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Summer rest with a broom, a scalpel and a cement-mixer. About 200 people have come to Bohodukhiv volunteers summer camp from 9 countries of the world. Asia, Europe, Africa, Northern America. Opera singers wipe floors here, fighter pilots hag wall-paper, directors of big companies work as drivers.
A gym at a school in Bohodukhiv – it is a town in Kharkiv region – is turned into a living room for 80 people – this one is for girls. Men have been put up in other hall and classes. Spartan conditions: mattresses are on the floor, wall bars instead of a wardrobe do not bother their users, people don’t spend much time here.
Getting up is in 6 am, going to bed – in 10 pm: there are many variants to get tired here.
Damir Sibagatulin, a furniture works owner in Russia’s Ufa, received a task to buy products for forty large families. He came in Bohodukhiv in his own car – now the whole camp uses it. Damir is going to the market for purchases.
Damir Sibagatulin, businessman (Ufa), “Wars exist only because there is the word “mine”. If all the things were common, nobody would fight and there would be peace.”
He may tell about why he has been coming to such camp for eight years already for a long time. The most important is that he feels a “person” after such a “rest”.
Damir Sibagatulin, businessman (Ufa), “I have come here to change myself. Not to go mad in this world. Not to lost.”
Each set is about 80 hryvnyas (appr. $ 17). Every folk of the camp has contributed to the sum. The majority of volunteers are not hard set people: businessmen, engineers, military men, scientists. A part of rest, up to ten days, are spent with a family at the seaside, the rest – in the volunteer camp held in different CIS cities every year. This year it is based in Kharkiv region.
Elena Petrichenko helps in local hospital. From 8 am till 7 pm she wipes the floor. In Russia’s Voronezh where she lives her working day only starts at this time. Elena – is an opera principal.
She also sings when she wipes the floor. Lower, of course: it is hospital all in all. But she can’t disturb the doctors who came specially to volunteer camp. They have worked while being shelled on the border of two warring countries in Africa or Middle East.
The professor’s name is Surendra Upadia, he lives in London but comes from India. He has brought the whole international team with him – Ghana, United States, Sri lanka, India, United Kingdom.
Any willing may be examined, free if needed. These people work all around the world, they spent fifteen years in Mother Theresa’s team.
Surendra Upadia, ophthalmologist (London), “Working with her was the same as with an angel. A total love. Not important- whether a beggar or a leper. They thought she was Jesus Christ. She touched them, cleaned after them, ate with them. She didn’t understand what is a discrimination – a poor person, a leprous one.”
But one can’t cure with love only. The most up-to-date equipment was brought to Bohodukhiv – a portable device to eye pressure indication. People haven’t even seen such here, for instance – they stand in queues before the cabinets.
One can see cars with Moldavian and Byelorussian plates, Tatarstan, Uzbekistan, Moscow, Kyyiv, Odessa, Kharkiv, Kaliningrad, Astrakhan… The camp will work till 5th July. After that people will return into their countries to reunite again in a year. Which city? – Doesn’t matter!
// 03.07.2008 18:38
News URL: http://news.mediaport.info/eng/society/2008/4206.shtml
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