Billy's diary Entry No.6

Ok, I’ve managed to find a WIFI connection in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. I’m only in Minsk until Sunday so I’m not sure if or when I’ll manage to get another connection.

Tomorrow I’m spending the whole day at the children’s cancer hospital. Five floors for children only with all kinds of illnesses such as brain tumours, cancer of the thyroid as well as many more types of cancer. I’ll post some more pictures on here tomorrow night from the hospital. Make sure you have a box of tissues ready tommorw.

Back to today, I was picked up this morning from Alexey, my guide and translator in Minsk. First he took me to see a traditional village, very interesting showing me the way of life from years gone by in Belarus. Although much of it is the history, Alexey informs me there are many places around the villages that still live the same way now.

Next we went to orphanage number six. As I’ve said before in my posts, the orphanages do not have names, just numbers. I get the impression that the Belarusian government do not want to acknowledge they’re here. The orphanages seem to be hidden away from public view.

I’ve been to this orphanage before, it’s great that the children recognise me when I arrive. I put on a show for the older children – the younger ones, 3 and 4 year olds sleep in the afternoon. I had about 25 children aged approx 5 to 9 years, eyes wide open enjoying the magic as well as the balloon models. After the show, the children went back to their rooms with the teachers (not sure if they’re called teachers) while I pack up the show.

Alexey and I then go around all the rooms escorted by a little boy showing us where to go, who seemed really proud that it was his job to escort us. After entering each room, we’re greeted with huge smiles from the children. It’s now their turn to receive a balloon model and ‘Billy Wiz’ postcard which they treasure as if it was priceless. I make sure that every child has a balloon as well as some of the teachers, before moving to the next room.

The younger child have now woke up. So we head of to their room, my heart sank at the smiling expressions on their faces as we entered, some of them also recognised me from the last time I was here, a year ago. These are my favourite age group in the orphanage. My heart fills with hurt when I think of the fact they have no family of their own. They've done nothing to deserve being abandoned in life. I’m in tears again as I’m writing this, when I’m with the kids, I somehow switch off, but in the evening when I type or write about my day, the reality sinks in.

So, tomorrow is another day, I’ll have more photos and information again tomorrow night. And hopefully, I’ll get more connections while in Belarus to share my diary with you.

Keep smiling, just take another look at the smiles on these kids faces, I’m sure you’ll understand why I have such a passion to be here.

Best wishes,

Graeme (Billy Wiz)