Jerseyville native travels to Ukraine to aid refugees

By Editor | March 30, 2022 |

Caitlin R. King

Submitted Photo
Scott McAdams (second from left) pictured here with other HOW volunteers and supplies they worked to gather to give to refugees.

When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, for a moment, the rest of the world stood still. For those with family and friends in Ukraine and the surrounding countries, that moment was felt harder than those who do not.

Across the world, people of all different walks of life are giving aid to the people of Ukraine. Scott McAdams is one of those people. McAdams and his wife, Jacqueline, both natives of Jerseyville, have six children, with two more on the way. Their two eldest children are in their late twenties, and the other six were adopted from Ukraine.

McAdams’ four middle children are biological siblings that were living in a Ukrainian orphanage until the couple started the adoption process in 2019. To adopt their children, the McAdams family began working with the non-profit ministry organization, Host Orphans Worldwide (HOW) and traveled to Ukraine to be certified to host and adopt.

Since adopting their children, the McAdams family has continued their work with HOW. In the past year, the family has been in the process of adopting two more children from orphanages in Ukraine.

It was his family’s connection with HOW and their children that compelled McAdams to fly to Poland, and then drive into Ukraine just one week after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.

“Because of my background, HOW requested that I would come with them, and so I did,” McAdams said.
Although he is now retired, McAdams was active duty military for nearly 25 years, with tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, amongst others.

Submitted Photo
McAdams pictured with a grandmother he helped rescue from Ukraine to reunite with her daughter and granddaughter in Poland.

“Or, to be exact, twenty-four years, eight months, and nine days,” McAdams added.

HOW is one of the many organizations on the ground in Ukraine working to help refugees of the invasion escape to nearby countries.

“They’re trying to get [the kids] in the orphanages out of Ukraine, because of the bombings and everything that Russia is currently doing. And I said sure. Why not? It’s what I’m used to doing,” McAdams said.

HOW has a base established in neighboring Poland for their volunteers to work. Since arriving earlier this month, McAdams has spent the last four weeks traveling in and out of Ukraine, retrieving the elderly and children and reuniting families safely in Poland.

McAdams plans to stay and help as long as he is needed.

“Until this country gets back on their feet. Because, you know, it’s the look on their face when they’re either reunited with their family members, or knowing that somebody is coming over there to help….” McAdams cut himself off. “And I’m not a hero, and please don’t put that in there. I’m not a hero. I’m just a person.”

Submitted Photo
McAdams pictured here in the car with the grandmother he rescued from Ukraine.

He continued, “But seeing their faces as they come out of a war stricken country. And I’ve been all over the world… just seeing the smiles and the tears they have. This is history being written, and for people to be able to, to go in there and help whether they are helping by praying, or helping financially, or even coming into the country to help, whether it’s Poland or Ukraine. It’s showing the Ukrainian people that there are people out there that care. It’s showing our children that we care and that we’re going to do whatever the Bible says: that we need to take care of the orphans, we need to take care of the widows.”

“This is just something, a small token that I’m able to do. Plus, I’m good at it, not to toot my own horn,” McAdams said.

Those looking to aid the work McAdams is doing with HOW can make a donation on their website www.hostorphansworldwide.org and mention his name on the form.