE PRAY: Safety in travel and successful disbursement of funds.
TEAM: Robert & Rita Kirk, Avril Scott, Stephanie Walls, Bruce Mackenzie, Cindy & Colin Mackenzie.
The song Chernobyl Child, written by Colin Mackenzie and recorded by Kim MacDonald, Alastair McDonald and the Glasgow Gaelic School choir in 2004, has been re-released as a single to commemorate the 25th anniversary year of Chernobyl.
You can download the single from iTunes by clicking on the link below and typing in Chernobyl child into the iTunes search at the top right of the window. Profits from the downloads will go to this year’s projects.
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/storeFront?storeFrontId
=143444&affId=416565
This year on the 26th April will see the 25th Anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy. We are making a special effort this year to highlight the needs of Belarus which are still very much there 25 years on and seeking to raise funds for a number of projects:
· School for the Blind – girls toilet block
· Peski 11 Community Centre – total building refurbishment
· 2 Mini buses – one each for Peski and a centre in Minsk
· Easter gifts for children – terminally ill, disabled, poor
· Office to administer terminally ill families – current premises rat infested and without heat and light.
SAM will also be holding a number of FREE evening Christian concerts to highlight situations and raise funds:
· Sunday 13th March: Cleland Baptist Church
· Friday 25th March: Carbrain Baptist Church, Cumbernauld
· Friday 1st April: Special Remembrance concert at Wishaw Baptist Church
DOWNLOAD NEWS February 2011:sam-25.pdf
click here to view SAM’s privacy policy: SAM Privacy Policy
SAM News is available as a pdf by clicking on any of the following links:
February 2011:sam-25.pdf
Cindy Mackenzie’s storytelling of real life Angel Encounters is a ‘can’t put down read.’ Following interviews with a variety of people plus contributions given to her, Cindy has compiled and presented a very readable account from them.
Check out Cindy’s website and You Tube advert: www.cindymackenzie.com
Copies can be ordered from the SAM office at £9.99 incl. p&p.
* NOW AVAILABLE as a Kindle download from Amazon*
All the profits go towards SAM’s projects.
SAM Chernobyl Relief, 14 Delaney Wynd, Cleland ML1 5FH
SAM contact address:
Power 2 Live,
Regus House,
2 Parklands Way,
Maxim Business Park,
Motherwell
ML1 4WR
Tel: 01698 209113
Email: cindy.mackenzie@ymail.com
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