ELIZABET’S LIFE STORY
My motto in life is helping others, doing good deeds to others. In the fall of 2015, the media announced the arrival of a large number of refugees. The war raged in Syria, conflicts continued in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was thinking how I could help. I was 60 years old, I was written off for many, for retirement.
While writing school plans in that chilly September council, I told UNICEF that I was ready to join as a volunteer on the Balkan route. Since they were already organized, there was no need for my involvement. Then I noticed on Facebook that Are you Syrious? looking for volunteers. I got in touch with them, and went on my first volunteer duty at the Green Action in Frankopanska street, to receive and sort donations. This was followed by the first duties at Ključ Brdovečki and Dobovi. Meeting people with their sad fates, but with their warm looks and smiles that meant thank you. Most of the duty was at night, and consisted of welcoming refugees, providing assistance, and tidying up the area. Getting to know these people and their destinies, I became more aware that I am staying on that path of helping, not paying attention to the attitudes and thoughts of individual comments from my social environment. Meetings with these people broadened my knowledge of how little is needed for a person to be happy, a smile on our faces meant a lot to them after long journeys.
After the closure of the Balkan route in March 2016, I was offered to join the work with children in Porin Reception Center for international protection seekers, learning the Croatian language. It was a great challenge and joy for me. Through games, role-playing and visual materials, we started our joint socializing and learning. I was happy every time I came to Porin to spend time with children and their parents. Then I also became a Big Sister to the boys from Afghanistan. In addition to playing and learning Croatian, we socialized with birthday celebrations and going to various activities.
July has come. I left Zagreb, but a part of me remained in Porina. I followed all the events in Porina, I was proud of the children and their successes. With the arrival of new volunteers, I thought it might be good to retire. Arriving in August, in front of Pora’s excited smile and the boy B.’s shout: “Elizabeta has come”, he was determined in my intention to stay. I realized that they have become a part of me and that I am not giving up on that path.
In September 2016, we enrolled the first group of children in elementary school. I experienced them passing the basics of the Croatian language, the basics of mathematics, as if they were my children. Later, together with the volunteers, I participated in helping with homework, studying and other activities. They became a part of me. I am happy when they are happy, sad when I see that their faces are covered with sadness because they were not granted asylum.
But not everything was so rosy. In the spring of 2017, a boy B. from Afghanistan fell ill. The agony of uncertainty, waiting for the right diagnosis made us all sad. The long stay in the hospital did not break the boy’s cheerful spirit. At the shelter, we agreed that the children should send him a message with their drawings and messages that they are thinking of him and wish him a speedy recovery. His father and mother brought it to the hospital. That same day, I received a voice message on messenger: “Elizabeta, I am so happy, I didn’t know I had so many friends who love me.” I have one request, you know my football club is playing a match, please if you can go and take a picture and send it to me. We will do anything for the happiness of a dieter. Especially such a fighting and cheerful boy. I never went to games before, went to support his club and sent him a video. A voice message arrived the next day: “Elizabeth, thank you very much”
This is just a fraction of the stories about meetings with children and parents. Boy B. and his family went to France, but the contacts were not lost. We hear each other and I'm happy that they found a better future in another country.
Thanks to the wonderful people - the volunteers of Are you Syrious?, the people
with a big heart, and to the children and parents who accepted me - I stayed.
