Исток и запад/East and West

I made this card last spring when I heard the news about spectacular cherry blossom in our small village. Our farmers invited former Ambassador of Japan in Serbia to be their guest and to visit this village when cherries were blooming. I was really touched with this story, realizing how our people were considerate and how generous the Ambassador was when he accepted an invitation. And ever since then I plan to make some special gift card with cherry and plum branches putted together as two symbols of our countries. I'll show it when it's done.

This year, 39 hospitals in Serbia will receive medical equipment for breast cancer screening as a donation of Government of Japan. In past few years, I lost three of my family members out of this disease so I give all my hope that their precious gift will serve us well. 

When I wrote first version of this post few days ago, it was supposed to be one cheerful post, but yesterday I got some really disturbing news, and, unfortunately, I need to make some big changes.

This "Paradise Bird" Card was my favorite one; I didn't plan to sell it or give it away. I just wanted to keep it for myself. But, last summer, I gave it to one special person, Mr. Dejan U., the owner of "deta" markets in my town. Like our people in BC Vancouver in Canada,  he accepted to take a part in humanitarian activity. We all wanted to collect contributions for Slobodan's transplants who needed new heart and lungs, but the amount was too high. Unfortunately, we and Slobodan couldn't make it.

I tagged Slobodan at my 2011 card on Facebook, and he liked it, but, unfortunately, he passed away 20minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve.

Here were sentences where I wanted to ask you to join our cause and while I was deleting them I heard a young girl at "News" ( who shared the same hospital room with Slobodan last summer ) and who also needed a new heart . I'm happy to hear that she is feeling fine, now.

And then, there was our Minister of Health who promised, again, that this January he'll sign some sort of contract which would provide much easier and faster transplantations for all those people who need them.