Several years ago, I was searching for a videographer to make a large number of short videos for me. I was lucky enough to discover A (not her whole name, for security reasons). A made close to 100 videos for me. Along the way, we became friends. She taught me about Ukraine, and I shared my life with her. I learned about her family, and about her dreams. I learned just how beautiful Ukraine is and researched more of its history. Now that I had a friend there, I wanted to know more.

I think of A as a little sister that I've never had the pleasure of meeting face-to-face.

When Russia attacked Ukraine, I was terrified for her. I began emailing, shedding tears each day I didn't hear from her. Finally, I received this message:

Hey Ginny! I'm sorry it took me so long to get in touch - we're going through a difficult time right now.

My son, husband and I are in Ukraine, in safe place near the border with Hungary, however we are not going to cross the border at the time being for a number of reasons. The first one is that men of 18 to 65 years old are not allowed to cross the border. We were at our summerhouse when the shelling of Ukraine by orcs began.

From 5 to 8 AM we had to sit in the cellar with hands on ears as the explosions were very powerful and close to us. Denis (my son, 7 years old) was vomiting from fear all this time. And wept. He cried and said, "Mom, Dad, I don't want to exist now."

 Therefore, as soon as the shelling stopped, we got into the car (the hood of which was torn out from the explosions) and drove to the border - as far as possible from the places where the bombs fell.

We did not have time to take anything with us except documents and a bottle of water.

Kid was all this time in pajamas, in which he slept before the bombing. At night we slept at gas stations in the car. During the day we drove. There were huge traffic jams on roads and gas stations, so we had to go around traffic jams through small villages on dirt roads. We were sure that the car would break down on the way, but we were lucky not to have this trouble. Topping up engine oil and antifreeze regularly we got to the border.

Now we have rented a small house here for which the locals were asking for huge money by the standards of Ukraine. But we didn't have a choice. In case of an aggravation in this area, my son and I will cross the border to the territory of Europe. My husband is likely to stay here.

But while it's quiet here, I want to be as useful as possible for our country.

A

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I can only imagine the terror she felt as they drove, praying they would escape the bombs. And truly, I can only imagine their terror. I read the news. I listen to the reports. I watch the bombs drop via video. Yet I have no idea what it would be like to have bombs dropping on my country... my neighborhood... my home. 

I don't know how long they will be able to say in Ukraine... how long they will be able to stay together as a family... if the war will rip apart their family as it has millions of others.

UPDATE:

My friend left Ukraine two weeks ago with her seven year old son. Thankfully, a friend was able to provide temporary housing in Spain. They flew there and are trying to handle all the legal documentations so her son can go to school, and she can work. She worries about how she will handle the finances every minute because all her videography equipment was destroyed in the bombing that made them flee.

The heartbreak is that she had to leave her husband behind. Men are not allowed to leave Ukraine right now. 

Think about that... EVERY family that has fled Ukraine has to start over without their husbands to help. Every child has had to leave behind their father. Men are not allowed to leave because they can be called at any minute to fight.

Alexa also had to leave her parents and grandmother behind to get her son to safety. She was able to get them out of Kyiv, and to the Hungarian border, but she can't get them out of the country right now. Her grandmother has a broken leg and can't travel. Her parents won't leave her (of course!) and they also don't have a way to survive financially outside of Ukraine.

Alexa is trying to figure out a way to pay for her entire family to get out of Ukraine. Suess and I are helping, but there is so much need.

I've had many of you ask me how you can help. I can't tell you how wonderful that makes me feel. I haven't responded to anyone, because I wasn't sure how to make it happen, but this fundraising page is the answer. Using this page ensures EVERY penny goes to Alexa and her family.

So often, you send money, but never know who it goes to, or who it helps. 

I promise to keep everyone updated on what is going on with this small family that simply wants to be together - with the dream of one day returning to their country!

I feel helpless. In truth, I am. Probably, you are too. I can't stop the war. I can't make a madman like Putin decide to do the right thing. I can't redirect bombs away from the people I love -and the millions I don't know - but still care about because they are fellow humans dealing with a madman determined to destroy their will and their country.

So... I do what I can. I send the money I can. I wish I could send more, but I send what I can. Everyone of us can do the same thing. No matter how small the amount, it will make a difference.

Thank you for helping!

Ginny