Maidan

I'll remain anonymous as it seems everyone does these days who works with humanitarian aid in Ukrainian orphanages. I work with an organization that aids many orphanages. We know that some of the children in the baby houses we work with have gone to these 'psychoneurological internats' - and many have not had psychoneurological problems - but were condemned to them when they 'aged out' of the baby house because they simply could not move themselves or feed themselves because of physical disabilities. By four, this is the test - if you can't feed and move yourself, off to the 'concentration camps' for them.

We also know that the conditions they face once in these 'invalid homes' as many refer to them, most likely mean they'll have a dramatically shorter life expectency, and it breaks all of our heart, including the staff (staff that ARE loving and caring towards the children - including those with special needs.) They beg us to find them Western medical help for this one or that one who could possibly be saved - because they are also aware of where these children, that they have raised and soothed since birth in most cases, will go. I cannot imagine being in their shoes on the day they come to take those children to their future misery. I also can't imagine keeping silent - but then I don't face being unable to feed my own children, find another job, public criticism by all in power, and all other sorts of harrassment from speaking out about something sinister that must change. I feel for the staff, too - they are in a terrible predicament.

But the reality is that until Ukrainians themselves bring this out in the open, it won't happen. It's easy enough to send Western aid workers home. I know many, many missionaries, aid workers and volunteers that have been cowered into silence by the threat that if they talk, even once, they will be shut out. And thye make the choice to keep silent rather than look these children in they eyes and know that if they speak, this one won't get the blankets they are supplying him - that one won't get the occasional fruit they're allowed to bring, and so on. In theory, every Western aid worker should be shouting at the top of their lungs about this, but in practice we all know it would mean these poor little souls suffering more. It is a hellish dilemma.

I know that the majority of Ukrainians love their nation's children, including their orphaned children, and would be appauled at the conditions that those of us from outside the country see, ironically, more frequently than those who live within miles of them. I truly believe the majority of Ukrainians do not know. Many do NOT have access to the Internet, free forms of news, and certainly have never or will never have the chance to visit one of these places.

SO here is my plea. Maybe it is a dream, but I will issue it nonetheless: Will a Ukrainian citizen who has the ability, and who has the conscience to do it, PLEASE go in, photograph everything, and take it to the press. NOT the local press. In most cases they are still very much at the mercy or at least intimately connected to the powers that be, who do NOT want this kind of thing tarnishing their term in office, their name, their town. Go to the national press. Keep sending them and sending them and don't stop. A national scandal HAS to be started and the flames of it fanned if this is ever going to change. Never underestimate the power of media coverage to cause outrage among the populous, or how powerful that outrage can be (remember the Orange Revolution?.) That kind of outrage can change things.

Yes, Ukraine has limited resources to help. Yes, there are many many corrupt and heartless directors who funnel money away for themselves. And yes, there is a lack of both medical knowledge and (larger lack of) medical resources to help these children. There is also a post-Soviet attitude of 'they aren't productive citizens and why should we waste what few resources we have on them' that is lingering as well. But I know Ukrainians' hearts. If they are forced to see the images, hear the stories and so on, they WILL demand humane conditions. I think it will also help to lower the number of mothers who, under pressure from family and even sometimes physicians and nurses, abandon their newborn child with Down's Syndrome, club feet, or other physical problems, to the orphanage. They are also unaware, in many cases I suspect, of exactly what kind of torturous existence they are signing their felsh and blood over to. Someone in Ukraine, please stand up.