LITTLE POLAND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 39, 12 January 1945, Page 5

LITTLE POLAND

PAHIATUA CHILDREN'S CAMP

LOCAL GIRL'S IMPRESSIONS

The following article written byMiss Iris Leaning, 'daughter of. Mr and Mrs Harold Leaning, of the Willowbank Nurseries Whakatane will interest our Miss Lean-* ing who is one of the supervisors at the Pahiatua Polish Refugee camp gives first, hand some of her impressions bf the manner in which these children spent their first Christmas' in New Zealand.

"Let your imagination run riot for a few minutes > and in your thoughts picture between 700 ami 800 children? pushed from pillar to post for years } some almost from birth; and now at rest, with a dawning sense of security and freedom from oppression. Still amongst strangers, perbut strangers with an, understanding of the brotherhood of man and a desire to help these bewildered youngsters to take their first step to a greater and fuller life. This is the Polish children's camp at Pahiatua.

Keep this picture in your minds eye and watch the childrens thoughts mirrored in their faces for they are about to have their first real Christmas for five years. St. Nicholas' Day has passed with its usual feast and the giving of. small gifts.

With approaching Christmas, therefore all the elders appeared enfor the wrapping and sorting of toys for 700 odd children is no mean task. The Polish customs are slightly different to ours. Gifts are given and exchanged on Christ' mas Eve. A wafer like bread is broken between friends and loved ones

and all are wished the compliments of the season. This is followed by kisses first on the right cheek and then the left.

Later in the evening is the carol singing to which we the English attendants were invited. The hall had been decorated to mark the glad announcement of (Jhrist's birth. A tall evergreen, tree, stood in the its graceful branches carrying candles- ready to light—a star on its highest tip. The gifts were handed out, and happiness reigned supreme for there were many surprises.

I Then came the. hardest part of all trying to put the littles ones to bed! They insisted on showing us everything and the joy in their little faces 1? shall never forget. I' have never before attended midnight mass and I found i't very beautiful especially the sweet harmonising of the girls choir. In the stillness of the service everyone seemed to find a reassurance in life.

What previous Christmases' have been like for the little ones we will never know, but they needed all the aid we could give them —our prayers —our friendship—and all the sympathy our little country can offer them.