Letters of thanks to Americans and Canadians from the children of the Lighthouse Orphanage (Svetly Dom), Odessa, Ukraine, May, 1999

In June, 1996; May, 1997; May, 1998; and May, 1999, as part of the Journey to the Homeland tours, we presented to the children of the Lighthouse Orphanage humanitarian assistance including medical supplies, school supplies, dental supplies. The gifts were presented from tour members, school children in North Dakota and other locations, and from the Germans from Russia community.

With the tour groups in May, 1998 and May, 1999, we presented the handmade quilts from the women of the English Lutheran Church at Tuttle, North Dakota, and from the women of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Zap, North Dakota. Our deep appreciation to the women in Tuttle and Zap for their valuable gifts to the children at the orphanage.

The Journey to the Homeland Tours are sponsored by the North Dakota State University Libraries, Fargo. For additional photographs of The Lighthouse Orphanage and tour photos, view the Germans from Russia Heritage Collection website at "Journey to the Homeland Tours" - http://library.ndsu.edu/gerrus.

1. My name is Sasha

I am 6 years old. I love you all. I enjoyed your quilts-blankets very much. They are very nice and warm. I like using them. America is perfect, and Odessa is perfect too.

Good-bye,

Sasha

2. Hello, Americans!

Thank you very much for your quilts. Let your hands be healthy. I kiss you.

Sasha Trach

3. Dear Americans!

I am sorry that we didn't tell you "thanks" for all your gifts. So, I thank you on behalf of all our children for warm quilts, tooth-paste, tooth-brushes, pencils, note-books, shoes, cloth, caps and all other gifts.

We love you and wish you good health. We wish you to provide help to other children too.

All children of our orphanage asked me to tell you that they love you. We love you not only by words, but also by our hearts.

Irina Savaskaya

4. Dear Americans!

Thank you for your warm quilts and for other gifts. Thank you for your help and for remembering us. Thank you for pencils, crayons, shoes and for others gifts. I am sorry that I didn't write to you earlier. When you came to our orphanage, I wasn't there. Now I would like to tell you that I love you and I will never forget you.

Nana Kirtadze

5. Hello, dear Americans! Thank you for quilts, for all your gifts, for remembering us, for everything. We wish you good health.

Sergey Krisenja

6. Hello Americans!

Thank you for warm quilts. We wish your hands to be very healthy. Regards to all Americans!

Sregey Tenika

7. Your quilts are very warm and nice. I enjoy them.

Good-bye,

Dmitry

8. Thank you for your help. I wish you good luck and good health.

Sasha Gaev

9. Hello Americans!

Thank you very much for your concern for us, for remembering. Your quilts are very warm and nice. Thank you one more time for everything.

Simon

10. Dear American friends!

Let me tell you "thanks" from all children of "Svetly Dom". We are very pleased that you, people from a far-away country, remember and support us. We are very pleased that people from North Dakota made such warm and nice quilts for us. We hope that our friendship will last for many years ahead.

Evgenij Volkov

11. Dear Americans!

Thank you very much for all your gifts. I like you very much. I invite you to Odessa. Come here and stay longer.

S. Kirova

Children of the Lighthouse Orphanage holding some of the letters they wrote.