Death in the morning....

...in Kherson, where two people were killed whilst we were making our aid run there. Amongst the usual sounds of shells being fired, there was a particularly loud explosion near us. When you hear this, your first reaction is that you are grateful that it wasn't closer. The second is the hope that no one was injured.

The morning started very early, at a wholesale warehouse, where we bought adult incontinence products with recent Trawden donations.

The aid drops themselves went very smoothly. The first two to large apartment blocks, where community leaders ensure it is distributed according to need. We get sent many photos .... it's as if proof has to be sent for every item given. We understand why this happens but it does make me uncomfortable. It's hard to explain why.

I don't mind the one of the cat so much....

The next drop-off point was to a UNICEF centre in Kherson, where we were able to distribute some items specifically sent to us by our Welsh volunteer colleague, Jenny....lovely children's stationery packs. We were pleased to give out such nice quality items. They really are much appreciated.

We were also able to do a lesson. Old MacDonald never had such a strange array of animals... with sounds being made up for butterflies and unicorns...and all with the sound of shells being fired in the background.
You can't make it up. Think this is me trying to be a McDonald's farm elephant...


The fourth was just a simple aid drop of candles and batteries, for flooded areas without electricity.

Before the last drop, we were able to stop by a gently flowing river for our lunch. The peace, a sharp contrast to the shelling. Cheese and wonderful Ukrainian tomatoes....

Our final drop was to a school in a village near Kherson that had been occupied by the Russians. They systematically destroyed all the Ukrainian books. We were able to drop off some Ukrainian books that had kindly been donated by Lviv Lion Publishing. We were also able to drop off a small amount of food aid, domestic products and baby blankets.
We await photos of books being distributed.

All in all, a wonderful day, doing the things that we enjoy doing. But it's exhausting. The temperature was in the low 30°c; the air conditioning in the van worked to the extent that it blew extra super-heated air into the cab. We started off at 06:45 and got back at 18:50. Driving on roads that are basically broken. 

Nevertheless, and I can't speak for Fi, now sitting with my beer, having had a shower.....what else would I prefer to do than help the people we meet? In a country at war, but not one of it's own choice.

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