Two Middletown sisters traveled to Ukraine to deliver supplies to those in need and are now back home. A trip that was supposed to be three weeks turned into a month. Sisters, Annie King and Stephanie Hall spent their first week in Lviv. “It was a lot of traffic, a lot of buses. There was a massive refugee camp,” said King. Leaving Lviv and heading to the Poland-Ukraine border is where they would find drop centers for supplies to be distributed. “I knew it was wise to be at the border volunteering rather than the city,” said King. Hearing the stories of shelling and of what was headed their way. Working night and day with volunteers from all over-donations steadily poured in. “We had one box and you could tell it was a mom that packed it because it was just full of the perfect little things for kids,” said Hall. “Seeing the joy on grown men’s faces and the excitement of working with those radios and seeing that all the pieces were there they were good radios; that was amazing and the life straws explaining what that was they thought it was the coolest thing in the world.” Realizing they were now able to filter liquids taking out majority of the bacteria for clean drinking. Once volunteering on the border they were able to hear and share stories. Those of families who had made it out and those who decided to stay. Meeting a young woman and her child in the place where they were staying. “We asked her are you going across into Poland and she said, ‘No I’m just going to stay here for a couple weeks, I’m sure the war will be over in a week or two’. It shredded my heart because I know realistically that’s not true but they have this hope of I just want to go home,” Hall said.Both sisters agree there are common misconceptions when it comes to knowing what families are experiencing. Wanting others to know that what Ukrainians are facing is happening fast and to everyone. Annie speaks of a couple who she spoke with. They had nothing but their dog and BMW, all documentation had been left behind. “I think a lot of people when they think of refugees they think poor people or homeless people. Like refugees are not necessarily poor or homeless people they are displaced people who now have no home. Who had normal lives and they were working every day and providing for their families now all of a sudden they are homeless and have nothing through no fault of their own,” she said. Stephanie recalled the moment she broke down. Thinking of her own child. “There was a woman who walked out of one of the tents holding her crying child and I was like they are living here right now. I can’t imagine taking my son away from his home and his family and his father and having to live in a tent at the border. So yea that was heartbreaking,” Hall said.Yet through all of their experiences, they both say the hardest part of the trip was leaving. “I think that we would both agree that our hearts are there,” Annie said.Both girls are currently looking at their finances and other support to move to Ukraine.
Two Middletown sisters traveled to Ukraine to deliver supplies to those in need and are now back home. A trip that was supposed to be three weeks turned into a month. Sisters, Annie King and Stephanie Hall spent their first week in Lviv.
“It was a lot of traffic, a lot of buses. There was a massive refugee camp,” said King.
Leaving Lviv and heading to the Poland-Ukraine border is where they would find drop centers for supplies to be distributed.
“I knew it was wise to be at the border volunteering rather than the city,” said King. Hearing the stories of shelling and of what was headed their way.
Working night and day with volunteers from all over-donations steadily poured in.
“We had one box and you could tell it was a mom that packed it because it was just full of the perfect little things for kids,” said Hall. “Seeing the joy on grown men’s faces and the excitement of working with those radios and seeing that all the pieces were there they were good radios; that was amazing and the life straws explaining what that was they thought it was the coolest thing in the world.”
Realizing they were now able to filter liquids taking out majority of the bacteria for clean drinking.
Once volunteering on the border they were able to hear and share stories. Those of families who had made it out and those who decided to stay. Meeting a young woman and her child in the place where they were staying.
“We asked her are you going across into Poland and she said, ‘No I’m just going to stay here for a couple weeks, I’m sure the war will be over in a week or two’. It shredded my heart because I know realistically that’s not true but they have this hope of I just want to go home,” Hall said.
Both sisters agree there are common misconceptions when it comes to knowing what families are experiencing. Wanting others to know that what Ukrainians are facing is happening fast and to everyone. Annie speaks of a couple who she spoke with. They had nothing but their dog and BMW, all documentation had been left behind.
“I think a lot of people when they think of refugees they think poor people or homeless people. Like refugees are not necessarily poor or homeless people they are displaced people who now have no home. Who had normal lives and they were working every day and providing for their families now all of a sudden they are homeless and have nothing through no fault of their own,” she said.
Stephanie recalled the moment she broke down. Thinking of her own child.
“There was a woman who walked out of one of the tents holding her crying child and I was like they are living here right now. I can’t imagine taking my son away from his home and his family and his father and having to live in a tent at the border. So yea that was heartbreaking,” Hall said.
Yet through all of their experiences, they both say the hardest part of the trip was leaving.
“I think that we would both agree that our hearts are there,” Annie said.
Both girls are currently looking at their finances and other support to move to Ukraine.