Ukrainian Situation Update

I know that many of you don’t hear much about the Ukraine situation anymore. It just isn’t in the news now, is it?

My husband went back to Ukraine on Monday to pick up our friend, Bruce, who was in Ukraine for a graduation for a seminary he had been running for 18 years. During this time, my husband made frequent trips to teach the men training for the ministry.

I marked with a hot pink line the trip my husband has made lately. He heads to the area called Lutsk.

Bruce then flew out to the states on Wed to head to the states. (Yesterday)

When people hear that Mike is going into Ukraine they think he is crazy. But I guess what happens is that you get enured to it all. Of course, this is a bad thing.

What is going on there?

Well, Putin is still striking regularly. The people are Kharkiv are regularly under attack. I pointed to this place in the map shown above. This is a different part of Ukraine than earlier in the war though it is relatively close to the Russian border.

On a practical level, what does that mean? For example, if people are going to hold camps for children in the summer time, they MUST have a place underground for the children to run to for shelter in the event of an alarm. I’ll bet a lot of you have never heard one of those. This is what it sounds like.

 
 

If you want to know what is the latest in English, you can check here. It’s a Ukrainian news site in English.

The absolute best thing that can show you what’s happening to the minute is this map, however.

I personally cannot imagine having to live under this constant threat of having my home or apartment under attack. I know it’s happening, but difficult for me to imagine. Thankfully I’ve not heard or experienced this.

So how far away is all of this?

Let’s say - by car - maybe 16 hours or so…maybe more. If the border was an easy crossing, then maybe 16 of straight driving to the war zone area. So I think if things were in the USA, it would be maybe from FL to PA or thereabouts. I don’t tell you miles or km because there aren’t always good and fast roads, so people pretty much just tell you how long it takes to get somewhere - not how far it is.

One You Tuber who will keep you up on the news is Jake Broe. He’s here.

 

Another really good guy my husband and I like is this Estonian soldier. He does speak in English, so never fear.

Here’s his channel.

 

What I wish I could say is that Ukraine is winning this war. I do not know what the actual status is.

I do know hundreds and thousands of young men are losing their lives on each side of this war. Unknown numbers of civilians are also losing their lives. People in Ukraine have lost their homes.

As to a cease fire - I am actually against it, unless Russia gives back the land they took and pays some reparations which would be admitting to losing— which they are not ready to do.

They should not be allowed to just invade another country and take it over and then control it with no penalty - especially as Ukraine was and is no threat to them. They were not interested in invading Russia so Putin’s reason for invading in the first place is absurd.

However, It is hard to read too much about the war as war is such an unpleasant thing to spend your time thinking about.

One good thing. Somehow, in spite of the madness, ‘things’ seem to be available there now. When the war first started, there were some severe shortages of food and supplies, water, well, everything. That’s when people needed help by the truckload. What we’ve heard now is that they can pretty much get the normal things needed for life and existence, so that is good.

There are some restrictions, however, on the movement of people. Young men and middle aged men cannot easily leave the country. If anything, they’ve gotten more strict on that policy, if that is even possible.

So what does this mean for Ukrainians in Poland? There are still many, many women and children in Poland whose husbands are in the war or whose homes were in the ravaged part of Ukraine. Their lives have been on hold for two years and it has not been easy for them.

The Ukrainians that are in our church seem to have settled in pretty well into Poland and have jobs and are able to exist in Poland. The longer the war goes on, the more their children are adapting to Poland and Polish schools. It might be hard to go back.

Thread still on the button!!!! They are supposed to remove it before using the button! :) This is a sample run for the idea by the workers.

We are having a sort of Vacation Bible School for four weeks on Saturdays right now with activities for Ukrainian kids. It’s going on for 2-3 hours from 11-1 or 1:30ish. For the first two weeks - we’ve had 28 and then 33 children, if I remember right. I managed to have gotten a couple of photos of the goings on - esp. the preparation for the craft.

Here is a short video of the children doing last week’s craft. They are making a hot air balloon shape with buttons and paper, etc. I did provide the buttons for this.:) Some of them actually came from shirts and my other second-hand items. Others were purchased just so I could get some colorful ones.

 
 

I’ve been providing food for the workers after each session because they have a meeting that lasts a while afterwards kind of recapping what happened - and that is too long to go without food. The first week we had big sub sandwiches and a few other things.

Then last week we had spaghetti, garlic bread, salad and apple cake.

This coming Saturday I’m planning on chili dogs and I’m not sure what else. I have had to prepare food for about 20 people as that is how many are helping (including the helpers’ children).

There are fewer people coming in and out through the borders these days. I wish I could tell you more - or great news such as “it’s almost over”. I have no such inkling. Please continue to pray for the Ukrainian people.

I know that people are still enjoying the quilts you all sent over for us to share with them. I’ve heard even recently someone slept under one when they visited back there.

So there you are. The war is dragging on and on. We are doing what we do here in Poland. Of course, people here are acutely aware of what is happening due to our proximity to the Ukrainian border. Only God knows when it is going to be over.

Thanks so much for being concerned and for caring.

Have a great day wherever you are reading!

Becky Petersen8 Comments