Poland 2022

UKRANIAN REFUGEE ASSISTANCE JOURNEY

MARCH 13, 2022

I’m heading to Poland March 22nd to volunteer as an EMT for Ukranian refugees. I’ll try to update things with photos and narratives as they unfold, to the extent time and circumstances permit.

MARCH 21, 2022

T minus 24 hours and counting. Ready to embark on the journey. Numerous contacts out to international, governmental and NG organizations, most of which appear to be scrambling frantically to put resources on the ground in the frontline border countries of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova. I’ll be traveling to all or some of them, depending on each’s humanitarian needs and refugee flows. 

These images (not mine, as I’m not there yet) focus one’s mind on the unbearable tragedy now unfolding across the length and breadth of Ukraine at the hands of a madman. The courage and heroism of the Ukranian people and the generosity of their neighbors is almost impossible to grasp. 

More to come when I’m on the ground….

MARCH 25, 2022

The past 36 hours have been a whirlwind. After arriving in Warsaw, picking up a car and checking into my hotel, I reached out once again to the numerous international and Polish contacts on the ground with whom I’ve been corresponding. The impression I’ve gotten during the past three weeks is that careful planning is out the window and showing up where refugee needs are greatest appears to be the way to fly.

I drove to the Ukranian border yesterday, passing through Lublin, Chelm and then Dorohusk, literally across the river from Ukraine. Countless lorries and buses were headed in both directions, the trucks full when headed east and empty on their returns and the buses full when headed west and empty on their returns. I didn’t witness chaos, but instead a somewhat combined orderly and a bit disorganized flow of people and vehicles as the border area came into sharper focus.

I was detained on the border for over two hours in Dorohusk by Polish border and then military police after meandering on a dirt road, looking over a small river at Ukraine in the middle of nowhere. They couldn’t have been nicer and more kind, but were completely befuddled by my appearance seemingly out of the ether. After using the old “I was relying on GPS” to get where I was and where I was stopped – a goat path of a dirt road I’d driven for ten miles, overlooking a railroad bridge into Ukraine – they patiently reviewed – and photographed – all of my documents, made countless phone calls, brought in reinforcements (seriously – an SUV with five additional officers showed up after about an hour and a half), talked to and questioned me about my trip, whether I was CIA (they appeared to be serious) and my Mom’s family hailing from Warsaw – they not only let me go, with big smiles, but escorted me to the highway border crossing after driving another three miles by dirt road, opening five huge sliding border gates with their passes and directing me (with the captain riding shotgun and entertaining me) the wrong way through large trucks streaming eastward to the border post, then waiving me and us through without showing my passport or ID simply because of who they were. Total trip, from start to finish, and their warmth and kindness flowed over me all afternoon.

All in all, a crazy first day where I learned that the refugees are now moving through the border from western Ukraine into Poland almost entirely by train and that approximately one thousand are passing through Dorohusk and Chelm per day versus fifteen thousand each day a week ago.

A lot to process, and I arrived back in Warsaw around 10 pm, grabbed dinner and hit the hay. Today I’m heading to Krakow, where many refugees have taken up temporary residence en route to other and possibly more permanent destinations. After that, I’ll head back to the border regions of Slovakia and Hungary en route to Romania and Moldova.

Some photos of the day:

March 27, 2022

Game on. After screening a number of refugee assistance contacts and organizations since hitting the ground here (the vast majority of which seek only monetary donations), I’ve decided to freelance with a fellow from North Carolina who flew here, rented a house on the Polish border forty miles west of Lviv, the main humanitarian corridor out of Ukraine, and donate my time, medical expertise and vehicle to the ongoing efforts he and others are making to move humanitarian aid in and people who seek to leave Ukraine out of the area and into safe places throughout western Europe.

I’ll arrive there tomorrow. Looking forward with excitement and a bit of concern, as Russian missiles struck Lviv twice yesterday notwithstanding not doing so since the war began. Ian and his fellow volunteers were actually in Lviv Saturday when the missiles struck. Some journalists have posited that it was Putin’s greeting card to President Biden when he was on the Polish border yesterday visiting NATO and US Army troops. Things appeared to be quiet in Lviv today and will hopefully be the same tomorrow and in the coming weeks

I’m keeping deliberately vague about where and with whom I’ll be, as one never knows who’s monitoring communications transmissions close to the border.

For those who’ve asked whether they can send needed supplies and humanitarian assistance, I’ll have a local address to share in the next day or two. Thank you so much in advance – that is such a wonderful way to help, especially knowing that one of your friends will be personally delivering what you send. It will be humbling to transport and deliver what you send directly to Ukranians stuck or staying in their country as well as to refugees in need who will be on the move.

Much to do and many to help. More to come.

MARCH 29, 2022

Today was really intense and eye opening. Seeing over a thousand refuges crossing out of their country and into Poland at the border post we manned was emotionally wrenching. Only women and children arrived, and knowing that they had all bade farewell to their husbands, fathers and brothers with the knowledge that they might never see them again was sobering and a bit overwhelming.

Rather than write a lot about something that to me defied written description, I’ll let some of my photos from today do the talking.

Pretty tired. Looking forward to what tomorrow brings.

MARCH 31, 2022

Another day has dawned on the Polish – Ukranian border, with thousands more refugees having crossed over into safety yet uncertainty yesterday. Looking into the eyes of these individuals reveals relief at their having left war zones and the destruction that they experienced, combined with trepidation at everything they’ve left behind and and what comes next for them and their families on both sides of the border.

The positive news two days ago following peace talks in Istanbul has been dashed by the continued bombing and shelling of Kyiv and Chernihiv. What appeared to be a pause in hostilities now seems to be a duplicitous repositioning and resupply of Russian troops to correct the enormous deficiencies and mistakes of their war effort to date. What has been affirmed once again is that the Russians cannot be trusted. With this in mind, everyone wonders and asks when things will take a turn for the better.

There’s a rare combination of happiness and sadness in helping these people. Positive emotions in making their difficult journeys and days more bearable, combined with sadness in knowing that they’ve been forced to leave their motherland, their homes and those they love behind.

A word about the people with whom I’m working – the group hails from all over Europe and the States. Super friendly, educated and earnest folks, many of whom have done this before. I have so much respect for their selflessness and caring, as they’ve left comfortable lives behind on very short notice without thinking twice to help others in need. There’s a fantastic bond among the group and a feeling that we’re doing something larger than any of us. The common humanity and kinship is really wonderful and feeds the soul of everyone here.

Here are some photos from yesterday:

A mother looking for her Mom and children while listening to a volunteer’s information:

These busses unload continuously at our refugee center, only to turn around and start the process once again.

Taking the last steps to freedom by foot with the escort of Polish police:

This older man had only one leg and was ashamed to have been forced to leave his country rather than fight.

Grim humor survives the difficulties here.

We’ve treated and transported refugees who arrive with medical conditions. Once stabilized, they are moved to local hospitals for more definitive care.

A makeshift border church. Religion provides tremendous solace and a way to deal with everything that these people are experiencing.

It rained all night, and the forecast the next two days is for continued rain, snow and colder temperatures, hovering near freezing. We’ll do all we can to bring comfort and some certainty to everyone we’ll be working with each day. Caio for now.

APRIL 2, 2022

Ten days in and things are looking potentially better for all involved. Despite Russian deception and duplicity, humanitarian corridors appear to be opening from Mariupol and other eastern cities and towns, where hundreds of thousands have been without food, power and water, living underground, for more than five weeks.

Stopping to eat before boarding another bus to safety.

Outdoor warmth. Temperatures have dropped below freezing and rain and snow have accompanied an unseasonal cold front.

Temporary accommodations just inside the border in Lubycza Krolewska. Trying to rest and sleep here is not easy.

Ukrainians and Poles alike light up when I show them this. I’m learning to pronounce it….

Slavi Ukraini:

I drove to Warsaw on Thursday to pick up two Ukranian mothers and their children who needed transportation to Vilnius, Estonia. They asked not to be photographed because of concerns about their families back home, but they were incredibly grateful and composed in light of what they and their families have been going through. It was a long day, made longer by continuing on to Riga and Tallinn to drop others off on their journeys to distant relatives and safety. The people in the Baltic states are doing so much for their brothers and sisters in Ukraine. The sense of fraternity is just amazing.

Downtown Tallinn last night. The feeling of standing in solidarity with all Ukrainians is palpable here.

The Ukranian resistance grows stronger each day. It is an incredibly powerful and unstoppable force of nature (file photo):

Heading back towards Warsaw and the border. If things in fact become safer inside Ukraine, with humanitarian corridors assured, I expect to head over the border to deliver medical and other supplies to Lviv and other towns and bring refugees out. Fingers crossed that things will improve….

APRIL 5, 2022

Whew. The past three days have been a bit of a blur, driving folks up to Vilnius, Lithuania then continuing on to Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia before turning around and heading back to the Polish / Ukranian border. Lots of miles under my belt, but because I love driving, it was actually pretty cool. Back on the reservation, many people are still coming westward, yet a change has occurred – some Ukrainians, based upon the military victories achieved over Russian forces, are actually returning to their homes. Wow – talk about love of country….

It was very encouraging to find that the Baltic States, all of which are NATO members, and each of which share a border with Russia, are absolutely adamant about stopping Putin in his tracks. They are sending vast quantities of arms and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and have been at the forefront of global condemnation of and opposition to Russia’s invasion of its slavic brother. Yesterday, the president of Lithuania announced that it would no longer import any Russian coal, oil or gas – none – starting today. Talk about leading – an awesome example of stepping forward and being heard in the international community. A shot heard ’round the world.

The group I’ve been working with in Hrebenne, comprised almost exclusively of freelance volunteers from Europe, the US and other countries around the world, is awesome. We’re using a WhatsApp group chat interface to interact, share ideas, request assistance and generally keep track of each other and others. I liken it to using open source software – everyone is in charge and no one controls things. It’s enormously collaborative, and really powerful for getting things done.

Here are some photos of recent days at our outpost in Hrebenne, literally on the Ukrainian border (the smell of diesel fuel from trucks running arms and supplies eastward and buses bringing refugees westward is a constant reminder…).

Sasha, all of eighteen years old, who came with his Mom from the UK:

Tranquility at day’s end:

Poland’s symbolic embrace of Ukraine:

Moving from a bus to a van:

Generators. Worth their weight in gold….

Before the rains…..

Today marks two weeks since I embarked on this journey. It feels like a lot longer, in light of what I’ve seen and experienced on the ground. I have another week to go before shoving off back to the States. People have rotated in and out, based on their schedules, and the bonds formed, even with the constant changes, have been wonderful.

Today I’m in Michalovce, Slovakia, approximately 125 miles south of Hrebenne very close to the Ukrainian border, because we heard that they’re short on help here relative to where we are and other border crossings. It’ll mean meeting new folks and comparing notes with each other on how things are working and how the people moving through are coping with what is happening back home. Now that Russian troops have withdrawn from much of the areas surrounding Kyiv and to its east, the nightmare of their barbaric acts is emerging. We hear that Bucha is likely to be the tip of the iceberg, which is a horrifying thought.

A word to everyone who has asked how they can help financially with the ongoing relief efforts here – every governmental and NG organization with which I’ve interacted, when asked how one can help, requests cash donations and contributions. The benefit of this approach is that they have done this before and know how to deploy and distribute aid in crises. The issue I have is in vetting how donations will be spent and the percentage of contributions that actually reach the refugees. The solution and recommendation for me is to use Charity Navigator – https://www.charitynavigator.org – to determine an organizations’s efficiency and percentage of funds received that are directly used to help those they serve.

The rain has stopped down here, but more is forecast throughout the week. Hoping that it stays on the dry side for everyone’s benefit.

APRIL 9, 2022

The frontier at Michalovce, Slovakia was full of volunteers and devoid of refugees. It has become apparent the past several days that almost all Ukrainians who have wanted to leave the country and who could since the February 24th invasion began through its borders with Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and Moldova have done so. The border station in Hrebenne, where I was encamped with many other volunteers, has taken on the appearance of a ghost town and Michalovce was very similar – tons of infrastructure and volunteers in place, but almost no refugees coming through from Ukraine.

What does impress at these frontier crossings is the number of lorries bringing arms and humanitarian supplies into Ukraine from the west. The trucks are loaded with NATO’s contributions to Ukraine’s war effort, which has as a result fought the formerly vaunted Russian Army to a virtual standstill. No one – not even the best military strategists and minds in the world – could have anticipated or predicted this outcome to date.

Putin is said to have made threee colossal strategic blunders in planning and executing his war – (1) he completely overestimated his troops’ strength, abilities and logistics competence; (2) he totally underestimated the international outrage and unity that his savagery would engender; and (3) he utterly failed to understand the strength and determination of the Ukraine resistance and competence in defending their homeland from a brutal dictator who lied to his generals, his troops and the world. Putin is now paying the price for his monstrous deeds, and one can only hope and pray that the forces opposed to him will remain strong and that he, as every other Russian ruler before him who lost a major military campaign outside Russia’s borders, will be ousted and relegated to the dustbin of history and tied together with other depraved and disgraced dictators such as Stalin and Hitler.

Here are some photos the Michalovce border “town,” which may spring back to life if and when Ukrainians who have to date been trapped in Mariupol and other eastern and southern towns and cities are given safe passage to the west. After yesterday’s train station missile strikes on civilians in Kramatorsk, which killed over one hundred women and children and wounded over three times that number. which was immediately condemned as a war crime by the international community, the likelihood of this happening soon is in serious doubt.

Does Jesus really save?

Part of the former Soviet Union’s military arsenal in Slovakia on its way back to fight Putin and his army of terrorists:

Because refugee passage across Ukraine’s western frontiers has almost ground to a halt, I’m heading to Munich and Berlin, where sizable groups of refugees have been transported and are awaiting resettlement, to lend my hands to those in need. Many have elected to return home, despite the inherent dangers, to check on their homes, their loved ones and to avoid being homeless any longer. The love of country and strength of the Ukranian people which is evoked in this incredibly brave act should tell the monster Vladimir Putin everything he needs to know about the folly of his invasion and butchery. That he will be held accountable, by his own people and by the global community, is a foregone conclusion. That such judgment and punishment occurs much sooner, rather than later, is the fervent hope and aspiration of every Ukranian and every civilized individual around the world.

APRIL 12, 2022 – Reflections

Arrived in Berlin last night and I’m winding down my trip before returning to Warsaw and heading home Thursday at the crack of dawn. My feelings right now are very mixed – I feel that I could stay here for another six months or longer, because so many require so much assistance. At the same time, I’m super grateful that I’ve been able to be here and provide a little kindness and care to those with whom I’ve interacted.

Berlin has been the recipient and host to tens of thousands of Ukranian refugees who have made their way here after leaving their homeland. Berliners have opened their arms to the refugees, yet many are wondering where and how they will be accommodated if it is necessary to do so in the long(er) term. Only time will tell, but it is interesting, in speaking with locals, that no one knows how long their hospitality may be needed. Almost all Ukrainians yearn to return home, so both guests’ and hosts’ interests are aligned, notwithstanding the practical barriers and uncertainties currently in play.

Here’s a file photo of a local young woman here (not my photo, as I just arrived last night):

Photos I took last night while meandering around town:

Apologies for going off task and reverting to tourist mode here, but it felt really good last night to just stroll around a new place without thinking of anything other than how cool and beautiful it was….

I can say that the architecture here is absolutely stunning. Each street and view offers jaw-dropping scenes of magnificent and historical buildings, old combined with new and each with their own story to tell.

Off to help with feeding those who are here trying to figure out their next moves. I’ll update from Warsaw with a final wrap and reflections.

APRIL 24, 2022

Sitting in Franz Josef Airport in Munich after leaving Warsaw early this morning, heading home after an amazing four week journey.

Berlin was overflowing with volunteer assistance, and after visiting two refugee service centers, I realized that there was nothing I could do that wasn’t being done by scores of other volunteers. Germany has mobilized to meet all of the refugees’ needs and then some. It was very heartening to see, although I was itching to lend a hand.

After biking all around the city, I checked into my hotel and had one of those experiences that define a journey like this. After dropping my bag and returning my rental car, I returned to the hotel and dropped into the bar for a farewell beverage.

I introduced myself to the young ladies behind the bar, and mentioned my Polish heritage. After smiling politely, one of them told me in excellent English that she was Ukrainian and had left her home with her mother days after the war started, when her town, Ivankiv, was bombed, shelled with missiles and invaded by tank and armored personnel carriers.

Her name, Tatiana, is Russian, demonstrating the absolute insanity of Putin’s war. I asked whether her father, brother(s) and boyfriend or husband remained to fight and she told me, with incredible grace and stoicism, that her father had been killed in the first week of the war. Hearing that was a real punch to the gut, bringing the tragedy and loss home in such an intimate way, and I expressed how deeply sorry I was for her loss. I was at a loss for words, but incredibly, she only wanted to thank me for my assistance.

My time in Poland and Slovakia assisting the refugees and meeting innumerable volunteers from the States and around the world has been eye opening and laden with feelings and emotions in so many ways. I’m so glad I came, as staying home while so many innocent people suffered was something I felt that I just couldn’t do.

My hope is that Putin, a monster but not a stupid man, will soon realize that his original goals are unobtainable and that some sort of negotiated settlement will soon be agreed to. I’m not optimistic, however, because of his past ruthlessness in Georgia, Grozny, Chechnia and Syria. Whether the economic sanctions focus his mind like the sight of the noose remains to be seen. I don’t have illusions there, however.

The historic struggle now underway in Ukraine is the most epochal global event of the past eighty years. Virtually no one thought something this horrific and cataclysmic could occur again, yet the global order and post-World War II stability that Europe has enjoyed for so long have both been shattered by a madman. The Ukrainian spirit, moxie and determination has to date far outpaced everything that the Russians have tried, so I am somewhat hopeful that their morale, combined with more cutting edge and conventional weaponry from the West, will bleed the Russians until peace is sued for. In the mean time, an innocent country and its people have been cast into the cauldron of mans’ evil and darkness once again.

Thanks to everyone who has followed my blog. I’m so appreciative of all the love, support and best wishes everyone has showered upon me. Hopefully another trip like this won’t happen for a good long while, but reality often intrudes into the calm sense we have come to expect in our lives, so one never knows….