After the collapse of Communism, Roma poverty has worsened in Central and Eastern Europe, and many of these marginalized people live in profoundly destitute ghettos.
While in Ukraine, we walked through one such Roma camp, worshipped in a Reformed Roma church, and met many Roma children. After singing with the Roma people in their small, white church, they led us through their camp and into their homes. It was like being in another universe.
The sour smell of burning garbage permeated the village and bare bummed children walked barefoot in the dirt. Young mothers openly nursed their infants outside their sagging homes as dogs wandered the muddy streets. Recently, a number of wells were installed to provide cleaner, more available water. However, the people often leave the spouts on and the dirt roads turn into a wet, mucky mess around the shack homes.
Almost the entirety of the village is unemployed, scrounging for metal or begging to earn some money for food. The children trailed behind us as we walked past sinking roofs and piles of trash, loving the new strange people in their place. Eventually each of us had at least one small child hanging from a limb or article of clothing.
The poverty was jolting, but the children were happy, wondering, energetic, normal crazy kids. Just as they play and laugh like other children, they have the right to shelter, medical care, education, all the human rights that will provide dignity and hope. There is much work to be done for these people in Central and Eastern European countries, including Ukraine.
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