We get on the road, and as we are going through Dzerzhinsk, there are police all over the downtown, blocking all the roads entering and leaving town. I can’t really see anything, but later I find out that separatists covered the city with pamphlets saying that they were invading on Monday! (we are coming back, MONDAY!) We were checked and waved through and headed to Kostiantynivka, 2 check points, and we are there…onward to Druzhkivka and 2 more check points, and passing a lot of military trucks and armor vehicles. Once in Kramatorsk, the city seems deserted. Much more quiet than ever. So many destroyed buildings, abandoned buildings, burned out vehicles. We see the aftermath of war. We drive on and next is Maryinka, where we see many destroyed and burned buildings
I can only imagine the havoc that went on here with these people for weeks. People scared, children scared; homes destroyed, cities destroyed.
We move on to Slay’vansk, where we get a little turned around and end up going to their city…and turn around and go back to the main road. We pass 3 more UA heavy artillery trucks just as we turn onto the main road. They are always scary, as you can see the boxes and boxes of ammo, and know where it is going to kill sons, husbands, uncles, fathers, even daughters. It is terrible to see RU against their brother UA. I weep when I think about what could have been, if only Putin had not invaded our beautiful oblast. We go on, and see that the bridge is out, and a make-shift floating bridge is in place for single cars only. It is well manned and there are snipers in bushes, along with the obvious men at their bunkers. In single file we wait out turn to go on the bridge, and nod to the UA army soldiers. Next big stop is Kharkiv. We go through several more stops prior to getting to Kharkov, some smaller, and some very big, with extensive mazes to drive through and navigate. No one is driving fast through those. You can see snipers in the trees, and many men in bomb shattered buildings, hiding in the windows looking at each van, car, truck, etc. They are watching for separatists and RU military to be sneaking back into the regained territory of UA. They desperately do not want to lose territory. The men are very nice, and when they see the child with us, they usually smile and just wave us through. We have our signs on the windows, so it is clear we have a child in the vehicle.
We finally make it to Kharikov, a big city, and there are 2 police check points there. The city takes us a while to get through, and we make a few wrong turns again. With so many roads destroyed, they are just not well marked in, and if you happen to be driving beside a huge truck, you may totally miss a sign, and that is what happened. We get turned around and get back on the right road. It is now approaching dark, and I hate to drive after dark. I have night-blindness, and with these dimly lit roads, it is terrible to drive. In conjunction with the massive road construction, kilometer after kilometer, and the lanes changes, and differences in topography, we creep along the highway, trying to make our way to Kyiv.
Next is Poltova, and though a large city, we find the way around it, and move through, with 288 kilometers to go. We feel safe. We are in constant communication with people in Dzerzhinsk, and we hear that it is quiet there.
Time approaching 9:30 pm and we are on a nice road, but then it turns off to Borispol, and we get turned around again, as it wouldn’t make sense to go from a really nice 6 lane road to just 2 bumpy lanes, but who can figure Ukrainian logic. We stop at a gas station, and they day we are going in the correct direction…so we are off. Next stop is to find Phillip, our night lodging.
After a few calls, we fine Phillip, and get to the church on the left bank in Kyiv and get settled. It is a great church and it is built with the church in the center of the building and around the perimeter are classrooms, offices, their living quarters, and housing for visitors. It is a nice place, and I decide that probably best that I stay by myself, instead of with the family.
I am finally able to get on the internet, and see that Sergie, the man that I sent the photos to, writes me back, saying that Commander Andre was killed. I’m just shocked, heart broken for his family, his team of men. He explains that they were at Illovisk and they were surrounded without help. I couldn’t read the rest…tears flowing down my face, reading that this gentle giant had been taken in such a way, I jump on the internet to read the news that indeed that many men had been slaughtered at Illovisk. Though they were promised a ‘green gateway’ to get out, unarmed, when they went to leave, they were cornered and shot dead! Just too much for me. I’m in shock.
I must try to at the very least find Andre’s wife and 2 sons, and share with them the photos I took of their beloved husband and father. So I write Sergie a third time, this time asking for ANY information to find his family to give condolences. My head is pounding, and I try to sleep. So shaken from the 10 hours drive, and then to receive this devasating news… Sleep does not come with ease.
Monday morning I’m up early, and see Sergie writes back, with the news that there is a slim possibility that Andre made it out alive. Phillip, Masha and myself are going downtown to the Kyiv Post to talk with them, and see if they want a story. On the way down, I talk with Masha about trying one more time to call Andre and see if he is alive. We talk through what to say if he answers, or if someone else answers. There is the possibility that he because he is a commander could have been captured, and RU has his phone, or he was killed and they have his phone. Then there is the scenario that he is alive. I dial the number and it goes dead…not a good sign. I decide to try again, as I know there are sometimes difficulties getting through. So we try again, and Masha starts to speak…and it is ANDRE, HE IS ALIVE! I’m speechless, yet so happy. I know our time may be short, so I speak fast and let him know that we are praying for him, and that we are thinking of he and his men. He explains that he is ‘on the road, looking for his men.’ He sounds distraught that he can’t find them and concerned about their whereabouts. I know he must be worried. This is the kind of person he is. I remember, he was always asking me, ‘are you ok, are the kids o.k, do you need anything at all.?’ To think that he was caught in that gun battle in Illovisk, is just causing me to be sick to my stomach..just, heartbreaking. His military assignment is to rebuild the communities after the war, not actual combat! He was misled! I would be so upset if I were him. I don’t know ‘what’ he feels, probably abandonment from the UA military. But God will never abandon him, I try to convey all this to him. I also tell him what a difference he made in so many children, families, and the elderly. He laughed and said, ‘it was nothing, you do all the work.’ He says again, ‘how kind I am to care about him and his men’ and I say that ‘we will continue to pray for he and his safety and the safety of his men.’ He thanks me profusely, and we say good-bye. It was a good conversation, and if it were my last, I feel I said what I needed to for his sake.
God please surround this man and his men with your wings of protection, hide them from the evil one, and provide shelter for them. In some small way, help them to know that there are hundreds of people praying for them, and sending waves of encouragement to them. Lord, place your hedge of protection around them.
We get to the Kyiv Post, and they want to do an interview, but only if I will go on the record. I can’t do that, I can’t jeopardize everything for an interview, a few photos…anything like that. The children’s center would become a target and be destroyed, and probably the houses too, by the separatist, if it were revealed that I was receiving help from the UA army to feed people in the community. The effect that one interview could have may touch hundreds of people that would never get food, water or medicine. Granted, having His Kids Too name out there for the publicity would be nice, but really, who knows if the publicity would bring any help to the people, it may take a 180 degree turn and place a target on the place. So I decline this opportunity and trust that other opportunities will arise.
We get back to the church, I have a blazing headache, Phillips driving, no air, heat, and little food, and just stress, I’m literally overwhelmed. Tomorrow we are to go to the Embassy, and we don’t know the way, so we need to get information on where to go… The embassy appointment is at 8:30, thus we must leave by 7 a.m. to make the metro connections and get there on time. The people I brought with me from Dzerzhinsk are trying to get a visa for the woman and the child, but they aren’t married, and have no documents, so I don’t really know what will happen.
Sleeping is very difficult, tossing and turning most of the night, reliving the days events, of first thinking Andre was dead, finding out he is alive, then everything he had been through and that at the minimum he has lost 10 of his men. Short night, and we get to the Embassy, and thankfully, we have all the documents, but because when the child was born and they were not married, they must now prove evidence that he is the father. Which is a fact that many of questioned. The child looks like her, but not him. So they scurry to find photos, and send to the embassy. So we will know something in 6 days.
9/3/14 – 31 years today, and I’m not with Rich (((( It is hard to be apart for our anniversary, but I can’t do anything…my hands are tied. Received a text today from Andre, that’ he is o.k., and appreciates my encouragement.’ Just to know that he is o.k, and prayerfully some of his men…I don’t know and Sergie hasn’t responded to my note. I pray that something didn’t happen to the man that asked me to take the photos. He was really nice, and many of the young men look up to him as a senior service man.
Wednesday we are working on my registration, and see what we can do to get re-registered under a different church, since it is impossible for Ludmilla to re-register me. Phillip makes a few calls, and a letter is written, and we run over to an office and drop things off, but we won’t know anything till Thursday, but I need to leave, and get home. I have made the ticket and I leave in the early morning. The people that traveled with me from Dzerzhinsk will go on to Cherniga and the woman will stay there with the child, while he returns to the states. They didn’t have all the documents they needed. The man will leave after me for the states. I relax in the afternoon, and repack the suitcases for leaving them in Kyiv with Phillip. Car is unloaded, suitcases are repacked, and I’m ready. Off to bed by 10 p.m., as I’m up by 3 a.m. to get to the airport by 4:15 a.m. I really wanted Phillip to just drop me at the door, but he insisted that he walk me in the airport! He was talking and talking about his children, and I forgot to ticket my luggage with I.D. tags, I sure hope it makes it!! We arrive at the airport, Phillip helps me with all the luggage, and we make it to the baggage x-ray and I make it through all the security check points…I was surprised, as I have several used large ammo cartridges, used missles and even RU military ammo that is in my suitcases. It all makes it through, so that is good, but very surprising. We say our ‘good-byes’, and I’m off to the passport check and to the gate. So hard to believe that I’m finally heading back to the U.S. I’m trying not to worry about leaving the ‘center’ behind, as I know I need to get home to the family.
Made it to Amsterdam and on the way to Atlanta. Flight is good, just tiring. I feel so helpless and useless on this plane…I left so much behind, and they need so much help, and they have no one to assist them at all. I’m going to drop Andre a note about any left over food at the stadium, maybe Sasha and Valia can get some and give it away, I don’t know, and there may not even be food there, but it is worth asking.
Made it to Atlanta, and all went well, though the passport control man asked me a lot of questions about the war, and what was really happening. He said that the news U.S. gets, is that UA wants RU to take over!! I dispel that incorrect information. Disgusting, and totally untrue, but I have decided that it is easier for people just to believe the lies, that way they don’t have to react to the way the U.S. gov. has turned their back on UA. My luggage got stuck at immigration, due to my seeds and eggs. While I was there, the men talked with me again about my experience in UA. Then a Russian man came up and he had problems too, with his seeds, and onions. I was asked to translate, as no one there spoke Russian, but me. I had to laugh, as my Russian isn’t great, but I totally understood him, and he understood me. He wasn’t all that pleasant to me, so I wonder if he was pro-putin?? Anyway, I finally was able to leave, and transferred to my next, and final gate…then I will be in Tallahassee…
As I sit here at the gate, and just people watch, and watch CNN that is blarring on the news about Joan Rivers who died earlier in the day, my mind just wanders back to UA, and wondering what is happening. Are Valia and Sasha and others safe? How is Andre and his men? Did he find them? What is their condition? My heart just hurts for what has happened in UA, and how the UA government just LEFT these MEN who are NOT even foot soldiers, left them to be killed by RU army. It is deplorable; and though I will not turn my back on UA, I don’t understand it at all. I can’t imagine how distraught Andre must be, and how responsible he must feel that he could not fight back with 100% assurances from the government forces to back him up. Alone and just trying to figure out what to do; I continue to pray for peace, but NOT at the expense of losing the territory to RU. !
By the time we take off for Tallahassee, I’m exhausted, the flights and layovers, the stress of the trip has taken over, and I sleep. The 45 minutes goes by fast, but at least a little cat nap is helpful. Yes, I’m ‘home’, but my mind is elsewhere. It is with the hundreds of hungry, the displaced families that have no place to live or really to go…the hungry children, those in Ghorlivka; the UA army, and the continuing battle for UA territory by the evil Putin. God send your wrath on him and his troops. Send a plague that only effects them, whether it be sickness, mechanical failure, natural disaster to russia, or death, place a plague on them so that they will retreat, in the name of Jesus.