In Lencini, November 25, 1956

Hello dear son,
The money has arrived. The bank statement is dated November 18. I will go and get it on the 26th. When I get it I will write you back. I heard that your money here is valued very little. When I get it I’ll see it. Son, don’t send me money now. I am working and I can get by. If you will send a package with talavu [?], then put in it something small for my Emma. She is also very lonely. Son, you know that I love work. I also work orderly with sheep at a kolhoz.
We have work plans and if the plan is fulfilled one can get a bonus payment. I had raised 12 sheep over the top of the plan. I got 6 beautiful lambs as a bonus. Also the wool plan is exceeded. I also got 6 ½ kilos of wool. In our money it is 1200 roubles. Two lambs I kept myself, four lambs I sold for 150 roubles each. But our pagan [?] life is without faith. Elderly people still go to church, they can’t ban it. Write me how it is with religion at your place. Do you have churches there? Are you married or just engaged? Did you also have a wedding ceremony? Don’t take offense, everything interests me about your life. I want to know everything. Does Helena also work or do only you have to work? Son, I am happy now that I know about you. Until now I always thought.. Now it is good that I will be able to work. But, if I will not have strength anymore and won’t have anybody to help me, then every time tears are running. Now I know that you will help me if needed. Write me if you are happy in your life, because your happiness is also my happiness. It is sad that I cannot write to Helena. What language do you speak at home?
Little Maija studies Russian and German at school. She already speaks Russian well. They started teaching German later, but she can already read and write it. She has tried to find on the map the city that you live in and she says that it is very far. She showed me on the map that one centimeter is 1000 kilometers. It appears more than 20,000 kilometers away. Son if you will send me something, send me some big and medium size and also some small needles for my Singer sewing machine. The other day I forgot to ask you. My most endearing greetings you. The same to Helena.

All the best,
Mother

P.s. – Greetings also fom Maija. She can’t wait to receive a letter from you.

Lencinos 1956 g. 25 XI

Sveiks delinš

Nauda ir atnakuse 18 novembir no bankas pzinujums ir rakstits pakal braukšu 26 kad sanemšu rakstišu atkal. Es dzirdeju ka šeit jusu naudu pa visam maz verte. Ka sanemšu tad redzes. delin man naudu tagad nesuti. es sdrataju un varu iztikt ja man pacinu sutisi ar masina talavu [?] tur kaut ko ieliec priekš manas Emmas kadu nieku vina ir ari looti vientula. delinš tu zini ka es milu darbu, strataju kartiki ari pie kolchosa aitam.

mums ir darba plani un ja plans ir izpiltits dabus papiltapmaksu man pij 12 jerinu virsplana izaudzeti. es dabuju 6 skaistus jerus pa bremiju un ari vilnas plans ir parsniegts dabuju 6 ½ kilo vilnas ari musu nauda ta ir 1200 rublu. divus es patureju sev cetrus jerus partevu 150 rub gabala. tikai mums ta pakana [?] dzive bez ticibas. Vecaki cilveki gan iet paznica nevar jau aizliekt. Raksti ka pie jums ir ar ticibu vai paznicas ari ir raksti vai tu esi laulats vai tikai sarakstits vai tev kasu ceremonija ari bij. nenem launa man vis interese tava dzive gribu visu zinat. Vai Helena ari darba iet vai tev vienam jastrata. Delin es tagad esmu laimiga ka zinu par tevi. Lidz šim es vienmer domaju tagad ir labi ka varešu stradat bed ja vairs nebus speka un neviena nav kas tevi palidz tad man asaras bira katru reiz. Tagad zinu ka Tu man palidzesi ja vajak. Raksti vai tu esi laimigs sava dzive. Jo tava laime ir ari mana laime. Šel ka nevaru Helenai rakstit gatu valodu jus majas runajet. Maijina macas skola krievu un vacu valotu krievu jau runa labi vacu valotu saka velak macit to ari jau lasa un raksta. Vina ir uz kartes to pilsetu uz meklejis kur tu dzivo saka ka ta esot loti talu ratija man ar uz kartes viens centimetris 1000 kilometru iz nak vairak ka 20 000 kilo. Ja delin ja man sutisi, suti ari Singer masina adadas rupjas un vitejas ari gadu smalku. toreiz aizmirsu. paliedz mili jo mili sveicinata ari Helenai tas pašas seidzienus.

visu labu

mate.

p.s. – no Maijinas ari sveiciens vina nevar sakaitit no tevis vestuli.