Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Video about Social activity

Video about Social activity

The Bethlehem fire

December 19 occurred the transfer of Bethlehem fire to one of the temples of Vitebsk.
For several years, our YMCA is the coordinator of the action "Bethlehem fire" in the city and our scouts participate in it every year.
The relic was brought to Vitebsk members of the international action Scouts "Bethlehem fire of peace and friendship". Bethlehem fire was in a special lamp, and from the rector of Holy Dormition Church Alexander Rahunok lit a few candles. They are in turn was more lit many candles in the church (before that they were repaid). Holy Fire is also able to get other people to carry it home and light the lamp at home.

The Bethlehem fire

Scouts are able to think )))

December 18 there was a Scout meeting, where we spent an intellectual competition on the theme of world religions. In the competition won the team, which included Sinitsyn Dima, Alina Parfenova, Masha Dyatlova, Roma and Slava Rashevsky. In single competition "Guess the religion" won Slava Rashevsky (photo).

Scouts are able to think )))

The 8th of December.How it was!

"Oh, God! Are all these people our YMCA? "- Was my first thought when I went into the hall.
From all sides looked to mee familiar, familiar - but half-forgotten and hardly familiar faces. Faces of our volunteers! Such disciplined! They went in, sat quietly in their places: sitting, waiting ... guys, well really do not want to go to old friends and to remember past exploits? And, maybe I came too late, and missed that? Well...
The solemn part began solemnly and decorously, as we have conceived: the presentation the guests and honorary members, listing their achievements and regalia, appreciation, applause ...
Then was followed by solemn presentation of membership cards, and, of course, the performance of our distinguished guests. Ceremonial part conceived by us as a short half-hour action, but eventually spread over one and a half. Guests said long and earnestly - it was pleasant to listen to them. But uncle Misha first upset us and promised from himself only "a couple of words. But after a couple - "Good evening" - followed by a long, but no less interesting and warm speech.
Devotion ... Not so I had imagined. I thought that was more playful and spectacular. But it turned out how it happened: a few vague story about the origin of life and lost in the big hall song.
But then everything went a dynamic and fun: video-Energizers-dancing ...
And our Lena Litvinchuk loaded all the energy! She loaded with the energy Uncle Misha, and he did it with us! Cool dance, but I was lucky to dance close to our general secretary Alexander Ignatovich. And everything would be just wonderful if under the feet do not get the boy in the striped red and white blouse, also actively waving their limbs! However, this boy - Lesha - was not even completely useless to our society. He spent his "crown game" - "A Pizza Hut" . No less fascinating held their games and our other volunteers: Eugenya Pochepko - "History in Prague”, Kristina Mirsalimova -" Do you like a neighbor? "Andrew -" Western ", Krystyna Goldina -"The song with gestures”, Misha Shikun - stories about international projects and Alesya Meleshko - about the social direction. My videos, though hastily made, too, was impressed.
Our party was ended with reupload of the candles of the triangle and the word - YMCA (that was at the Festival in Prague) and the song "Wind of Change"( beautiful song of Maxim Dunaevsky). It was pleasant to see how everybody went, came and sang along with us. I do not know how beautiful and aesthetic turned the song, but that was mentally - is a fact.
Well and of course the long-awaited phrase of Tatiana: "And yet we have prepared for you the Belarusian meal, which is ..." The rest of the sentence was drowned the tramp of feet - the crowd rushed to different dishes!
I do not know whether guests tasted our Belarusian potato pancakes and pies but two of them: Mikhail Guskov and Johan Eltvik become the members of our organization. In the midst of our party Misha asked me: "Can I join in your organization?" "Oh, what a nice flattery, dammit! - I thought, and replied: "Why not?" And they did it!
And while guests leave their personal wishes for their posters, we managed to sing songs!
All thanks! Until next time!

The 8th of December.How it was!

The 8th of December. The preparation.

Not enough words to describe everything that happened on the 8th of December. But not only the eighth! All the previous week! We were celebrating the 5th of December – the International Volunteer Day, combined with the reception of visitors. And what visitors!
The General Secretary of the YMCA-Belarus Alexander Artyuschenko, the General Secretary of the YMCA Europe Johann Wilhelm Eltvik,
The Deputy of General Secretary of YMCA Europe Michal Shimanchak
and the Regional Secretary of the YMCA Europe Mikhail Guskov!
Of course, if not of their arrival, the holiday will be held in any case - just look everything is different: less solemn, less anxiety and fewer people.
A collection of our volunteers, we paid special attention.
- So, Zhenya, you ring up all the multiplicaters, do you understand? - For such cases Kristina typically uses a baritone and bulging eyes (see photo).
- OK, - Zhenya keeps calm ...
- You're phoning all. Personally. – Kristina intently looking at her.
- Yes ..
- Personally. Phoning. Everybody.
- ...
- Warne them that if they do not come, we have them ... they will be ...
- Well, I understand, understand! - Does not stand Zhenya. – I’ll call! Just let them not come!
And so Kristina processed each leader. Will it work? Well, yes and no. Yes - because there were 40 people - so many at once, we probably have not seen (domestic programs), no - because if everybody went, it would be, at least twice.
The idea of event - "Time Machine" - came at once and somehow was easily accepted by all. But the realization of this idea generated controversies.
- In 2003 there came to us Norwegians ...
- No! It was later, in 2003 we went to Prague on the Festival ...
- Yes, the Festival - but our - Belarus, in Minsk ..
So, with great difficulty we reached the 2009th.
Talk about showing our videos, too, took a lot of time: show all together in a solemn part (according to Nadya) or during the interactive part (as suggested by Kristina), diluting with the games and songs. We Adopt option of Kristina.
Well, as soon as it came to preparation of the Belarusian meal our leaders do forget about everything, and dropping saliva, enthusiastically discussing the recipes of patties, potato pancakes and other Belarusian delicious. Me, Kristina and the male half of our group for a long time and patiently waited as our beautiful girls finish discussion of this this "tasty" topic. But when Kristina Goldina handed to Tatiana a paper and a pen to write the recipe, and Nadya for the tenth time repeating the word 'halva”, we did not stand and broke their fascinating conversation. Had to interrupt several times, once in the conversation sounded the word "table" or "food", the girls wound up in the new.
And the most pleasant part of our meetings were, of course, rehearsing of songs. When the main part ended and the most serious leaders: Vika, Nadya and Zhenya - fled to their serious cases, we took a guitar and began to sing. Will we sing these songs at the our programm, we do not know, but what a wonderful cause! ))

The 8th of December. The preparation.

Our membership cards!

There are the membership cards that the members of our YMCA received yesterday! Only the signature is another - of Tatiana, this is - just the design vision :)). Incidentally, we recall that the designer who creates our newspaper, posters, membership cards and accreditation - is (not yet a member ;-)) Dmitry Rubanik.
Dima, you add to the workload: we need more membership cards. New! At least 10! Two of them - especially valuable for us - for Mikhail Guskov and Johann Wilhelm Eltvik, who yesterday wrote a statement for membership in our organization! This is a victory!

Our membership cards!

"Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise"

The action "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise" was launched in 2005. And this year we have continued this fine tradition. Immediately after the action "To know in order to live" our volunteers went to the House of Cinema, where we spent the campaign "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise". Our guys met people who came to the theater, handing out leaflets, collecting written promises in the fight against AIDS. But when the hall was filled, they were read the most interesting promises and handed over the prizes. After that, was shown videos on AIDS prevention and the movie "Virus".

"Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise"

Know to live!

How is difficult to carry out the action! Here are a people - frozen, hungry, with bags, and here – we are with our slogans and appeals. All right already, if they even look, better - if they stay or fit, and really quite wonderful - if they connected and involved. And what to do to be heard, to inspire with our words, to understand the meaning of the action?
- Hello! Do you remember what is the day today?
And really, what? Young and energetic guys - Leading of the action Lena and Nastya - have taken the first step: interested and attracted people. And now, when a crowd gathered we can work, and to begin to recall that today the 1st of December - Day of AIDS prevention. A few words about the seriousness and the globalism of this problem - quite a bit: people are demanding a performance. And the first was the performance of the team of students from the school number 7, which became the winners in the contest of propaganda team. Come on! And why not use ready-made material, besides not the worst of the possible? We have used and do not regret it. Bright, lively performance, the naive school initiative, so sentimental for the older generation.
- AIDS – is the error with the price is life! - teenagers screaming from the scene. – It you make a mistake, pay with your lives!
Was creeping shudder: whether these words are not childish, whether the wind piercing, the December wing.
Do not give the viewers to freeze and take a run - the second important task. Under the leadership of the same leading the crowd gradually moved to the site for the interactive part of the action. No, not so gradually: young people ran when they heard about the opportunity to paint graffiti. And cans of paint were a lot, and large sheets ... Oh, sorry, can not paint the walls of the Palace! The children so enthusiastic about the process of creating masterpieces that spoiled the poster, designed for the final part of the event. This event is very upset head of the event, unsuccessfully tried to drown the crowd in regular unset microphone. Tatiana wanted to explain to people "what to do," but they thought that she hiccups. Someone even laughed that the more upset our Boss. But we know that laughter is not only prolongs life, but also warm - it is so necessary in the first winter day!
The older generation did not even try to get the graffiti place. Adults were playing darts, wrote their promises to fight AIDS, testing our volunteers with questions.
- AIDS stands as a virus ... uh .. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome – answered Andrew.
- Aaaa not learned? – laughing his friends.
- So cold in fact ...
The best answers and exact hits to the balloons encouraged with sweets. The most interesting promises were read by the leaders in microphone, and the most unlucky cans of paint were "stolen" by the fastest graffitists.
But, to shake hands of Alexey was lined up many people. He, of course, is very interesting guy, but drawn to him is not "due", and "contrary". Contrary to his status - HIV-positive. Let Lesha only played the role of itself, but shook hands with him for real: without fear, not rejecting, non-judgmental ...
Final part: the distribution of prizes and the launch of red balls in the sky. Not new, but each time - as the first. Fascinating and touching!
The action “Know to live” was held by us and supported by the department of AIDS Prevention and the Palace of Children's Art
All thanks!

Know to live!