Helping the children of Belarus
Young girl suffers great loss before visit to Canada
by Gail Martin, Elmira Independent

The following is the second of a three-part series on the children of Belarus. These children are hosted by the Canadian Friends of Chernobyl's Children each summer, to help children recover from the harmful effects of radiation in their country. Look for the final article in a future issue of the Elmira Independent.

When Yulya Skurat arrived in Elmira last summer, she had no intentions of staying.

Skurat was in Canada as part of a six-week respite visit planned by the Canadian Friends of Chernobyl's Children.

Children who participate in this program are able to stay with Canadian host families for up to 12 weeks, to escape some of the harmful effects of the radiation still prevalent in their country, 16 years after the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Skurat had travelled many hours, by bus, by plane and by car, ending up at Michelle Ellig¹s home in Elmira.

She did not want to stay.

Skurat was already crying at the airport, and begged to be sent home.

Ellig, who had hosted children through the program the previous four years, was taken aback.

"This was the first I had seen of something like that," said Ellig.

They brought her home, only to have more problems. Skurat refused to take off her coat, and kept heading towards the door.

Normally, Ellig likes to settle in her host children with a warm bath and some hot chocolate, before sending them to bed. Ellig quickly realized that this wasn't going to happen.

"There was no way I could get her into bed. She wouldn¹t even take her coat
off."

Finally, Ellig called Valentina, one of the interpreters who comes to Canada with the children, hoping that the problem could be solved.

After Skurat talked to Valentina, she calmed down, and went to bed with Ellig's daughter, Rebecca.

Ellig later learned that the child had insisted on being allowed to go home.

"I know we have come a far way," said Skurat, in her phone conversation with the interpreter. "But I¹m strong, and I can walk. If you will just tell me which way to go, I will walk."

Skurat had grown up in a small village in Belarus, and had never travelled in a vehicle before, much less flown. She truly had no idea how far away home was.

Valentina calmed her down, telling her that it was impossible to leave that evening.  She told Skurat to just stay a few days, and promised that she would not go home without her.

The next morning, Skurat had a bath, and seemed to be okay.

However, Ellig recalls that Skurat never seemed to settle in as well as other children she had hosted.

Ellig did what she could, by keeping Skurat in touch with the other children from Belarus, and with regular phone calls to the interpreter.

"There was no more talk of going home, but she still didn't seem content,"
said Ellig.

It was only after Skurat had returned home that Ellig learned why this little seven-year-old girl had wanted so desperately to go home, and why she seemed to be so sad and quiet.

Two weeks before Skurat came to Canada, her mother had passed away.

The little girl was still grieving, and had no one with whom to share her grief.

"It's no wonder the poor little thing didn¹t settle in," said Ellig. "She was still grieving for her mother. It explains a lot."

Skurat's mother had not only died, but had died in a terrible way. She was an alcoholic and also a smoker. She passed out while smoking, setting her bed on fire. She was horribly burned, suffering third-degree burns on her legs.

In Canada, her injuries might not have been life-threatening. In Belarus, with their limited health care, it was a death sentence, albeit not an immediate one. Skurat's mother died after many months of pain.

Skurat's father was not part of the picture, so the little girl moved in with her aunt, who works 12 hour shifts. This meant that the seven-year-old spent hours at home on her own.

Now, they both live with her grandparents, who help her aunt care for this special child.

In addition to the difficulties that Ellig and Skurat experienced because of the young girl's grief over losing her mother, they had a few more problems with communication -- most of which came from the incredible cultural differences between the two worlds that Ellig and Skurat live in.

One time, Ellig overheard a phone conversation that Skurat had with Valentina, the interpreter. Whatever Skurat had asked made Valentina laugh so loud that Ellig could hear it in the next room.

When Ellig later questioned Valentina, she found that Skurat had asked about the practice of having a bath.

"Valentina," Skurat asked, "why does this woman keep making me sit in water? Every few days she does this!"

Valentina explained what a bath was, solving that mystery, at least.

Other problems included Skurat not knowing how to get in and out of a car, and not understanding how an elevator works. Skurat was actually frightened by the elevator, calling it "magic."

These problems were often made more difficult by the fact that Skurat had not yet started school, and could not read or write. Ellig's translation dictionary was of no use.

Skurat's natural curiousity made things easier, to an extent. It certainly reminded Ellig of how different Belarus and Canada are, at least when it comes to the small villages like the one Skurat had come from.

Skurat loved to watch the front-loading washing machine wash clothes, for instance, or to watch popcorn pop in the microwave.

"She was amazed by everything," said Ellig.

In addition to learning a whole lot more about how the rest of the world works, Skurat also benefitted physically from her stay in Canada.

The young girl lives in a zone that still has a great deal of radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Ellig said the girl seemed tired and pale all the time, and was very thin -- with every bone in her body showing.

"Her chest was almost concave," said Ellig. "She had dark circles under her
eyes. They disappeared by the time she went home."

She also gained four pounds, grew just under an inch in height, and became much more energetic. Overall, her health improved quite a bit.

Normally, Skurat suffered from bronchial infections every winter. After her stay in Canada, she enjoyed one of the best winters ever -- thanks to the good, healthy food she enjoyed, and also thanks to the cough medicine Ellig had sent to her family, through Canadian Friends of Chernobyl's Children.

Ellig said that Skurat had a healthy appetite, and would eat everything on her plate. She especially liked her fruits and vegetables -- something that is rather scarce back home.

Skurat also visited local health professionals, including Ellig's dentist, Dr. Midgely.

There, Ellig learned that Skurat's aunt and grandmother had decided to take the young girl to the dentist before she came to Canada, to make her more presentable for her visit.

Skurat had two cavities filled without freezing during that visit.

So, in spite of the fact that the girl had cavities that obviously needed attention, Dr. Midgely opted to simply make the young girl more comfortable with visiting the dentist.

She had her teeth cleaned, and covered with a sealant, to try to keep her teeth from deteriorating more when she went back home.

Of course, Skurat also had the opportunity to have some fun during her visit, taking swimming lessons, and travelling with the Ellig family to Goderich, Canada's Wonderland, and the Ontario Science Centre, among other destinations.

Knowing all that this young girl has gone through made the decision to host Skurat for another summer all that much easier. Ellig and her husband Rick,
along with children Rebecca and Matthew, had no qualms about taking Skurat on again, although for a longer visit this year. This summer, she will be staying for nine weeks, instead of six.

Right now, the family is counting down the days until June 24, when Skurat
is due to arrive.

Ellig is looking forward to welcoming this little girl back to Canada this summer, to give her even more love and affection, as well as all of the benefits of being in a country free of harmful radiation.

"The best thing (about hosting the children) is seeing them go home so much healthier than when they arrived," said Ellig. "That's what it is all about."

For more information on the Canadian Friends of Chernobyl's Children, and how to participate or help, call Ellig at 669-2556.

Those who wish to support the organization can also purchase tickets for their fundraising dinner on June 2, which will be held at the Carriage Hall. Tickets are $15 each, and are available at the Elmira Photo Lab. The evening will include door prizes and a silent auction.