The church must be at the forefront of the movement for Ukraine without orphans

The interdenominational Eastern European Summit for Pastors “Defending the orphans – changing the future” was held in Kyiv. It was organized by the Alliance “Ukraine without Orphans” and the Commission for Social Ministry of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations. The event was attended by over 500 participants from Ukraine and abroad (from 12 countries), including almost all the heads and representatives of Ukrainian traditional churches and Christian denominations (together about 160 of various churches). The main goal of the event was to unite the efforts of Christians to overcome the problems of orphanhood. Church with its authority (over 70 percent of Ukrainian people trust it the most) must be at the forefront of the movement for Ukraine without orphans.

By the way, in 2011 Yevhen and Svitlana Isaiev from Mariupol, Donetsk oblast won the award “Pride of Ukraine.” They were the first married couple in Ukraine who adopted an HIV-positive child and later they adopted a few more. Now there are nine boys and girls in their family: two of their biological healthy children and seven adopted with various handicaps. Many national newspapers, magazines, and TV channels took interview with this married couple. However, none of the media mentioned the fact that these people are Christian believers. (They are parishioners of the “Church of Good Changes” led by a legendary pastor Hennadii Mokhnenko, who organized the Center for Children Rehabilitation for homeless children “Pilgrim” Republic.” An interview with Mokhnenko will be published in one of The Day’s upcoming issues.)

There are many similar examples. Bishop Lonhin (his secular name is Mykhailo Zhar) of Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate adopted 405 children, including 125 handicapped ones (including those without arms and legs and paralyzed kids) and 89 HIV-positive kids.

Interestingly, the summit was held at the time when political and religious circles keenly debate the issue of Ukraine’s accession to the Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, also known as the Hague Convention. The instruments of the Hague Convention allow to control and monitor the conditions in which Ukrainian children adopted into foreign countries live. The Convention was adopted in 89 states. Don’t confuse this Convention with the Juvenile Justice, that is, the rights of children. It is a different topic for discussion. According to some preliminary information, soon a round table discussion of MPs, church patrons and members of the Alliance “Ukraine without Orphans” will take place.

“There are orphans who can be treated only abroad and the state does not have money for their health care,” said Orthodox publicist Yurii CHORNOMORETS. “By the way, the state often does not have money even for healthy orphans… And when we do not allow foreigners, especially Christians, adopt children with serious illnesses it is really cruel! By doing such things our country will never be blessed! Why people in Japan or Switzerland live well? There is no such phenomenon as orphanhood in those countries. If a child becomes an orphan people form a line to get him into their family.”

The church must be at the forefront of the movement for Ukraine without orphans

“There was time when Russia was filled with care and concern, I mean spiritually,” said the president of the Alliance “Russia without Orphans” Ivan ILLYUSHIN. “Now, it is time for actions and responsibility for them in Russia. There is a number of Russian people, including myself, who believe that by forbidding American citizens adopt Russian children the country has driven itself into a dead end. Now, we will either ‘hush up’ the issue and will be held responsible for it before God or we will have to solve the problem. In March our Alliance is organizing a working summit in Moscow in order to develop proposals for overcoming the problem of orphanhood in 2013-18 and then submit them for the government’s consideration.”

In the late 2012 President Vladimir Putin banned U.S. citizens to adopt Russian children. This law was drafted in response to U.S. “Magnitsky List,” that prohibits a number of Russian citizens from entering the territory of the United States.

Obviously, in the context of all these events, participants of the summit were looking forward to the speech of the President’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights Yurii Pavlenko. First, he thanked Viktor Yanukovych for the signed decree that provides essential social support for orphans. The document also defines justice for juvenile as renewing instead of punishing. He also thanked churches that become a great factor for creating favorable atmosphere in Ukrainian families for adoption. In conclusion, Church and the state can be full social partners in this matter.

According to Pavlenko, at the present moment there are two areas of work that can be clearly outlined. First is the adoption of orphans. Today, there are 12,000 children that can be easily adopted. Another 12,000 will be available for adoption this year. The versatile support for those who adopt is also important. Second is the work with parents, who can be deprived of their parental rights. The state also has great trust in Church regarding this issues and believes that parents should be deprived of their parental rights only in extreme cases.

By the way, famous international Christian organizations that work with children around the world, praised the work of the Alliance “Ukraine without Orphans.” Ukrainian team assisted in the organization of similar alliances in Moldova and Romania. Moreover, Ruslan Maliuta who was the head of “Ukraine without Orphans” became the coordinator of the Alliance “World without Orphans.” (His position was taken by Roman Korniiko.) According to the President of the Compassion International, world-renown defender of children living in poverty Wess Stafford (USA), Ukrainians are at the forefront of the movement against child abandonment. When it comes to solving a problem at the national level, it is realistic. If one family from each church (and there are a lot of them in Ukraine) adopts a child, all 12,000 children who are now waiting for a loving family will have a home.