I’m making Holiday Cards in support for this little guy and his family. When you donate through my other tumblr , we’ll send a handmade card to the person of your choice with a note letting them know that a donation was made on their behalf.
Why am I doing this?
My Dad asked for my help, here’s what he says:
I first heard about the Vadasz family one morning as I finished my morning shave. CBC radio was broadcasting a two-part series focussing on Roma students at Parkdale Collegiate. Jozsef stood out for me.
Later, at work, I remembered my colleague’s wife worked at Parkdale so I mentioned the radio piece I’d heard that morning. Apparently, his wife Alison had been very involved with Jozsef’s plight. Without even hesitating, I offered my assistance if she ever needed it. About a month later she arranged for me to meet Jozsef. After meeting him, I talked to my daughter, Gemma, to see if she’d be willing to help with fundraising. Without any hesitation, she also said yes. That was the beginning.
When asked why I became involved, I recall the hospitality I received from a complete stranger in Algeria. I was in my early twenties. On a bus trip to Tunisia I became aware that I had developed a severe eye infection to the point where pus secreted from the tear duct. Across the aisle was a medical student who saw what was happening. He invited my travel companion and myself to come with him to his home. We could spend the night, he’d treat my eye and then we could be on our way in the morning. And so we spent the night with the student and his mother in a little two room shelter and she shared what food they had with us. We left in the morning, my eye already healing and left behind a pair of much sought after American jeans to thank him. When I returned to Canada I realized that if this student from Algeria encountered the same problem here, most likely he wouldn’t be invited to a home and receive the hospitality I received.
Borders do not make sense anymore. We are all citizens of the earth, in fact, recent DNA finds have discovered we are all related having all come from those first ancestors who first gained self-consciousness. We all have traces of the original DNA in our bodies. We are all family. We need to treat each other in that light.
