September 2022 Update
Evacuations
Our regular mission to Zaporizhzhia
Volunteers at the refugee center worked their magic, and a family from Pologov, a village in Russian-occupied territories, was already waiting for us. We met a married couple with two kids and a toddler. The family traveled through the occupied territories for three days and waited on buses for many hours, not knowing if they would be allowed to leave. But now all that was behind, and we needed to take them to Lviv, from where they wanted to go to Europe. They did not know where they were going, just as far from the war as possible.
The adults were subdued, while the kids were overexcited. Everyone was affected by the fear and uncertainty of the last few days and a short but hectic stay at the refugee camp. Two small suitcases of belongings for the whole family- that's all. Loading was followed by a quick briefing and a long, 16-hour trip to Lviv.
Our passengers got enough sleep on the way, and the children began to come alive slowly. It's easier for kids. The most challenging thing was to convey that they should not be afraid of the people in military uniform and those carrying weapons. They were the defenders.
While driving, we stayed connected with volunteers from Lviv, trying to find a place to stay for our passengers. We got lucky; our acquaintances from a Baptist church agreed to accept the family until they could be sent to the border. By evening, we reached them.
Then, "good byes and thanks," joint photos, and good luck wishes. And now, five more people were snatched away from the war.
The first mission for our new ambulance, "Nika"
We got up at five o'clock in the morning to load the ambulance with humanitarian aid and left base at six o'clock for Mykolaiv. It was cold and raining cats and dogs.
As soon as we crossed the Odessa region, it felt like summer. No rain, just warmth, and sunshine.
On the road, we coordinated with local volunteers to hand over humanitarian aid. Due to major repairs, the bridge on the main road to Mykolaiv had only one lane open, so we lost a lot of time sitting in traffic. When we arrived in Mykolaiv, we met with local volunteers who picked up supplies to be further delivered to a local hospital.
We got to our hotel only around ten o'clock in the evening. The place was very "economic" – two beds, no lamps on the side tables, only one chair, but it was very cheap.
Due to the Russians' destruction of the water purification system, the water in the faucet was terrible. It tasted like seawater and had a rusty color. So – no shower for us.
But a big, huge plus was a coffee machine in the lobby and bottled water for it!
The next day, we got up at 5:15 a.m., got coffee, and picked up our 83-year-old "babushka" (grandma). She was very polite, constantly asking if she was causing us too much trouble. We loaded up, buckled up, and started our journey back to Lviv. Due to the bridge problems, we decided to go via country roads. OH MY GOD –the road was absolutely terrible! I think our poor "Nika"(car) was thinking: "What did I ever do in my previous life as British ambulance to deserve this?" We spent almost three hours covering 100 kilometers to get to the highway.
It was cold and raining again when we returned to the Lviv region. We arrived in Lviv around 9:40 p.m. and brought our "babushka" to the local refugee shelter. Local volunteers were waiting for us and were quite impressed with our new "Nika." After transferring care, we returned to the base and immediately went to sleep. We were utterly exhausted.
Our" Nika" passed the road test. However, we discovered several flaws. The biggest problem – whoever converted from the "right side steering" to the left side did not replace the mirror posts, so you could barely see anything in the mirrors. Also, the power steering was not working, so we will have to fix it very soon .
But the most important fact was that we finished our mission!
Medical Supplies
Delivering Medical Supplies
GDRT collected, shipped, and delivered twenty-two boxes, 603 lbs. of medical supplies, to hospitals in Odesa, Lviv, and Kharkiv.
Letter of Thanks from the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Central Region of Vinnytsia
(translated from Ukrainian)
To: GLOBAL DISASTER RELIEF TEAM
The Military Medical Clinical Center of the Central Region of Vinnytsia will provide highly specialized medical care to servicemen injured and traumatized as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
Command and staff of the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Central Region would like to sincerely thank you for the charitable assistance provided, in the form of consumables for VAC systems.
We are convinced that in the future your help and rich experience will support the people of Ukraine to achieve victory over the aggressor Russian-Ukrainian war. May all good deeds return a hundredfold, and God's protection will always be near.
Sincerely
Head of the Military Medical Clinical Center of the Central Region colonel of the medical service
- Serhiy PASHKOVSKY