From Heljo - Harri's sunday school teacher

As children, we all like to imagine what we would like to be and do when we grow up. Yet, life often takes us in different directions then we as children dreamed of. Still, a few of us do go on and live their childhood dreams. One of these was Harri.

I was a Sunday School Superintendent in Estonian St. Peter's Church for 22 years. As refugees, every organization has to do double duty: first, what it is what it is supposed to do and second, to foster national identity and pride. Our Sunday School was no exception. Thus, in addition to weekly religious content, we had each year several celebrations that had no religious content, but were the “candy” that was to make the real meal more appetizing. The biggest of these events was the Christmas party which among other fun things featured a Christmas play. These were quite elaborate productions and it usually involved 40-50 children.

When Harri was 4 years old, he had a small part in the play and apparently enjoyed his”debut” on the stage very much. A couple of weeks after Christmas, his mother told me that Harri told her enthusiastically that when he grew up, he wanted to be “Mrs. Liitoja” (me)! Mrs. Murk was understandable somewhat surprised. Upon further questioning, Harri explained that he too would like to teach Estonian and write Estonian plays like Mrs. Liitoja.

As years went by, I kept reading in the Estonian paper about somebody named Harri Murk who had written Estonian plays, was acting in them and was also teaching Estonian as a Second Language. I wondered whether this could be the same little Harri whom I had known in my Sunday School but this didn’t seem very likely.

Then, one day at an Estonian function, a young man came up to me and introduced himself as Harri Murk. “Are you the same Harri about whom the Estonian papers write?
Were you in St. Peter’s Sunday School? Do you have a sister named Daisy?” After getting an affirmative answer to all my questions, it was still hard for me to connect the shy little boy whom I remembered from the Sunday School days to the accomplished young man about whom the Estonian papers had been writing, yet here was the proof before my eyes!

From that day on, I didn’t lose sight of Harri. I discovered we had common friends and with time, we became friends and a good friend he was! One, on whom I could always depend. When I was hospitalized I had many friends visit me. One I could count on was Harri. He came with flowers, articles he thought might interest me, books etc. His visits didn’t stop when I was released from the hospital and convalescing at home. He came, sometimes alone, sometimes with Tony, always bringing food. And the dishes were done, when they left!

When I was writing a book and needed information about some topics, I called on Harri. He helped me and the roles were reversed; the student had become the teacher and the teacher – the student.

Harri you have a special place in my heart. It shall remain yours forever.