Maxxam Insurance is asking for your help to support a young Ukrainian Family settling in Sooke, BC.

Here is Nataliia’s story, she is the mother of 13 year old Sophiia and 8 year Andrii.

They will be starting school and looking for work here. They have left their husband/father and family behind with much uncertainty of what the future holds. We are reaching out as a community for clothing donations, gift certificates or cash to assist in the transition.

 

Clothing Sizes:

- Nataliia: Large

- Sophiia: XS

- Andrii: Size 8-10

 

Email: UkraineSooke@gmail.com

Life changes in an instant.

That's what happened to my family. On that terrible night when the war in Ukraine began at 5:00 am on February 24, 2022. When we woke up in the morning, the children had to go to school, and my friend called and said: "The war has started, I do not let children into school, I do not know what to do next." These words led me to shock and stupor, the first thought was true, but what should I do? I clearly understood the need to protect and preserve the lives of my children.

 

War is a terrible thing, it becomes ruthless both to enemies and to itself. At first you perceive information as if everything is happening in a Hollywood movie but not with you, you live, breathe but no longer control your life, war dictates the rules.

Like most mothers, my instinct for self-preservation worked, but where to take the children to save their lives, to protect them from the darkness that was coming over Ukraine more and more every minute. But the first thing I did was go with my husband to the store and buy products just in case, and then only uncertainty. People ran to the grocery stores and, because of their abilities, bought what they saw.

 

Where is the safe place now?

 

When the first explosions took place in Kyiv, our very close relatives left it an hour and a half later, took my mother and all four of them came to us at 12:30. We were already in Vinnytsia region. On the day of the beginning of the war, my aunt Valya was born and on her birthday we greeted her on our doorstep. But they were lucky to be one of the first when it was less or less free on the roads, but it was not so with everyone, Kyiv was crowded, people went where they saw, who had gasoline, he drove to the end, and then just walked on, left the car only the most expensive children and pets.

 

I tried to call all my relatives and friends and find out how they are alive and how I can help. Truth be told, look at your phone, incoming in 3 days will show who is your true friend. And in fact the list has been greatly reduced. But despite this, you begin to turn to your family, distant relationships become the closest, relatives with whom you have not communicated for a long time today are the most important people in your life. It seems to me that the war has brought family relationships closer to many families, today it is an ode to the small advantages of the war in my eyes.

 

My nephew and his daughter Sofiyka also lived in Kyiv, and it was not so easy for them to leave. Their life was bustling, good work, new apartment, repairs just finished with the last money, and here is the war, how to go and leave everything to do, father alone (the woman refused the right to call herself mother). They waited until the evening, so the road was much harder and longer, the 4-hour journey stretched for 10. Exhausted and confused, they also came to Ilyinka and came to see us for an hour just to see each other, and Sofiyka had her 5th birthday. All the gifts remained in Kyiv and the princess's holiday cake. I'm ashamed to admit, I didn't know about my birthday, and I saw Sofiyka for the first time, so I wasn't ready and it still upsets me. Family ties are very weak, everyone is obsessed with their problems and their lives, but the war has changed that.

 

And so two days, two birthdays, one question - how to proceed? Eyes full of tears, shock, cry of the soul, sleepless nights due to constant sirens of anxiety. Dressed children are already asleep in the bathroom the third day is gone.

 

Dima, another nephew of mine, went to war today. Protect us from death, from an incomprehensible war, and its main causes. Honestly, today I do not understand the reasons for this war. Deep down, of course, yes, but the head does not fit all this - why.

 

Helicopters fly overhead, sirens sound every two hours, children cry through their sleep and shudder. Territorial defense has been organized in the center of the city, school buses with conscripts are constantly leaving the military registration and enlistment office, and they look like children, their hearts are pounding. At night, a military unit arrived for redeployment, and I had the honor of meeting them remotely. The soldiers who had just been called up from their cozy homes left everything and went to protect us.

 

The city became not mine, strangers everywhere, many refugees came from cities that were directly under fire, people, children, dogs, everyone was shocked and hopeless. We weren't ready for that at all. There are no bomb shelters, and the basements are not ready for use, and whether they are safe and whether they will get you out of the rubble if the panel house crumbles like a card.

 

Day after day, the situation heated up, it became known about even more shelling, began to bomb not only airports and shelters, but also the homes of civilians. When children began to die, my heart was broken, for me children are the most important thing and it doesn't matter whose they are. Many acquaintances went abroad, some to relatives, and some just where the eyes saw. Sasha, my husband, made me gather the necessary things and all the willpower in my fist. The decision was made, he will take us to the border, make sure we are safe and return to protect our home.

 

It seems like just packing backpacks with what your kids need until you come across it. To be honest, I found a memo on the Internet and collected things around the clock. But it is an indescribable pity to leave our native walls, each dent has its own history.

 

It is harder to leave my mother and aunt Galya - these are the most important people in my life together with Sasha, my husband and children. Sofia is 13 years old, Andriy is 8 years old. Our "Family king spits UA" are three beautiful dogs without which life is not so bright if you do not lick these paws.

 

We said goodbye to everyone, left the dogs to my mother so that the separation was not so difficult and they were all waiting for us at home. The only thing on my mind is that we will see each other and I can't let go of my arms as I hug her. You can't cry, children are watching and the soul is torn to pieces. My mother was born in 1949, she was a volunteer in the war in Afghanistan, so she knows that something irreparable can happen and supports Sasha's decision to take us to safety.

 

When they got in the car, they had no idea where to go. The plan was just to the border, and there with God's help. We chose the road through Chernivtsi to Romania, this road is the least congested, the majority of people went to Lviv and then to Poland. There was not enough petrol in one direction, we left.

 

On the way there was a plan to stay with my cousin for one night and cross the border on foot in the morning. Valery Feodosiyovych met us with a sincere desire to help and a military charter. The plan to stay overnight turned into something else. His words were prophetic: "You didn't just come here, it had to happen in your life."

 

Now we are visiting and I am 34, again a birthday and a war in parallel. And I'm just reading the news: losses, explosions, deaths, destruction, poverty, food shortages and cold. When I was greeted that day, I felt ashamed that I was alive and had something to eat, and other people didn't. I was afraid to feel happy.

 

Against the background of great stress, we all got sick on the way, the children had a high temperature, and on arrival Sasha and I had a temperature of 40, lack of sense of reality and such a heavy weight. This delayed our departure, I think fate intervened. I don't remember those days well, everything was in a fog. Nobody canceled my mother's work, breakfast, lunch, dinner…

 

Valery Feodosiyovych, he left us until the end of the war, we had no resistance. Everyone believed that the war would end one of these days. The days went by and the situation only heated up first Bucha then Mariupol and a huge number of losses. Dead soldiers began to be brought to Ilyinka to say goodbye and bury them with honor. These were people I knew who lived nearby. A son and son-in-law were brought to the same family, an indescribable loss. Eternal memory to the HEROES.

 

After Dima went to war, my day begins with a message to him, although I do not know how to write correctly, which words will be successful, and when I see that he at least looked - it gives me hope that he will return alive because home he is waiting for a beautiful daughter who is 10 months old Anna and a loving wife and we are his family.

 

Friends and their children traveled to different countries in the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Finland and Germany. But I did not feel that I was dear there, I was looking for my way. The news reads that Canada invites, simplifies entry rules for Ukrainians, and most importantly gives permission to work, not refugee status. For me, this was the most important reason for choosing a country. I want to work to provide for my children.

 

Sasha found out the site and filled out the questionnaires for us, I was shocked at the time, I still couldn't believe it, so far from home. She began to study new information and rules. She found the Ukraine-Canada groups on Facebook, but after reading the posts of Ukrainians she was even more shocked. Everyone writes that you do not need to come here, it is very difficult, you will not find a job without perfect knowledge of the language, you will not feed the family for the pennies you will earn, especially a woman with children, there are no options, stay at home, you have no way here . Although at the same time I see that the whole world is for Ukraine, holding rallies and fairs in support of the military.

 

Almost all nations support us, want to help, and it gives me a bright hope that there will be a way out for my family. In Ukraine, meanwhile, Russia is dropping phosphorus bombs in the east, seizing nuclear reactors at Chernobyl, and preventing the extinguishing of fires in Zaporizhia at a nuclear power plant. And before you again is the question of whether to stay with children in Ukraine or move on.

 

I received an email in the mail, my application is being considered for biometric data, I am terribly confused with the children alone to go on such a long journey. But my friend Olga always repeats one phrase: "you can master the road by walking." Accidentally found a link to the site "I can help" it gave me hope.

 

My friend Luda and her daughter Masha also decided to change their lives with me and decided to change their lives, we decided to go this way together.

 

On March 19, 2022, at 11:32, I wrote to Annie-Maria Smith. It changed my life.

 

I believed that there are still good people in the world who selflessly and without condemnation want to help, support with words and inspire hope in my heart. I felt her warmth and love, the light radiated by Anna-Maria is visible overseas and I feel it on my palms in Ukraine. I believed that I could go this way only with her support, our communication lasted every day. Although I do not know the language and we communicate with the help of an interpreter.

 

After that day, my life began to take on bright colors. I did not specify, there should be 5 of us, Sofia, Andrew, Luda and Masha. In fact, to subscribe to this requires a lot of courage and a huge heart of kindness, generosity and love. I will be infinitely grateful for this for the rest of my life.

 

It seems to me that after our acquaintance miracles began to happen every day. We went through biometrics in Moldova with Luda, despite the fact that the temperature in the yard was sub-zero and we stood in line from 2:45 am to 4:10 am, but we were happy to do so. This was the second important step before meeting Anna-Maria. And with each passing day, these steps became more and more, and on my way began to meet more and more good people. No wonder they say: "good attracts good" is really true. After submitting the biometric data, you need to go to Moldova twice more and hand in and then pick up your visa passports in a week. The work was almost done, to go for a passport tomorrow, and how to get there, thousands of kilometers ahead.

 

Go to Facebook in the morning, and there is the first message: "I saw in another group there are three free tickets to Vancouver, maybe someone will be lucky." I have square eyes, my hands are shaking but I am writing. I turned to the administrator of the group Natalia Maczka, an incredible woman, she answered very quickly and accepted my request. Her eyes were full of tears of joy and I felt that she had taken on my burden. A low bow for the good people do for strangers. She didn't ask for anything, she just did the job she could, and she knows how to do it perfectly. Bring together people who need help and people who want to help. I flew once many years ago and children who will see for the first time a live plane, three backpacks and two small suitcases. We did not know what lay ahead.

 

I received my passport with visas on Wednesday, departure from Rome to Vancouver on Tuesday, and I still need to get there from Ukraine. Natalia found a way out of the situation. Tickets from Romania to Rome were bought by the sensitive and friendly Lana Mariya, she took care of us throughout the trip, thank you very much.

 

The route is paved, the goal is to protect children from war. It doesn't matter how hard it will be and how much it will cost.

 

The journey begins.

 

Sunday 10:00 am 17.04.2022 departure Chernivtsi - Suceava Romania.

Carriers from Chernivtsi brought us to the border, we crossed the border on foot, the welcoming party was very friendly, which surprised us very much. Many police and all coordinate refugees from Ukraine, volunteers. We were taken to a carrier who was already waiting for us to take us to the train station. He helped to buy tickets to Cluj-Napoca, tickets for Ukrainians are free, it was very nice. Andrew was delighted - it was the first train journey in his life. But he will have a lot ahead of him for the first time. We were fed by volunteers in Suceava and Cluj-Napoca upon arrival. At 01:00 we took a taxi to a small hotel near the airport. It was a clean bright room where we spent a night and a half waiting for our plane.

 

Monday 19:10 18.04.2022 landing on the flight Cluj-Napoca Rome.

We arrived in Rome very quickly, the children had a good flight. Thanks to the impeccable work of Natalia, our coordinator. We were already greeted by a family of Italians who hospitably invited us to spend the night and pick them up from the airport. We are very grateful to Alessandro and his wife for the warm welcome, invaluable help and pleasant conversation over dinner.

 

Tuesday 10:30 19.04.2022 Italy Rome airport

New impressions and new acquaintances again. We were approached by a man with a good smile and a whole suitcase of gifts Peter Denys, our Superman! And it really is. He came to Rome from Quebec for us, accompanied and supported us, helped me every minute, and the road was no longer so terrible when there was a man nearby who was oriented in everything.

 

Toronto, migration service, long waits of almost 4 hours, experiences, we are almost late for the last plane to Vancouver, but God is in heaven and protects us, I know for sure, we are on a plane and have a little way to go to the long-awaited meeting.

 

Wednesday, April 20, 2022 Vancouver, transfer to the island by ferry

Thanks to a large support army, Anna-Maria arranged for a hotel in Vancouver, which was also paid for by good people. I don't know their name, but thank you very much, it was incredibly nice for me and I really needed a rest. But this is not the end of my long story. Jey was waiting for us near the hotel, he took us to the ferry and paid for the tickets to Victoria, another selfless act of kindness.

 

A low bow to everyone who helped, in word, deed, money, time, support, faith. I will not forget this kindness and I will do my best to thank everyone as much as possible. I wish you and your families to be healthy, to smile on the new day and rejoice in the achievements of your children, infinite happiness, luck and peace of mind.

 

And Elden is waiting for us with flowers and a sincere smile. New home, new adventures and achievements. Anna-Maria opens the door of the house and says: "Welcome home, you are safe"! Tears of joy and a sense of comfort, a lot of gifts for everyone, a sense of gratitude overflows. Thank you for changing our lives, making us believe in the best, giving us hope and love.

 

Our story does not end, do not judge.                                       

strictly translated by a translator, but written from the heart.