Olga’s Journey to Freedom

Hi my name is Jane and I feel funny asking for help - I never ever even ask for help for myself when I have needed it most. And yet, I realize I have a tugging need to help this beautiful woman and her sixteen year old daughter to flee from war torn  Ukraine.

 

Olga and her daughter have started their trek from Kharkiv toward the west and have been meeting blockades and pitfalls every step of the way. She got a late start because she is a single mom with no car. Finally, her friend he came with his car knowing that when he leaves her at her final destination he may never see her again because they won’t let men cross - he will then fight for Ukraine’s freedom.

 

I have only known Olga through the last few years through emails and sharing our love of our kids, knitting and crafting. We started to chat through Etsy when I purchased her fur pom poms in bulk to use on the hats I knit and give to people I love and care about.

 

In fact, if you are reading this you may be carrying a piece of her with you on your head. If I have made you a hat with a fur pom pom - then you have a piece of Olga with you keeping you warm and cozy.

 

Now it’s my turn, our turn ( if you feel the interest in helping her) to  keep her safe and warm by providing what we can monetarily from afar.  This will aid her in her journey to freedom.

I will be wiring her the money so can find places to stay -  Airbnbs in the beginning of this crisis we’re $10-20 US dollars a night for a small bedroom or apartment and sometimes even a whole small home.

 

Now, now due to the intense desperation and demand, people are price gauging and asking hundreds for a room- and when Ukrainians are showing up they are often finding out they are being bribed for even more money or facing the door being shut on them and losing the money they did pay forward.

 

Olga said she has to slip extra money to get gas and food and has already gone up to three days without eating and/or sleeping just trying to drive without stalling and running out of gas in her friend’s car. People are in desperate straits. I have given her money but cannot afford to keep doing it alone.

 

I will promise to keep you up-to-date with her progress without jeopardizing her safety or whereabouts. I will return all money that cannot be used if I cannot wire it to her. If you wish to remain anonymous on the site please contact me so I know what you donated and so I can return any unused monies to you.

 

the money will be given to her directly to use for food, shelter/renting rooms and ultimately getting her started over the border should she make it. She has expressed an interest to have an airline ticket to come to the US and I am working on that if we can get her over the border.

 

I will keep hope that we can find her final refuge and stability to start life anew with proper resources.

 

In my religion, Judaism, a ‘Mitzvah’ is a good deed and it says in the Talmud that Tikkun olam is a way to repair the world. It is an aspiration to behave and act constructively and beneficially for others.

 

“Whoever saves a single life is considered by scripture to have saved the whole world.’ Because we are created in God’s image.

 

This means everyone – not just Jews.

 

Thank you for listening to Olga’s Journey and even if you can’t help monetarily, I ask if you can think good thoughts for the people of Ukraine and find a way to do a small act of kindness each and everyday so we can keep the world a beautiful place full of love, life and hope.

✌️

-Jane

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️