HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-04-05, Page 3636 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Heaman takes humanitarian message to Russia
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE
STAFF
RUSSIA —
Entertainer and
former Exeter
resident John
Heaman is in
Russia on a
humanitarian
mission to help
improve the
treatment of
those with dis-
abilities in that
country.
Heaman, who
now lives near
Kincardine, will
spend eight
days in the St.
Petersburg area
meeting with
church officials,
members of the
government,
university offi-
cials and direc-
tors of orphan-
ages. He's trav-
elling with a
group of eight.
"We're going
to be talking
about the value
of the disabled
in society," he
told the Times -
Advocate last
week. "Folks
with disabilities
can certainly be
very useful peo-
ple that con-
tribute to soci-
ety."
In Russia,
Heaman says,
those with dis-
abilities "are
pretty much
hidden from
view. They're
not on the
streets like we
see them here
and they don't
do many things
to accommodate
them, like
ramps for
wheelchairs."
Many disabled
Russians are
kept in an insti-
tution, Heaman
says.
"We're trying
to open up their
eyes."
He said he
plans to tell the
Russians how
those with dis-
abilities are
treated in
Canada and
that many of
them could be
working and
looking after
themselves with
some supervi-
sion.
"They don't
have to be in an
institution ... A
lot of them can
fend for them-
selves with very
little direction,"
Heaman adds.
Heaman's
group is led by
Gordon Lewis,
director of an
adoption agency
in Toronto,
Mission of
Tears, which
also travels to
other countries
for humanitari-
an ventures.
Heaman
became
involved with
the group
because he and
his wife Geneva
are trying to
adopt a 12 -
year -old girl,
Ella, from
Russia.
And while
Heaman isn't
disabled, he is a
dwarf, standing
four feet six
inches, some-
thing that would
be classified as
a disability in
Russia. In addi-
tion to enter-
taining in the
orphanages, the
group felt
Heaman would
be a good per-
son to talk to
officials about
how those with
disabilities are
treated in
Russia.
"I was hon-
oured to be
asked," he said.
Some mem-
bers of
Heaman's
group will also
be interviewed
on a Russian
program,
"Radio TEOS," a
Christian -based
radio station
that broadcasts
in English.
Heaman, who
has played fid-
dle for the Stars
of the Grand Ole
Opry Road
Show and has
shared the
stage with per-
formers such as
Minnie Pearl
and Brenda
Lee, will enter-
tain children in
the orphanages
with an acoustic
guitar. He'll also
do a ventrilo-
quist act with a
puppet named
Char l i e .
Heaman and
Charlie will give
the children a
message of pos-
itivity and
encouragement.
The trip to
Entertainer John Heaman, formerly of Exeter, is in Russia until April 12
meeting with officials to speak with them about their treatment of peo-
ple with disabilities. Heaman will also entertain children in orphanages.
Above, he is pictured with Charlie, who will join him in his perfor-
mances in Russia. (photolsubmitted)
Russia is a first
for Heaman and
he said last
week he was
looking forward
to it.
"My highlight
is going to be
the kids."
He hopes his
group's talks
with officials in
Russia will help
change condi-
tions for the dis-
abled in Russia.
As far as
adopting Ella
goes, Heaman
and his wife are
in the early
stages of the
process. Ella
has Russell -
Silver Syndrome
and is a dwarf,
although her
dwarfism is a
different kind
than Heaman's.
Heaman found
out about Ella
in an adoption
report in a mag-
azine from an
organization
called Little
People of
America and
started the
adoption
process about
six months ago.
He and
Geneva are now
in the home
study phase and
expect it will
take another
year before they
find out if
t h e y' r e
approved or
not. Both coun-
tries have to
approve the
adoption and
Heaman hopes
the fact both he
and Ella have
something in
common,
dwarfism, will
help his
attempts to
adopt be suc-
cessful.
The CBC pro-
gram "Moving
On" is following
Heaman's story.
Anyone who
would like to
help the
Heamans with
the adoption
process can do
so by e -mailing
jrheaman@bmts
.com or by call-
ing (519) 396-
6137.
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