Since becoming a host family for the Chernobyl Children's Project seven years ago, our family has changed dramatically in both outlook and philosophy. We no longer look at what we have and take our every day lives for granted. Bringing a Belarusian child to our home every summer for six weeks has been the most positive and inspiring act we have ever done -- as parents, as a couple, and as individuals. When we first became host parents, our twins were four years old. We thought it would be fun and exciting. We had no idea that participating in this cultural experience would be so profound.

Our family looks forward to Katya's visit every year, and with the onset of Spring, we begin preparing for her arrival -- mentally, physically and emotionally. She shares our daughters' room, sleeping in the upper bunk, and we make room in the closet and in drawers so that she has space for her belongings, which are minimal. She has become a part of our family -- our daughters' sister and our third child -- and we can't imagine a summer without her! Simple outings like going out for ice cream or to McDonalds, or home chores such as watering the garden or making dinner, are somehow enhanced when Katya is here. A trip to the ocean is a major event, as she lives in a landlocked area and before coming to America, she had never seen a coast. We appreciate life so much more because of her -- and we know she and her widowed mother appreciate the life we are able to give her for six weeks every summer.

Not speaking the same language has never been a problem, as children know how to communicate without words -- plus our daughters have been our best translators. It's been fun learning Russian words and helping Katya learn English. I still remember her very first 2 sentences in English. One night while getting ready for bed, she said in her sweet young voice, with a heavy Russian accent, "Where's my Barbie?" The second sentence she said to my Mother -- "Look at Emily's new shoes!" We all almost fell over. It was a startling moment -- as significant as when our children took their first steps and said their first words. Her hugs are warm and genuine, her smile glowing, sincere and shy. She is a gift to us. The families of Chernobyl thank us for hosting their children, but it is we who thank them for entrusting their children to us for safe keeping for six weeks. This is a commitment we plan to make for as long as the Chernobyl Children's Project exists. We look forward to watching our Katya -- our "Special K" -- grow up and seeing what remarkable things she will accomplish in her life.

Jeff Sherman and Julie Wilder-Sherman
Petaluma, California