Vasylisa and Uliana are very small girls who woke up one morning and saw the frightened eyes of their mother, as the war started. Being just 5 and 9 years old they know already were to hide from bombings and what a fearful noise the rocket make. To stay in their town, called Avdiyivka, that is located in Donetsk region, became too dangerous, so the parents sent the girls with their grandma Tetyana to Ivano-Frankivsk.
“We did not know where we will stay, but it is so good here,” – told the grandma about the shelter in the Catholic Lyseum of st. Basiliy the Great. They have been staying here for few days already, they feel greatful that they are not afraid to fall asleep any more.The girls miss their parents so much, but they think their mother’s and father’s decision to stay to help and to work for the victory of Ukraine is right.
“Our parents stayed in Avdiyivka, but they do not worry about us, as it is peaceful and good here, in the lyseum. We receive three meals daily. We also attend music and art lessons, where we can draw and sing. Yesterday, we had a quest here on the territory of the school and we were looking for the snowman, the hero of the cartoon “Frozen.” “It was joyful”- the sisters from Donetsk region shared.
Listening to the stories of her granddaughters, grandma tells that the end of the war and return home is her greatest dream.
“We have such a striving desire to come back to Avdiyivka to our own flat, to our relatives and friends. Where do we have to go, if not home?” – hopefully tells Tetyana.
The children have faith in our victory and with their eyes sparkling, they are telling that the most important thing they are going to do after war is to spend time with their parents and go to the sea, that they dream of.
Text Viktoriya Havaleshko
Photo – Pavlo Hedzyk
Source: Archeparchy of Ivano-Frankivsk
