Ukrainian Airlift

On Thursday, January 13th, I was able to do a special Airline Ambassadors trip to help get several Ukrainian orphaned children to Washington Dulles.  They were here as part of an Orphan Hosting Program coordinated by a Ukrainian group called Child Rescue and a U.S. faith based organization called Open Arms Ministries.

The program brings orphaned children from the Ukraine to the United States, allowing them to spend time with local families who are considering adoption.  I was given the task of flying two children from Charlotte, NC to Washington Dulles.  From there they would connect with their Ukrainian escorts and the other children and make there way on to the Ukraine.

My two kids were Kataryna, age 12, and Artem, age 9.  Both kids come from orphanages just outside Kiev.  Katy has one deceased parent, and her surviving parent terminated custody.  Artem's parents also terminated custody.  I learned a little bit about the whole system over there while talking to Katy's host mom, who is getting ready to go over and formally adopt her.  The kids are in large schools/institutions and aside from their friends, get very little affection or attention.  Once they are 16, they age out and are given $50 and left to fend for themselves.  Very sad circumstances.  Child Rescue, the Ukrainian organization that was part of this trip, tries to get these older kids adopted out before they are aged out of the system.

Of the two kids, Katy was the most outgoing.  She had already traveled to the states once before and will shortly begin the process of being formally adopted by her host mom, Betsy.  Artem was much more withdrawn.  He had been in state care since he was 4.  He also is blind in one eye and has poor vision in the other, so he take things a little slower.   Our flight to Washington was not very long, but the kids still had time to have a drink and munch on some snacks.  We flew United, and the ground and cabin staff were very helpful in making sure we had everything we needed.  Katy's english is basic, but she was able to act as my translator.  Additionally, I had learned some common phrases from a friend from college, Jenn, who along with her husband Mark, adopted four Ukrainian teenagers a few years back.

When we got to D.C., we made our way over to the Lufthansa gate where we met up with Konstantin, who is the director for Child Rescue.  Additionally, a retired AA employee was escorting three kids from Denver and a Flight Service Manager was bringing three from Atlanta.  All in all, Konstantin and his two colleagues would be taking 22 children home to the Ukraine.

We said our goodbyes and then I made my way over to my airline's gates and waited a few hours to catch my flight home.  A quick trip, not nearly as involved as what I am used to doing with Airline Ambassadors, but still glad to be a part of it.