Today I visited a “camp” where children (ages 6-18) have been housed after being displaced by Russia’s invasion and occupation of sections in eastern Ukraine (about 2/3 were gone to local hospitals because of a chicken pox outbreak). The psychologist of the camp told me that when the children arrive their eyes look distant; faces are dark because of the bombings, nights in basement shelters, and death of parents forever etched in the museum of their minds.
The innocence of childhood is a valued treasure. It is awe inspiring moments when you observe the little child discover his shadow, hear his giggle dancing with a delightful cadence, smile joyfully as he watches the inch worm in its measured march. Do you remember watching the sparkle in his eyes as a quick puff scatters the dandelion seeds into the wind and his chubby hand reaches for another bloom? Did you ever see his hesitation at a sluggish snail?
Childhood is a precious time and deserves the greatest protection.
Yeats wrote a poem about childhood innocence and repeated through the poem is this stanza, “Come away, O human child! For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.”
This expression is one of those that stuck in my memory ever since the English Lit class studied poetry soooo many years ago. Listen to it once again…“For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.”
Childhood years should be for giggling; sunshine smiles; sparkling eyes.
But in portions of eastern Ukraine and Crimea, Yeats’ comment is too real “the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.”
The background for this follow up visit…
When Russia invaded and occupied portions of eastern Ukraine in May 2014 thousands fled to locations of safety. Among those fleeing were thousands of children. Some were sent away by parents wanting their children secure from the bombs, tanks, mortars, and gunfire. Others had become instant orphans as Russian artillery indiscriminately collapsed housing units or the ruthless “Separatists” imprisoned, tortured, and murdered anyone they suspected as being loyal to Ukraine.
One would never imagine a child writing these thoughts that were produced in a therapy art session with those children who had been evacuated from the war zones in Lugansk, Donetsk, or Crimea…
We had received word of many orphanages in Donetsk being emptied of children and the children taken into western Ukraine. There was urgency to this evacuation because Russian forces were emptying the orphanages and taking the children into Russia “for their protection.”
Throughout various regions in Ukraine there were emergency shelters set up for the children. We assisted a number of these with food, clothing, and toiletry items. In August of that year we received a plea from an organization in Kyiv that was working on refurbishing a summer camp into a more permanent housing area that could be used in the harsh winter.
We sent a container of relief supplies that arrived in November and on Thanksgiving Day 2013 I received a special “Thank You” from those involved saying all had been distributed to this children’s camp that I visited today.
Since the beginning of this camp over 1,800 children have been assisted. When we began there were only summer tents but now more permanent housing is present.
The flow of children has not stopped.
This housing for children focuses upon these priorities: Offering assistance and care to…
Those who have lived in the war zone areas and struggle with the traumas of long nights in basement bomb shelters as the explosions shook the ground and cries and terrors filled the darkness.
Those who have lost parents to the evil of Russia’s supported invasion and occupation.
Those children who have been sexually abused in the war zone by parents selling their children to Russian troops.
Those families who have served in the defense of Ukraine and who have traumatic consequences (PTSD).
This housing situation is not permanent. It is designed to be a temporary relief for those children involved. In order to be placed in this camp there must be referrals from trusted persons at the child’s location or from a governmental source. There is a strict protocol followed.
The children are cycled in and out on a 60 day rotation unless there are exceptional reasons why the child cannot leave (and currently there are a number of children who qualify under this exception). There is the possibility that a child can return and such is sought because those returning are often assisted even better to overcome their personal traumas from the war.
This camp is funded solely by donors. The State does not give any money for it. The camp is able only to raise funds to pay for 30 children a day but there is an unnamed and unknown businessman that has been providing enough food for the other 30 children. The Director says they do not know his name. All they know is that a food truck pulls up and unloads enough food for that many children and then leaves—this has been happening for two years!
The Director seeks to get the children involved in service. Among a number of service projects are these: the children bake cookies and then take them to elderly invalids, they dry ingredients for borsch and then send dry food packs to the soldiers, and they go and sing to elderly groups.
The Director told me that her greatest joy is seeing a smile on the faces of these children. She says that some never smile.
How solemn were her words, “They never smile.”
I was taken on a tour of the facility showing the improvements and additions. I saw the repaired toilets and showers. I saw the bunks that are often made in the camp by volunteers. I saw buildings repaired but each window was different. Before I could ask why there were different windows the Director said, “Our windows are all different because they are all donated. When someone gives us a window we use it!”
I was shown the cafeteria and three boys were finishing lunch. I was asked if I wanted to eat the food that the children were served and I sat down to a bowl of borsch, bread, a piece of chicken, buckwheat and a cup of tea. It was delicious! The children get to eat as much as they want and what a difference that is because in the occupied regions Russian oppression has caused food prices to escalate from practical to impossibility. Russia boasts of sending in trucks of humanitarian aid and food but it is a deceitful boast as the trucks bring only a pittance of food but tons of weapons and troops!
As my visit ended I was asked to sit with the children and talk with them about my life in America. I visited for about 45 minutes discussing a number of things that I thought they would be interested in hearing. I then asked them to ask me any question.
After a number of questions on general issues there was a question asked that recalled Yeats verse.
A little boy about 8 years old raised his hand and when acknowledged he stood up and asked “Have you ever suffered any personal tragedy?” My mind had a difficult time accepting the realty that here was an 8 year old asking such a serious query. In what 8 year old vocabulary is there any concept for the meaning of “personal tragedy.”
“For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.”
I used the question to point out that it would be wonderful if this world did not have personal tragedies. But it does. And personal tragedies happen to everyone—even me (and that was an amazing point to these children). And, I assured them that it is ok to express various emotions when personal tragedy strikes. But remember that you do not have the strength to go through the personal tragedies by yourself—you need friends; you need God.
And so I looked into the faces of these children from the areas in Lugansk, Donetsk, and Crimea where Russian evil has brought so much pain and suffering. I assured them that life is unfair but God is very kind and always present to help.
Their childhood innocence has been destroyed by Russia’s evil greed. You cannot tell them that “everything will be all right.” But you can tell them that even though unfair things happen there is a way to get through the personal tragedies. Those friends they have made in this camp will be their forever friends who will give strength to them. And even though evil things happen that does not mean God is not concerned because He is very concerned and He will help them.
We continued our conversation and then took a group photo. As the group was about to leave they said they wanted a “group hug.” So we had a group hug!
Another container will be loaded for Kyiv’s displaced children in May—in just a few weeks! We have been asked to help provide good shoes, clothing, personal hygiene supplies, toys, school supplies, toys, toys, toys!
Will you help to make those distant looking eyes sparkle and those dark faces beam with joy in a bright smile?
Pray for our efforts as we continue this trip!
John L. Kachelman, Jr.
Kyiv, Ukraine
You must be logged in to post a comment.