Travelling from Lviv to Kharkiv (video)
We had really busy Sunday and Monday. We have teamed up with our friends from another charity Fundacja Historia Vita Tomasz and Przemyslaw who helped us a lot and drove another van with supplies for us and for their charity. Travelling from Lviv to Kharkiv and passing through Kiev took us through some of the places that has been heavily devastated by war and that’s just a fraction of what we have seen. There are road blocks and police checkpoints everywhere through the city’s and through the country so we couldn’t move as fast as we hoped. Sometimes whole part of a motorway would be closed so we had to divert through small countryside roads that are really bad and also full of checkpoints. Once we were lucky to have police escort otherwise we would be stuck for hours. Our goal was to deliver some of the foodstuffs and equipment to our friends devotees who selflessly cooking and distributing free hot meals to people of Kharkiv. Day before we reached Kharkiv we slept in Poltava as it was not possible to reach Kharkiv in time to avoid police restrictions of movement that are in place there over night. We slept in a basement due constant alarms for air attacks. Next day we left early morning to reach Kharkiv that was some 2 hours drive away. First we visited our dear friend Maha Vishnu pr whom I know for more than 20 years. Him and his friends who doing food distribution for many years were very happy that they got some support and help. They were in desperate need for better vehicle as they only had a small car so we bought for them a van Renault Traffic that we brought from Poland. After unloading some of the stuff we brought for them we went to visit another group of wonderful devotees from the local ISKCON temple that distribute free hot meals in the city underground and through the city stations. Again we met some old friends there. After unloading everything we went with them to the distribution point in underground station that is closed just for refugees who took shelter there for the last 45+ days. But first before we reach that place we stopped to deliver food for local army in nearby building on the way. It was hard to see all that people in the underground who sleep on the floor and in train carriages that has been brought there for them. Something that I could expect to see only in some apocalyptic movies . We distributed food there and on a way out when we were leaving station all people spontaneously started clapping their hands in a sign of gratitude. Our friends than left for another place to distribute food and we went to meet up with Maha Vishnu pr and his group that distribute food for people on other side of the town. After meeting with them and spending some time there we needed to hit the road again as it was not advised to stay overnight there as constant bombing could be heard through the day. That area was marked as a red zone which is considered as a high risk. We left afternoon to be in Kiev at evening befor another police restrictions movement started by 10pm. That’s just a brief description and much more could be said. Only thing I would add is to ask is for anyone who is willing to help and offer them financial support so they can carry on with free food program for people of Kharkiv and Ukraine in general.
Watch it here: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=97658