Bence likes stories a lot and he enjoys watching TV programmes too, but his absolute favourite is Thomas the Tank Engine.
Little Bence told the Wonderlamp’s Genie that if he had his own little home cinema, he would be watching children’s programmes day and night and he would never, ever get bored with them - watching cartoons is the best thing in the whole wide world.
The Genie didn’t have to think long to figure out what kind of home cinema little Bence meant. He started looking for a DVD player to bring these stories to the little boy as soon as possible.
Our benefactor, the lovely Marika helped us in our quest - she decided to fulfil this little boy’s dream.

We arrived at the Tűzoltó utca children’s hospital just at the right time. Bence had just been given an uncomfortable injection and although he was already playing with his toy cars happily, he seemed in need of a real treat.

/ 3

When we greeted him and told him that the Genie of the Wonderlamp Foundation had sent us, he immediately suspected that something wonderful was about to happen. Marika unwrapped treasure after treasure for him, DVDs of Thomas and his friends got out of the package, and finally, the sought after DVD player.
The little boy was so happy he didn’t know where to start, what to look at first. He was showing his mum and granny all his wonderful new presents, and kissed Marika on the cheek many times. His twinkly eyes told it all: “now I can watch these stories as much as I want and I can even stop the player and start talking to my favourite characters and share all my secrets with them...” - they said.

We said goodbye to Bence and when we were leaving the hospital we couldn’t decide who was happier: Bence about the presents, or Marika or I, who had been lucky enough to share the happiness of the little boy.

We wish you a lot of happiness, little Bence, with your new toys, and a full recovery.

Special thanks to our donor Mária Pédl, without whose generous help Bence’s dream would not have been fulfilled.

Fanni is a lovely and pretty teenager. She wished to see and have first hand experience on the making of an international film. As a grownup she intends to work in the film industry. She is preparing hard for this, she knows quite a lot about films, media and already speaks German and English.
We asked her to write down in English why this is her wish and what exactly she hopes to see at a film shooting.

We made a little "conspiracy" with her parents in order to surprise her: she had no idea, why on earth shall they meet us Tuesday morning outside of Miskolc and why are we travelling to Kassa. Her parents told her only, that she should come in order to clear a few points concerning her wish.
Of course, arriving in Kassa we told her the truth, that just after lunch she would meet the producer of the film "Until the end of times" Mr. Howard Ellis.

He soon arrived with two of his colleagues, After the introductions they told Fanni, that she is in for quite some surprises: she can meet many of the actors, the production manager and many other "insiders". She can see the shooting itself, meet the makeup people, the costume designers - in short whatever she wishes...

Fanni then gave Mr. Ellis the letter explaining why-s and what-s and thanked him his kindness and help. Mr. Ellis then asked her, what did she think the most interesting and her answer was: "everything".

Our tour started at the St. Cathrine church. We took our time at the shooting of one scene: after the crumbling of a stone bridge (this scene was shot somewhere else), the walk on actor's task was to care for the wounded. Of course the wounded people were also walk on actors.
They were sprinkled with water all the time: they were expected to be soaked as they were just pulled out from the river. The makeup crew worked hard to create wounds on their arms, faces, and in between they practiced their short, few sentences long roles. They were a crowd of around 200...

Fanni was seeming enchanted by the shooting and all the information she got: who, what and how should solve, who should be ready for action and where, the makeup should put more mud on the face of this or that actor, who should and how cry...

We could follow the whole procedure of the preparations and the shooting itself and then we were allowed to wander around the area as well. Then we were shown the mobile homes, the tents and met a few dozen people from the crowd actors as well.

/ 7

To our big surprise we recognised among the actors Mr. Argus Filch, the somber mood caretaker of Hogwarts from the Harry Potter films -Mr. David Bradley. Mr. Bradley even kindly let us shot a common picture with Fanni. Was this the magic lamp's magic?!?

Then we took our time with the makeup team - Fanni too got pretty makeup, and she was given an official pass that allowed her to enter the premises of the shooting. We could only thank many times all the people we met, they were so kind, answered patiently Fanni's questions...

After a while we needed some rest, so we drunk some hot chocolate in a nearby sweets shop.

This gave enough strength to Fanni to join again the film crowd and "check" the situation. As a souvenir she got a coin too.

We said our goodbyes and thank you-s late afternoon to the film makers, a bit tired but very happy. We expressed our thanks to Mr. Howard Ellis and his crew - without his support it would have been almost impossible to make Fanni's wish come true.

We wish Fanni a fast recovery and that in a few years time we should meet her as a professional at another film shooting.

Many thanks to Mr. Howard Ellis and his colleagues for the kind help in realising Fanni's wish an to Ms. Maria Kocsis of Budapest Marriott Hotel, without whose kind support we would have never met Mr Ellis.

Even the sun was happily smiling on Sunday when Vanesssa finally saw her wish to spend a day in Vidámpark (Budapest Theme Park) with her family come through. Vanessza and her brother Norbi were hardly to contain their excitement when we met at the main entrance of Vidámpark.

Krisztina, an employee of Vidámpark was already waiting for us with seven free tickets, courtesy of Vidámpark.
Soon Theresa and Kim - teachers at the American International School of Budapest, charged by their students to grant Vanessza’s wish - arrived as well. They presented Vanessza with a huge poster, prepared by the students.

After happily admiring her card, Vanessza was ready to head over to the first ride, the dodgem. After that came the cave ride, the jungle ride, the mirror labyrinth, and many more. Her favourite was the jungle ride, she made it three times. Norbi was very brave and adventurous and tried all the scary flying rides.

The day flew by way too quickly, and it was almost time to leave, when Norbi finished with a last ride on the dodgem. Then we wank over to the pony park, where Vanessza enjoyed a ride on a very cute pony. Exhausted from all the fun we finally sat down at a nearby restaurant to finish the day off with a delicious dinner.

We would like to thank Krisztina one more time for being so nice and helpful and for making this day extra special for everybody.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the management and staff of the Budapesti Vidám Park Zrt. and the pupils and teachers of the American International School of Budapest for making Vanessza's wish granting so unforgettable.

/ 3

János is 13, and his favourites are locomotives and the railway.
He’d like to become an engine-driver one day. János wishes to see locomotives, to visit railway stations where engines come and go, to see lots of rails, but the real dream, his “big-biggest dream” of all, as he puts it, is to drive a locomotive.

And a dream came true again.

We arranged a meeting with Janesz’s mother at the Tiszai Railway Station, in Miskolc. Little did he know about the reason why he was travelling to Budapest. It was Budapest indeed, as we had been planning Janesz’s wish with Csodalámpa for weeks, which was to get him to the Museum of Railway History to see engines and to be able to actually drive one.

“Uncle Steve,” a Csodalámpa volunteer, was waiting for us at the Keleti Railway Station, and took us to the Ferencváros shunting yard, where Janesz had the chance to admire all of the passenger and cargo trains and the many rails crossing each other at the station. Seeing all these miracles, he looked down from the overpass staring at the endless fields of rails. That’s why he was shocked when an engine which was passing below the overpass blew its whistle!

He fell upon Uncle Steve’s neck in fear.
It was then when he confessed his long-held dream of blowing a locomotive whistle!

Leaving the wonder of the overpass behind us, we then went into a workshop where trains are repaired.
The boy was welcomed warmly, and he was clearly amazed at the sight. He liked the workshop itself and the workers as well.

We went to another place, where, according to Janesz, the trams “sleep”. It was the Ferencváros Tram Shed.
By this time, he was very happy and was thanking us for bringing him to such magnificent places.

The real surprise was yet to come!
We took a taxi and went to the Museum of the Railway History with him and his mother.

The little boy just stood there with his mouth open at the sight of those locomotives and almost cried when he was put into one of the engines, which he could actually drive. Finally, a long-held dream came true: the young engine-driver managed to sound a train’s whistle.

They allowed him to do it despite it being prohibited because of the people living nearby!
But seriously, with Csodalámpa... ! Even us adults stood there tearfully when Janesz got down from the engine.
The day’s schedule was not over yet though.

After lunch, in the Museum of Scale Models, Janesz looked at the books on locomotives with interest and desire.
And Csodalámpa couldn’t let him leave with empty hands; he happily cuddled the gift books and DVD.
We did some rail biking later on. Janos couldn’t take part in pushing the railcar, which operates through man power, but wanted to give a hand to Uncle Steve, who was struggling with the connecting-rod.

After this, we climbed up onto each and every locomotive and travelled on the museum’s small train as well, which was quite fun.
It was good to see this little boy gathering all of his strength, defeating his inhibitions, and climbing into the locomotives, not paying any attention whatsoever to the fact that his hands and clothes had become covered with black oil.
He was scared, he later admitted! He was scared of heights, and scared of falling off. But at the sight of every single locomotive, he managed to get up from his wheelchair, ready for a new adventure.

We said good bye to the Museum, with time left over, before going home. Uncle Steve had one more surprise for Janesz.
He showed the little boy the House of Parliament, and took the metro underneath the Danube to the Buda side.
The boy enjoyed taking the escalator very much, and could not resist trying to look cool while getting on and off.
Nothing was forbidden for him, yet we adults had to watch him even more closely. This was true for the whole day.

At the end of the day, Janesz couldn’t stop thanking us for making his “biggest dream” a reality, and in addition, for giving him so many experiences.

Dear János, We hope that by making your “big-biggest dream” come true, Csodalámpa was able to give you many lovely hours and nice memories. We who carried out your wish thank you for the time we were able to spend with you and that we were able to be a part of your joy, your smile and your happiness.

We thank the management of the Museum of Railway History for letting us use the facility for free, turning Janos’s dream into reality.

/ 4

Dalma waited for her Paris travel very much.
After arrival on Thusday we went immediately to the Concord Square and later we walked along Champs Elysees. French people were sitting and drinking coffee on the terraces of coffee bars and restaurants at 11 o'clock in the evening. They enjoyed the last warm summer evenings at the end of September.
We also enjoyed the atmosphere of the Parisian bustle of the streets. It was so on the following two days, too.

We started the next day at the Eiffel-Tower. The "Old Lady" was amazing! We went on foot from here to the Museum Louvre. We went from one gallery into the next where we admired the famous and less famous paintings.
We did not stop although we were very tired. We sat down for a short time in front of Mona Lisa and Venus of Milo. They were fantastic!

/ 4

The Arc de Triomphe and the Notre Dame remembered us Victor Hugo. Panthéon with Victor Hugo's and Zola's resting-places fastinated us. We should mention the fantastic Sacré-Coeur and the beautiful palaces and churches, too.

We did not miss the world famous Lafayette Department Store. We made a short walk there. We tasted the French cuisine naturally. We found very good restaurants in the Latin quater.

We returned home with a heavy heart on the third day. I am sure Dalma will return again to Paris.

Dalma's wish was fulfilled from the benefit of our Grant-A-Wish Kitchen program.
Thanks for the support of Libri kft. and Libri Publishing Co., and that of Budapest Marriott Hotel.
Dalma says thanks to everybody who helped her realising her dream.

I met Tamara and her mother at the Liszt Ferenc airport on the 21st of September, and I immediately knew the trip was going to be unforgettable.

We went through the security gates and waited for the plane’s departure. Tamara and her mother took pictures of every plane that passed by because as I later found out both of them were a huge fans of flying, so for them the flight itself was already amazing.

When we arrived at London Luton airport, we could feel the cold autumn air, so we decided to take a „classical” English taxi to our hotel. We arrived late at night so we decided to keep our energy for the following day and for of course the concert. We started our day with a big English breakfast, and then headed towards the Big Ben and London eye.

In the afternoon we went back to the hotel to take a short nap and to refresh our self before the big event.

There was a warm up band which itself was fantastic, but when Avril Lavigne came on stage the atmosphere was unbelievable. We were very pleased because luckily she played many of her older songs, so after a while we stud up and danced together, while singing all the lyrics of the songs. Later that night we got home nearly at midnight and went to bed absolutely exhausted.

The following day also brought great experiences, we went to the Madame Tussaud wax museum were naturally we took pictures of every single famous person, then spent the afternoon window shopping on Oxford street, and finally had a wonderful tea in a restaurant on Trafalgar square.

On the following day unfortunately we had to go to the airport so we could only view the city from the bus and train. Overall I can only say what a wonderful and memorable four days we spent in London, while Tamara`s dream came true, because she got to go to her favourite singer Avril Lavigne`s concert! It gave me great joy to see Tamara`s happiness and enthusiasm.

Rita and her mother arrived to Budapest from Tatárszentgyörgy. Rita’s face showed only interest and anticipation and there was no trace of the tiredness from the early rise. Thus, we went from the bus terminal straight to Budaörs Airport.

Our pilot had not yet arrived, and thus we had time for a thorough look at a repair shop. Nearly the whole history of flying was crammed into the small hangar, from open cockpit biplanes to little two-person helicopters. Of course, most of the aircraft were modern small airplanes.

There were some planes on display outdoors as well, and the cockpit of one of them had been converted into a snack bar. Since it was closed, Rita was only able to look inside through the window; she saw beer bottles at the place where the flight instruments had been.

Gábor Földvári, the pilot who had kindly offered us the opportunity to fly, arrived after a short while. He checked the plane quickly but thoroughly. Then the passengers got in and we took off, beginning our flight toward Budapest. From up high we saw the Parliament building and the bridges on the Danube. Flying above the bend of the river, we looked down and saw the small houses in Szentendre and Visegrád, and then the plane flew back to Budaörs via Solymár.

Rita and her mother got out of the plane with smiles on their faces – they were enriched by a great experience. Furthermore, Gábor Földvári was happy to show the details of his plane (a Zlin 43 manufactured in the Czech Republic) to Rita, who has a keen interest in technology.

The flying adventure ended with a lunch, but Rita’s enthusiasm seemed limitless. She kept retelling her experiences over and over again, and she most likely continued doing so until the bus took her and her mother back to their home.

We would like to express our gratitude to the West-End Air Team for their kind support.

/ 8