Ukraine Refugee Family Seeking Donations for Vehicle
Please consider donating to a Ukraine refugee family in need of transportation.
I am Bruce and met Oksana and Mykola when I taught for three weeks in Ukraine. Their help was immense. They are smart, driven people who always have a smile on their face. Following is their story:
Forced to flee from Ukraine, Solomiia is now rocking it in Texas. She has been in the US for only 2 weeks and this was the first time she had sat on a saddle— but she knew what to do. Help her mommy and daddy get a used car to be able to go to school and care for her.
Mykola and Oksana are professionals who had a beautiful life that was rich with friends and family in Kharkiv, Ukraine. They had hopes Russia would not invade their country but left with their daughter Solomiia. The horror started 2 days later when Russia bombed their city and the invasion started. Their beautiful city, the parks, and their home were destroyed. Everything they had was suddenly—gone……car, home, clothes, personal belongings, memories—gone, totally gone! Friends and family that survived are scattered and surviving in basements as the devastation continues. They were stranded in Cyprus in a tiny hotel for months dealing with bureaucratic red tape.
It took months before the US agreed to accept any Ukrainians. They were living day to day with no idea what was next. Lucky, they were among the extremely limited number finally accepted by the US. They have friends who have helped them find housing and food. They are industrious people and have enrolled in a master’s program at Texas A&M in Dallas with the intent of getting their bar license to practice law in Texas in a year. They need transportation. Currently, they are looking at a 2012 Volvo with 124,000 miles on it. A vehicle is a necessity for them to get to school and care for Solomiia.
The pictures show the beauty and joy in the life they had. (yes, Oksana made the birthday cake) You see the pristine city where they lived and then, in a matter of days, it is destroyed leaving children being dug from the rubble. Despite the terror, shock, and despair for their family and friends, Mykola and Oksana have worked to protect and provide for their daughter.
Your help will provide them transportation to go to classes, get groceries and take Solomiia to school. Money cannot replace the life they had but it can help restore hope for them and help them start a new life.