Today, November 6, 2016, Mrs. Tzoni head of Communication and Social Action Department (YMCA of Thessaloniki) organized a special event at the Basketball Museum where all teams of REACT (Refugee Assistance Collaboration, Thessaloniki) partners gathered to say a farewell to Omar and Safa, the first Syrian refugee children hosted at the YMCA under this program. For his part, the president of the YMCA Mr. Ioannis Sossidis referred to the support provided by the association to the refugee children, with free membership in its programs.

The basketball team of XANTH offered for each of two children and their three-old brother Yehya the athletic uniform of the team and balls for basketball signed by the players.

Omar and Safa with their parents, REACT team members, Mrs Tzoni and the president of the YMCA Mr. Ioannis Sossidis

Omar and Safa with their parents, REACT team members, Mrs Tzoni and the president of the YMCA Mr. Ioannis Sossidis

“We say goodbye to Omar and Safa, giving them this gift because we want to tell them “Now, they have the game in their hands”said Mr. Sossidis

I can say this was the most difficult sentence  to translate for the little Safa and her brother. My role in this event was to faithfully interpret the spoken words; hereby I interpret to you what it was not spoken. When they heard about the “game” of the “future”, I could read hundreds of naïve thoughts in their eyes, “will I be a always winner? Should I be a champion?”

“What will I be?
Will I be pretty?
Will I be rich?
What will I try?
Should I paint pictures
Should I sing songs?”
What lies ahead?
Will we have rainbows
Day after day?”

I got closer and  tenderly whispered to them:

“Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be;
The future’s not ours to see.
Que sera, sera,
What will be, will be.
Que Sera, Sera!”

Then I explained to them that “At a young age winning is not the most important thing” as it was once said. The important thing is to develop creativity and skills with good confidence for your future.

Dear Omar, Safa and Yehya I wish you all the best for your “game”.

Be courageous. Always play fair. Keep your faith.

And remember “now and always you have the game in your hands!”

Omar and his sister Safa

Omar and his sister Safa