A Ukrainian Family
caught in the crossfire 

 

My husband and I are parents to two beautiful daughters. We adopted Sophia from an orphanage when we didn't think we could have a family of our own, and then found out I was pregnant with Julia. So this has been a double blessing. Now, two years later, we are so happy they are in our lives, and we love them very much. 


On February 24, a most brutal war began. Fear overcame us every day. We were planning to leave, packed our bags, but it happened that the buses from Spain for refugees did not arrive and we realized it was a sign.

To our great regret, many employers fled the country, leaving us with no jobs.  My  husband and I, as well as my mother (who moved to us for safety when the war started)  are trying to feed our two small children and keep them warm. The stress we have had to endure is beyond words. I am thankful to God that I can knit, and the store on Etsy has at least been able to supply us with some of our needs.

 

A year passed and, unfortunately, the war is not over, with no sign of stopping. During the past year, the prices of everything have gone through the roof. Since my daughter and I both require special food for our allergies, but it is priced beyond our reach.  We regressed to eating the same foods that we did in the past, and our allergies have now returned.

 

We do not receive social benefits, because we are not refugees, and we do not live in an official "war zone," though one would not know it with the constant drones, missiles and explosions. Whenever we hear the alarm, we run with the children in our arms to the basement where we stay huddled together until it is safe to emerge.

Unfortunately, the enemy continually bombs our power plants, and they left us in winter without light or heat. Fortunately we have  a stove, so we can keep warm and heat water for washing. This truly feels like some kind of apocalypse is raging outside. At night the city is in total darkness.
 

But now, we already must think about next winter. It is too expensive now to buy firewood, and the price of coal has risen from $ 300 to almost $ 1000 per cube. It is necessary to stock up on non-perishables, or there will be little hope that we will survive the winter. The price of electricity continues to rise, and by winter, the price is expected to triple .... and with all of this, we must somehow get by on $8 a day.  

 

What awaits us we do not know, but just like everyone, we want to live and enjoy a carefree life. Of course we believe in victory and are waiting for it soon. But no one knows when it will end.

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Yours truly,

Yana