When our field manager in Debrecen first met Imi she found a quiet, timid little boy.

Gradually Imi opened and told her that he loved animals and for quite a while when he closes his eyes at night he has a wonderful dream: he is riding a beautiful little white pony that is his own. He is petting it, stroking it and when riding it asking him to help his recovery.

Our field manager got in touch with Imi’s doctor and the management of the Wonderlamp straight away knowing how wonderful this wish is and how much it could help cure the little boy. Nevertheless it meant quite a challenge for the Wonderlamp.

All the same we very soon got ’green light’ and real team work took a start. Everybody was searching for the little pony of which little Imi had been dreaming.

Our volunteers in Debrecen were looking for the right solution, bearing in mind that it would have to be near the little boy’s dwelling place to make transportation easier.

And then help came from a place where we would never have dreamt of (well, even the people at Wonderlamp have dreams!).

The beautiful little white pony, Hópihe at the Budapest Szabó & Sáli Pony Riding School who had had so many little riders at the riding school that he had got a little tired and so ’decided’ together with its owners that it had grown out of the school and was to look for a new master.

This is how Hópihe temporarily got into the ownership of the Wonderlamp with the help of the American International School of Budapest and the good will of Budapest Szabó & Sáli Pony Riding School waiting to reach his new master: little Imi in Létavértes.

All that was to arrange now was the transportation which is not a very easy task as it takes a special vehicle and a driver who can drive carefully and can get Hópihe to Létavértes in safety where the new stables were already waiting for the little pony.

Fortune again was on our side I must say. No sooner had Mr Farkas Bethlen in Verőce heard about the little boy and the little pony than had he offered to lend his own horse transporting vehicle. Not to speak of Mr Ádám Dudits head of SAP Labs Hungary who had done jobs like that several times before who offered to transport Hópihe to Létavértes.



We sat out with Hópihe early Sunday. Mr Dudits proved to be an excellent driver. We arrived at Imrus’ place in about 3 hours. In the meanwhile Katalin, Mrs Ferenc Kiss, the field manager of Debrecen had also arrived. We were so glad she could make it on a Sunday as the volunteers of the field had helped so much so that the Genie of the Wonderlamp could fulfill the little boy’s wish.

The parents were expecting us but Imrus wasn’t suspecting anything at all. When the vehicle with the trailer parked in the yard the little boy and his little brother Janika were just standing there, mouth open, wondering what it could be inside.

And when the beautiful white Hópihe gracefully paced out in the glittering sunshine the little boy ran to his mother and burst into tears. It took quite a few moments for the little boy to come round from his astonishment, but when his father and godfather led the pony into the stables he carefully followed them, picking up some hay and giving it to Hópihe.


Then we hung on the stables door the little plate decorated with small beads by the children at the Budapest Riding school with the name of Hópihe.

More gifts were presented: the owners of the Szabó & Sáli Pony Riding School sent a training DVD and Mr Dudits’ little daughter sent several presents.



Little Imre’s parents invited us to dinner. Although we didn’t want to disturb the solemn atmosphere we accepted to stay and must say we had had a wonderful meal. After dinner we said goodbye to the family and parted from Hópihe heartbroken but it was a satisfaction to know that Imruska wouldn’t have to dream with eyes closed any more, his dream had come true.

It was most touching to see how the little boy got more and more relaxed and stroked and petted Hópihe whose telling look was saying: here I am my little master, you have nothing to fear, together we’ll overcome any difficulties.

Dear Little Imi, we hope you will ride Hópihe as happily as happily the Wonderlamp team fulfilled your wish.

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Special thanks to:


Budapest Szabó & Sáli Pony Riding School,


American International School of Budapest,


SAP Labs Hungary


and the support of Mr Farkas Bethlen.