You are here: Home > News >United Church News > Churches host children of Chernobyl
Churches host children of Chernobyl
September 2001
Carol Hough (far right) and her family hosted two girls from the Chernobyl area: Tetyana Grebennyk (second from right) and Iryna Shkurko. At left is the Hough’s support person, Carol Gustafson, who along with the Houghs is a member of the Congregational Church of Townsend. By Tiffany Vail
For the children of Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine who come to the United States each summer as part of the Chernobyl Children Project USA, the benefit is obvious: one month away from the radioactive contamination of their homes is believed to add two years to their lives.
The program’s benefit for those families, churches and communities that host the children may be less dramatic, but it is no less real.
“This is one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done,” said Cindy Bliss of the First Congregational Church in Billerica, whose family hosted two 14-year-old girls. “You keep the big picture in the back of your mind, that there are so many children over there and some will never have this opportunity. You’d like to save them all, but you can’t, so you do what you can.”
The Billerica church and the Congregational Church, UCC, of Townsend were among those Conference churches that sponsored children through the Boston-area project this summer.
Blair Hough of the Townsend church, said having two 14-year-old girls from the Ukraine stay in his home “expanded our family a lot” and was an education for all of them.
“My 12-year-old son Ian said it best after they had been here two days – they’re just like the rest of us,” he said. “Having them here did as much for my children as it did for the girls.”
The project began in the Boston area in 1994, after some American teenagers got the idea from a similar project in Ireland. The following year, five Roman Catholic families took in children from Belarus. The project has grown tremendously since then, with people from all different faith communities and backgrounds sponsoring 150 children and chaperones each summer.
75 McNeil Way, #305
Dedham, MA 02026
781-251-0137
www.ccpusa.orgThe children come from areas effected by the 1986 Chernobyl accident, which rained radioactive fallout on the region, contaminating the soil, water and food. Because of the contamination, many of the children have medical problems, in particular thyroid cancer and various blood disorders.
Through the program, each host family is asked to take in two children, so that each child may have a companion from the same culture who speaks the same language. During their stay, the children have medical and dental exams, which are donated by area doctors and hospitals, and they receive whatever treatment they can during their stay.
“It is a very, very busy time,” said Carol Hough. “One of the girls we hosted needed extensive dental work. On top of that, there are a lot of activities planned. There is a lot for them to see, because it will most likely be their one and only chance to come to the U.S.”
Because hosting two children for a month is such a big commitment, the project works with churches and temples to recruit host families, to ensure that those families are part of a larger support system. Someone else from the host family’s church serves as a support person, pitching in with the driving, shopping and other activities. The church itself usually will hold fundraisers or gather clothing and other items the visiting children need. Local merchants also donate goods and services to the project.
In both the Billerica and Townsend churches, the children were welcomed to the communities during worship on their first Sunday, and were given suitcases full of clothing and other items.
“The girls we hosted this year came with two changes of clothes – the one on their backs and one they had packed,” Cindy Bliss said. “I have two daughters, and I think they are more appreciative of what they have now. They realize we are blessed.”
