No longer needed for anyone…

Recently, the insecurity has been intensified again around the small towns of Mariinka and Krasnohorovka located just a few kilometers from the city of Donetsk. Not so long ago people had to wait for many hours in a long line of cars to get through check points, but when we approached one of the check points this time we did not seen a single car. The traffic was closed and we were allowed to get through only with the escort of the Civil-Military Service.

Having entered the town, the first thing that caught our eyes was empty streets – no cars, no people, deadly silence prevailed all over the place, and only explosions of shells were heard from the distance. With approaching the place where the City Aid Center normally distributes food, we saw people starting to gather around our van, which many of them could easily recognize. As the time was passing by, we found that we got used to the sound of exploding shells at the distance, however no one knew when the shells could hit and explode nearby or in one’s house.

Many local citizens are scared and decide better to stay in basements. For many the basement is the only safe place left to stay, as their houses and apartments have been destroyed. The shops in the town do not function; the town has been out of power and gas supply for over two weeks, forcing people to prepare meals outdoors. There is no water supply, and people need to fetch water in plastic bottles from the wells that have still preserved. Due to a bad water quality, the bottles and containers become green of mold, but the people cannot get new ones. Another pressing need is medicines. Pharmaceutical supplies have been stopped here, but people are in need of medications no less than in food.

Today we were able to come here with two vans full of food parcels and fresh bread supply – according to the local people, the bread we deliver has special flavor to them – and clothes, presents for children and spiritual literature.  People gratefully received the things we came to share with them. We also visited disabled and elderly citizens who were not even come to meet us. People shared their stories; among those whom we talked to were teachers, doctors, civil service chiefs, but today they all suddenly became no longer needed for anyone. A smiling face is a rare thing to see here. Broken and split families, people with distorted fates, with no place to live and sometime with no prospect for restoring a life of well-being…