Children of Chernobyl Update

In the summer of 2010, Children of Chernobyl hosted 13 children from Boyarka, Ukraine for a six-week summer health respite. In switching from a 15-year presence in Belarus to neighboring Ukraine, we entered into a new partnership with Boyarka Center, one of five initially UN-funded centers established to offer families psychological counseling after the Chernobyl disaster in April of 1986. The Ukrainian children who came last summer lived with host families, ate healthy food not grown in the radiated ground around Chernobyl, attended Vacation Bible School, and received camp scholarships, free dental work amounting to several thousand dollars, and winter clothes to take home for them and their family members. Additionally, this year the committee was pleased to be able to send approximately $3000 for in-country expenses to Boyarka Center, which was greatly appreciated. The funds were used on much-needed renovations of rooms used for counseling at the Center and the purchase of a computer that families could use when they came to the Center to Skype with their children on the 2010 summer program.

On January 30, 2011 the Children of Chernobyl mission was pleased to feature Michael Forster Rothbarth’s moving photo exhibit After Chernboyl: Would You Stay as part of its 2011 program information session. The photo exhibit was up for a week at the church. The photo exhibit can be viewed at http://www.afterchernobyl.com.

The Children of Chernobyl mission is seeking a few more host families for the second three weeks (July 5-end of July). We need hosts for the chaperone and translator, as well as hosts for two girls age 12 and one boy. For more information please contact Kathleen Minnix or Mary Beth Stein. Click here to email Kathleen. Click here to email Mary Beth.