Visit here can increase life expectancy of Russian children

Sponsoring parents and the Russian children spending six weeks with them this summer are, from left, Tamme Youmans and Dima Dikun; Cindy Rohn and Yury Karauka; and Jennifer Schutters and Alesyia Teslionak. Not picitured: Mary Ward and Alina Maltsava. The visits have been arranged through a humanitarian effort of the American Belarussian Relief Organization.

If you look closely, you can see all the fishing line wrapped around 7-year-old Dima Dinkun of Belarus, who just caught his first rainbow trout. "Dima was so excited he just dropped his rod and reel and pulled it in by the line," said sponsoring parent Tamme Youmans.

Along with America, Yury also celebrated his independence last Wednesday. He's independent of an entire city contaminated by radiation from the 1986 Cherynobyl nuclear power plant accident. He's free to savor clean air and water for the six weeks he and three other children from Belarus, a small country in part of the former Soviet Union, spend in Jackson County. Their visit is arranged through a humanitarian effort of the American Belarussian Relief Organization.

Sponsoring parents Ricky and Cyndee Rohn of Cullowhee learned that six weeks of clean air and water can extend the life of a radiation-infected child by two years.

Parent Mary Ward agreed. "When I heard about the program, I didn't think how would I ever be able to do this. My only thought was, ŒHow could I not do it?'" Her family is sponsoring 10-year-old Alina Maltsava.

"You can't think about your summer vacation or all the plans you had... that's really a selfish, short-term response," said sponsor Tamme Youmans. "We have the opportunity here to change a life forever."

Even though some of the children were not born when the Chernobyl accident occurred, they suffer the effects of radiation poisoning. They have health problems including thyroid cancer, leukemia and other glandular disorders.

In America, they spend their time breathing radiation-free air, eating nutritious foods that aren't available back home, and receiving critically needed medical care.

"All of the doctors in Sylva­ family practice, dentists and opticians­have been wonderful in providing free exams," said sponsor Jennifer Schutters. "One of the children was treated for bleeding gums and another was fitted with glasses."

"Some of these children have never been to a doctor before," said Schutters, who stressed that whatever effects of radiation the children have, nothing is contagious or transferrable. "Their health is a now thing," said Youmans. "We also focus on their spirituality, which is a forever thing."

The children, who arrive with only a toothbrush and the clothes on their back, are given Bibles translated into Russian and Christian coloring books and video tapes in their native tongue. "There's no pressure about religion," said Youmans. "We are simply exposing them to it, just like we are exposing them to clean air and water and fresh fruit."

The child she is sponsoring, 7-year-old Dima Dikun, isn't used to having fresh fruit. "Dima will grab a bunch of plums to eat and stick some in his pockets so I have to be careful he doesn't eat so many he gets sick."

Youmans describes him "as a real live wire" and "very impulsive. But those aren't bad traits. In fact, it helps with my other children in teaching them patience.

"Soon as Dima jumps out of bed in the morning, first thing he says is, 'Swim, yes?' He loves the water."

While here, Dima developed a new skill­fishing. "When he caught his first rainbow trout he was so excited that he couldn't reel it in with the rod. He threw the rod down and pulled it in with the fishing line, which he managed to tangle all over himself," said Youmans.

Youmans is convinced that back home Dima must have a grandmother that he is very fond of. "Dima has really taken a liking to my mother (JoAnne Youmans) and rubs her gray hair, affectionately calling her 'Babushka,' which I think means Grandmother. He also likes Scooby-Do and the Chicago Bulls."

The language barrier has not been a problem for any of the sponsoring families. "We play a lot of charades and we have this big colorful book with all kinds of pictures that gives both the Russian and English name," said Ward, who also carries a pocket Russian-English dictionary. "Alesyia's first words in English were, 'Maggie, don't bark," said Schutters who is sponsoring the 8-year-old whose last name is Teslionak. "Maggie is our dog and I guess Alesyia heard all of us saying that enough."

Rohn said every time her phone rings, Yury runs to answer it, "surprising a lot of our callers." The Jackson County families share an interpreter and activities with other sponsoring families in Waynesville, Asheville and Hendersonville.

"People have shown such a passion for helping us with these children," said Schutters. "In addition to the free medical care, we've had friends volunteer transportation services and we've received free admission to places like the Great Smoky Mountains Railway and the Aquarium in Gatlinburg. "We do have a need for eight rolling suitcases for their return flight home July 24. If anyone would like to donate one, or make a cash contribution towards their purchase, we would greatly appreciate it."

Ward said, "All of this sharing has been a wonderful blessing. Here we are thinking we are helping these children, but really we are blessed 10-fold by their hugs and kisses."

The sponsoring families have to pay for the children's air fare and expenses. Schutters is quick to point out that if expenses are a problem for a family who would like to sponsor a child, organizations like churches could assist. For more information, contact Schutters at 586- 8889 or visit the website at abro.org.

Back to Archive: 07/12/01.