05/03/2022
Today will stay in my heart forever.
We drove to the Slovak-Ukrainian boarder, where we handed over the medical supplies. A little girl gave us the ‘peace’ drawing, which she drew as we were loading the van.
Then we decided to go to the boarder crossing point. It was middle of the night and the temperatures were below 0 as we watched the people crossing, mostly by foot. As I observed how most of them carried just one or two medium sized bags, it struck me how quickly they made the decision and left their places.
We got in touch with the Order of Malta to offer a ride to whomever is in need. Within minutes we met a young family. A mother and her two children, son 16 and daughter 14. The daughter’s birthday was on the day the conflict began. Couple of minutes into the conversation I realized that just moments before they had to unexpectedly say goodbye to their father and husband, without knowing when they will see each other again. He didn’t cross the boarder with them. I didn’t tell the kids that their father knew he won’t be able to cross with them and that he just didn’t want them to worry about it on the way to the boarder. The emotions I felt cannot be put in words. But what they must have been feeling is utterly heartbreaking. No child, no matter in which country should feel what they felt.
They needed a ride to Bratislava, where their friends were ready to take them in for the first days. So we got into our car together and took off direction peace and safety. We drove through the whole night.
The mother is an aeronautic engineer and just up until a week ago she was running a successful business, consulting other experts on creating amazing online courses. Her husband is a telecommunications engineer. They met during their studies. The son wants to become a 3D developer.
Today they will wake up in an other country, far away from their home and without their father and husband nearby. The father will not kiss his wife before leaving to work, he won’t hug his children before they leave for school and he won’t come home after a long day to a home where his family is waiting for him.
What remains is hope, while facing utter uncertainty. Yet, the mother told me: ‘While the situation is desperate, we do feel and see the love and helping hand from Europe. It gives us the strength to see a bright future on the horizon.’
We brought the family safely to its friends.
We hugged. We made friends. A new chapter started for them. And to me, all my problems seem meaningless.
Thank you again to all our contributors. You made this possible.
Donations to:
Konto Name: Stichting Maastricht Disrupt
IBAN: NL59 INGB 0007 2564 01
BIC/SWIFT: INGBNL2A
Subject: Mission Democracy
