Marta

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

By Mindy Sternberg and Amanda Fox

Most people who have a disease tend to see life as a struggle, but not Marta. Marta views life as a gift. She was born in Odessa with cerebral palsy, a debilitating illness that inhibits the movement of her body. In addition to her physical handicap, her childhood was anything but easy. Under Stalin’s regime, her father was arrested which forced her and her mother to escape to Siberia. Growing up she was also teased by her peers for her disability. Despite these hardships, education was extremely important to her. She went to the university to study medicine but was unable to complete her studies due to her disease. At that time, she was living alone in Odessa when she was given an opportunity by deceiving businessmen. She was offered a house in a town outside of the city in exchange for her apartment, but was robbed of her apartment leaving her homeless. Luckily, the Hesed organization of Odessa came to her aid and provided her with a place to stay.

Now Marta lives in a small village outside of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky in a tiny one room apartment. Upon arrival, she came outside to greet us and was nothing but smiles. She then showed us the beautiful pieces that she knitted. In addition to making these handicrafts, she enjoys writing poetry. Instead of choosing to write about sorrowful topics, she focuses on the positivity and humor in life.

To say that our experience with Marta was emotionally charged, would be an understatement. It is astonishing to us that someone who has been faced with such vast difficulties can overcome each and every obstacle. We both admire her hopeful outlook on life and aspire to embody her wonderful attitude. Marta taught us that community service does not just pertain to building houses, but rather, building relationships with others within the community. It is these interactions with people that help us to connect with each other, and thus, gain a greater sense of unity.