Family gives children health, hope

  • Published
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) --   On April 26, 1986, the worlds worst nuclear power accident occurred at Chernobyl in the former Soviet Union, now the Ukraine. Plant workers noticed something drastically wrong with a reactor and began an emergency shutdown a procedure that only takes 20 seconds. Unfortunately, that was 13 seconds too long. Seven seconds after they started the shutdown, an explosion ripped through the control room, killed 30 people and sent 190 tons of highly radioactive uranium and graphite into the atmosphere.

Today, as many as nine million people -- including three to four million children -- continue to struggle with the health affects of what the United Nations described as the greatest environmental catastrophe in the history of humanity.


Tech. Sgt. Mike Kelly and his family have always had an open-door policy at their house,
thats one of the reasons he didnt think twice when he heard about the chance to help children affected by contamination from the Chernobyl accident.

A church member approached me on the subject while I was volunteering one Sunday, said Sergeant Kelly, a 1st Component Maintenance Squadron jet propulsion craftsman. I thought it would be a great program and would give my children insight on how other people live. Ive traveled to several countries where Ive seen thousands of unfortunate children and the conditions they live in I just couldnt say no.

After a long chat with another host family, the Kellys decided to become involved in the program.

Mike came home from church and mentioned the idea to me, said Brenda Kelly, Sergeant Kellys wife of 25 years. I said sure, why not?

The program was being offered through a local church that would pay the cost for the child to come to America. To qualify for the program there were several rules, such as the host family should agree to have the child examined at a local doctor and dentist office, they would treat the child as their own and to promise to send the child back home when the six weeks was over.

These children face an increased risk of cancer, thyroid disease and many psychological diseases. According to the program, bringing the child to a non-contaminated area can add two years to a childs life. Breathing fresh air, eating non-contaminated food and drinking water can do wonders for the childs immunity giving the child a chance for a normal life.

In the summer of 1998, Sergeant Kellys family picked up Irena girl, an 8-year-old girl, at the airport. She was tiny and blonde and dressed in her best sweat suit. She was very shy and nervous.

Because the Kelly family knew little Russian and the girl didnt speak English, they relied on a blue book to communicate. The book contained Russian phrases and words translated into English.

Whenever we went somewhere I would always say, Did we remember the blue book? said Mrs. Kelly. It went everywhere with us.

The first time they hosted a child was full of surprises, some good, one bad.

They knew saying goodbye would be sad, but nothing could have prepared them for the truth.

It was a horrifying experience, Mrs. Kelly said. She was begging us to not send her back. I wanted to run away with her but Mike wouldnt let me. I vowed Id never be the one to take her to the airport.

In the second year of the program, the Kellys didnt know if they would get Irena again. They requested her and fortunately, she returned. By now, she had gotten used to the family and felt more comfortable around them. She began telling stories of her family back home.

After hearing Irenas stories of how poverty stricken her family was the Kellys began discussing bringing another child from Irenas family over to stay.

There wasnt a big discussion about bringing another child, Mrs. Kelly said. We thought, whats one more child?

What she didnt know is that she would be getting Irenas brother the boy that Sergeant Kelly never had Edgor.

Edgor is a pistol, said Mrs. Kelly.

The first night he was here we all sat down to eat as a family. When dinner was over the children got up to do dishes, but Edgor said he had a stomach ache, so we told him to go lay down. When the children were done with the chores, they went to play and Edgor wanted to go too. We explained to him he couldnt because he was sick. The tears started right then.

Thats when Mrs. Kelly found out boys in Russia play while the girls do the chores just one of many differences she found during the childrens stay.

Once we took the kids to McDonalds, she said. My daughter put ketchup on her fries. Edgor got upset and wanted her to lick the ketchup up. He thought she was being wasteful.

According to Mrs. Kelly, things like ketchup and fruit are scarce in the childrens country. The smallest things to us, like salt, are like diamonds to them.

There are even differences in everyday occurrences, like bathing. We had to make her drain the tub, said Mrs. Kelly. Where she is from, they dont waste water.

Every time the six weeks is up, the family must say goodbye to the children.

We dont give thought to the children leaving until the night before, said Mrs. Kelly. Then we pack a duffel bag with as much as we are allowed and tape it for security reasons.

The truth is that if the Kellys didnt secure the bag, the contents might not make it back to the childrens home. The family sends $100 in new $1 bills home with each of the children. Mrs. Kelly sews the money into a homemade pocket in each of the childs undershirts.

We have to tell Edgor not to say anything, Mrs. Kelly said. People will steal the money and gifts from the children if they know they have them.

When the children arrive home they sent the family letters. They try to return the favor, but the gifts never make it to them.

As for the Kellys, they will keep hoping to sponsor Irena, 15, and Edgor, 12, until they are of legal age. And while Mrs. Kelly admits there is discussion about bringing another child from the family to America, she also is considering taking a well-deserved break to spend time traveling.

There isnt anything the Kellys regret from the experience of bringing the two children into their home, although there were definitely trials. But the positive things the experience brought with it outweigh the few trials the family conquered.

The whole experience has brought our family closer together, Mrs. Kelly said. It helps our kids to appreciate what they have even more. The things we do when Irena and Edgor are here have become our familys traditions. These children are now like our own.