Can you put a price on a shoebox? For 19 year old Andrea his shoebox was priceless, it not only brought exciting gifts but told him that he was loved.
Andrea lives in Belarus and his situation is difficult; from his mother abandoning him when he was only three, to a severe car accident when he was nine, Andrea has fought to survive. Thankfully his grandmother takes care of him but the journey has been tough. After the car accident doctors were certain Andrea would die and told his grandmother to leave him in hospital and go home.
“I spent 4 months with him in Intensive Care,” she explains. “His body was covered in sores from lying in one position. But I would not give up on him.”
For two years after the accident Andrea lived in a semi-conscious state until one day he suddenly woke up and started talking about the car accident and could even name the vehicle that hit him. While paralysed from the waist down and with only slight movement in his arms and hands, Andrea has an excellent memory and over the last couple of years has been able to resume his studying. But living alone with his grandmother in a one bedroomed flat, everyday is a struggle.
“We have few friends and it’s really hard,” shaking her head, his grandmother explains, “Andrea doesn’t like to go out because of the comments from other people. Shops are far away and there are too many steps for wheelchairs.”
Turning up with a shoebox, Andrea’s face began to light up with a shy smile. With a room full of people who had especially come to visit him, Andrea was delighted and began to slowly show off his English skills. Country Director, Nicolai, sat next to him and together they unpacked his shoebox, marvelling at the variety of gifts.
With a smile on her face, his grandmother explained, “You and the shoebox are a wonderful surprise. He loves the gifts and will delight in them for weeks to come, but also it’s the knowledge that strangers are taking the time to care for him. He will not forget the people who sent this box and their love.”
Photo: © Jonty Wilde - www.jontywilde.co.uk