Through pain and suffering

Every year on the eve of the Day of Persons with Disabilities, members of the International Fund "Chernobyl Children for Survival" visit families where children with disabilities are brought up whose illness is linked to the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.

- Usually, we go to seriously ill children, - says the chairman of the foundation Lyudmila Zakrevsky, - who can not for health reasons come to the festival, which takes place in early December at the Young Theater. To this action the fund attracts the public, patrons from abroad, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The Holy Truth of Love

The first people we visited were the Paterichkiv family. Guests were expected here. The head of the family, Mr. Eugene, having grafted with the arriving person, soon left a guest for his wife Olga and the sick daughter Marina. He hurried to work. From Mrs. Olga learned about the terrible tragedy that happened with her daughter.

- No one could have thought, - tells Marina's mom, - that grief will so insidiously enter our family. Two-year-old daughter, perevhorivshy on otitis, but she was very kvolenkoy child, the disease did not completely overcome. After one illness, doctors make a terrible diagnosis - cerebral palsy. With this diagnosis of Marinka, the Paterichkiv family met with an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the city of Pripyat. For the seven-year Marinka, Chernobyl has become a terrible sentence - physical and mental development has stopped. Doctors actually refused to treat the girl, considering it hopeless. It remained to rely only on God ...

The whole burden fell on the shoulders of the family. But this was only the beginning of tests on the persistence of the couple Paterichkiv. Soon, the aunt's darling Olga died, who lived with her family in Baryshevsky district in the Kiev region, where she was evacuated after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. After the death of the young mother, three underage children were left. The older Sergei was then sixteen, the little girls Natalochochsi and Irinci fourteen and eleven. Children first went to visit relatives at weekends, and then stayed to live and go to school in Kiev. Despite the economic difficulties, her daughter's illness, Olga did not deny the children, but zigrála with their affection and warmth. This small fragile woman became their second mother for them

The grief joined them. The children understood how difficult it was for Olya's mom, and therefore helped her in everything. Family Paterichkiv taught them to overcome difficulties and enjoy life. From here they went into adulthood ...

Leaving this family, Father Boris, a priest of the Vladimir Cathedral, read a prayer service for the recovery of Marina and presented the sick girl with the icon of the Virgin and the Law of God.

From the fund "Children of Chernobyl for survival" Lyudmila Zakrevskaya handed over gifts. Restraining tears, Mrs. Olga thanked the guests, who do not forget about them and take care of her children. Looking at this manly woman, I wanted to believe that love and faith will overcome serious illnesses, that a miracle will happen, and the Lord God will heal Marinka from a serious illness.

Without us, Antoshka can not live

Anton Vashchenko, who is ill from birth, is brought up by his father and grandmother. My mother died when the boy was two years old. A serious illness overtook her already in Kiev after the birth of her second son. Chernobyl took away not only my mother from children, but also health in Antoshka. The boy can not walk, he does not speak. Grandmother feeds him with a spoon ...

- Doctors advise to give it to a special boarding school. While there are forces I will look after him, - the old grandmother tells us - without me he will not live ... After all, the child is completely helpless, who will take care of him, feed him in the orphanage

In these children Chernobyl took health, hope for recovery. The Lord left them a soul and a great desire to live.

The little boy for a long time did not let his father Boris out of his arms and everything was tugging at his cheek.

- The child misses the male affection, - explained my grandmother. Dad comes very late from work when the boy is already sleeping ... Saying goodbye to Vashchenko's family, the child cried because he was taken from the hands of Boris's father and grandmother could not soothe the child for a long time ... Touched by what we saw, we remained silent for a long time. The tragedy of the Chernobyl families reminded that this catastrophe would destroy the body and soul of the children of Chernobyl for a long time to come. For the mistakes of adults, our children pay for their health

Together they are good

In the center of socio-psychological rehabilitation Obolonsky district of the International Fund "Children of Chernobyl for survival" we were met by its director Valentina Pastushina.

- Come in, - Valentina Nikolayevna hospitably invited - the children have already gathered and are waiting for presents. Father Boris blessed the workers and children of the center for good deeds, read a prayer for the children's visage and presented gifts from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. And the chairman of the foundation Lyudmila Zakrevskaya presented the disabled children, whose illness is connected with the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, vitamins, citrus fruits and clothes. From the director Valentina Nikolaevna, the correspondent of "VCH" learned that more than 350 Chernobyl children are studying in the center. Here, experienced specialists teach children the basics of applied art. Students improve their knowledge of English and Spanish. Especially popular with the psychologist, who is visited not only by schoolchildren, but also by students, former students of the center.

- For all those who wish, the doors are always open here, and we are happy for every child who comes to us - the director of the center assures us