A Quick Trip to the Border and Back

Doing shopping for the next load to head to Ukraine - March 22, 2022

I suppose I really need to finish the story…

My husband ended up renting a trailer and heading to the border of Ukraine because we had a load of food that we had intended to head to the area of Ukraine where Mike has been teaching for over 20 years. There was a man that Mike had understood would be here to pick up the load over the weekend. However, he didn’t come. There was no commitment as to when he would come, so it left my husband a little too ‘up in the air’ and he wanted to get this food on into Ukraine. Now.

I suggested that he could just “rent a trailer and take it to the border himself”. Once we reached the border, we had a contact who could take it farther in. Neither of us really enjoy driving or traveling that far anymore “just for fun”. But apparently the idea intrigued him. I left to take my friend, Luda, to the dentist shortly after I said that.

After Luda was done with the dentist, we found out that the guys were heading to the border!

They weren’t on their way to the border yet, but Mike had gone to get a trailer and start the process. Of course, that involves more than just “get a trailer.” You have to pump up tires, make sure the brake lights work, fill the trailer, etc.

filling up the tires

So, we helped load up the trailer until we had to go back to the dentist at 2 pm - so we left at 1:30 pm and left the men filling up the trailer. After Luda finished at the dentist this time, we found they were well on their way to the border. Then, at about 5 pm we heard they were at the border. They thought they could just go to the border, and go to the area where there is a space between the Polish border and the Ukrainian border - and give the food to the Ukrainian contacts - Sergei and his minions. However, they didn’t let them do it between those two places - but instead, had Mike and Tim actually go into Ukraine to do the exchange.

They finally got through all the borders, had their passports taken and checked. It was dark and difficult to take photos, but here is the group of men who moved the food from our trailer to their van (keep looking down below…where all the men are standing).

Filling the truck with stuff we had collected

Filling the back of the truck with canned meat

Gettng back into Poland took longer than they thought it should, but once they crossed into Poland, they booked it home. I figured they’d get home about midnight, but at 10:57 pm I heard the door knob turn!

It was getting dark when they were transferring food while in Ukraine.

So, they were relieved to make it back. My poor husband was sore and tired. He climbed into bed shortly after coming home, glad to be back!

The men had heard that while they were away, a missile strike had hit about a kilometer from their camp where they were staying.

This morning when I left our house early to head out shopping, this is what I saw in the yard! Mike was able to return the trailer this morning without incident.

While the border crossings took longer than my husband wanted it to take, overall, the trip went without a hitch. The truck worked well and the trailer didn’t fall apart! My husband doesn’t really want to do it again right away, but is relieved that this is done!

Becky Petersen9 Comments