Thinking that their documents might come in handy, they packed their passports, some other documents, and some extra money in their suitcases. The first week of their vacation was fine; Olya and Galina enjoyed the beach and the sea. But then Olya’s employer called and told her not to come back to the city of Pervomaisk, because the fighting was coming closer to the city every day. Mom and daughter decided to stay put for the near future, but were worried about the events unfolding in Pervomaisk.
Olya followed the news on TV and the internet, anxious about her family, friends, and her home. On one news clip, she actually saw their apartment building on TV, and it was on fire. “I saw my windows,” Olya said. People posted pictures on Facebook of her building, flames flickering through the windows. Later postings confirmed that the fire had been put out and her apartment was safe. It was a miracle that her building survived the fire. Many family members had stayed in that building because it had a good basement that offered protection.
Her city was eventually bombed and shelled by rebel forces. Pervomaisk found itself in the middle of the conflict zone in the summer of 2014. People were hiding in her building, seeking shelter from shrapnel. One bomb hit the garden in which Olya had played.
The church started to organize car convoys to evacuate people as soon as a cease fire would hold. From far away, Olya tracked all the events taking place in her home town. It was unbelievable to her. The rebel forces would allow only a few hours for an evacuation; people would leave the city by car, on foot, on bicycles, by any means possible, just to get out.
Olya’s dad was still in Pervomaisk. Galina and Olya called him and begged him to leave; the situation was very dangerous and worsening. He told them that everything was still okay, not to be afraid for him, that he was fine, but his voice was very distraught, Olya remembered with tears.
Olya’s father did not want to leave during the evacuation window, because he still believed that the conflict would be over soon. He thought the Ukrainian army would restore peace and order to the region, and Pervomaisk would be free again. Many people like her dad were expecting the green army to arrive in town. That’s what they were told to expect by local news. Everyone wanted to believe this scenario; no one wanted to leave home. But the situation got worse and worse, Olya remembered, and she was processing it all from her distant observation spot. Sometimes she was able to call and reach her dad, sometimes not. Olya and her mom continued to pressure her dad to please leave the city. But her dad stayed on.
By now, Olya and her mom needed to make some arrangements to stay long-term in their current place or relocate to another city. They were running out of money, but they did not know where to go next. Going home was not an option. A friend offered them his apartment in Kyiv for a couple of months while he and his family were spending some time in the country. They received the apartment keys and took a train to Kyiv in August 2014.
The looming, ever-present, overarching question was still what to do next. They lived in Kyiv for an unforeseeable time. Friends gave them some money to live on. Olya was still hoping to return home to Pervomaisk after a month in Kyiv, but one month turned into two months, then three. And instead of their returning to their hometown, they saw more people arriving in Kyiv from Pervomaisk, seeking shelter as refugees.
Olya and her mom had a pastor friend in the city. This man decided that his church was going to help the refugees, so Olya and Galina moved to the premises of the church for temporary living. The church used their Sunday school class rooms for bedrooms. Showers and toilets were available, and there was no cost to the refugees for shelter and food.
In Pervomaisk, there was no end in sight to the fighting and the bombing. Olya’s dad finally left the city, too. He took his bike and cycled ten miles on back roads into Ukrainian territory to a nearby refugee camp run and supported by the Baptist church of Pervomaisk. The camp volunteers helped Olya’s dad to get to Kyiv to join Olya and her mom at the church shelter. Trains were no longer running to and from Kiev, so they found a bus for Sasha instead.
The refugees at camp still expected to eventually head back home, but the leaders cautioned the people that a return would be unlikely. The atmosphere was grim. Many members of Olya’s home church in Pervomaisk worked at the refugee camps near the beleaguered city. They stayed, even though they were afraid, and served the masses of refugees pouring into the Ukrainian territory.
It was hard to get honest, accurate news from the conflict zone, Olya remembered. Some people at the Kyiv church building still had relatives living in the war zone. They got more current and objective news, but with difficulty. Olya and Galina constantly thought about what to do next, where to move to next. Olya had other relatives living in more distant areas of Ukraine, but no one invited her and her mom to come live with them. “We also had relatives in the region, but they didn’t even ask us if we were alive and well or what had happened. They did not invite us; these relatives didn’t even call.” It was a sobering, sad reality.
In contrast, their spiritual family, their brothers and sisters in Christ, supported and encouraged them. The church building became home to about thirty-five people. They functioned like one big family, used one kitchen, shared one refrigerator. It was a good time, recalled Olya, despite the immediate challenging circumstances. Emotions were high, of course, and Olya remembered crying and praying together. Olya said everyone would constantly think of what was going on at home. They all wondered what to do next and where to go from here.
Olya had already obtained a US visa in her passport. She worked with American teams for summer camps in Pervomaisk and had been invited to visit America many times. Her American friends, Susan and Dan, lived in Kansas. They called Olya on Skype often during this time to find out what was going on, what had really happened, and they invited her to go to America for some rest.
In November 2014, Olya decided to go to the States for a while, to rest and regain some emotional and physical balance. Friends helped her with buying the tickets and getting her on the way. Her parents were in favor of this recreation time for her. It was a very stressful time for everyone.
Olya planned to be in the US from November 2014 till January 2015. She spent Christmas in America, a dream she had had for a long time. Olya’s host family was very kind and helpful. Olya said it was such a contrast of life between war-torn Ukraine and the peaceful state of Kansas. She was still stressed about the events at home, but having distance between her and the awful situation helped, especially since she knew that her parents were safe. Her time went by quickly, and she had return tickets to Kyiv; but her hosts encouraged her to change her flights and stay longer in the US. They were also suggesting options for Olya’s future, one being to stay and work in the US.
Olya prayed about extending her stay and decided to remain in the US for a few more months. She was able to travel some during her time in America. She visited Ukrainian friends who had immigrated with their families to Portland, Oregon. Another dream came true on this trip, as she had longed to see the Pacific Ocean. Olya was also invited to a wedding and traveled to Florida with Susan and Dan. Olya experienced Florida in all its fullness, with Disney World and beaches and sunshine. Olya’s summer destination in 2015 was Colorado, another dream for her. Susan’s daughter needed a babysitter and hired Olya for the job. Olya spent ten months in the US, but she missed her home and family and friends. She longed to go home. But where was home now?