Walter Kish

I have on occasion written about the large extended family I have back in Ukraine and the fact, that because of the unfortunate economic state that most of them are in, my brother, my sister and I have been providing regular tangible support in the form of both "Care" packages and cash.

The Ukrainian economy is in dire straights, with a large proportion of the population either unemployed or significantly underemployed. Although the economic decline of the past decade has bottomed out and there are some small encouraging signs of economic growth, it will probably be several decades before Ukraine even begins to approach the level of economic well being currently found in the rest of Europe or the Americas. In the meantime, the majority Ukrainians are in survival mode, struggling to support a minimal lifestyle.

The situation is particularly acute in the rural towns and villages where almost half of the population still lives, and where the collapse of the collective farms and the absence of real progress in property ownership and agricultural reform has hit the inhabitants particularly hard.

On top of all the other challenges and problems, the average Ukrainian has had to adapt to the fact that many of the "free" services that had been provided by the government in the past, such as health care and education, have been "unofficially" privatized. Although, the government maintains the fiction that these are still free, in practice, without the exchange of hard cash under the table, you will not receive that needed medical operation or get your child into the school or educational program they wish to attend. These unofficial "fees" typically run into the hundreds or thousands of dollars, and in a country where the average monthly wage is in the vicinity of $30 to $40, they represent a crushing hardship.

The assistance my siblings and I have been providing has been modest to each individual Ukrainian relative, though because there are so many of them, the total for us each year runs into many thousands of dollars. Even so, to each of them, our assistance has made a significant difference in helping make their lives less grim and more bearable. The clothes, medicines, books, toys and cash are put to good use and are much appreciated.

We have no regrets about the cost in time and money that such charity entails. As Shakespeare once opined on charity and mercy, "…It is twice blessed. It blesses him that gives and him that takes!".

At times however, it does pose a difficult moral dilemma. On quite a few occasions I have received pleading letters asking for a significant amount of money, in the hundreds or thousands of dollars so that a relative can get their son or daughter into the right institute that will give them a future, or to replace a cow or horse that has died, or to get a much needed operation to remedy a serious medical condition. These requests tug at your heartstrings and one can sense the desperation behind these pleas. I would dearly love to be able to help and make a significant positive difference in these people’s lives. Unfortunately, I also know from past experience that as soon as you assist one relative in this manner, you will swamped with similar requests from most of them. I cannot be a banker or indulge in limitless philanthropy to them all. The needs are too great and my resources are too few. Although I may be well off financially compared to them, my capabilities are limited, and I have no shortage of financial responsibilities and commitments to my own family and my own future.

There is no easy answer to this quandary. One does what one can and lives with the inevitable guilt and pain of not being able to do more. I take comfort in being able to provide what I do, and hope and pray that in the future I may be in a better position to do more. I know that the little I do does make a big difference both in a tangible sense as well as in providing spiritual comfort and hope to my relatives that they are not forgotten and will always have someone to turn to in these difficult times.