Messages from Kherson

I've been away from Ukraine for nearly 3 weeks and, in Buenos Aires, I'm physically very far away. But I still look around if I hear a loud bang. I heard an actual siren the other day - I don't know what it was for and it didn't last long, but my ears are still tuned to this sound.

We're keeping in touch with friends in Ukraine. I think it's important to keep the ongoing reality of the war alive in the rest of the world. It's best told by the people there.
These are text messages from friends in Kherson over the past couple of weeks:

01.11.2023
"Thank you for keeping in touch with us. It's a shame that big uncles started playing real evil games, and peaceful, little people suffer. Sometimes I ask myself the question, how is it without war? How is it when it's quiet and not scary to go outside? So that you don't get hit by a rocket or a mine there unexpectedly. We seem to have forgotten how it is. Well, nothing, God is with us. we believe and pray."

12.11.2023
"Hello. Yesterday was a hectic day. Constant shelling throughout the city did not subside. we were sitting at home. In the evening a thunderstorm began with rain and strong wind. many trees fell. one poplar fell on a transformer and the whole city was plunged into darkness. There is still no light or water. Yesterday we sat with the candles that you brought us. exactly a year ago it was the same. I called this period “life in darkness.”
We walked with cans across the field under fire to get water. scary, cold, hard to carry, but the understanding that without water we would not survive moved us further. We slept cuddled together with our daughter under 3 blankets. in order to save candles, gathered with neighbors in the same apartment and sat until late. played board games with the children
...the sky is gray with clouds. the house is dark. I’m preparing food and using a flashlight to light a candle so that I can at least see something. The power bank came in handy. I'm on mobile. a year ago we stood outside a store in the cold and charged our phone. 2-3 hours in the cold. We came home cold, tired, hungry. we learned to bathe in 3 liters of water and wash a mountain of dishes in 1 liter of water."

12.11.2033
"Yes, yesterday they "welcomed" us. Many shells were fired. I cried all day from the memories. But we are free. And this is a wonderful feeling. Return the left bank to us. A lot of people want to go home there. I read your post and I'm in tears again. Tears of joy that you are helping our children."


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