Help always comes back

Vitya has lived in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, for all his life. I know him for many years, we used to go together to the primary and secondary school. Together we spent some of the best moments of life fishing, hiking, having fun. But life just isn't always happiness, and it can be pretty gloomy sometimes. Vitya was in Kyiv when the Chornobyl nuclear station blew up spreading the deadly radiation. It aggravated enormously the poor environment of the huge Kyiv city. Vitya's old house sinks right into a swamp left from once beautiful Lybid' river, which has been turned to a sewage ditch flowing through the city directly into Dnipro river.

To all of this Vitya is slightly physically handicapped. He's young and maybe just a step from recovery, but today's life in Ukraine is tough even for a fit person. Vitya has no chances, the monthly allowance he's receiving from the government is worth "two kilograms of putrid sausage" as he once wrote to me. He can't buy so much needed medications or even see a knowledgeable doctor. And this means no chance to get well, to get rid of his handicap. And Chornobyl's radiation keeps creeping in and weakening his body.

There is little hope, yet he's not given up. In his garden he patiently grows vegetables and fruits, his major food supply. He likes flowers too. He's an expert in wood carving -- my heart warms up when I look at the masterpiece he gave me when we parted last time... He searches the countryside for herbal remedies since the local pharmacies are virtually empty.

But herbs can't cure him, and he desperately needs help. We all do sometimes, and if don't give a hand when we can, there may be no one to give us a hand when we in turn need it. Help always comes back to us, as luck, as God's blessings, as other's respect, as a happy smile....

It might be just my humble perception, but I have always seen much more outcome from personally directed help rather than that given to large charities. Who knows what your help is goint to: distribution costs, staff, overheads? It could be much worse -- take my words that the Western humanitarian aid in Ukraine is simply sold at local grey markets for skyrocketing prices, far from reaching those poor who need it most. So much for your generosity...

If you could help Vitya in any way he would truly appreciate it, myself too. No help is too little. Maybe you know of a group of people or a trustworthy organization dealing with handicapped? A hospital willing to take him in for a treatment? A charity distributing medicals? Maybe you can help in some other way? He would be happy to share his hobby secrets, trade his work, or simply make a friend.

I would be more than happy to answer any your question, or to provide Vitya's address/phone should you wish to write to, talk to, or see him. Just send me an email to golego@chembio.uoguelph.ca

Thank you.

Last modified: June 25, 1997