I got to the orphanage when I was still quite small. My sister and I were left in the hospital with chickenpox and from there they took us up to different families.
I ended up in a family of two women who had a relationship with each other. I still don't know where my sister is. In this family I constantly had disagreements and problems of mutual understanding based on the addiction of these women to alcohol and a rather strange parenting methods that I resisted. In the end they brought me to the mental hospital named after Academician Pavlov and left me there, having previously discussed with the doctor what diagnosis to give me and the corresponding cost for that. I even had the opportunity to see the transfer of money but I did not understand much that time. Having gone through many unpleasant moments in this family and difficult life circumstances I ended up in an orphanage. I was angry and ready for war. There was neither love nor trust in people inside. I arrived at the orphanage quite wild and unbridled. I stayed in it for two years up to eighteen years. I met my mentor at the shelter in 2011. I was 17 years old that time. I did not understand what the word “Mentor” meant and I thought he would “teach” me something. Having rejection of authorities and disobedience I did not take Alexander very seriously. I sat with him on a bench in the corridor trying to keep up the conversation. Our first meeting was not as open as the next one. I gave him a rather cold welcome. I opened up only after a few meetings.
The mentor, the only one who was able to pass all those walls that I put up from people and his instructions helped me withstand the times of winds and hurricanes, because I took over from him the perseverance that is characteristic of him, although I continued to resist unconsciously his influence and instructions.
He taught me to love people, although, probably, he himself did not notice it and shed a light into my soul that I needed. He spent a lot of time with me and paid a lot of attention which was unusual and difficult for me to understand.
He just became my friend and I did not always realize the value of this relationship.
He made me understand the value of friendship.
Thanks to Alexander I understood who God is, understood what fathers are like. I adopted the courage that is characteristic of my mentor and his firmness and many of his lessons still help me make rational and correct decisions, courageously and to the end difficult situations understanding my responsibility to others. He made me feel mercy.
I work in a large company and manage a small department trying myself in different directions.
Mentoring is an opportunity to give warmth. Give a chance to the rejected, understand and feel that someone needs them.
This is the care of the weak, the opportunity to make them strong and happy. Orphans are strong but their strength lies in cruelty and no boundaries; sometimes in a complete lack of gentleness and compassion. Mentoring can make them understand that there are other and equally powerful feelings and principles and able to teach to love and be strong because of it.
Mentoring helps them find order and close people, say goodbye to the introverted perception of the world. Mentoring teaches you to put things in order in your life and the lives of those who around you.
This is hope. Hope is very important to children!
It helps to believe in your bright future and grow on the way to it.
Sincerely, pupil Victor.
