Narine and Allen are happy surrounded with love
The best time of the day for Allen, 2 years old, who attends the Armenian Aid Foundation, is 6p.m. The best time of the day for Narine, Allen’s mother, who attends Saint Grigor Illuminator Hospital, is also 6p.m.
Every day on that very same time Narine goes to pick up Allen. The latter runs to the mother and hugs her legs. Narine says that every time that this happens her heart pounds and she even more signifies the fact of being with his son. Narine’s husband, who appeared in jail two years ago, would always want money from Narine to get released.
With the recommendation of a friend Narine went to work for some restaurant as a waitress in one of the marzes of Armenia in order to pay for the husband’s release. On the first day of work Narine was escorted to a bedroom with the tray in her hands. This kind of life of Narine continued for almost six months, after which she got pregnant with Allen and returned to Yerevan. I don’t know why or how the husband who was released with the money earned by Narine, is not married to someone else and lives with the new family. For over two years Narine has been trying to kill some kind of feeling in herself with alcohol. It was either love, hatred or dreams and future…
She was saying, “Don’t look at me like this. A little is left from me, they beat me so much, broke my nose, the only thing left is my baby.” Narine has changed and she is making great efforts for that. She wants to bring Allen back to his childhood. Narine threw away her high heel shoes.
She called one of the volunteers Hayk and reminded that they had an appointment with father Smbat for a Sunday service. Narine went to church and spoke to God for a long time. I don’t know what they discussed but after leaving the church she bought a prayer brochure. Allen who wasn’t able to speak before finally started to speak on that day and probably uttered Hayk ten times. The relatives of Narine feel day by day that they are starting to recognize their relative just like to years ago.
The mother cannot stop thanking the members of the Facebook group “Let’s save Allen.” Now Narine waits every day impatiently for a call from the US from a person named Armen, who speaks to the woman for a long time and offers support. She reminds me that Sona from the US also asked for her number. The volunteers of the Facebook group Gor, Hayk, Arusyak, Katrin, Marat, Seda and many others spend hours with the family. Narine even goes out for a walk with them. They take Allen and Narine to cafes. All this looks like a miracle for her.
The hospital, which Narine attends every day even covers her transportation costs. A doctor of the hospital told us on the phone that the medical treatment is ongoing and the final results will be ready in two days. Narine rushes to get to work in Pepsi Cola factory after receiving the medical treatment. Mrs. Anahit, Narine and Allen have moved to a different days for a few days until the volunteers would renovate the apartment. Many of the volunteers got sick because of working in the cold and humid apartment. Although many called in advance that they had fever and wouldn’t be able to work in the morning but they still came and were working on the walls of the apartment where Allen lives. All these people were united by one effort to help the family of Allen and provide better living conditions for the child. They have become very close to us and we even miss them. One person helped to get all the necessary materials for renovation.
The minister of education Armen Ashotyan also provided monetary support – 400,000 for the construction. The Ideal chair offered great discounts for the purchase of construction materials. Everybody is rejoiced by the miracle of seeing every day how Allen and the mother hug each other and who are surrounded by kind people. They are full of hope to their future. We all remember with humor the past few weeks. By the way, Narine who was calling me weeks ago would call me Luso but now she calls me Lusine and asks advice from the volunteers to change her haircut. She wants to attend concerts and theaters.
By Lusine Stepanyan
