This Week's Story
click here to play audioLord, how can we travel when Russian tanks patrol the roads and jets buzz overhead?
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Ukraine Invasion, part four: How will I get to Lviv?
Irina tucked Sergei into her backpack. His head poked out and he began crying. Tears were dripping from Irina’s cheeks, as she stopped to grab snow. At least it wasn’t muddy. She filled Sergei’s baby bottle with the snow.
“Sergei, you can cry, but soon you will have snow-water. It must melt first. I cannot nurse you, and there is no place to get milk for you.
“I know you do not understand what I am saying, my little refugee; but I need to talk.”
She kissed him gently.
She began walking, pulling a suitcase, and praying. “Lord, Sergei and I need to get to Lviv. How can we travel when Russian tanks patrol the roads and jets buzz overhead? I am supposed to be on a safe corridor for people leaving Mariupul, but Russian artillery often shell the corridor. Please help us to get to Lviv safely.”
Sergei’s weight was cramping her back. She turned as she heard feet coming behind her. She recognized an elderly man dragging his right leg. “Fedir, why are you here?”
“Irina, news is bad. Our apartment complex was bombed. My apartment and yours are destroyed. Some neighbors are still in the basement. They have been trapped there for two weeks with little water. Thank God for snow, but often it is not safe to go outside. Our food is nearly gone. We cannot heat the basement and there is no electricity. Some of the people are sick from the cold, but there is little complaining.
“Irina, why are you on the road?”
“I have no gas for my car. I walked to the home of a friend. She lives ten miles from Mariupol.”
“You walked with Sergei on your back and dragging your suitcase on this muddy road?”
“Yes.
“Fedir, has the city surrendered to the Russians?”
“No! The Russians gave us a deadline for surrendering. It is today. We have not surrendered. Our soldiers fight with great bravery and move quickly. Many people have left Mariupol trying to protect their families. The men usually stay and fight in the Ukrainian military. Many women and their children, sick and elderly people are now refugees scattered into many countries.
“The Russians are pounding our beautiful city into piles of rubbish, dead bodies, and scarecrow buildings. They deliberately shell hospitals, theaters, schools, churches, and apartment buildings. They shelled a maternity hospital. Soldiers were not in it. Pregnant women were there needing help. I saw some being taken out after the attack.
“Irina, the Russians leaders do not care about our lives. Maybe they hope to terrify us. They do not need to pulverize our city. They are committing war crimes when they kill and destroy civilians.
“Why is our city a target?”
“It is an important port city for exporting steel and grain. Russia wants a land base to get its exports to the Sea of Azov.”
“Fedir, can you walk with me. I hope a bus will stop for us that will take us to Lviv. I know Lviv is about 820 miles from where we are now. Do you have food?”
“Little. Maybe snow water will help.”
This is Barbara Steiner and Todd Warren inviting you to join us soon for another story at thisweeksstory.com
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