Most everyone in there still managed to smile and thank us for our fruit and Bibles.
I have away one Bible to a guy named Valerie. He's laying in bed, I have no idea with what illness. He helped us spell his name so I could write it in his Bible, and seemed very grateful. When we told him goodbye, he couldn't get out the word "dasvadanya" before he started to cry. I don't know why. Maybe because of joy over his new book, or maybe because we were able to stand up and walk away from that horrid place. Their stairways are dark, narrow, and awfully, awfully dilapidated. Nicoli says the state has more than enough assets to fix that place up, but instead they spend it on palaces and mansions. I hate it. I hate the "value" of the human life in this country. They throw away everybody, from babies to young women to the elderly. The thing about where we just went was that those people understand at least a little bit of why they are where they are. The burn victims we're going to see next are children, who may not be old enough to understand the world "burn". Hopefully the care there is better...
Later: Hospital 8 was significantly worse than the burn center. The place we visited is not its own hospital, but rather a ward in a very large hospital. The environment was much more colorful and inviting, at least to the best that I've seen in Russia. We handed out Bibles, bananas, and candy to the patients that we met, as well as their parents.
The hospital provides only the medicine and the actual bed. Family members are responsible for sheets, changes of clothes, care giver, and I believe food, but I may be mistaken on the last one.
Most parents were happy to have their burned child receive the gifts and attention from us, but a few were hesitant, which is understandable. We met kids who were a variety of ages, from 8 months to 16 years. The majority of the accidents were from spilling unattended hot water on themselves, but one little girl had pulled a hot iron onto her arm.
As opposed to the obvious pain and suffering witnessed in Hospital 8, the children at the burn center were not in much pain, were well-attended to, and were living in clan-smelling environments.
One room had two older girls in it, and both of them were happy, all smiles, and loved talking with us. I gave a Bible to the younger girl, whose name was Eugenia. She was adorable! All of us felt relieved and a bit more hopeful of Russia's healthcare after we saw that hospital. However, compared to the places we go for care in the U.S., it was still a wanting place.
After we were filled with so much joy and hope from meeting recovering and happy patients, our group was in a fine mood! We were able to go to the market, right outside the famous church "Our Savior on the Blood". We learned what it really means to bargain with someone, and determine the actual value of something. Our main concern was our belongings, however. The market area (not necessarily the market itself,) is known for the thieving gypsides. Thankfully, our group didn't go through that, and we all go some awesome souvenirs! I got myself a scarf, my sister a nesting doll and "Love From St. Petersburg" t-shirt, and my mom a beautiful nesting doll set that depicts the life of Jesus!
Last night the group stayed up late and played cards until about quarter 'till one, and we walked down to the nearest bride so we could watch it open. The bridges separate and lift for barges, yachts, and cruise ships to get through at a time when cars are less thick in the streets. [Side note: The group managed to get a glimpse of a Russian mafia member. At 1:00 AM. In St. Petersburg, Russia. Not the best moment of the trip, to be sure.]
It was a glorious day, one that will leave people and places forever imprinted on my heart.
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