It is difficult to imagine, that nowadays people can survive without the most elementary for the common person things. They do not keep food in the refrigerator and do not cook on the stove – they can live without electricity and gas. They wear the gym-shoes in the winter – and this is not a mode of tempering. The synthetic honey is the only medicine they can afford in the case of any disease. Strange as it may seem, but it is not always the case that it helps.
10 years old Kirill Sidorkin is in the fourth grade. In his school, he absolutely does not differ from the other children. He is a usual, bright and moderately playful boy. Just a few of his schoolmates conceive his conditions of living – Kirill does not like to share the details of his life with anyone.
For two years already Tatiana and her son live without the electricity. Kirill does his lessons under the kerosene lamp.
«Just like Lomonosov”, is laughing Kirill. “At least, now it is getting dark not so early, and the day light is enough for me to read and write.” But noticed more seriously, “It is really hard in the winter. It would seem that I just came home from the school – and it is dark already».
In spite of the difficulties with doing the lessons, Kirill is a quite good learner, he likes the exact sciences. The boy has a serious squint, he has to wear glasses. When the cheap plastic rim broke, there arose a new problem: Tatiana does not have money to repair it. To study without the glasses under a dim light of the kerosene lamp is almost impossible for him. All the more, when he is so hungry…
The family can not afford the gas-cylinders; therefore Kirill’s mother can not cook a full-fledged dinner for her boy. A piece of bread or an apple, sometimes canned food – this is a usual food allowance of Kirill.
Not always Tatiana and Kirill lived in such a horrifying conditions. Formerly, the boy had a full family mother, father and an elder sister. Seven years ago, a big grief came down to their family. Tatiana’s husband died, and she stayed alone with 3 years old Kirill and his sister Katia. In just three month after children lost their father, a new sorrow came to the family – Katia passed away. Mother and her son remained the two together.

«It is terrible to lose a beloved person”, says Tatiana. “But in actual fact, nothing can be more awful then to outlast your child».

Several years ago, it turned out that Tatiana mortally and incurably ill. In the near future, she will have to be admitted to hospital, as the state of her health is already close to critical. And a new problem arose: there is nobody to leave Kirill with. Tatiana does not have any relatives or close friends, who could take care of her son for several weeks. This problem is still not solved entirely.

A total income of the family, which consists of the salary of Tatiana (she is working as a charwoman in the shop) and the welfare payment for the loss of a bread-winner, constitutes $100. This some of money is all they have for payment of utilities, food, clothes, medical supplies and school-books for Kirill. Taking into consideration a state of Tatiana’s health, she can lose her salary at any time.
It is very touching, as Kirill takes care of his mother and helps her to the best of his ability.
«I love my mother very much”, says Kirill. “We have each other, everything else is not so important».
Kirill’s answer to the question, how did he like the Jewish Family Service summer camp, was: «No, I really missed my mother and could not stop thinking how is she there without me»…
Tatiana and Kirill addressed to the Jewish Family Service “NES”, just several months ago. They got to know about this organization by pure accident. Now the receive help in the frames of programs “Shop” and “SOS”. “NES” has paid for the utilities, but the electricity is still not turned on because of the bureaucratic delays. Besides that, Kirill obtained some clothes from the humanitarian assistance. Undoubtedly, this is just a beginning.

Love and warm-heartedness between mother and her little but already so grown-up son in our not prime world – that is all they have for this day. Besides that, there is a hope. And belief, that a boy will be assisted.
We do not stop to remind: “when you save one person – you save the whole world”.

Update - November 9, 2007

Our site is visited by the people from all over the world. Elena Heltone, young lady form the distant USA, could not stay indifferent to the awful situation which Kirill fall within. She sent a sum of money for the boy and is going to do it regularly.
Under the supervision of the social assistant of Jewish Family Service “NES”, there were bought indispensable warm clothes and winter- footwear for the boy.
This winter will be really warm for Kirill. He is warmed up not just by the new clothes, but also by the warm-heartedness of Elena.
This is wonderful, that nowadays there are still such kind-hearted people, who find time and means to support those who need it!

By Sonya Ghitenshtein, volunteer KJJC