Jeanne Dorr

The Many Faces…

Jeanne Dorr, is a member of the Board of Directors of Lithuanian Orphan Care, a branch of the Human Services Council of the Lithuanian-American Community, Inc. She is also a social studies teacher in New Jersey.

On behalf of the Lithuanian Orphan Care Committee I would like to wish all the BRIDGES readers a happy and a safe summer.

I will be spending the summer in Lithuania, and God willing, will return in the fall with many new stories to share with you. You will be meeting new people and hearing about new programs. But I will also return from visiting some “old” favorites, such as the orphans and ladies of Rumbonys, the two Jurgitas, as well as the city and country grandmothers.

We have had two success stories this year. One of our former orphans just completed his first year in the seminary; while Jurgita, our gifted writer whose work I published in BRIDGES, is taking her exams to enter the School of Journalism at Vilnius University. I am sure she will be successful.

As I was leaving the house for school this morning I received an email from Countryside Children in Vilnius. I think when I asked them to prepare a schedule for me in Lithuania they simply threw their hands up in the air. Where did I want to go? To see the families who are living in hay wagons? To visit the fifth grader who has leukemia and his widowed mother can’t find a job or pay for the necessary medicine? Maybe I wanted to see the people who are living near the garbage dumps and are living off them because they can’t afford to live anywhere else. Of course, there are the elderly who are living from hand to mouth.

I went to school, and it bothered me all day as I watched my students throw out half their lunches and waste paper like there was no tomorrow. When I came home I sent my answer to Lithuania. I want to see ALL of it because I know the BRIDGES readers will respond. You are among the most generous people in the world.

I tend to get carried away, and I promised myself to be brief. I'm sure the people who read this column are saying, “That will be the day!” Since a picture is worth a thousand words, this time around I will give you more pictures and fewer words. I would like to share with you the photographs that portray the many faces of our Lithuanian people.

Take pleasure from the beautiful summer. Whether you are taking a cruise around the world or simply enjoying your back yard, please don’t forget Lithuania’s forgotten children. Poverty doesn’t take a vacation; it doesn’t even take a short holiday. The cost to sponsor a child is $150 a year, but ANY donation is gratefully appreciated. Please send your tax deductible checks to:

Lithuanian Orphan Care
2711 W. 71st St.
Chicago, IL. 60629