Travel to Belarus with my motorhome. Gomel and surroundings

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April 18, 2008 For months I'm waiting this date, I leave for Belarus. A trip for humanitarian purposes in the Gomel region, but also a journey to discover the reality in which they live Ivan and his family (the child) hosting. Moments prior to their departure for me are a mix of anxiety, agitation and a lot of emotion! More than 2000 km, across countries unknown to me. Departure from Desenzano del Garda, a caravan consisting of 7 camper, a van that acts as our flagship and 43 people, united by a unique and great purpose: helping the people of Belarus that after 22 years and who knows how many generations must suffer the consequences of the explosion of Chernobyl! We go to our campers, the nr 6, Roberto and I reach our fellow adventure, load the last things and on .. finally at 10 we start full of enthusiasm, to something that we do not know well yet we expect between 2500 km. During the day we stop several times to change the driver, unable to sleep is a company, especially in Poland where he arrived the roads are not the best! Time passes quickly, until April 19 at 14:30 we get the dreaded customs Belarusian Brest. We are still about eight hours, lunch, have dinner and take care of practice for entry. At 22.30 we leave behind the customs, very happy and we continue the journey to Minsk. The landscape is always the same, an infinite straight road, bordered by forests of birch, green expanses, vacant lands, all this gives me a sense of peace, calm, maybe too much, perhaps already this is the beginning of sadness and despair I will have the following days. Once in Gomel, the one that struck me was the gray that seems to prevail everywhere in the Soviet-era apartment blocks, in the clothes of the people, the faces of people. Tired from the trip finally arrived at the hotel, after the allocation of rooms, very nice, we are preparing to make a first round Gomel. April 21: meeting in the square of the camper and Petrikov departure, destination, a female juvenile reformatory, where there will be mounted 70 beds, delivered by our Association, Garda World Shops. Outside the institution we are made to the recommendations, the time we spend is only 2 hours. The environment is clean, you hear a peculiar smell, distinctive feel that even in the regions below. The director of the reformatory leads us into a "class", where the girls are doing cross-stitch work. What strikes me most is the age of the guests at the reformatory, little more than girls, and I wonder what could have never done so bad to be there! I play ping pong with one of them, we make pictures together. Before returning to the hotel, we visited an orphanage in Gomel, many are orphans, many have a family that can take care of them because the state has removed them to their parents because of alcoholism, very widespread. Here too we have brought something to the children, smiled at us, many are fearful, hardly hold back tears. April 22: Assignment Chojnik, to make deliveries of parcels for needy families. Upon arrival outside the community center, is already there who knows of our arrival and we are waiting, we deliver packages and go to visit an orphanage and a school. Here we visit, a class composed of children without families, how much sadness in the eyes of these children, in particular strikes me a baby, Filip, scared, skinny, went over and hugged him and has trouble looking up, began to smile when I start make him the solletti, probably for the first time in his life is getting hugs, kisses ... We must leave the classroom, greeting Filip, I move away from him and he cries. I can not pretend nothing happened, I go back to him .. Much sadness in me, how much pain, because all this! It is not fair all this suffering for these children, so helpless! 23 April: road today are excited, happy, go to the home of Ivan, a Chechersk, is to take the whole family. Arrival in the hotel lobby and to my amazement I see Ivan already sitting on the couch, Mom and Dad Natasha Ivan. A warm hug with all three, does not seem real! In the embrace of the parents feel gratitude for what they do for their child and their family, but I have to thank them. This experience of hospitality enriched me deeply, made me grow up, I discovered the true values of life! Chechersk I visit are shown the most significant, the reality where Ivan lives every day. Unfortunately, after spending several hours together, it's time to say goodbye, of course no shortage of tears. April 24: Come To Palessie, a village 3 km from the border with Russia, we are guests of the family of Ivan, another child guest in Italy, few cars, little asphalt, our "Europe" here seems light years away, more in other villages that I visited. April 25: Departure for the return.. I certainly is not a goodbye but a see you next year. I took many pictures, I made video .. to show to others, I do not need pictures, videos, everything I experienced, all emotions are in my heart and will remain there forever. Children, Belarus, its people opened my eyes to something I saw. The hospitality of Ivan as that of many other children, gives value to their lives but also that of those houses!
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