From lightness to dark...

We woke in the family house of our Polish friends, to snow and brightness, and a slightly over-exuberant hound....training going well. We now know the Polish for "not allowed"... the hound not so much.
We went to the local church, St Antony of Padua, where, given that it was only slightly after 8:00am, we were met by many enthusiastic volunteers. The van was soon filled. We have been most impressed by the efforts of this small community. Really good aid...and there's enough for another van load. The van arrived with Tomasz, already half full from his aid organisation, "Paczki dla Ukraini" (Packages for Ukraine). It's really heartwarming to see all these people working together for a common cause. Then back for a shared breakfast at Joanna's and Mikhail's home, with Tomasz and assorted children and animals. How did this all happen?

Someone also sent this photo....one could be hurt...
Then the journey to Lviv, uneventful. However, at the border, as we are delivering aid, we didn't have the hours long wait that the others wanting to return to Ukraine have to endure. Even so it took us 1.5 hours to get through.

And then we arrived in Lviv. A modern city, but mainly in darkness, except for the few shops and individuals with generators or high powered batteries. It's eerie. As you drive along you can hardly see the people in the street. Mobile phones sometimes light a face. We delivered some of the aid, in total darkness save for torch light, to people who will take it further and were warmly welcomed, as ever.
We stopped at one of the few shops open, by means of a generator. Even then, dimly lit. Ghostly is the best way I can describe it....pale faces that you can hardly make out. But still laughter at the tills and smiles. And then home to our apartment. Our home in Ukraine.

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