My first stay in a battered women's shelter brought me in contact with a Latvian native named Yelena. Blonde and statuesque, she spoke no English. Yelena was the mother of a young baby named Susie. We hit it off because of necessity and helped one another. My first meeting of her was her watching Scooby-Doo with complete joy in the shelter's lounge as I came downstairs for breakfast on a Saturday. She wasn't allowed to watch TV at home.
Yelena was a strong, beautiful young mother and I was injured in the ribs when I arrived at the shelter due to abuse. My husband squeezed my ribs and threatened more pain if I left the day my grandfather died. Because of my injuries I had difficulty doing assigned chores at the shelter. We all were required to help with cleaning.
Yelena couldn't communicate with staff but had an English/Russian translation dictionary. I began to work with her using the dictionary to discover more about her.
Susie needed a stroller so I assisted with letting staff know that and obtaining one. Yelena wanted to leave the shelter to go to the YMCA to swim. We could use the YMCA free while staying the month at the shelter. She was not able to navigate the city Erie alone. So that I would take her to the YMCA she would wash and mop the bathroom for me while I healed then say, "YMCA, Mama?" As she liked to refer to me. We learned to communicate using the translation dictionary and my children and I loved her and little Susie. Susie adored my daughter.
Yelena's husband was starving her and the baby and she was in the shelter with Susie because the doctor said they would remove Suzie from the home unless she did. He had Yelena cook him steak and made her feed Susie boxed mac and cheese. Susie was underweight.
Yelena, at first, would sneak home and cook for her drunken Latvian husband until one day she got into a huge fight with him and asked me come with her to help her get things for her and Susie. We did and she never returned to him again.
He was very angry and they yelled on the street while I waited across the street for her.
Yelenas' mother and brother lived in California so after explaining what happened to her, her Mom purchased tickets for her and Susie.
Me and the kids saw them off at the train station early one morning in the cool summer dawn. We talked once or twice on the phone afterward but the language barrier over the phone caused a wide gulf and we lost touch.
Some people come and go for a reason in life when we need them or they need us, or both. Yalena was my first venture into attempting to cross a language divide and we succeeded. I pray that she and Suzie are well and happy and wish we could meet again one day.
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