As the buses cross the Ukrainian border into Poland, some of the bedraggled and traumatized occupants break into tears.
Still others have already cried themselves dry, completely worn out after two days confined to a bus fleeing their bombed and torn cities and towns in eastern Ukraine.
Waiting for them are a number of Red Cross volunteers with food, shelter and information about whatB次元官网网址檚 going to happen next. Most of the travelers are exhausted and suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Among the Red Cross volunteers waiting for them is Darrell McKay, 57, a Campbell River man who felt compelled to do something concrete to help the Ukrainian people, so much so that he paid his own way to get there.
B次元官网网址淚 have met people from Mariupol that are justB次元官网网址ou can just see in their faces that theyB次元官网网址檙e PTSD, for sure,B次元官网网址� McKay said. B次元官网网址淵eah, itB次元官网网址檚 pretty shitty, you see some of these people.B次元官网网址�
McKay noted that one day there was a woman about 75 who arrived with her daughter and grandchildren and she was dressed just like any B次元官网网址淐ampbell River momB次元官网网址� or B次元官网网址済randmaB次元官网网址� and she got to the border and was greeted by volunteers who gave her a food pack and a care package.
B次元官网网址淪he burst out crying,B次元官网网址� McKay said, probably realizing she was now in a safe place after leaving her home.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know what caused the tears but I can imagine,B次元官网网址� he said.
The Polish Red Cross has a number of refugee reception centres on the Poland-Ukraine border. McKay is helping at the Zosin crossing and from there they forward the refugees to Hrubieszow where there is a reception centre meant for 500 people. At times earlier in the humanitarian effort, there were 3,800 crammed into that centre, sleeping on bleachers.
B次元官网网址淭hey were being woken up to squeeze more people in to sleep sitting up,B次元官网网址� McKay said.
At Zosin, May 24, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., 16 buses came through with B次元官网网址淪ome very tired people,B次元官网网址� McKay said.
What happens is there are signs up directing the travelers to the volunteers who have information for them. That information informs them theyB次元官网网址檙e going to the reception centre in Hrubieszow where they will be sheltered and given food.
B次元官网网址淏ut at the border, weB次元官网网址檙e just supplying food, coffee and direction and just trying to kind of help them out crossing the border,B次元官网网址� McKay said.
At the peak of the crisis, there were 15,000 people a day arriving at the Zosin border crossing being forwarded to the Hrubieszow reception centre.
It was overrun at one time but now theyB次元官网网址檙e starting to ramp down operations now, McKay said. Although on May 27McKay informed us that B次元官网网址渟omething happenedB次元官网网址� and a surge of refugees came through B次元官网网址� 19 buses in one shift and more coming.
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In the beginning of the conflict, people didnB次元官网网址檛 know how bad it was gong to be in the western parts of Ukraine but now most of the fighting is in the east and the west has settled down to a degree of normalcy.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 still the threat of something happening but since thereB次元官网网址檚 no bombs being lobbed here, people prefer to stay in their own bed, I guess, and not travel to another country,B次元官网网址� McKay said. B次元官网网址淪o the west is kind of untouched. Lviv occasionally gets a bomb here and there. They got one the other day but itB次元官网网址檚 mostly the east is getting hammered and part of the south.B次元官网网址�
But that means the people arriving at the border have traveled a long way. There are also people heading back to Kyiv but that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean things are safe. There was one bus coming back from Warsaw (Poland) with refugees trying to head back to Kyiv. As the conflict has lightened up somewhat in the west, they want to get back home and see whatB次元官网网址檚 left. But that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean itB次元官网网址檚 easy to return.
B次元官网网址淭he bus broke down. The bus broke down, caught on fire and they had to get shipped back here (Zosin border crossing),B次元官网网址� McKay said. B次元官网网址淪o just this crappy story after crap, you knowB次元官网网址hereB次元官网网址檚 some pretty emotional stuff.B次元官网网址�
And while itB次元官网网址檚 all tragic, some of it can be heartwarming too. One busy day at the border crossing, McKay gave a mother and her little daughter a food package. The little girl came up to McKay, obviously being urged on by her mother.
B次元官网网址淎nd the bus is just chaos. ItB次元官网网址檚 all chaos,B次元官网网址� McKay said. B次元官网网址淎nd I kept on seeing the mom was talking to the little girl and looking at me. And at the end just as everybodyB次元官网网址檚 going out, the little girl came up and put her arms around me. SheB次元官网网址檚 like, nine or 10. And she says B次元官网网址榯hank you very muchB次元官网网址� in English. ThatB次元官网网址檚 all she knew. And then she carried on. Yeah, so pretty touching stuff.B次元官网网址�
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