Already! It’s been a year that I spend half a day per week with the children of the “Casa Valentina”. Perhaps it does not seem like so much time, in fact just a few hours, yet a few hours that fill my heart with joy and help me face the rest of the week with a different spirit.

Together we play charades, draw on a board, there are also card games and Lego’s as to develop our creativity. We dance, we play with words and numbers; last year I had even begun to teach them French!

There is always a winner, accompanied with applaud, warm congratulations for all and rewards, of course, never come short. Ebru, Denisa, Rebecca, Nicoleta and little Mihaeala along with the boys Raul, Virgil, Marius, Ionut and the youngest, and everyone else all await Thursday morning knowing there would be a fun competition of some sort.

The aim of my games is to build confidence in the self, to develop individual creativity and learn to respect each other – with honesty and generosity. As for example, on one occasion I had asked Denisa to surrender her prize as to give it to Mihaela, who had not won anything. Denisa gave her gift to her friend without any problems.

Marius had once spontaneously given part of the marbles he had won to one of the youngest who had been crying as he had not won anything. I see intelligent children growing, who learn to pay and win, but also to be generous – and share with their friends.

Sometimes they may be angry, a little aggressive, or have sadness in their eyes. Yet when smiles change their faces or when I receive a kind gesture or kind word, I tell myself that in life after the rain, there is sunshine.

What a beautiful life lesson!

Miriam Celeste – Volunteer at Casa Valentina