More questions than answers...

...as we passed the time before our return train to Lviv, walking along deserted promenades, beside beaches populated only by seagulls. We realised also, as we tried to find different ways down to the seafront, how heavily fortified Odesa is, because there is only one way down. You can't get anywhere near the vast port area - all the silos, cranes, crates, loading docks empty and quiet - and no photos are allowed anywhere near it. 

So the questions:

Where do we most usefully base ourselves?

What can we most usefully do?

What are the greatest needs and what can be funded?

What about our health and safety?

Some of the issues and realities:

Bob has found a place where he can volunteer as a cook in Odessa, run by a Ukrainian couple and other volunteers, alongside the main refugee centre. They rely on volunteers and continued funding.

There's a Ukrainian volunteer in Lviv who wants to start making some basic cooked food for refugees at the railway station. So far, he has cooking oil and potatoes! Someone has given us funding that we could use to purchase some cooking equipment to start him up, but it requires a much bigger investment.

There is a shortage of sponsors in England, and Wales and Scotland have suspended their Super Sponsor schemes, so supporting families through the "Homes for Ukraine" process will no longer occupy a lot of our time. Plus, we have finally found a proactive sponsor-guest matching charity that is based in Lviv, and has the staff (including translator and drivers) and technical resources to complete visa applications more efficiently than us, as well as transport guests from war zones if necessary. Using the new App, which seems to be effective after all, visas are being approved in days rather than weeks.

As usual, it is individual people, rather than organisations, who are making a difference. Yesterday we met a man about our age, who is dedicating all his time and effort to obtaining and arranging for the distribution of aid to war-torn places.

A dentist and her husband run the main refugee centre in Odesa, reliant on the ongoing generosity of mostly local people and businesses. They applied to UNICEF weeks ago for funding for tablets (i.e.small computers) for about 4,000 refugee children when they start school, which will be completely online. So far, no reply. This needs a response from a very large organisation.

Which brings me to books written in Ukrainian, which, I hadn't realised, are scarce and expensive, particularly for children. There are hardly any publishers in Ukraine and most children's books are written in Russian. When it was suggested that we use some of our funding to buy books for children at the refugee centre in Odesa, we expected s sort of WH Smith equivalent. But these don't exist. Instead, we relied on a volunteer to take us to a market with various book stalls, where he sorted out the few children's books written in Ukrainian, of the best quality and at the best price. This, to me, seems like a much needed funding area.

The book title translated as "Little Kit," according to Bob. It is written by a Ukrainian author and has the most beautiful illustrations.

There's much more to consider, including our safety if we moved to Odesa, which is much closer to the front line. However, it has fresh sea air, which would be much better for our health than the very high pollution levels of Lviv.

There was no room on the night sleeper so we took the 15:55 train, which, again, left on time, to the second. We booked 2 lower berths this time and were lucky enough to have the compartment to ourselves again. We still have pillows and sheets as we won't arrive in Lviv until about 4 a.m. This train is about 60 years old, we reckon - the wooden window frame is held in place by sellotape! Very basic sanitary conditions! So far the train rattles, squeaks and sways, rather than jumps, as it's not going more than 40 miles an hour.

A rambly blog for a rambly journey.  Fortunately, my battery is running low!