In 2000 I read an article in The Sunday Times (23/04/2000), it was about abandoned babies in Russia and one in particular called Kolya, who I fell in love with. He was 9 months old and having been born two and half months premature he was considered unadoptable because of his lack of development. He lived in Cot number 9. His picture broke my heart, he was lying on his front with his head up and looking directly at the camera, and directly into my heart.
Foreigners were not being allowed to adopt him, as a matter of government policy. I have kept that picture to remind myself that every child is worth something. Today I looked up the name of the home on the internet, people are now working there - look it up on 'Maria's Babies Our Baby House Project' and read for yourself about the life these babies lead! Life? now that is a contradiction in terms when it comes to these children. They live a regimented and loveless existence. The staff don't like the children crying following the visits by this group. Kolya cost 50p a day to keep????
I am torn, between understanding that each country in the world has this problem, children in the UK languish in orphanages without individual care and love - torn because I would love to help, I would love a child and that is unrealistic. I was, I believe, never meant to have a child of my own and it would be too idealistic to imagine that I could sweep in and save 1 child. Playing lady bountiful would be a huge ego trip. Still I just cannot help wondering if Kolya would have responded to me.
I am never quite sure if the items donated like clothes and nappies or money actually are received by these children.
Take a look at the list of children's homes in Russia, the sheer scale is beyond belief, of course a lot is to do with illigitimacey, illness such as HIV and or as Yulia had syphilis caught from her mother. There is also the poverty, drugs and alcohol abuse. It is easier to dump a child than to try. It all comes down to economics, yet without help these children will become a problem since they are not socialised, not educated and do not understand love.
When I think about this world wide problem, I get angry that some people want to design their own babies or fight tooth and nail to have a baby of their own just because they think it is their right when there are children out there desperate for parental love, who lie in numbered cots, for hour upon hour who are never picked up or cuddled.
At the end of the day like others I did nothing, and I should have done something.
With love to the worlds unwanted children. Granny
