In the summer of 1974 he wounded the souls of thousands of people, opening wounds that never closed.
Emilia Mousseos was only three years old then, the only child of Dimitris Mousseos from Lympia and Niki Kountoura from Aradippou. She did not know what war means, what it means to be deprived of someone you love, neither for a while nor for a long time… With her childish innocence, all she knew was how much she longed for a doll to play with… Her father would bring it to her from England where she went to work for a while… This was at least assured to her by her mother for years. In fact, she did not even know where her husband was όμως But she chose not to share her anguish with her little girl. He did not want to hurt her ... Even if he knew that this was inevitable. As soon as she went to school and learned to write, she started sending letters to her father σε She lived most of her childhood with the hope of seeing him again. Until her mother decided to tell her the truth. "The doll I always wanted", as Emilia's book is titled, never came. In an interview with Reporter, she describes the day she learned about her father who remains missing to this day and her big dream.
Where is your priest?
"I was born and raised in Aradippou. Shortly before I celebrated my third birthday, my father "left". I vaguely remember his form. I have no memories other than 2-3 black and white photos of him. For as long as I can remember, the children at school kept asking me, "Where is your priest?" Unsuspecting, I always answered what my mother had told me δηλαδή That she went to England to work and that when she returned she would bring me a very beautiful doll with blue eyes like mine, which I was miserable to have. In the eyes of some children I saw disbelief. Some knew the truth but hid it from me. I could not imagine her. "I was so attached to my mother that I thought it was impossible for her to ever lie to me."
The great absence
"My father was away from home. The paternal figure was missing. He was 23 years old when he "left" and I was only three. I waited for him every day to return from "England". My mother used to say nice words to me about him, she used to tell me that he once made fun of her and that he was a good person. I dreamed every day that he would return to our house and hold me in his arms. I wrote him letters and always reminded him not to forget to bring me the doll I wanted. I supported all my childhood years with this hope. That one day he would leave his job and return to Cyprus with my doll ".
The moment of truth
"I often asked my mother, 'Mom, when will the priest come from England?' I grew up. He has been working there continuously for many years. How many letters should I send him and he should not answer me? What are you hiding from me? What happens; The first years reassured me that he would be back soon. But as I got older and my questions became more and more frequent, I could discern her agitation and her tendency to avoid answering me or changing conversations. Until one day he decided to reveal to me the truth he was hiding from me. I was in the 5th grade of elementary school then. I came back from school and found her in her bedroom arranging some clothes in her closet. It was Spring. I was holding my school bag and started talking to her about my lessons. She turned, looked at me and told me that I had to find out the truth λοιπόν So she told me that my father was missing, that he went to war but did not return and that he had lied to me that he was in England for work because he did not want to hurt me . He told me that we have no news of him, that he was lost in the war but we will have faith in God and he may at some point return to us. So simple ρίς Without any prologue, without preparing me psychologically. Suddenly, my world collapsed. I never wanted to talk to her again. "
The big shock
"From the moment I learned the truth, I felt that everything was lost. I started crying and asking her why she had been lying to me for so many years and left me waiting for him. The shock was too great because he had not prepared me. He told me raw. I felt like my life was falling apart. I was in 5th grade. I do not even want to remember. It was as if the sky fell and flattened me, all my childhood dreams were shattered, black clouds covered my heart… It was like a nightmare. What killed me as a child was my mother's lie. The lie of the most important person in my life. I could not believe that the man I loved more than anything in the world had been making fun of me for so many years. I know he did it to protect me but the harm he did to my soul was greater since he left me waiting unjustly for so many years my father and that doll I never got. Listening to her, my legs and tongue were cut. With my head bowed, I went to my room, sat down at my desk and started crying. "Then I opened the drawer, took some letters I had written to my father and started throwing some and tearing others while crying."
I still hope
"When I was younger, I had a clearer form of it in my mind. Unfortunately now I have no memories of my father except for 2-3 black and white photos and some stories of my mother. He was born on March 1, 1951. My mother and I were engaged in February 1970 and married in October of that year. My father came from Lympia. He enlisted in the army in 1969 and served in Myrtos and Glykiotissa, Kyrenia. He was a Reserve. I was born two years later, in 1971. I was his only child. He disappeared in the second Turkish invasion on August 14, 1974, when I was three years old. I would give everything to have more memories of my father. I would give everything to erase from my memory the moment my mother revealed the truth to me. I hate this scene. I have forgiven my mother because I know how much she herself suffered while waiting for a lifetime for my father without rebuilding her life, but my soul was irreparably injured from that moment. Until today I hope to see him again. It may sound very "romantic" but I still hope it comes back. I know that maybe one day the phone may ring and someone from the Commission of Inquiry into Missing Persons may tell me that his bones were found in a mass grave but until then I just hope… We do not have much information about him. Only he was lost in Mia Milia ".
"The doll I always wanted"
"Today Emilia Moses Alexandrou lives in Aradippou, she is a mother of six with many children and unemployed. In her free time she writes religious poems and lyrics while at the same time she makes sweets and various other crafts for sale. A year ago a small theatrical tale was released entitled "the doll I always wanted". This little booklet is inspired by her own life, part of her soul and heart. "For me, this book is everything, it is the fulfillment of my childhood. It is the truth that I was deprived of. Through this book I experienced moments and scenes that I never really experienced. I met my father, I saw his face, his smile, I felt him hugging me, calling me his child. My biggest dream is for my "doll" to go up to a children's theater and speak to people's hearts. This would really give me great joy "she confesses at the end of her interview with the hope that her wish will be heard…
Source: Reporter.com.cy