IN the community of Industry, on the East Coast of Demerara, an extended Christian family has built up a unique support system for each other, and has set out to make the most of the Christmas season and their time together.

This is the family found at the Bless the Children home. It is a private orphanage founded by the late Sheila Surujpaul and her husband Rev. Surujpaul, which opened its doors to children of Guyana in 2008.

President of the Bless the Children Home and daughter of the founders, Fiona Pyszka shared that at one point, there were about 40 children living at the home but currently, there are about 28 children residing there.

Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, Fiona related her parents believed that every person should have a chance and instead of building a retirement home, her mother built an orphanage to give children this chance.

“Moving on beyond just caring for the kids is ensuring that their purpose is fulfilled so that they get a chance to do what they were created to do,” Fiona said.

But there are challenges that confront the home and this agenda.

“The major challenge that we have is the systems that we have to work with in Guyana to make sure that a child has complete information for them to succeed,” the President said. Here, there is a holdup in the process for children to get their necessary documentation—like their birth certificates.

Children also come into the home after facing traumatic experiences or with emotional issues, and as such, she highlighted: “I am working on setting up a psychological team to help the kids work through that so that they can have someone to talk to, it’s confidential and they can work through their problems and whatever reason brought them here.”

Fiona said, “Presently the main thing that we use to combat all of it is to create an environment where the kids are safe and they can be heard and that they can be themselves.”

Aside from these issues, the road leading into the orphanage is also a bugbear, since it is filled with potholes and hampers donors’ sojourn to the home. To this end, Fiona related she has written letters to the relevant authorities, and remains hopeful that the recently-elected councillors for the area would look into it.

The woman visited Guyana recently to check up on the children and on the operations of the orphanage, since the founders passed away earlier in 2018.

“I am here to comfort the children, work with the staff and assure everyone that the work being done will continue,” she related. And now as the figure responsible for the orphanage, she takes her role very seriously—because like her parents, she believes in giving the children another chance to be themselves.

It just so happens that it is Christmas time too, so she can ensure that each child gets the best possible holiday season!

“Christmas for us is very significant because we are a Christian orphanage,” she explained and added: “It’s a time for giving back and thanking God for what we have.”

At the home, the children have their gifts wrapped and placed under the Christmas tree. Donors would also stop by every day to ensure that they are feeling the Christmas spirit.

In fact, according to Pyszka, the orphanage is supported by local and foreign donors and almost every meal is supplied by these donors. And definitely, at Christmas time there are more frequent and generous donations, she highlighted but posited too: “It’s after Christmas where we do need the help too.”

“We are debt-free and we’re hoping it keep it that way,” she said and highlighted that she was looking to establish a base of supporters where persons who would not only periodically donate but there would be fixed persons who would function as partners, to continuously contribute to the success of the home.

Nevertheless, she was effusive with her praises for all of the businesses, families and volunteers that support the children and the home. Furthermore, she shared too that she was overwhelmed with the support from the local community.

“It’s very refreshing to see the local community come together and help,” Fiona affirmed.