Update: They have arrived safely in Poland! What a whirlwind of the last 36 hours this has been for them, aside from the upheaval their lives have already gone through in the last three weeks. This is what the process has looked like to this point in time. All time will be the local time (Ukraine/Poland) for when they happened.
March 7-8 2022: As tensions have continued to increase and the invasion of Ukraine continues, the decision was made for Elena and her three children and Anya and her child to leave their home country of Ukraine. This was likely one of the hardest decisions of their lives. Sasha, Elena’s husband, joined the Ukrainian forces at the beginning of the invasion and has had to stay behind to fight. To leave your husband and home is something that no one should ever have to go through, but this decision to leave, was made by all of them together as a family.
As soon as the decision was made, the process of finding them a ride out began. Dozens of different organizations were contacted as attempts were made to find them a ride. A spot on a bus coming through their area was eventually found through a Facebook group. Elena, Anya, and their children had to be ready to leave their home the very next day.
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 – 3:30 PM: Sasha found them a ride to Dnipro where they then boarded the bus in Dnipro to head west towards Lviv! They were told that they would have 3 seats between the 6 of them, but by some miracle when they got on they all had their own seat. Most of the personal belongings they now have with them are what they are wearing. They only took 3 small grocery bags of food or things for the baby.
Thursday, March 10, 2022 – 11 AM: After 18 hours on the bus from Dnipro, they finally make it to Lviv! They were originally supposed to travel on the first bus all the way through the Polish border. They were told as they were traveling that things had changed and they would be dropped off in the middle of the night, 25 miles from the border. We made the decision for them to get off in Lviv and had to franticly look for another bus for them to get on. Their next bus to Poland left at 1:30 PM that afternoon so they have a couple hours to stretch their legs. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints were contacted in the area and the family was able to go to the church to have a safe warm place to stay while waiting for the next bus.
Thursday, March 10, 2022 – 2:30 PM: After almost an hour delay, the next bus arrives to take them to Poland! They make it to the border where they end up having to switch to another bus and wait 6 hours before they can cross. Thank goodness they were able to stay in the warm bus the entire time. Once crossing, they continue on into Poland for another 5 hours to meet up with Anne Marie and Ken.
Anne Marie is the sister of one of the neighbors of the Faber family. She is living in Europe and after hearing of the family, wanted to do anything to help. Anne Marie flew out to Poland to meet up with them. Ken also flew out to help as well. Ken is a co-worker of Anne Marie’s husband. He was looking for a way to help and jumped at the opportunity to help Anne Marie meetup with Elena, Anya, and the kids. We are so grateful for Anne Marie and Ken and their selflessness.
Friday, March 11, 2022 – 3:30 AM: The family finally make it to their destination in Poland after another 13 hours in the bus for a total of 31 hours on a bus in two days and an overall total of 36 hours of travel. Anne Marie and Ken were there to pick them up and take them to a hotel where they will all be getting some well deserved rest.
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Praying for the safety of your family