BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/06/2008

Belarusian Children Receive Care in Mississippi

By Julie Straw

We don't often report about the small Easter European country of Belaruse. It's located just north of Ukraine, west of Russia, and is about the size of Kansas. Some of the people of that country are still affected by radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant disaster in 1986. Today, Mississippi families are opening their homes to the children of Belarus for a healthier future.

Thirty three children, one family, and five translators from Belarus arrived at the Jackson International Airport Friday. For some this is their first visit to the United States, others are returning to what they call their second families in Mississippi.

The trip is made possible by All God's Children, a Christian non profit organization. It costs approximately $2,500 per child. All God's Children receives donations from churches and individuals, insuring that the Belarusian parents pay nothing. The children, ages eight to 14, are paired with host families for one month during the summer.

"They get over here and they see there are a lot of opportunities that may be they are not exposed to living in their villages over in Belarus. We are hoping we are opening the world to them," said Sheila Jones, the President of All God's Children of Mississippi.

The children not only get to experience U.S. culture, but they also get their spiritual and physical needs met. Vacation Bible School is where many of these children hear about Christianity for the first time. During their stay each child is examined by dentists and doctors. Because of the Chernobyl disaster some face serious health risks, most commonly thyroid cancer.

"We have an Endocrynologist that checks all of them every year and if we have to we do the surgery here. If they need medicine we send medicine home with them," said Jones.

Every summer for the last four years Alexander Osadchyi's host family has paid for his return. This time his brother and parents came along.

"He saw many new things the first time when he came," Olga Fridman translates. "Since then it has only been getting better because he's learning new people and learning more about this country."

If you would like to donate to All God's Children or are interested in becoming a host family call Sheila Jones

Source:

http://www.wlbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=8500068&nav=menu119_2

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