There was a birthday at the Mental Health Foundation's Day Centre, where mentally disabled adults have created a family for each other with love, support, and a web of beautiful friendships, and on this day, it was their sister's birthday. (Before I continue, let me briefly remind you that Ani Saraphanian and I, the volunteers at the centre, have only been there for a couple of weeks).

Each day, the “mother” figure of this family, who is also one of the clients, prepares lunch for everyone. They go food shopping for themselves- they care for each other. Like in any family, the MHF family being no different, each member plays a different role. There is one who stands out a bit more as being mentally challenged than the others, and to watch the interactions between this individual and the rest is truly a beautiful thing. They care for this person as if he were the youngest brother in the family as they listen to his rambles while still guarding his health. Now that I have briefly touched on the dynamics of this unique family, let me return now to the birthday.

On the menu for this special day was pilaf, juice, soda pop, and of course bread- and of course, cake! Now, Ani and I expected that we should leave as they enjoyed this personal time, but instead they pulled up two chairs for us and gave us each a plate of pilaf and a slice of birthday cake. Each member of this family stood up, even the “youngest brother” and the “quiet and reserved brother” to offer their best wishes to the birthday girl. Ani and I then sang “Happy Birthday” in Armenian in her honor. It was such a beautiful lunch, and such an honor to be a part of it as an outsider. After lunch on any other day, the clients usually just go upstairs to continue talking or playing chess, but instead, on this special day, as they clapped for the birthday girl's presence, they danced. Excuse me, we danced, all of us together, in the kitchen, which is such a common gathering place for Armenians, there was ‘havak'!

In our own Depi Hayk family, there is a toast which has formed and been used many times: “Only in Armenia do acquaintances become friends, and friends become brothers and sisters in a day.” And that day at the Day Centre could not have shown this Armenian nature more beautifully. Two outsiders welcomed into a family's celebration not as volunteers, but as sisters. Some might say that those we are helping are the fortunate ones, but I think in this case we are they, as we are being blessed and touched by love, smiles, and open arms- actions which will truly remain imprinted on our hearts forever.

Karinne' Hovnanian (USA),
MHF volunteer and BR/DH participant