The JDC Tent
At the JDC tent I met two ladies, both named "Lydia" and three teens who were helping them. The two "Lydias" were busy cooking soup, pasta and serving hot food and drinks to people as they approached the tent. (It was very cold, at one point, Lydia grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around me with a big hug). One of the boys, Jakob, helped translate and I obtained permission to bring my car up to the tent. The boys then brought in all of the food donations and safely stowed the medical supplies in the back of the tent.
I was in touch via "Signal" (a communication app) with the journalists from Ukraine who were traveling from Chernivsti, Ukraine (formerly Chernowitz) to Siret, Romania to meet me. I had to wait a number of hours and Lydia had me bringing chocolate, snacks and drinks to the little kids as they arrived. People were walking over the border carrying small bags, holding children. They were mostly women, children and older people. One young woman was walking with two tiny kids one on each hand, approximately 3 and 4 years, and just as I handed each one a treat, their grandparents arrived and swooped them up. I can't imagine the emotions of the little family at that moment, knowing also, that they must have left the young father behind to fight. Most people were not greeted by relatives, but were greeted by the different aid agencies and bused to a variety of locations where, Ery told me, they could rest and obtain help and make decisions about their relocation plans.